New tunes added to the band set list....

Denverdave

Denverdave

Resident Ragamuffin
We added two songs for our last show...

Big Head Todd & the Monsters - Bittersweet
Tom Petty - Running Down A Dream

And we are starting on these next week...

Tonic - If Only You Could See
Tom Petty - American Girl
Ween - Monique the Freak
Foo Fighters - The Pretender Not sure on this one - the drummer does not think it would go over well with an audience. Everlong might work better but it is WAY harder to play the The Pretender.
 
I like most of them. Bittersweet seems like a really odd pic. It just seems like a downer and a bit slow for a bar gig when people are out to party and have a good time. There is an alt country band in town that is great musically, but the lyrics and speed of the tunes make you want to go in the bathroom and slit your wrists not order another beer. Some of the best musicians in town, but not much of a following. The Tonic tune seems a little odd to me as well.
 
reverend1 said:
I like most of them. Bittersweet seems like a really odd pic. It just seems like a downer and a bit slow for a bar gig when people are out to party and have a good time. There is an alt country band in town that is great musically, but the lyrics and speed of the tunes make you want to go in the bathroom and slit your wrists not order another beer. Some of the best musicians in town, but not much of a following. The Tonic tune seems a little odd to me as well.
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One thing to bear in mind - Big Head Todd are a local band and have a rather large following here so their songs almost always go over well in local bars. The Tonic tune we all really like and is a bit different from the normal bar fare. We add songs all the time and after multiple shows if they don't seem to go over well we pull them from every show set list (just did that with Kings Of Lean's Molly Chambers).
 
Denverdave said:
One thing to bear in mind - Big Head Todd are a local band and have a rather large following here so their songs almost always go over well in local bars. The Tonic tune we all really like and is a bit different from the normal bar fare. We add songs all the time and after multiple shows if they don't seem to go over well we pull them from every show set list (just did that with Kings Of Lean's Molly Chambers).
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I get that. I normally like to see an upbeat band. The more introspective tunes are cool at a concert, but not when I'm out to party. Just me, and I certainly don't know what most people like. It just seems like the bands that do the best around here are the ones that keep the whoo girls whooing and the asses shaking. I'm listening to it now, I have to say I like the normal version better than the acoustic you posted when you were working through it.
 
reverend1 said:
I get that. I normally like to see an upbeat band. The more introspective tunes are cool at a concert, but not when I'm out to party. Just me, and I certainly don't know what most people like. It just seems like the bands that do the best around here are the ones that keep the whoo girls whooing and the asses shaking. .
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this. Not sure how it works in other markets but here you can kill a dance floor faster than anything if you play stuff like that. From Daves list we play American Girl and haven't played the Tonic song in probably 8-10 years. The rest wouldn't work in a bar here.
 
The Pretender would go over GREAT with the audience. Your drummer is just a pussy. That drum part is relentless.
 
Mark Wein said:
this. Not sure how it works in other markets but here you can kill a dance floor faster than anything if you play stuff like that. From Daves list we play American Girl and haven't played the Tonic song in probably 8-10 years. The rest wouldn't work in a bar here.
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Maybe it is just the clubs we play, but the dance floor is rarely used at our shows. Since we are a newer band we don't get to play the 'happening' clubs, and half of those have gone all DJ now. Even when we play very danceable songs not many people dance. We are making an effort to go more uptempo. We added 'Bittersweet' because our lead singer had seen the very positive reactions it received at clubs when other bands played it. At a certain point we would rather play songs we want to play to an empty dance floor than songs we don't want to play to an empty dance floor. We are still feeling our way around this. We still play Mustang Sally, House Is A Rockin', Sweet Home Alabama, etc. Part of what we need to do is to increase the energy level on stage and we have struggled to do that. Our lead singer is a great singer but struggles with the whole front man thing. I do always take it as an encouraging sing when I see the crowd singing along with the band even if they are not dancing (usually happens with 'Hey Jealousy'). If we add Tonic and get nothing but yawns from the crowd the song will go on the back burner.
 
Kerouac said:
The Pretender would go over GREAT with the audience. Your drummer is just a pussy. That drum part is relentless.
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I absolutely agree. I think the drummer is just over thinking it, he is not afraid to play it. It's exactly the kind of song we need to add - fast, high energy, and got a lot of radio air play.
 
Denverdave said:
Maybe it is just the clubs we play, but the dance floor is rarely used at our shows. Since we are a newer band we don't get to play the 'happening' clubs, and half of those have gone all DJ now. Even when we play very danceable songs not many people dance. We are making an effort to go more uptempo. We added 'Bittersweet' because our lead singer had seen the very positive reactions it received at clubs when other bands played it. At a certain point we would rather play songs we want to play to an empty dance floor than songs we don't want to play to an empty dance floor. We are still feeling our way around this. We still play Mustang Sally, House Is A Rockin', Sweet Home Alabama, etc. Part of what we need to do is to increase the energy level on stage and we have struggled to do that. Our lead singer is a great singer but struggles with the whole front man thing. I do always take it as an encouraging sing when I see the crowd singing along with the band even if they are not dancing (usually happens with 'Hey Jealousy'). If we add Tonic and get nothing but yawns from the crowd the song will go on the back burner.
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You guys need to work on the "entertainment" part of the show then. Energy, pacing, set structure and trying to connect to the crowd are all really important things. If I get a few minutes I'll type out what our "typical" second and thrid sets (the actual "dancing sets") contain 90% of the time.
 
Mark Wein said:
You guys need to work on the "entertainment" part of the show then. Energy, pacing, set structure and trying to connect to the crowd are all really important things. If I get a few minutes I'll type out what our "typical" second and thrid sets (the actual "dancing sets") contain 90% of the time.
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I agree entirely. I really would appreciate seeing your sets lists. A couple gigs ago we had a band follow us and they were very high energy, both in the songs and in the music. They actually played 'Don't Stop Believing' - but right after the first verse the singer stopped the song and they launched into a punk'd out version of the song. It was great. Watching them is what got us thinking about adding my high energy music to the set list. That band actually tours the whole region (CO, AZ, NM, WI).

And I actually forgot - we also added 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' on Tuesday.
 
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ok here is an "outline" of a typical 3 set night minus a handful of songs dropped in each set that don't get played on a regular basis


Set 1

Wind Cries Mary
I'm Yours (Jason Mraz)
Better together (Jack Johnson)
Purple Rain
Can't Always get what you want (FUnky version)
Beast of Burden
Sugar Sweet (funky blues tune I sing)
Is she really going out with him? (Joe Jackson)
Stray Cat Strut
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Am I the only one (Dierks bently?)
Dancin' in the moonlight (King Harvest)
Brandy (Looking Glass/RHCP version)
Train in Vain
No Matter What (Badfinger)
Just What I Needed



Second set:


The Joker/What I got medley
867-5309 Jenny Jenny
Jessies Girl
Blister in the Sun
Summer of '69
Hurts So Good
Use Your Love (the Outfield)
I Want you to Want Me
Want You to (Weezer)
Animal (Neon Trees)
Brown Eyed Girl/Hard to Handle medley
Billie Jean
Are you gonna be my girl (Jet)
Footloose (seriously :facepalm:)
Honky Tonk Woman
Pumped up Kicks

And some other stuff that I can't remember or gets changed in and out

Set 3

You Shook Me All Night Long
Hey Ya (Outkast)
Sweet Home Alabama/All Summer Long (I think its called that by Kid Rock) medley
Lonely Boy
American Girl
Don't Stop Believing
The Middle
Sweet Caroline (rocked up)
Faith (rocked up george michael version)
I love Rock and Roll
Hit me with your best shot
Want you back (Jackson 5)

We also usually play Sweet Child of Mine, Pour Some Sugar on Me or Living on a Prayer in the third set.
 
Denverdave said:
I agree entirely. I really would appreciate seeing your sets lists. A couple gigs ago we had a band follow us and they were very high energy, both in the songs and in the music. They actually played 'Don't Stop Believing' - but right after the first verse the singer stopped the song and they launched into a punk'd out version of the song. It was great. Watching them is what got us thinking about adding my high energy music to the set list. That band actually tours the whole region (CO, AZ, NM, WI).

And I actually forgot - we also added 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' on Tuesday.
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I'd say seeing what the successful bands in your area are doing would be a really good idea. I just posted (and then edited) a typical "bar night" for us.
 
Mark Wein said:
ok here is an "outline" of a typical 3 set night minus a handful of songs dropped in each set that don't get played on a regular basis
Click to expand...

Thanks...

Looking at that I am reminded that the drummer wanted to add the Jet song as well and have me sing it. Not sure it matches my voice really well but our main singer could cover it pretty easy.
 
Denverdave said:
Thanks...

Looking at that I am reminded that the drummer wanted to add the Jet song as well and have me sing it. Not sure it matches my voice really well but our main singer could cover it pretty easy.
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:thu:

We've also added "Old Time Rock and Roll" :chow: and people love that song. Makes me lose my faith in humanity though.
 
Mark Wein said:
:thu:

We've also added "Old Time Rock and Roll" :chow: and people love that song. Makes me lose my faith in humanity though.
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We already do three Seger tunes so we have avoided that one. We do 'Night Moves' and Ramblin' Gamblin' Man all the time and 'Get Out Of Denver' occasionally. Our lead singer sounds just about exactly like Bob Seger so it just makes sense for us. And we still avoid 'Old Time...'. For the time being.
 
Denverdave said:
Maybe it is just the clubs we play, but the dance floor is rarely used at our shows. Since we are a newer band we don't get to play the 'happening' clubs, and half of those have gone all DJ now. Even when we play very danceable songs not many people dance. We are making an effort to go more uptempo. We added 'Bittersweet' because our lead singer had seen the very positive reactions it received at clubs when other bands played it. At a certain point we would rather play songs we want to play to an empty dance floor than songs we don't want to play to an empty dance floor. We are still feeling our way around this. We still play Mustang Sally, House Is A Rockin', Sweet Home Alabama, etc. Part of what we need to do is to increase the energy level on stage and we have struggled to do that. Our lead singer is a great singer but struggles with the whole front man thing. I do always take it as an encouraging sing when I see the crowd singing along with the band even if they are not dancing (usually happens with 'Hey Jealousy'). If we add Tonic and get nothing but yawns from the crowd the song will go on the back burner.
Click to expand...

A couple of things I would say. Please don't take this as a criticism or me thinking I know more than you do. Just some of my observations as someone you goes to see live music just about every weekend.

I see a lot of bands and have seen most of note in town. Toledo is pretty good believe it or not when it come to a live music scene. The popular bands around here are the bands that put on a show. They are high energy and they get the crowd into them and the music. Most people that are going out aren't there to see a concert anyway. So you can't get by just on the songs you play. I've seen two bands with almost identical set-list's. One had the place on fire and the other was a snooze-fest and they were just back ground music. The more boring band were actually the better musicians but they didn't put on a show or get the crowd into to it. If there is no fire in the band there won't be on the crowd. I know it's easy to say but hard to do. It's funny a lot of these guys are the most boring people on earth but the can flip a switch when they go onstage. They are afraid to make an ass of themselves and the crowds love it. I look at this way. It's Friday, I slogged though the work week and no I want to go out and blow off some steam. I don't care if the band is the best musicians or play everything as on the record, I want to see someone with a look out he I come, I'm going to tear down the stage attitude. We have two bars that have live music every night. Both off them feature mostly all original bands and they are packed even on a Monday night.

I guess what I'm saying is I don't think the lack of dancing or energy in the crowd is due to the setlist or the crowd. I think is a lack of energy coming from the band, and not just the singer. When I watched the video from you gig that Prages attended the thing that stood out to me was while everyone sounded great, it looked like there feet where nailed to the stage. Very little eye contact or interaction with the audience. At time it almost looked like the lead guitar player didn't even want to be there. If you are not into it and look like your having the best time of your life, the audience won't either.

Like I said please don't take this the wrong way. It very easy for me to say this it's quit another to do it. I will say though I go and see a ton of live music, it's what Mrs. Rev and I do every Friday night, and I can tell you what works and doesn't at least around here.
 
Different versions of tunes helps a lot too. One that comes to mine that people go nuts for is a band the does Sublime's Wrong Way and right into the Stairway solo.
 
reverend1 said:
A couple of things I would say. Please don't take this as a criticism or me thinking I know more than you do. Just some of my observations as someone you goes to see live music just about every weekend.

I see a lot of bands and have seen most of note in town. Toledo is pretty good believe it or not when it come to a live music scene. The popular bands around here are the bands that put on a show. They are high energy and they get the crowd into them and the music. Most people that are going out aren't there to see a concert anyway. So you can't get by just on the songs you play. I've seen two bands with almost identical set-list's. One had the place on fire and the other was a snooze-fest and they were just back ground music. The more boring band were actually the better musicians but they didn't put on a show or get the crowd into to it. If there is no fire in the band there won't be on the crowd. I know it's easy to say but hard to do. It's funny a lot of these guys are the most boring people on earth but the can flip a switch when they go onstage. They are afraid to make an ass of themselves and the crowds love it. I look at this way. It's Friday, I slogged though the work week and no I want to go out and blow off some steam. I don't care if the band is the best musicians or play everything as on the record, I want to see someone with a look out he I come, I'm going to tear down the stage attitude. We have two bars that have live music every night. Both off them feature mostly all original bands and they are packed even on a Monday night.

I guess what I'm saying is I don't think the lack of dancing or energy in the crowd is due to the setlist or the crowd. I think is a lack of energy coming from the band, and not just the singer. When I watched the video from you gig that Prages attended the thing that stood out to me was while everyone sounded great, it looked like there feet where nailed to the stage. Very little eye contact or interaction with the audience. At time it almost looked like the lead guitar player didn't even want to be there. If you are not into it and look like your having the best time of your life, the audience won't either.

Like I said please don't take this the wrong way. It very easy for me to say this it's quit another to do it. I will say though I go and see a ton of live music, it's what Mrs. Rev and I do every Friday night, and I can tell you what works and doesn't at least around here.
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I agree completely. I just don't know what to do at this point. I'm not going to quit the band but the lead singer/front man is way too laid back and so is the rest of the band most of the time (myself included). I am trying to get better in that respect but the other guitar player and bass player are on the other side of the stage and the lead singer cuts the stage in two. It is very hard for me to interact with them and the lead singer basically is in his own world - though he has gotten a bit better the past few shows. He is a great singer, but needs work on the front man part. Bands feeds off the singers energy and if it is not there it is hard to manufacture it. We all need work....

I will also note that the videos we posted were from probably our worst performance to date. Everyone was a bit frustrated that night. The movement has improved a bit but you are right - we MUST improve the on stage energy/entertainment part of the band. Period.

I like the Sublime suggestion. We wanted to add another one of their tunes.....
 
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