What's with the Nickelback requests?

[theinfamous]

I've played quite a few live shows in my region over the past few years, in a variety of different styles, and there's always some entitled douche canoe who decides it is "all requests hour" and won't stop hounding the band. If they walk up to me, I'll usually just turn around and pretend I'm messing with my amp or something. My standard response to requests is "we don't do that one."

Just recently, there has been an increasing trend where some absolutely hammered, clinging to youth 45 year old woman will stumble up to the band and demand we play Nickelback. It is a different woman EVERY SHOW, but with the same basic description. You know the type- Looks like she's the lady Rip VanWinkle of the late 80s. She fell asleep in '89 and woke up on a random Friday in 2014 and decided to get hammered without changing clothes or combing her hair. I leave the situation wondering "are these the types of people that like Nickelback?"

So why is it now that I'm noticing this? Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[Dominic D]

Just remember that people with negative opinions are way louder than people with positive opinions. Nickelback isn't actually the most hated band in the world. They actually have a massive fan-base and have no trouble filling venues. Most of their albums have reached Platinum or higher. Having said that, I'm not a big Nickelback fan. I just hate seeing a band get hated on only because it's trendy to hate them.

 

[theinfamous]

Nothing that I play in any of my bands would suggest that we play nikelback as well, but people still request it. I know that they are a fairly popular band, but it is odd that people in that demographic constantly request them.

I wasn't necessarily hating on the band, just observing an odd tendency in the crowd.

 

[BazzTard]

it's not trendy to hate Nuckelback, I've always hated them hehe.


PS the next time a 40+year old woman requests a song, reply with "yeah and we want young nubile chicks at our gigs, bummer innit?"

 

[theinfamous]

PS the next time a 40+year old woman requests a song, reply with "yeah and we want young nubile chicks at our gigs, bummer innit?"

Oh yeah. It is always the ones you don't want to talk to that decide to "make friends" with the band.

Or the guy that wanders through so drunk he can't stand and says "PLAY SUMFIN GOOD."

If I had a dollar for every time somebody said PLAY WAGON WHEEL, I could retire.

 

[PortlandBass77]

That is exactly what nickelbacks fans are like, that is actually the most accurate description I have ever heard

 

[theinfamous]

So it isn't just my imagination then.

 

[Lobster11]

On the plus side, you could go ahead and learn one Nickelback song, and you would know them all.

 

[hdracer]

Yeah, it's alway so cool to insult your audience.

 

[FretNoMore]

Yeah, it's alway so cool to insult your audience.

True that, audiences don't know what good music is, bands should educate them so they learn what they should listen to.

 

[Winfred]

Learn a Nickelback song. When someone requests it, play it.

 

[lfmn16]

Learn a Nickelback song. When someone requests it, play it.

Play a request from an audience member for a band that has sold over 50,000,000 albums? Sorry, I have my musical integrity to think about, I can't be worrying about the people paying my salary. I need to play my originals which have 10 Youtube hits and have sold 5 copies!

 

[theinfamous]

Yeah, it's alway so cool to insult your audience.

I don't insult my audience. My band is always courteous and never confrontational to our crowd, no matter how obnoxious and disrespectful they may be to us. Furthermore, hammered drunk people are ALWAYS fair game for poking fun.

No one can seriously suggest that a band play every song requested. If that was the case our sets wouldn't make any sense, we'd play freebird every set, and we'd drive away half the younger crowd with terrible garbage they don't care to endure. Plus, the requesters are NEVER the people that come back and see you again. I won't learn nickelback to appease drunk ladies who won't remember my band in 20 minutes, or even notice if we play it.


Good gracious you guys are taking this waay too seriously... I thought the title of this part of the board had humor in it...

 

[DwaynieAD]

Its hilarious hoe much energy gets put into hating nickleback. Learn to play animals, very fun song to play.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

People in a bar requesting the biggest and most successful rock band of the 2000s? That is crazy!

 

[theinfamous]

Its hilarious hoe much energy gets put into hating nickleback. Learn to play animals, very fun song to play.

I think you and I have very different definitions of what is fun to play.

People in a bar requesting the biggest and most successful rock band of the 2000s? That is crazy!

BUT why is it always a 45 year old woman who couldn't care less if we did actually play it?

 

[10cc]

Just remember that people with negative opinions are way louder than people with positive opinions. Nickelback isn't actually the most hated band in the world. They actually have a massive fan-base and have no trouble filling venues. Most of their albums have reached Platinum or higher. Having said that, I'm not a big Nickelback fan. I just hate seeing a band get hated on only because it's trendy to hate them.

McDonalds has a massive fan base, no trouble filling restaurants and probably sold more food than anybody. McDonalds Sucks and is not good for you but people still go there.
Oh it's not trendy. They really do suck! At least she didn't request some Creed.

Now we know who plays Nickleback songs.

 

[theinfamous]

McDonalds has a massive fan base, no trouble filling restaurants and probably sold more food than anybody. McDonalds Sucks and is not good for you but people still go there.
Oh it's not trendy. They really do suck! At least she didn't request some Creed.

Now we know who plays Nickleback songs.

I've never had a request for Creed, thankfully. Watch, now someone will come up this weekend and ask if we know "with arms wide open."

This is how a request situation typically goes: Early drunk wanders up to the stage (1st set, maybe 10 pm. These people do not make it to last call). If we know the song that he/she requests, or one by the same artist or in the same style, we'll play that next. The drunk stopped paying attention and wandered away and missed the requested song, so they again approach the stage, demanding the same thing. Why cater to people like that?

 

[GregT]

I have to admit that I had never bothered to listen to Nickelback ever in my life until I read this thread. I listened to Animals first. Then several others. They aren't so bad. They listened to some Kiss CDs of their parents, it sounds like to me; perhaps an influence. I'd sure learn one of their songs because I can see why it would go over great with the right crowd. I didn't even know anyone hated them. Just some fun lyrics to get ladies having fun in a club. Music is powerful. I have been trying to learn some songs from this era lately. Thanks.

 

[FunkHead]

My band has a second (Long) set list of songs we don't want to play, We can all play the entire list but it's only used for requests. There are two Nickelback songs on it. So are Free Bird and Tuesdays Gone. I actually still enjoy playing some Skynrd but it's just not part of our show unless a request is made.