Need Musical Ideas for show starters
OK, I have a start of an idea that I have not been able to push forward on my own. I'm thinking it would be fun to start the show, or a set, with something purely instrumental. Playing some kind of hook music that gets the audience toe tapping and the band gets to maybe work out some ideas and build up to the opening song. Not just a 8 measure intro to a song, but actually some kind of instrumental song/theme maybe a couple minutes long.
The closest thing I can describe it as would be something like how John Mellencamp has a really long two minute intro to \"I Want A Lover Who Won't Drive Me Crazy\" where the theme ebbs and flows and finally builds up to the song itself. We are a classic Rock n' Roll cover band, so the theme would have to fit in that genre.
I'm not looking for something really difficult to play to show off our talent (or lack of), but just something that is catchy and sets a positive mood. Something just to jazz up the show and set the band apart from all the other local cover bands. I'm hoping that maybe some of you guys that have been gigging for years might be able to offer up some ideas that work and would improve our shows. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
The closest thing I can describe it as would be something like how John Mellencamp has a really long two minute intro to \"I Want A Lover Who Won't Drive Me Crazy\" where the theme ebbs and flows and finally builds up to the song itself. We are a classic Rock n' Roll cover band, so the theme would have to fit in that genre.
I'm not looking for something really difficult to play to show off our talent (or lack of), but just something that is catchy and sets a positive mood. Something just to jazz up the show and set the band apart from all the other local cover bands. I'm hoping that maybe some of you guys that have been gigging for years might be able to offer up some ideas that work and would improve our shows. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Comments
There is a fine line. If done well, you grab them. If not, you lose them. Maybe a short instrumental, a few seconds to grab their attention, that breaks right into the first song in your set. Something like that usually works great.
We don't have a good recorded version of it, but here's a rough draft of the first take the bassist and I did. All instrumental. It also doubles for sound check.
http://www.44lbs.net/ilia/Soundcheck.mp3
It would not necessarily have to be a show opener, it could open the beginning of a later set. I'm not into self-indulgent instrumentals, and to be frankly honest, none of us in my band are good enough to pull something like that off for very long anyway. I'm no Victor Wooton on bass, etc...
And like I said, my goal would be to grab and audience, not lose them.
That's more in line with what I'm thinking. Going from pre-show backing music to building up the level for the live show. Right now we just cut the preshow backing music, announce ourselves, thank everyone for coming out, yada, yada, yada, and hit the first song. I'm thinking it would be better to ramp up the volume, audience, energy, etc... and maybe announcing the band AFTER the first song or two. It's all showmanship and I think our songs are solid enough now that we need to start thinking about small things to improve the \"Show\" itself.
Yes, that's what we need. Your specific intro music would not fit with our music, but I really like the ideas you guys have going on. It would be great to hear how you pull it off live with the introductions, jokes, etc.... I can imagine how that goes over well with a follow up song that fits the mood. I like how you engage the crowd early on and make them feel part of the experience. That's where my band needs more work. Our music is solid enough, but we have always been a step behind in how to engage an audience when the music is not playing.
As far as the specific music - we were going for something light, upbeat, and major. If you're going to write something, let it fit your style and go for catchy. If you're going to use a cover, have something that allows for audience participation. Like the chicken dance. Not literally, but along those lines - something where you can get people to sing along, clap, whatever.
Well, \"Mustang Sally\" loses its glitter after you play it for years, but it's still probably the most requested song we get. And we only play it on request. About half of the time we talk a local singer into coming up on stage and singing the song as we back him/her. It's more fun for the band that way, and also for the locals. Sometimes it's better than others. But usually the locals appreciate the band backing one of their own. If the singer nails the song, they are a hero. If the song is weak, our lead singer helps out and carries them through the song. Either way, the band comes out ahead, as we heap praise unto the local singer for coming up on stage and \"jamming\" with us. We always make them feel that they did us a favor.
I once saw a band down in Las Vegas that was working a computer trade show. Every two hours they would come out with their show and it was always the same. The guys had a great gag bit opening the show. It went something like \"OK guys, give me the first positive integer\" and the band would all hit a one shot. Then the lead vocal would say \"Give me the first prime number\" and the band would respond with a two shot. \"The square root of nine...\" and the band hits a three shot. All these shots were more in less in rhythm and you could feel the energy growing. Then the vocalist shouts out \"Hit me with pi...\" and the band just goes crazy because we all know that \"pi\" is an irrational number and its decimal representation never ends or repeats. So, given the tech crowd, the gag and music really was funny, the first time. Not as funny the second show, and you pretty much got over the gag bit if you saw them later in the day. But that first time exposure was great.
Anyway, I'm thinking something like iliace's band opener is more in lines of what I would like. I'll have to dig out the Who album you mentioned and check it out for ideas. Some of their music would definitely fit in our genre.
Yep, catchy is my goal. Participation would be even better. But that's why this bit would not even have to be a show opener for us. We typically play from 9pm-1am, and at 9pm there is usually not much of a crowd. Our crowds usually start showing up around 10pm and later. But it might work for us to have both a show opener and set openers.
I'm just constantly trying to think of new, better ways, to make the show more entertaining.
BTW, we are now playing a number of \"mini-sets\" of two and three songs in a row. That alone has gotton us more notice because we can pull it off. Most of the bands around here play a song, pause for a few minutes to get the next song ready, and then start up again. That was us forever, too. But now we are stringing 2 and 3 songs together that work well and it's being noticed by the patrons. It's just one more thing the presents a band as more polished and professional.
I grew up with Bugs Bunny cartoons. I wonder how many \"kids\" today even know who Bugs Bunny is? Anyway, I think I would have appreciated your opener.
Rock Funk
The real deal
Sam and Dave
Stevie Wonder
Etc...Etc..Simple grooves, that swing like hell, that bandmates can jump into and jump out for intro's, end and beginning of set, quick jams, etc. Bonus in you tie the intro jamming into a tune, and add to your set list. Make something like that your trademark, and everyone after a while will now when to order drinks, dance go to the bathroom, head to the parking lot for that quickie..etc..
Hope this helps..
If I can pull it off on bass, then it might be a good set opener. We could extended the intro and maybe do a little voice over type of thing before the singing starts. Anyway, the song is now on the short list.
Lou Reed- Sweet Jane (which leads to the part the chicks know) The most popular one to date for Classic Rock venues.
Boston - Foreplay Long Time- as hard as this is, response is mixed
Rush- 2112 or Working man- mixed response
Styx- Grand Illusion or Come Sail Away- decent response
Cars- Moving in Stereo then into Just what I needed or Best friends girl.- gets them dancing
Pink Floyd- Hey You- good for third set opener.. other than that imo its a sleeper
Metallica- Seek and Destroy, Enter Sandman, Fade to Black.- with the right crowd this works
Triumph - Hold On- great opener first or third set
John Cougar- I need a lover- great opener, be PREPARED to practice your butt off because its not as easy as it sounds and only sounds good if its tight. Lots of cues, and pauses.... took us months to nail it right, but if you do the chicks love it! Not as much as Journey though.
Extended version of Eye of the Tiger intro which rolls to Run Like Hell- this one works pretty good most nights.
The WHO- Baba Oreilly is a GREAT opener and always gets people excited. I've seen bands do this without a kb player too. Have your drummer beat the s%*t out of the cymbals.
I was going to suggest Sweet Jane to the guys this summer, and now I think I'll add the intro part as a show opener idea. We just added 6 new songs to our lineup, and we are still working out some finer points on them, but maybe I can get this on our long list. We have another 6 songs on our short list at the moment. But new songs come in, and old ones go out. So I'll put the idea out there and see what happens.
I don't think Boston or Rush would go over well, or that we could pull it off. Mixed feelings about Styx. Like the Cars idea and have worked on trying to sing Just What I Needed and Best Friend's Girlfriend. I think those songs would work for us. Pink Floyd is probably too slow for our music. Metallica too hard, unfortunately. Not too familiar with Triumph, so I'll have to check that idea out. I think I mentioned John Cougar Mellencamp before, that would go over well, but we don't do any yet. I think our lead singer doesn't like John Cougar, but don't know for sure. Anyway, I've brought up I Need A Lover and Hurts So Good, but neither idea has ever sparked much interest in the band. Baba O'Reilly is a great song, but we already have a number of songs by the Who, and we get mixed response at best.
Thanks for the suggestions. There are so many great songs out there but it is always nice to hear how the crowd reacts to the songs. Of course, our crowds might be different than yours, but still, it's nice to hear from other what songs are well received. I've learned long ago that the right song is more important than playing it perfect. If you hit the right song with the right crowd, you are forgiven if you don't nail it perfectly. However, if you nail a song that they don't care about, it just does not matter. Point is, find the songs people react to positively and work hard on nailing them. Drop the songs that get poor reactions because even if you play it flawlessly, you will probably still get the same poor response.
The good thing about the band I'm in is that we can usually do a good job on any song we play live. So we know pretty fast if the song is a keeper or not. Put another way, if the song goes over like a lead balloon, it's usually not because we play it badly.
Having said that, maybe only one or two songs out of 10 on our list actually make it to live performance. Everyone in the band gets a free pass to cut a song that they don't want to perform. For example, if the bass is too complicated and a simple bass line wouldn't do, I'll pass, the singer will pass on songs beyond his ability, and the lead guitarist won't go near some solos, etc... We have even passed up on songs that the drummer has killed. But it's all okay with me because there are just so many other great songs that we can play.
Don't make things too tough on yourselves. I'm a guy that likes to get the note on note solo for most songs, but our other lead player gets in the ball park and improvises. Either method works but for the majority except that one guitar god counting the band's note mistakes or whatever.
I've only seen one band nail note for note solos. The rest its hard to tell most of the time whether they chose to do something not according to the record, or are they just jamming. I leave that for the guitar gods laughing from their one seat of 20,000 to judge the guy ! Like Jimmy Page said \"I can't remember every lick from my records.... so I just play the d*mn thing !
Having management or booking agents can help some bands, but they are not always needed. They may be able to land you the better of venues in some areas. It really depends if the clubs utilize booking agency or agent in order to scout bands for live shows. If the agent books a band that does not work out, he's usually on the butcher block with the venue.
I never worry about what the venue takes in. Set a price and the rest is really up to them. If they promote as required and let their regulars know of the events, they can have a great night and make some good tabs. You have to remember some of the venues book a band to generate revenue since most of weekdays are pretty low patronage. Earning double what you think just may help them break even for the week. Again, that is not your concern. You set a price, and remain firm. If they offer you more for a stellar tab night, you can take the extra or not. You guys have been around a few years now, so you can remain pretty firm I think.
I like the lead guitarist to nail the signature lick of the song, but other than that, I like to hear what he can do with his own solo. If the solo is the signature lick, then he had better get it down, if not note for note, at least keep it in the ballpark. Just keep it fun. It's only Rock 'n' Roll.
In most cases I have seen the mishap go down was the drummer running the song as HE learned it in beats or measures, but the guitar player etc didn't remember their own measures or riff to cue from. It's funny to watch the guitar player evil eye the drummer and the drummer have this perplexed look... yeah going back to non verbals. Happens all the time.