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Set List for Wine Bar?
- Thread starter Bassamatic
- Start date
Here's a good start:
Autumn Leaves
Blue Bossa
All Of Me
It Could Happen To You
Sweet Georgia Brown
So What
On Green Dolphin Street
Have You Met Miss Jones
All The Things You Are
Stella By Starlight
Autumn Leaves
Blue Bossa
All Of Me
It Could Happen To You
Sweet Georgia Brown
So What
On Green Dolphin Street
Have You Met Miss Jones
All The Things You Are
Stella By Starlight
Oh dear God…
That set list is like my worst nightmare from freshman year at the Berklee College of Music. If I was at a wine bar and a band played that tired selection of Real Book chestnuts, I would probably kill myself… Preferably by over-drinking the venue’s wine.
If I was in a band and I had to play those tunes, I would probably also kill myself… Depending on the paycheck.
Instead of asking an online group that is inevitably just going to list the usual assortment of Boomer music or jazz standards, go check out the venues. What is the average age of the customer base? Groups of friends, or more couples?
I know many are having trouble dealing with the change, but a lot of the "essential" songs listed here are older than the parents of the crowds at many breweries, and twice as tired.
People in general hold on to and most identify with music from when they were about 15 to 20 years old. For those hitting 60 that's 1980 - 85.
When I walk into most breweries I'm seeing GenX and Millennials. We hear many bemoaning the loss of performance opportunities, but in the markets I'm familiar with the groups bringing music from the 90's - 2000's (1990, not 1890) are having no trouble booking gigs, from acoustic duos to full party bands. Pop, rock, grunge - all can be easily stripped down to an acoustic duo format with success.
Know your audience and deliver what they want, not what they've been told they should want.
I know many are having trouble dealing with the change, but a lot of the "essential" songs listed here are older than the parents of the crowds at many breweries, and twice as tired.
People in general hold on to and most identify with music from when they were about 15 to 20 years old. For those hitting 60 that's 1980 - 85.
When I walk into most breweries I'm seeing GenX and Millennials. We hear many bemoaning the loss of performance opportunities, but in the markets I'm familiar with the groups bringing music from the 90's - 2000's (1990, not 1890) are having no trouble booking gigs, from acoustic duos to full party bands. Pop, rock, grunge - all can be easily stripped down to an acoustic duo format with success.
Know your audience and deliver what they want, not what they've been told they should want.
Thanks for all the terrific responses. The wine bars I have been to are usually 30's -50's crowd. The breweries younger and at the outdoor beer gardens - young families to 50's. It seems we will need a wide variety of material. It's worth it, though - these are nice places and beer and pizza (and wine) are usually included with the gig!
When l was 17 l drank some very good beer
I drank some very good beer
l purchased with a fake l.D.
My name was Brian McGee
l stayed up listening to Queen
When l was 17
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this. Wine bars are not much different at their core than a distillery or microbrewery. The clientele is mid 20's-mid 50's. Nobody in that crowd wants to hear moldy old jazz standards or ancient singer/songwriter stuff. A 90's and adjacent acoustic setlist, with some yacht rock thrown in would be a great vibe, I would think.
Blah Blah Blah...It really all depends on what's poppin' in your area. If the crowd are older, or live in the suburbs of a quiet little town, then you can do your jazz trio thing or play yacht rock sleepers. The band I'm in is located in the southern end of the San Francisco Bay Area. The wineries and wine bars are found in a few of the small communities that are still kinda rural. There are bands who play the suggested things found here. They take their $300 or $500 and rotate with other typical bands through the venues.
. . . Fine. . . .but . . .
We use a lot of back tracks ( I hate it) but...but... we play country, some rock and some thumpy pop for sets 1&2, and by set 3, we're doing hip-hop, funk, and fun thumpy beat music. We are requested all the time, by ALL the venues. We turn-down a lot of biz because we're booked-up . We play a bit on the "loud" side. And we pack the places that most other bands use as paid practice. So why do I say all this? Because what you play depends on where you play, and what the venue wants. We pack the house, and make the venues a lot of money, so we are given the freedom to just do-it. If we played yacht rock at these venues, we would lose our following. We are fortunate to be in an area where people still like to party like it's 1999. Others may not have this luxury. My point in all this, is to test the water. Bring it. Unless the venue specifically disapproves, bring it. Bring the money "in", and you will be in a better negotiating position for future gigs. It's also a lot more fun...
But if the venue wants background music it, doesn't really matter what you play...you're in the background like a potted plant anyway.
. . . Fine. . . .but . . .
We use a lot of back tracks ( I hate it) but...but... we play country, some rock and some thumpy pop for sets 1&2, and by set 3, we're doing hip-hop, funk, and fun thumpy beat music. We are requested all the time, by ALL the venues. We turn-down a lot of biz because we're booked-up . We play a bit on the "loud" side. And we pack the places that most other bands use as paid practice. So why do I say all this? Because what you play depends on where you play, and what the venue wants. We pack the house, and make the venues a lot of money, so we are given the freedom to just do-it. If we played yacht rock at these venues, we would lose our following. We are fortunate to be in an area where people still like to party like it's 1999. Others may not have this luxury. My point in all this, is to test the water. Bring it. Unless the venue specifically disapproves, bring it. Bring the money "in", and you will be in a better negotiating position for future gigs. It's also a lot more fun...
But if the venue wants background music it, doesn't really matter what you play...you're in the background like a potted plant anyway.
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I do sympathise with trying to construct a set that requires some thought and imagination.
But to do that you need to be in tune with your market/venue and realise that its a work in progress and you need to build on small successes.
Spinning the bulk of that set to a livelier venue needs constant review..over above the new numbers you add as a matter of course.
But to do that you need to be in tune with your market/venue and realise that its a work in progress and you need to build on small successes.
Spinning the bulk of that set to a livelier venue needs constant review..over above the new numbers you add as a matter of course.
Wine me up....Faron Young
Two more bottles of wine....Delbert McClinton
Days of Wine and Roses ......Henry Mancini/Tony Bennett
Two more bottles of wine....Delbert McClinton
Days of Wine and Roses ......Henry Mancini/Tony Bennett
…
I'd go for 80s stuff, since the majority of wine drinkers are 40+ and love 80s music. Play something like "Signs" by Tesla or "Jane Says" by Jane's Addiction or "All Apologies" (unplugged) by Nirvana and people will groove along, since that's stuff they grew up with.
But that's if a healthy portion of the crowd is 40s- 50s.
But that's if a healthy portion of the crowd is 40s- 50s.
War -Spill the Wine......
I sometimes play small private gigs with my 17-year-old on guitar and me on bass. He has a jazz background so he plays a lot of Latin stuff mostly instrumentals. We play some Sublime, Bob Marley, Ed Sheeran, Van Morrison, etc. Sometimes he just solos (tastefully!) and I just back him up. It's really going to depend on what your singer can sing and play....
I sometimes play small private gigs with my 17-year-old on guitar and me on bass. He has a jazz background so he plays a lot of Latin stuff mostly instrumentals. We play some Sublime, Bob Marley, Ed Sheeran, Van Morrison, etc. Sometimes he just solos (tastefully!) and I just back him up. It's really going to depend on what your singer can sing and play....
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