Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In with Google

Become a Subscriber!

Subscribe to our Patreon, and get image uploads with no ads on the site!

Read more...

First Covers Band: DO's , DON'TS and TIPS.

What's Hot
AlexOAlexO Frets: 1083
edited September 2018 in Live
So after always playing in Original indie style bands I've made the step over to a covers band.

It's a brand new band and we are meeting for the first time tomorrow to discuss setlists. No actual playing which seems strange as the set list has been talked about at length already on a a Watts App group.

It's a new area for me so any tips as in the title would be appreciated. Will be playing pubs I'm guessing around North Manchester and the music is Indie and a few Rock Pub classics.
0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
«13

Comments

  • Have a hot female vocalist and play splendid big guitar solos. 

    Works for my band ;)


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • RolandRoland Frets: 8591
    Ask why each member wants to do it. Money and love of playing are good reasons, but often not compatible.

    Agree what level of commitment every one wants in terms of rehearsals and gigs. Someone who wants two gigs a month for the fun of it isn’t going to be happy with two gigs every weekend.

    Agree who already owns what equipment, what needs buying, and who will own and store it.

    Find out what playing experience everyone has. 

    Agree two lists. Songs you’d like to do, and songs which you can get to performance level quickly. There’s nothing which sorts out a new band like an impending gig.
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 8reaction image Wisdom
  • Get some gigs booked. Everything else should click into gear after that. Originally we had a "only do an act's two best known songs" policy and stuck to it rigidly. We're not far away from that now with 60 odd songs on the lists.

    Be prepared to be asked for Mr Brightside, Dakota and SOF... and prepare yourself for how mental people go when you play them.
    "A city star won’t shine too far"


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • My main advice - just really enjoy it :)

    I’m 51 and our covers band might be slightly different...

    We only play stuff we love; tuneful, soulful Mod/Jam/classics.

    Stuff the audience, and we aint bothered about chasing money.

    Great fun though :)


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • I’m not sure it’s significantly different from your originals bands but:

    I’d try to include as much practical information in the conversation as possible - what you are doing for the PA, levels of commitment, who’s doing what ( booking rehearsals, booking gigs), how much money people are looking for. If there are any particular financial arrangements that anyone suggests and if you are happy with them ( paying the PA owner an extra share of gig money, paying the drummer’s cousin as a roadie,etc). Hopefully if anyone has any major impediments ( I’m off to Australia for six months,I work shifts and can’t  gig at the weekend,etc) they would declare them. 

    With the set list check on which version of a song you are learning especially if it’s an older song that’s been covered a few times. If there is another guitarist be clear on who needs to learn what on each song. Agree what songs you need to learn first so that first rehearsal is structured. 

    You might talk about social media, logos, stage attire but at the first meeting stage you’d have to decide if that’s being organised and ambitious or evidence of being a fantasist. 

    There might be a conversation about the power to veto songs. I think you’d generally have to accept that there will be stuff you are less keen on but just get what you can from it as a learning experience/ crowd reaction. 

    Generally get the sense of wether it’s something that’s going to work. 
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 3reaction image Wisdom
  • fftcfftc Frets: 559
    My main advice - just really enjoy it :)

    I’m 51 and our covers band might be slightly different...

    We only play stuff we love; tuneful, soulful Mod/Jam/classics.

    Stuff the audience, and we aint bothered about chasing money.

    Great fun though :)


    That looks like a charcoal.
    3reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • The only person with right to veto a song should be vocalist. If the guitarist only likes a certain key for a song because it's better with certain open strings and its a key the vocalist can't perform it, then scrap straight away
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 4reaction image Wisdom
  • The only person with right to veto a song should be vocalist.
    Disagree.  In my band every member has power of veto.  IMO if someone on stage isn't enjoying themselves, the chance of those out front doing so is diminished.
    Trading feedback | FS: Nothing right now
    JM build | Pedalboard plans
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Money v love of doing it? Most of the time, I did it for the money, and had to compromise on the music. (playing mr brightside, dakota, and other stuff I wasn't into at all, but the punters would fill the floor when you played it).
    Unsociable schedules. Non musician friends drifted a bit as I was always playing gigs when they were out, or having parties, or away for weekends etc.
    I'm not playing gigs at the moment, but next time, I want to play bass and vocals or backing vocals, and only play the music I like, and not every single week. Stuff the money. I might not get any gigs playing the music I really like, but so be it...
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • FreebirdFreebird Frets: 5821
    edited September 2018
    Be prepared to be asked for Mr Brightside, Dakota and SOF... and prepare yourself for how mental people go when you play them.
    What song is SOF?
    If we are not ashamed to think it, we should not be ashamed to say it.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Sex on Fire!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Money, contacts, fun. 

    Each gig should give you two of those three (I forget who said that).
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • VaiaiVaiai Frets: 530
    Regarding Singer veto - we had a google spreadsheet with a Y/N column for each member and if the majority liked a song we would do it - regarding the singer - if she didn't like/want to do it she kind of had deciding vote - it's more obvious if a singer is not able to sing a song or is not putting any performance in to it...but we also had a veto on one song a set if someone REALLY hated playing a certain song.



    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • Can I ask a sort of related question regarding new covers bands,as Im expecting to be faced with this.  How do you convince a venue (pub/event or whatever) to book you if you have no "CV". Presumably telling them you're amazing isn't really going to be enough. Do you have to record songs and let them hear it or how does that generally work?

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Can I ask a sort of related question regarding new covers bands,as Im expecting to be faced with this.  How do you convince a venue (pub/event or whatever) to book you if you have no "CV". Presumably telling them you're amazing isn't really going to be enough. Do you have to record songs and let them hear it or how does that generally work?

    I'm not sure there is a single answer to this. An audio demo is almost certainly a waste of time these days, links to a video ( your live performance in a rehearsal room even but something that represents how you would be on stage) is more useful. Mostly though it will be a lot of calling around until someone has a gap to fill.You might be asked to do 20 minutes as part of an open mic night as a rehearsal and if the place is genuine enough do that. Ideally someone has an 'in' - contact with a venue they used to play in a former band, a mate who runs a pub,etc - so you can build up that cv.    
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • drwiddlydrwiddly Frets: 911
    edited September 2018
    I started out playing in originals bands in the 70's and 80's, got fed up with the music biz, took a break for a few years and was then cajoled out of retirement to join a covers band in the mid 90's. Since then I've played with several bands and since moving up north about 5 years ago, I've joined two covers bands.

    There is a possibility of making a reasonable amount of money but to do that you need to be in a function type band doing weddings, corporate functions, etc. Playing pubs and clubs will be more of a hobby that pays for itself. Some tribute bands do very well though.

    Lots of good advice above about set lists, vetos, etc. There will always be songs in a set that you like less than others but, if the rest of the band like them and, more importantly, they go down well with the punters, then suck it up!

    Think about your gear! You need reliable equipment and you need spares! If you're a guitarist then take two guitars, either of which will get you through the gig. You might break a string or you might have an electrical fault that you can't repair on the fly. Bring stands for both guitars. A guitar leaning on an amp will eventually fall over and the damage can be catastrophic (I know, believe me!). Bring a spare amp or an alternative like a Pod or preamp pedal that you can run through the PA. Amps fail, especially valve amps. Spare cables/ batteries, etc are essential. You don't want to be the guy who had to get the gig cancelled because a gear failure meant you couldn't play.

    Above all have fun! Playing in a good band with good musicians is brilliant!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • All good advice - one thing I'd suggest is investing in an amp modeller (Kemper/Axe-FX or something cheaper but decent). Lugging amps about can get to be a pain in the arse and it's wrecked my back countless times. Having something you can just stick in a backpack easily is an absolute godsend!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    Don't play Sex On Fire.

    Better still, don't play *any* "cover band songs". There are thousands of great songs out there which everyone knows, play some of those instead.

    But if you really, really must play Valerie... it's by The Zutons and not by Amy Winehouse.

    Play all the songs as if they're originals. Don't get hung up on copying parts and arrangements exactly - let alone guitar sounds. The vocalist will never sound exactly like the original singer, so why does it matter that anyone else does?

    Play unexpected songs in unexpected styles, like Can't Get You Out Of My Head by Metallica or Hotel California by Madness - this will make you far more memorable.

    Don't get obsessed by your sounds and your gear. No-one cares except you.

    Have fun. Unless you're being paid so much that you wouldn't rather be having fun.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

    2reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 8reaction image Wisdom
  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    ICBM said:
    Don't play Sex On Fire.


    Easier said than done when the only way to to appease 50 drunks shouting 'SEX ON FIRE' is to play it :)
    1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • RolandRoland Frets: 8591
    I've found that launching into Teenage Kicks distracts most drunks, and if it doesn't then I can't hear them above the racket that the band's making.
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.