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Location: Omaha, NE | Couple of months ago we had a stunningly healthy looking young woman positively beg us to play some "Whitesnake". She even demonstrated how she wanted to dance. Wow.
Sadly, we just didn't have it. What a shame. |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | improvise! |
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Posts: 803
Location: Avondale, AZ | Originally posted by Omaha:
Couple of months ago we had a stunningly healthy looking young woman positively beg us to play some "Whitesnake". She even demonstrated how she wanted to dance. Wow.
Sadly, we just didn't have it. What a shame. That would have been a good time to play "freebird". |
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January 2006
Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | I play "Birds of Fire". Mahavishnu Orchestra is exactly like Skynard, only better. |
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January 2004
Posts: 1225
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | I always try to play songs that are requested whenever I can (other than Freebird). Last Thursday, I did a gig with Rick (Cliff's ex) and Cliff (on the cajon). Some guy yells out "Chicago". I happened to have the lyrics (but NO chords)to "Beginnings" in my book and started playing the intro. With that, Cliff starts picking up the beat on the cajon as Rick (who didn't know the chords) joined in. I thought that it turned out to be one of the better songs we did. Maybe not in a "musical" sense, but it was a lot of fun and had good energy. The "crowd" seemed to enjoy it too. At least the guy who requested it clapped. |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | . . . the trumpets were a little "flat". |
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Posts: 1225
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | Originally posted by cliff:
. . . the trumpets were a little "flat". Yeah, but the trombone solo was awesome! |
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Location: NJ | . . . it all about having a "scosche" more room in the inseam . . . |
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Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | paging, "Rusty" |
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Posts: 1225
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | Originally posted by Jeff W.:
paging, "Rusty" It was just a matter of time .... :rolleyes: |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | “. . Play what the people want to hear and be glad that you have a gig . .”
Oh, I’m VERY Glad (and Thankful) for EVERY gig.
I’m just not into being the de facto “juke-box” cranking-out EVERY obligatory “standard” to appease the whim of EVERY vociferous drunk.
I play tunes that I ENJOY playing. If I don’t enjoy playing ‘em, it shows.
Making it LOOK like I enjoy playing something that I don’t, is bullshit. I see people doing it(badly) on any given night.
I’m at the age now where I value My Time and My(albeitLimited)Talent too much to be just another wind-up clockwork monkey.
There’s enough of those around, and they can have the gigs that I don’t want.
When I play something I enjoy, it “shows”, and that enjoyment readily translates to the crowd.
The “Elvis-tune” example stated previously WAS the “extreme”, WAS used in good-natured “fun”, and WAS judiciously used on a crowd that got a big “laugh” out of it. I’m not THAT much of a “prick” (well, . . . . MAYbe I am . . .).
I DO have a cadre of “one-off” tunes by bands that I simply abhor (Dead, Skynyrd, Elvis, Springsteen, etc.), so that when someone deservingly DOES make a request for a specific tune by that person/band, I can (if I choose to) appease them with the one tune.
Or, I’ll just politely say “Yeah, . . sorry, but I’m just not a fan of (or “INTO”) “_____” (insert band name).
If they come back with (and sometimes they do) “Oh yeah?? . . well why NOT???” the response is “because they suck”.
(Don’t Tap on the Glass . . it Annoys the Animals).
That being said, there’s a hideous KidRock/Skynyrd tune (they even nicked some of Zevon’s “Werewolves” on it) that’s getting tons of airplay.
I can’t wait . . . . |
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February 2004
Posts: 2487
| Right on Cliff. One of the downsides so far for me with the solo gig work is I am burning out on some of the songs I once loved to play. The upside is I play pretty much what I want to play. That is my selling point, I play stuff no one does. Pink Floyds "DOGS" done acoustically, except for the long keyboard & dogs barking break, goes over better than any of the guy's who told me "you can't do it" would believe. Peter Gabriels Solsbury Hill had about 300 kids screaming and clapping on the forth of July gig I did. "Ten Years Gone" gets all the Zeppelin fans up off the bar stools every time! Songs like Stairway are requested and I either try them or not depending upon how good the crowd has treated me until then. I'll tell ya when you get a house that takes the time to clap or whistle or yell comments between songs or groups of songs this makes me dig in much harder and sing the hard notes a little better.
John mentioned Beginnings, I have to add that one to the set list. Forgot all about playing that one years ago. Working on my version of some Yes stuff now as well. Nobody plays this stuff and so far no complaints from the owners. I do envy the trio thing though.......I could use another creative outlet for the electric guitar from time to time or the bass.
I say play the music you like and they will come around. If it is good music! There is no money in it anymore anyway so I do it for my own enjoyment. To hell with the so called "popular" set lists.......Christ everyone has those. People thank me for playing songs they had forgotten they always liked but have not heard in years.
I suppose if they want Brown Eyed girl I could give it a whirl from time to time. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Holler back "Free Dumb" or "I told you to wait in the truck"! |
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March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Back in the early 70's, I was at a concert where a classical guitarist was the "warm up" act. Some wise-guy hollered "Jimi Hendrix", and the guy, (wish I could remember his name) didn't even bat an eye. He just went into a classical-style version of
"The Wind Cries Mary" that knocked people's socks off! |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by CanterburyStrings:
...He just went into a classical-style version of "The Wind Cries Mary" that knocked people's socks off! There was a Bass player who did that on a five-string at the Portland Saturday Market...
I was impressed! People with more talent than me [which is everybody] always impress me. :eek: |
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Location: NJ | ". . "I told you to wait in the truck" . ."
I writing THAT one down, Woody . . . THANKS!!! |
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Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | ". . "I told you to wait in the truck" . ."
I could've sworn I'd heard you say that to Rick on more than one occasion. |
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Location: NJ | No.
That's "ShutUp, Stupid!"
They DO sound similar. |
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Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | ah yes......
my mistake |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | ". . my mistake . ."
eh, no . . that's what HE usually says . . . |
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February 2004
Posts: 2487
| I did not want to mention it but I do a solo version of Hendrix's Mary on the bass as well. Just 4 strings is all ya need. Have never hauled the bass and amp with me to any gig's as this is the only bass song I have that can stand on its own. It is my favorite Henrix tune.
I do need to work out a Freebird thing on the acoustic that is real short and funny. That might be a great way to crack the audience/musician wall that is sometimes very high. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by Northcountry:
I do need to work out a Freebird thing on the acoustic that is real short and funny. That might be a great way to crack the audience/musician wall that is sometimes very high. Now there's an attitude that will go a long way!!! |
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May 2005
Posts: 486
Location: North Carolina | Originally posted by OldLiverJones:
Play what the people want to hear and be glad that you have a gig. Nah, these are not sincere requests, but hecklers. I treat all legitimate requests with respect, whether I ultimately play the song or not.
However, I'm not going to play a song I don't care to just to keep a gig. I'm not doing it for the money but the enjoyment. If I don't enjoy the material . . .well, that's one reason I don't do any rap gigs. |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | My favorite comeback was: "Yeah, I remember when I had my first beer"...guaranteed to get an audience behind you and laughing...
I always kept the sets moving at a good pace: it kept the wisecracks and the tired requests at a minimum |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 803
Location: Avondale, AZ | Originally posted by First Alternate:
Originally posted by OldLiverJones:
Play what the people want to hear and be glad that you have a gig. Nah, these are not sincere requests, but hecklers. I treat all legitimate requests with respect, whether I ultimately play the song or not.
However, I'm not going to play a song I don't care to just to keep a gig. I'm not doing it for the money but the enjoyment. If I don't enjoy the material . . .well, that's one reason I don't do any rap gigs. |
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So What Do You Do When People Yell, "Freebird?"
