Sharing the new band's set list

[Flashback Bass]

That's way more of a classic rock list than this group is aiming for. Like I say, as we develop we'll add more classics, so some of these might make it in.

Sorry if I implied that these were song suggestions for your band. I saw that you are planning on playing newer stuff. (We're trying too also as our clientele is dying off. Literally!).

It was more for the example of playing songs outside the standard cover band play list whatever the genre.

 

[Meyatch]

I've played a fair amount of these songs, here's what I remember about how they go:


Lonely Boy – Black Keys - kind of mediocre, we've been playing this one for a while.

The Middle – Jimmy Eat World - still great almost every time, even though this song came out when you're target audience were babies.

Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash - this is a great one if you want one older dude to dance and have everyone else in the bar give him the stink eye.

Exes and Ohs – Elle King - somewhere between pretty good and great

Blister in the Sun – Violent Femmes - this song almost always goes over, I don't really know why.

Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Jet - usually pretty good, I've never noticed any dancers tripping over the stops in the song, its pretty well known, I think people know to expect it.




Take Me to the River – Talking Heads (I've never played this one, but I really can't see it working)

What I Got - Sublime - always good

Hard to Handle - Black Crowes - always good (I really hate this song and I wish it didn't work)





Who Knew - Pink - ok, not great, kind of bounces back in forth between manic and boring

Hit Me with Your Best Shot – Pat Benatar - pretty good

Funhouse – Pink - I always liked playing this song, but it was not a huge hit and people didn't always know it

American Girl – Tom Petty - almost always great, we usually end the second of third set with this one, I'm not sure why it wouldn't be a good set ender? We speed it up a fair amount.



I agree that this set list is not likely to be a huge hit with the under 30 crowd.

Also I wholeheartedly disagree that you should avoid well known hits. I've never had a single person come up at the end of the night and tell me we played songs that were too popular and too well known.

I have had bartenders tell me they were glad we didn't play Mustang Sally, but it doesn't fit in with our show anyway.

If you like using effects (sounds like you do) you should check out some pop and dance stuff like Lady Gaga, Kesha, etc.

I'm also in a female fronted party band, we do pretty well for ourselves.

Here's a link:
Shallow 9

 

[hrodbert696]

I've played a fair amount of these songs, here's what I remember about how they go:


Lonely Boy – Black Keys - kind of mediocre, we've been playing this one for a while.

The Middle – Jimmy Eat World - still great almost every time, even though this song came out when you're target audience were babies.

Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash - this is a great one if you want one older dude to dance and have everyone else in the bar give him the stink eye.

Exes and Ohs – Elle King - somewhere between pretty good and great

Blister in the Sun – Violent Femmes - this song almost always goes over, I don't really know why.

Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Jet - usually pretty good, I've never noticed any dancers tripping over the stops in the song, its pretty well known, I think people know to expect it.




Take Me to the River – Talking Heads (I've never played this one, but I really can't see it working)

What I Got - Sublime - always good

Hard to Handle - Black Crowes - always good (I really hate this song and I wish it didn't work)





Who Knew - Pink - ok, not great, kind of bounces back in forth between manic and boring

Hit Me with Your Best Shot – Pat Benatar - pretty good

Funhouse – Pink - I always liked playing this song, but it was not a huge hit and people didn't always know it

American Girl – Tom Petty - almost always great, we usually end the second of third set with this one, I'm not sure why it wouldn't be a good set ender? We speed it up a fair amount.



I agree that this set list is not likely to be a huge hit with the under 30 crowd.

Also I wholeheartedly disagree that you should avoid well known hits. I've never had a single person come up at the end of the night and tell me we played songs that were too popular and too well known.

I have had bartenders tell me they were glad we didn't play Mustang Sally, but it doesn't fit in with our show anyway.

If you like using effects (sounds like you do) you should check out some pop and dance stuff like Lady Gaga, Kesha, etc.

I'm also in a female fronted party band, we do pretty well for ourselves.

Here's a link:
Shallow 9

Thanks for the detailed input! I appreciate it. Sometimes it's just a matter of the particular band and the particular crowd, or region. Funny about Who Knew ("manic or boring"). I always thought of that as a sleepy tune and didn't generally notice much reaction to it - then one gig with a prior band the crowd just exploded for it. That's pretty much why I agreed to carry it over. Another past band almost always got a good all-ages reaction to Folsom Prison, and in that same group we did pretty well with Take Me to the River - just had to lay down a slow burning, oily groove for it before you start singing. I've got doubts about Lonely Boy too - very hard to get that one in a groove that works. I'm expecting we'll drop it soon unless something happens with it.

I like the videos for your group! Sounds like a similar concept. You have a good sound and stage look. I like the light up boxes.

What goes over for the under-30 set is a bit of a mystery to me in this day and age. What it really is, is to avoid being a Geezer Rock band that has nothing for a younger crowd. Trying to keep it relevant.

 

[Scottkarch]

I like the list. Big variety. We play similar stuff.. and even had more overlap when we had a female vocalist. Some bands are known for nailing one genre of music. We like to hit a few and we've had great feedback from bar owners saying they liked the variety. The band has something for just about everyone. I think that will work great for a cover band.

Weve been playing a few years now and can go classic rock heavy, or dance heavy, or country heavy for a gig depending on the type of bar it is. Plus we like mixing up the songs so we aren't playing the same thing every show and our usual fans hear different songs each show.,,, at least 40% different.

I think you have a fine set of songs going. Once you have them down, keep adding more.

 

[nutdog]

Blurred Lines is easy, fun to play and goes over well with just about all ages. Despite its supposed misogynistic meaning it seems to be a favorite with the ladies. Whenever we play Waterfalls it goes over great with younger women even though we don't sound anything like TLC doing it. Killer bass on the original.

Happy, Forget (or F word of your choice) You, Gold Digger and Uptown Funk also work. I haven't played it live yet but One Republic When The Love Runs Out seems like it'd be fun.

Say Hey (I Love You) has a good groove. Everybody Talks (Neon Trees). All About That Bass. Uma Thurman and you'll get to play the Munster's theme. I'm A Believer is popular with younger folks thanks to Shrek. For a slow soft song maybe Budapest.

 

[Ted Crilly]

Billie Jean is always a winner. Everyone knows it no matter age or taste in music. Long train running is another one where people don't necessarily need to know it to enjoy it. We do Uptown Funk also and it goes down well.