|
|
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6994
Location: Jet City | I did a search and didn't really see a topic dedicated to this.
I'm up to 18 songs I feel comfortable playing and singing, but really it all started out as just fun and learning things I liked.
That said, most is Neil Young and Dave Matthews, so I've been starting to learn some more non Dave/Neil things to play. I think originally I only had one song aside from Dave/Neil I was singing and playing, but now it's up to 6.
I'd be VERY INTERESTED in hearing what some of the rest of you are playing/singin in a solo or duo type atmosphere. I've done 2 open mics now, and getting ready to do the 3rd Wednesday. I wouldn't mind learning one more to add before then, and then 2 or 3 for next week.
Here's what I've got so far...
• From The Beginning - Greg Lake - 12
• Cinnamon Girl - Neil Young - DD
• Typical Situation - Dave Matthews - 12
• Disease - Matchbox 20 - C2
• Down By The River - Neil Young - DD
• Grace is Gone - Dave Matthews - 12
• Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town - Pearl Jam
• Bartender - Dave Matthews - DD
• I Am a Child - Neil Young - 12
• Dancing Nancies - Dave Matthews
• Don't Let It Bring You Down - Neil Young - DD
• Wild World - Cat Stevens
• Gravedigger - Dave Matthews - 12
• Lightning Crashes - Live
• Needle and the Damage Done - Neil Young - 12
• Crush - Dave Matthews - DD
• Ohio - Neil Young - DD
• Annie's Song - John Denver - C2
And I haven't done it yet, but I can do a mean "Tonight You Belong To Me" on the Uke.
DD=Double Drop D tuning
12=12 String
C2=Capo 2nd fret |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6994
Location: Jet City | P.S. I know we have the "Pop Quiz", but there's too much crap in there. 'm more interested in things that are working for you live that the crowds are digging on. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | And I'm sure you're askin' for SET lists... not what is in the songbook. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6994
Location: Jet City | right, songs you do pretty much every time.
I have a bunch more too, and hundreds more if I don't have to sing. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | oops... timed out...
Off the top of my head....
Can't Explain
Kids Are Alright*
No Sugar
Share the Land
Ticket to Ride*
Natures Way
Knights In White Satin*
Won't Get Fooled Again
Don't Let Me Down
Secret Agent Man*
I Feel Fine
Thank You
Crazy Love*
Mrs. Brown*
Nowhere Man
Two Of Us
Something
Pretty Woman*
Wonderful Tonight*
The ones tagged with a * are songs we think are overplayed but we do them anyway. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7222
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | No that I'm working on... but I would if I could.
Plush = STP
Overkill = Men At Work
Superman = 3 Doors Down
On Overkill. I heard the guy from MAW sing/perform it with just an Acoustic on "Scrubs".. I liked it more than the Album version. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Oooo. Overkill is also on my list of things to do. I got inspired by the Scrubs (great show) version myself. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 194
Location: Las Vegas, NV | This may be a little strange, but Overkill is the first song I learned to play on the guitar. I also liked the 'Scrubs' version. Anyone heard the Tenacious D medley where they do a little Overkill? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by Slipkid:
Oooo. Overkill is also on my list of things to do. An understated guy like you? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | That one's one of my faves (and "goes over" well, too . . .)
I played that one the first OFCjam at the SkiLodge, but I don't think it made the video . . . |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | My band does about 50/50 originals/covers. The covers are in a constant state of flux and are loose interpretations rather than note-for-note and most of it has a twist of some kind. currently we're playing:
Dead Flowers (Stones)
For What It’s worth (Buffalo springfield)
Sympathy (GooGoo Dolls)
The Joker (Miller)
Love The One You’re With (Stills)
Ride On (Christy Moore)
Show Me a Little Shame (Ben Harper)
My Girl (Lifted from a Hiatt live bootleg)
With Or Without You (U2)
Ooh La La (Ronnie Lane)
Price Of Love (Everlys)
Wild World (Yusuf Islam)
Underneath The Stars (Peter Case)
Caledonia (Dougie McLean)
The Weight (The Band)
Unforgiven (Bap Kennedy)
Mercury Blues (Lindley)
We also have a few throwaway crowd-pleasers, Crowded House, The Killers and a bunch of other stuff I hate playing. Right now We're working on material by Tom Waits, The Monkees, Warren Zevon and Jackson Browne. We're also about to include "Overkill" Mostly due to Cliff playing it at my wedding gig and the guys in the band going "Hey, we need to do that" |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | My set list this week is "Lost Her Mind" with the opener of "Broken Gospell Band". |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6994
Location: Jet City | Good suggestions all, keep 'em coming!
Miles, Plush was one I was thinking of doing. Nice call.
Overkill looks promising.
Temp, I was wondering why a few I hadn't heard of. They must be regional hits? I like The Weight, but there's another band there that seems to like to do that one. Harper, GooGoo Dolls, Buffalo Springfield, all good stuff. Very similar to the stuff I'm doing already.
Thanks for the ideas all. Send more if you got 'em. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 623
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | Ya ought to catch John B. for this one. That guy knows some 300+ songs for solo performing. If I could only get that guy to go camping...we need him around the campfire at night. He's got a great setlist of tunes...check out his website it's on there...or most of it.
http://jebmusic.com/our_music.html |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6994
Location: Jet City | wow, that's one helluva list. Thanks! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Originally posted by Damon67:
Temp, I was wondering why a few I hadn't heard of. They must be regional hits? Our only criteria for picking songs to cover is we have to like them, and we have to be able to do a credible version with our own slant. We never choose a song just because it's well-known and we couldn't really care less if the audience is familiar with them. If you perform any song well enough, with conviction, then it'll work for the vast majority of audiences who are interested in music (rather than a crowd who want background noise while they drink) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2007
Posts: 152
Location: Maple Shade, NJ. | Damon, we always have a great response to just about anything Beatles. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Not solo or duet, but this we are a trio. The main things we look for are:
1) Great songs
2) Lots of variety...I can't stand an act that sounds the same all night long!
3) We generally limit to two, maybe three tops by the same artist in one night.
This seems to be pretty much our standard grouping right now:
Set 1:
Substitute (The Who)
Good (Better than Ezra)
Let It Rain (EC)
Paint it Black (Stones)
Stacy's Mom (Worlds of Wayne)
Run Like Hell (Floyd)
Smokin In The Boy's Room (Brownsville Station ish)
Summer Breeze (Seals and Crofts)
Broken Hearted Savior (Big Head Todd)
Possum Kingdom (Toadies)
Set 2:
Born On The Bayou (Creedence)
Gel (Collective Soul)
Gimme Some Money (Spinal Tap)
You Don't Know How It Feels (Petty)
Stray Cat Strut (Cats)
Hey Jealousy (Gin Blossoms)
Sharp Dressed Man (ZZ Top)
Can't Get Enough (Bad Company)
Fast As You (Dwight Yoakum)
Funk #49 (James Gang)
Set 3
Runnin Down a Dream (Petty)
Keep Your Hands To Yourself (Georgia Satellites)
Hard to Handle (Black Crows)
Rockin Me (Steve Miller)
Face in the Crowd (Petty)
Saw Her Standin There (Beatles)
Californication (RHCP)
3:00am (Can't remember...)
Crossroads (Cream)
Set 4:
Mary Had a Little Lamb (SRV)
Moondance
Who Do You Love (Bo)
Lookin Out The Window (SRV)
Jenny Jenny
Squeeze Box (Who)
Pink Cadillac
Islands in the Sun (Weezer)
What I Like About You
Good Love Is On The Way (John Mayer) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | ". . it'll work for the vast majority of audiences who are interested in music (rather than a crowd who want background noise while they drink) . ."
One of the things that I found REALLY cool when I "went over" t'visit Paul was that when you're playing music, the people there LISTEN.
Even during his wedding reception (which was a knock-down/drag-out "party"), as soon as we started t'play, everyone settled down, was attentive, listened, and was responsive (until the "dance tunes", then all decorum went out the window).
Even at the pubs . . .
when the music started, there were no TV's, no invasive "chattering" etc.
. . . people listened, people applauded.
It was very similar to WedNite at th'Mermaid.
People were there "to hear music".
It was quite refreshing. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | Cliff - I had the opposite experience last week. We went to a place called "Red, Hot and Blues" - basically a hotel restaurant/bar. We went for some BBQ and some blues. There was a small stage (i don't think you can even call it that) then the bar, then the restaurant. There was a good three piece blues band playing and the bar was not crowded, but full. Not once did anyone at the bar applaud, or even seem to notice the band. We were the only ones clapping or leaving a tip. I felt pretty bad for them. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I'm a Man --- Bo Diddley
Love is a Burning Thing --- Johnny Cash
La Bamba / Twist and Shout medley
I Saw the Light --- Hank Williams
Do you wanna dance --- Beach Boys
Soul of a Man --- Jimmy Driftwood (via Terry Hendrix)
I wanna be Sedated --- Ramones
Somewhere Over the Rainbow / Wonderful World medley via Izzy
Louie Louie --- Kingsgmen
Shout --- Beatles Version |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | ". . Not once did anyone at the bar applaud, or even seem to notice the band . . ."
Exactly.
When Rick & I were playing t'gether, there were a couple places like that.
When we'd tell the mgr. that we didn't wanna play there anymore, the response would be
"Why NOT?? . . You Guys're GREAT!! . . Everybody Here LOVES YouGuys!! . . yadayadaya . . . "
There are places where 90% of the night is a CricketFest, then when you announce it's your LastTune of the night, all the drunks treat you like you're a friggin' GOD, and don't want you t'leave . . .
Rick & I used t'call that:
"F@ckYou/PayMe Time". |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 1225
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | I think that the reality is that in many venues, we (as performers) are not the reason that people are there. People go to bars and restaurants to eat, talk with friends, watch the game etc. The fact that they are not responsive doesn't mean that they are not enjoying the music, it just means that they don't want to stop what they're doing to applaud.
I can't tell you how many times I've been half way through a gig, convinced that I was totally tanking, only to find out at the end of the gig that everyone (mainly the management) were very happy with the performance. It's just something that I think that we either have to accept, or just take the "fun" gigs. Of course, it's a lot more fun to play to a receptive crowd, but the way I see it, playing music to "crickets" is still better than toiling away at a job that you hate. My worst night playing music is better than my best day at almost any other job that I've had.
That said, I can bitch and moan about crowds with the best of them. ;) (Don't say it, Cliff) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 1225
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | Originally posted by Strummin12:
Ya ought to catch John B. for this one. That guy knows some 300+ songs for solo performing. If I could only get that guy to go camping...we need him around the campfire at night. He's got a great setlist of tunes...check out his website it's on there...or most of it.
http://jebmusic.com/our_music.html |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Originally posted by John B:
People go to bars and restaurants to eat, talk with friends, watch the game etc. The fact that they are not responsive doesn't mean that they are not enjoying the music, it just means that they don't want to stop what they're doing to applaud. +1
As a counter example, we played at a "Battle of the Bands" on Sunday. Very different environment. The audience was listening and paying attention, applauded at the end of each song, and even applauded when we finished our set. Not your typical bar gig.
Mostly, we just want to get them dancing. |
|
| |
Setlists
