set list question

[rylie]

I was born in the last century
I know and like much of the music from that time
current band set list is 90% covers from the last century: 50's 60's 70's
categorically an oldies band
how many TBer's are in a similar band?
what are your band experiences, playing oldies in 2019?
who's your audience and do they support the format?
are gigging opportunities expanded, average or reduced playing this format?

 

[garp]

Technically, I'm not "in" a band because I'm a hired gun by choice. But I find there's still plenty of work for groups willing to cater to the nostalgia market – maybe not so much '50s stuff, but definitely '60s and '70s material. In fact, I already have several dates inked on the calendar for next year that were unashamedly booked as "yacht rock" gigs. The clients are generally aged 50+ with significant discretionary income. They want the ambiance of a real band – not a DJ or an iPod plugged into speakers on sticks.

 

[mexicant]

I play in a similar band,lots of eagles club,moose club and local bar gigs. We play 60s through 90s mostly.

 

[lat]

I'm in a couple of 'classic rock' bands. 60s to 00s. We have a mostly older crowd attend our shows, but even the older crowd likes some newer stuff to mix things up a bit. New U2, Foo Fighters, Green Day, etc... Keeps things fresher. Just one or two newer songs per set... maybe 4 or 5 for the night...

 

[Groove Doctor]

I play in an 80’s band. My favourite era. Plenty of gigs at clubs that draw an older crowd. Fine by me, most modern songs are garbage and younger people are annoying. Bah humbug....

 

[lat]

I play in an 80’s band. My favourite era. Plenty of gigs at clubs that draw an older crowd. Fine by me, most modern songs are garbage and younger people are annoying. Bah humbug....

... and get off my lawn!

 

[friskinator]

It's always interesting to me how bands like the Foo Fighters and Green Day are considered "newer," when most of the recognizable songs by those bands are 20-25 years old at this point.

 

[buldog5151bass]

If you limit yourself to music that old, you are limiting your audience. But it depends on the venues where you are playing. Seems like 80s are very popular for most crowds.

 

[51PRI]

It's always interesting to me how bands like the Foo Fighters and Green Day are considered "newer," when most of the recognizable songs by those bands are 20-25 years old at this point.

Those bands are cutting edge compared to many band's song lists consisting of Bad Company and Lynyrd Skynyrd songs.

 

[biguglyman]

It's a niche that can sell pretty well. There is a local band here in the Rochester, NY area called Ruby Shooz that does VERY well doing a 50's throwback show complete with sequined jackets, etc. My band, Revolver, does all 60's-70's music with an emphasis on The Beatles. We used to do the tribute thing but found that we weren't getting enough gigs doing that, so we expanded. We're probably one of the few bands you'll hear that goes from The Beatles to Zeppelin to Roy Orbison to Rush all in the same night. We also do a few Collective Soul tunes 'cause we like them and we're the band and we can play them if we want... The current crop of "Beatles" bands locally range from barely tolerable to fairly accomplished, but I don't see any of them getting very many gigs. We play mostly clubs with the occasional festival or casino thrown in.

 

[EddiePlaysBass]

A friend of mine told me yesterday, as we were en route to a Greta Van Fleet concert, that a recent study showed that "our" generation (we're in out very late 30s) and the slightly younger kids know any and all bands from the 60s and 70s but nothing of contemporary hit songs or bands. He may have a point.

That said, as much as I love Billie Eilish, i would feel weird playing her songs in front of a crowd.

 

[friskinator]

Those bands are cutting edge compared to many band's song lists consisting of Bad Company and Lynyrd Skynyrd songs.

Sadly, you're right. That mentality is what's keeping me from wanting to gig these days. I had an audition recently where 2 of the songs I was asked to learn were in the set list of my high school band 30 years ago. Ended up passing on the gig. I just can't play those songs anymore, but there seem to be a lot of dudes that are still excited about playing them.

 

[mrcbass]

It's always interesting to me how bands like the Foo Fighters and Green Day are considered "newer," when most of the recognizable songs by those bands are 20-25 years old at this point.

In Classic Rock terms (at least by my definition), they are newer. It drives me nuts that stuff that originated post-mid 80s is considered Classic Rock. To me, Classic Rock is late 60s to early 80s. Everything after that is something else, again, IMO. Yes there is a little sliding room on my scale - early Beatles/Stones are Classic Rock for example, but no bands that stared hitting the air in the late 80s on is Classic Rock.

 

[lo_freq_geek]

We play oldies rock from the 50s along with classic rock, country, blues, some funk. Johnny Be Goode, Rock Around the Clock, Blue Suede Shoes... you get the idea. Maybe 5 songs on our list are from the 90s and newer. Mostly super familiar, borderline beat to death songs. They go over well at the legions and dive bars we play.

 

[Humbled]

It seems a big component of this would be: Where are you and who spends money on Live Entertainment where you're planning to play? Do the people who want to spend money on bands where you play want to hear what your band plays?

I learned a long time ago that unless I was just in it to impress myself or kids that were just as broke as I was, I'd be wise to hitch my wagon to the guys who knew how to go where the bucks were.

 

[lat]

In Classic Rock terms (at least by my definition), they are newer. It drives me nuts that stuff that originated post-mid 80s is considered Classic Rock. To me, Classic Rock is late 60s to early 80s. Everything after that is something else, again, IMO. Yes there is a little sliding room on my scale - early Beatles/Stones are Classic Rock for example, but no bands that stared hitting the air in the late 80s on is Classic Rock.

That's the way I see it too...

 

[lat]

A friend of mine told me yesterday, as we were en route to a Greta Van Fleet concert, that a recent study showed that "our" generation (we're in out very late 30s) and the slightly younger kids know any and all bands from the 60s and 70s but nothing of contemporary hit songs or bands. He may have a point.

That said, as much as I love Billie Eilish, i would feel weird playing her songs in front of a crowd.

Yeah, Greta Van Fleet proves the point...

 

[lat]

It's always interesting to me how bands like the Foo Fighters and Green Day are considered "newer," when most of the recognizable songs by those bands are 20-25 years old at this point.

Yep, 'newer' is relative. 20-25 years old vs 50-60...

 

[lat]

Sadly, you're right. That mentality is what's keeping me from wanting to gig these days. I had an audition recently where 2 of the songs I was asked to learn were in the set list of my high school band 30 years ago. Ended up passing on the gig. I just can't play those songs anymore, but there seem to be a lot of dudes that are still excited about playing them.

A lot of people still want to hear them...

 

[EddiePlaysBass]

Thing is, for me it's not/no longer about money. I do want reimbursement for playing because I am providing a service. But I don't see that payment as the ultimate goal, contrary to a lot of TB members. And yes, I mostly play covers.