Advice wanted about putting together a party band

Comments

• shredd

  July 2009

  Sounds like the best of all worlds. I'm in.
  IF I get first crack at groupies/party floozies. 8)

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• Boydie

  July 2009

  My advice would be not to focus on trying to be too different
  
  There is nothing \"ground breaking\" in your proposed set-list and it is all pretty standard cover band fayre
  
  If you are a new band starting out it may be worthwhile trying to stick to a particular \"vibe\"
  
  I use the word \"vibe\" instead of genre (e.g. rock) as it means you are not limiting yourselves to song selections but you can stamp your own \"vibe\" on each cover song
  
  There is a great cover band in the UK that have a 60s/70s \"flower power\" type vibe
  
  They play different genres and styles but everything has a \"flower power\" type feel to it
  
  They then compliment this with how they dress etc.
  
  This is a great a way to attract like minded audiences, which guarantees a good night, and will make you \"stand out\" from the crowd of cover bands - but still be able to play all the \"crowd pleasers\"
  
  I would also recommend splitting your set up into distinct sections
  
  e.g.
  
  Start with an \"easy listening\" section as people arrive/start drinking - i.e. good quality songs that are better to listen to and not particularly suited to dancing
  
  Build up to some \"toe tappers\" to finish your first set
  
  Start your second set with some of the \"crowd pleasers\"
  
  Then move to your dancy/party set - at which point everyone should be with you for a great night!!!
  
  
  Lack of experience gigging is not a major disadvantage - every band starts somewhere, as long as all the members \"buy in\" to the fact that the overall sound of the band is more important than individual talent you can't go too far wrong!
  
  Good luck

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• guitar3456

  July 2009

  I've been rolling in 2 bands. One more modern and the other Classic. The Classic band fills the floor most nights. Modern stuff is all over the map depending on the venue and walk in's etc. Even with the modern songs, most is geared towards chick songs.. Mbox 20, Goo Goo Dolls, but we have some heavy songs from Korn, Metallica, Disturbed, Tool, Nickelback, Godsmack, STP, Pearl Jam. Getting the complex songs out there is fun and cool but most fall flat for any dance considerations.
  
  For your list:
  
  Add some Buffet, Van Morrison, Skynyrd and you'll have most of it covered.
  
  More Beatles and Stones tunes will usually go over well too. Eagles tunes like Already Gone, Life in the fast line, Take it easy... good ones. J Geils band moves well here...
  
  Funk 49, Rocky Mountain Way- J Walsh
  Free- All right Now
  Bad Company- pretty much anything there.
  Wilson Picket - Mustang Sally
  JOURNEY- these days you need \"Don't Stop Believin in there.
  Some Kind of Wonderful
  Play that Funky Music
  John Cougar - most any will work.. Pink Houses, I need a lover.. etc
  
  If you have a female singer-
  
  Any Benatar, G Stafani, J Jett, Shania, Heart tunes will work.
  
  Pick some other Who tune. Magic Bus will probably fall flat.

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• gtaus

  July 2009

  \SmellHole\ wrote:

  ...
  1. We want to do this for fun, not money.
  2. We are not pro musicians - none of us are polished enough to make a living doing this.
  3. We want to play bars and clubs, possible parties (for beer and pizza!)
  4. Our metropolitan area is made up of two small cities totaling about 300,000 people (Fort Collins & Loveland, CO).
  5. We've all got good gear, but no PA of our own.
  6. Only two of us have gigged regularly, two others have done about a dozen shows, and two of us haven't gigged at all.
  7. We are: drum, bass, keys, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals
  ...

  
  Just some of my thoughts as I have been gigging for two years now, so many of my experiences are still relatively \"fresh.\"
  
  1. If you start gigging alot, the \"fun\" part of the music \"business\" starts to slip away. I always play for free, it's my travel time, setup, breakdown, gear maintanance/upgrade and practice time that they pay for. Over the past couple of years, I have reinvested my gigging money into my gear to make me and the band sound even better. You can't play for free very long, because it actually costs you time and money every time you load up for a gig. Also, if you play for free, your band may get the rep as a \"free\" band and that is what you will get paid. Around here, the local bar managers talk to each other. Protect your band's rep for now and the future. If you have to play for less money to get into a venue, consider how bad you want it and whether or not you will have any follow on gigs at full price. There are venues around here that take advantage of young bands by \"letting\" them play for free during the week without ever having any intention of paying them for later gigs on the weekends. Also, as a member of a working, gigging band, I am not so happy when bands will play for free because it devalues all the effort of us musicians. None of us are in the band to get rich, but even the bar maids get paid for their time. Don't sell yourself short.
  
  2. You get better if you keep at it and practice. Again, the waitress at the venue doesn't put much time into her craft and she probably picks up more money in tips than you will get paid after the band splits up your gig money.
  
  3. Yes, play for where people want to hear your music. Pizza and beer won't cover a blown speaker..... Most guitar shops around here demand real money for their products and repair service.
  
  4. My town has a population of only 13,000 but we manage to get paid. Your options should be better than ours.
  
  5. A PA system can cost alot of money, but it will make your whole band sound better. You can't buy a PA system on Pizza and beer.... I ended up buying the PA system for my band. If I would have know that I was going to invest all that money into the PA for the band, I think I should have stated that I wanted an additional cut for my investment. If I had to do that over again, I think I would have either said that the band can either split the cost of the PA, or the band can either rent the PA from me or give me an extra cut for my investment at every gig. Buying a PA system as a band might not be a good idea, either. In just two years, we have had a new lead guitarist and at least 6 drummers in our band. Life happens and band members come and go. I did not want to get into the hassel of dividing up band equipment every time a band member joined/left the band. But, here I am 2 years later with thousands of dollars more invested in the band than my bandmates with just the PA system alone.
  
  6. Sounds like any band around here. The experienced need to bring along the inexperienced. Practice like you mean it and have fun at the gigs.
  
  7. I'd love to have a female keyboardist/vocalist in the band. It's not happening, but I think it would be great for our band. So we are just 4 guys having a good time (and getting paid) when we gig.
  
  Being in a band can be a great experience and I have really enjoyed gigging the past couple of years. If it all ended tomorrow, I would still be happy that I did it. When the music is good, the crowd is responsive, it's great to be a musician. However, sometimes the music is good, the crowd is unresponsive, and you are just glad to get paid for your time. Like I said, tell them you play for free but you need to get paid for your time and expenses and set your price. Best of luck.

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• agelessrocker

  July 2009

  Keep doing it as long as it's fun. As for me, after 30 years of playing in cover bands, and very successfully I might add, I realized that since January I was NOT looking forward to our gigs, it became a job.
  
  Anyways I'd recommend as a bar band learn at least 4 or 5 country songs and keep them as a backup, we made $200 in tips in Wyoming because a rancher wanted some country tunes, and we obliged....KACHING! This also comes in handy for corporate parties or weddings....the key is VARIETY.
  
  Well, I'm going back to writing my own songs, which I get the most satisfaction out of. The bar band thing is great.....but it's better to burn out than to fade away. Have fun with it while it's still fun is all I can say

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• SmellHole

  July 2009

  Thanks, everyone, for the comments. I had my bandmates take a read and we are taking your comments into account.
  
  When I said we were in it for fun, not money, I just meant none of us are doing this as our main source of income; it's just a hobby. We sure as hell want to be paid - I got a lot of gear I need to finance.
  
  Thanks again.

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• gtaus

  July 2009

  \SmellHole\ wrote:

  ...When I said we were in it for fun, not money, I just meant none of us are doing this as our main source of income; it's just a hobby. We sure as hell want to be paid - I got a lot of gear I need to finance....

  
  That's where many of us are at. The money helps to repair and upgrade the gear. Best of luck to you and your band. Keep us informed.

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• jimiV

  July 2009

  Here's our current setlist for clubs. Caters to the 30s, 40s and 50s crowd and seems to draw the most dancers.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  1. A COLDSHOT/ Stevie Ray Vaughn
  
  2. C TAKIN CARE OF BUSINESS/ Bachman Turner Overdrive
  
  3. C BROWN SUGAR/ The Rolling Stones
  
  4. E BORN TO BE WILD/ AMERICAN WOMAN/ Medley
  
  5. C MUSTANG SALLY/ Various Artists
  
  6. A NO MATTER WHAT/ Badfinger
  
  7. A ALL RIGHT NOW/ The Free
  
  8. G BROWN EYED GIRL/ Van Morrison
  
  9. G HONKEY TONK WOMAN/ The Rolling Stones
  
  10. D SWEET HOME ALABAMA/WEREWOLVES OF LONDON/ Kid Rock
  __________
  
  11. E BORN TO RUN / Bruce Springsteen
  
  12. A BOYS ARE BACK/ Thin Lizzy
  
  13. A RED HOUSE/ Various Artists
  
  14. G TUSH/ ZZ Top
  
  15. A WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU/ The Romantics
  
  16. Bb JUMPING JACK FLASH/ The Rolling Stones
  
  17. D MAGIC CARPET RIDE/ Steppenwolf
  
  18. Bm KRYPTONITE/ 3 Doors Down
  
  19. A AINT TALKING ABOUT LOVE/ Van Halen
  
  20. A I WANT YOU TO WANT ME/ Cheap Trick
  
  21. E HOLD ON LOOSELY/ 38 Special
  
  22. B HARD TO HANDLE/ The Black Crowes
  
  23. E MIDNIGHT RENDEZVOUS/ The Babies
  
  24. Em LONG TRAIN RUNNING/ Doobie Brothers
  
  25. G YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG/ AC/DC
  
  26. A KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF/ Georgia Satellites
  
  27. A YOU REALLY GOT ME / Van Halen
  
  28. D SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL/ Grand Funk Railroad
  
  29. E ROCK N ROLL FANTASY/ Bad Company
  
  30. A HIGHWAY TO HELL/ AC/DC
  __________
  
  31. Gm EVIL WAYS/ Santana
  
  32. E JOHNNY B GOODE/Chuck Berry
  
  33. E COCAINE/ Eric Clapton
  
  34. Am LITTLE WING/ Jimi Hendrix
  
  35. A STRANGELHOLD/ Ted Nugent
  
  36. B LEARN TO FLY/ Foo Fighters
  
  37. E DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP/ AC/DC
  
  38. A BEFORE YOU ACCUSE ME TAKE A LOOK AT YOURSELF/ Eric Clapton
  
  39. G ANYWAY YOU WANT IT/ Journey
  
  40. D TIE YOUR MOTHER DOWN/ Queen

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• judaskiss

  July 2009

  ageless rocker is right about variety. you never know what people are going to request. Heard it through the grapevine(we fianally learned it)was requested suprisingly alot. We were basically hard rock. We did CCR which close to country, but we finally learned about 6 or 7 country songs that were popular then(1980's)Garth was always good. I know you are just starting but look at all Genres to complete your list--and most of all, listen to what the people are requesting, as I said, we finally had to learn \"heard it through the grapevine\".
  
  Other than that, it looks as though you have a decent list to start. Our most requested song was \"Fight For Your Right\" by the Beastie Boys. just a fun song.
  
  Good luck to ya, keep us up to date.

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