A question for the cover bands out there.
What makes a cover band successful???????
Cover Band
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Mistress_DB
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Depends on the music you're covering.
Hf1 has a good formula going for them and it's one of the things I loved from the first time I seen them. They not only play the music as close to the origional as possible but they also do their best to recreate the look with the big hair, makeup and clothing.
You can get away with a few b-sides and rarities in the set list but it's better not to go overboard with them or it would empty the dance floor for way too long.
Hf1 has a good formula going for them and it's one of the things I loved from the first time I seen them. They not only play the music as close to the origional as possible but they also do their best to recreate the look with the big hair, makeup and clothing.
You can get away with a few b-sides and rarities in the set list but it's better not to go overboard with them or it would empty the dance floor for way too long.
The person below me enjoys a good spanking.
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SpellboundByMetal
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bassist4life2004
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this is completely naive, condescending, and wrong.SpellboundByMetal wrote:doing other people's popular songs makes you popular.
being a good cover band takes the same thing being a good original band does.
practice.
also, don't envy the job of a cover band. how many songs does your all original band play?
10, 12 tops?
we play 22, and its only about half of what we need to play a night by ourselves, don't think its easy cramming that many songs in your brain.
and could someone explain to me, besides the elitist factor, what is the difference between playing a 45 minute set of all originals, and playing three and a half hours or so, with 45 minutes worth of original material mixed in, except that its a better buisiness plan?
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tornandfrayed
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Each of us prefers our own
Each of us has our own idea of what we want to do and how we want to do it. It's like having sex but I don't see a bunch of "On Top" versus "On the Bottom" posts here. Geez man! Most of us are trying to do this thing called music. Each of us has our own way of looking at things. The cover band versus original band thing is a bunch of crap.
Does it really matter? If you write songs and play them or if you take the songs you really like and play them or fuck if you take songs you don't really like and play them because you think people will like them? What the hell!
There are some great cover bands around here and they are packing the places. There are some great origianl bands around here and they are drawing good crowds too.
I think we need to be more tolerant and be more supportive of each other's styles and approaches. We are a small minority and we fight amongst ourselves, how do we expect to bring new people to clubs and make the scene better for everyone?
It's all fucking rock'n'roll to me! I love a great original song and I also love a great version of "The Sickness" it makes you feel good! It's music man!
Does it really matter? If you write songs and play them or if you take the songs you really like and play them or fuck if you take songs you don't really like and play them because you think people will like them? What the hell!
There are some great cover bands around here and they are packing the places. There are some great origianl bands around here and they are drawing good crowds too.
I think we need to be more tolerant and be more supportive of each other's styles and approaches. We are a small minority and we fight amongst ourselves, how do we expect to bring new people to clubs and make the scene better for everyone?
It's all fucking rock'n'roll to me! I love a great original song and I also love a great version of "The Sickness" it makes you feel good! It's music man!
Torn & Frayed
One World, One Voice, One God!
Music is LIFE!
One World, One Voice, One God!
Music is LIFE!
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AtoMikEnRtiA
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a cover band that plays nothing but the Bud Light "Real Men of Genius" radio commercials.. will be a bar owner's wet dream..
Bud Light "Real Men of Genius" commercials make people laugh - which attracts more people - it also makes people think.. of Bud Light, which attracts more alcohol sales.. everybody wins..
Bud Light "Real Men of Genius" commercials make people laugh - which attracts more people - it also makes people think.. of Bud Light, which attracts more alcohol sales.. everybody wins..
"okay we got da right and fruffy panacakes. ooooooh ver goood you get da rittre bruberries, too!"
- Keith Reyn on Chinese Waiters at IHOP
- Keith Reyn on Chinese Waiters at IHOP
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J Michaels
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I swear - I was thinking of suggesting doing this very thing in between songs. Play a few tunes, then announce "And now a word from our sponsors..." and go into the music for the commercial. Do it once or twice a night and it's funny as hell, and people start to get to know that it's one of your little gimmicks. It becomes a way to spur word of mouth. Never got around to suggesting it to the bandm though (and now I'm not playing.) Too funny..................AtoMikEnRtiA wrote:a cover band that plays nothing but the Bud Light "Real Men of Genius" radio commercials.. will be a bar owner's wet dream..
Bud Light "Real Men of Genius" commercials make people laugh - which attracts more people - it also makes people think.. of Bud Light, which attracts more alcohol sales.. everybody wins..
You better call me a doctor - feelin' no pain!
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Atomic Jim
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I think that to be a successfull cover band, you have to play music that people recognize and relate to, and do it well. That doesn't mean we don't do our own arrangements at times. Our favorite nights are when we have a dancing crowd.
We play between 35 & 45 songs a night and have a repetoire of about 100 songs. We have five sets to chose from, and it's not easy remembering all of the song, but one thing we never need is an opener, even if we're playing a four-hour gig.
We play between 35 & 45 songs a night and have a repetoire of about 100 songs. We have five sets to chose from, and it's not easy remembering all of the song, but one thing we never need is an opener, even if we're playing a four-hour gig.
Acid Reflux -- an acoustic act -- used to do this. It was awesome ...AtoMikEnRtiA wrote:a cover band that plays nothing but the Bud Light "Real Men of Genius" radio commercials.. will be a bar owner's wet dream..
Bud Light "Real Men of Genius" commercials make people laugh - which attracts more people - it also makes people think.. of Bud Light, which attracts more alcohol sales.. everybody wins..
r:>)
That's what she said.
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PanzerFaust
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Baceman Spiff
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Most of what was said here is correct.
Aside from doing what the crowd wants, you have to add your own flare to it. You have to do something else to what everyone else is doing. That's what will set you apart.
That and a big weener. Honestly.
Aside from doing what the crowd wants, you have to add your own flare to it. You have to do something else to what everyone else is doing. That's what will set you apart.
That and a big weener. Honestly.
Jae Smith
Root and The Fifths
www.rootandthefifths.com
www.facebook.com/rootandthefifths
www.twitter.com/rootfifths
www.pabands.com
Root and The Fifths
www.rootandthefifths.com
www.facebook.com/rootandthefifths
www.twitter.com/rootfifths
www.pabands.com
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RobTheDrummer
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Song Selection! I've been in bands that played what WE wanted to play and didn't care if people could dance or even liked it. Didn't work out so well. You gotta do dancable tunes. When we pick new songs to do, if we can't move to it, it's scrapped.
Entertain! Work with the audience, have fun with them. Give them Snickers Bars. Take requests! Do what you are there to do, entertain! Bars and Casinos hire my band because we put on an entertaining show and that attracts audiences.
Play your ass off! You gotta bring it every singe night no matter what. You need to give your 100% every single night. It's fine to put your own twist on a tune, as long as it sounds good and is tasteful. That's what fun about the band I'm in, we do a huge variety and only play about 25% exact, and 75% we have fun with and people dig it. It's also very beneficial to be surrounded by talented musicians.
Know your audience! We do a lot of Rock, Funk, and Country. It is essential that we know which audience we need to cater to on any given night. Lots of cowboy hats? Country. Girls? Dance Music. Guys? Rock. Know what crowd you have and what you gotta be playing on that given night. Unless you are a one genre band, then you gotta play the places that cater to your style.
Stay Together! The longer you have been out and together, the more people will know you. Most successful bands did not start off as a success. Bands that have been established as good working bands tend to have a boost. Once you get established, stay there. The current band I'm in has been playing 10 years together and it shows. Green Eggs, Backstreet Law, The Hurricanes, Bad Daze....these are successful bands that can say experience and longevity has helped them stay the course.
One other thing about PA, take short breaks. Here we are given a set time on breaks. Back home in PA, take 15's! You should start at 10:30 and play till 2. 10:30 to 11:30, 11:45 to 12:45, 1:00 to 2:00. You're really not playing that long. Try to do hour sets and take 15's! Keep the audience into the show!!!
If I can think of anything else, I'll post!
Entertain! Work with the audience, have fun with them. Give them Snickers Bars. Take requests! Do what you are there to do, entertain! Bars and Casinos hire my band because we put on an entertaining show and that attracts audiences.
Play your ass off! You gotta bring it every singe night no matter what. You need to give your 100% every single night. It's fine to put your own twist on a tune, as long as it sounds good and is tasteful. That's what fun about the band I'm in, we do a huge variety and only play about 25% exact, and 75% we have fun with and people dig it. It's also very beneficial to be surrounded by talented musicians.
Know your audience! We do a lot of Rock, Funk, and Country. It is essential that we know which audience we need to cater to on any given night. Lots of cowboy hats? Country. Girls? Dance Music. Guys? Rock. Know what crowd you have and what you gotta be playing on that given night. Unless you are a one genre band, then you gotta play the places that cater to your style.
Stay Together! The longer you have been out and together, the more people will know you. Most successful bands did not start off as a success. Bands that have been established as good working bands tend to have a boost. Once you get established, stay there. The current band I'm in has been playing 10 years together and it shows. Green Eggs, Backstreet Law, The Hurricanes, Bad Daze....these are successful bands that can say experience and longevity has helped them stay the course.
One other thing about PA, take short breaks. Here we are given a set time on breaks. Back home in PA, take 15's! You should start at 10:30 and play till 2. 10:30 to 11:30, 11:45 to 12:45, 1:00 to 2:00. You're really not playing that long. Try to do hour sets and take 15's! Keep the audience into the show!!!
If I can think of anything else, I'll post!
I'm glad this post didn't turn into a cover band bash fest.
Firstly, what defines success for you? I think that can be different for every band.
There are a lot of very great ideas and theories on this post that will work and have been proven but one I didn't see mentioned yet was PROMOTION. Whether you're new or established, getting your name out is very important. Fliers, calendars, schedules, pictures, merchandise in general all helps aid the cause and shouldn't be overlooked.
Firstly, what defines success for you? I think that can be different for every band.
There are a lot of very great ideas and theories on this post that will work and have been proven but one I didn't see mentioned yet was PROMOTION. Whether you're new or established, getting your name out is very important. Fliers, calendars, schedules, pictures, merchandise in general all helps aid the cause and shouldn't be overlooked.
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SpellboundByMetal
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ZappasXWife
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bassist4life said...
I agree with all other posts though as well as the other things you said bassist, and especially these things: play within your means, know your audience, practice.
no, thats NOT what he said, he saidas bsaller said, play a lot of dance music.
not all girls like 'dance' music. I don't like it all, I like songs with some real content that I can LISTEN to.Play the songs that attract the girls and the guys will follow. Gals + guys = crowd.
I agree with all other posts though as well as the other things you said bassist, and especially these things: play within your means, know your audience, practice.
If music be the food of love, then play on...
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
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ToonaRockGuy
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There are some really good points here. And I'm also glad that this didn't turn into a cover band-bashing fest. Here's what I see to make a cover band successful:
1. The gear. First rule of any business is that you have to spend money to make money. Make sure you have good gear. I'm not saying you need a $2500 PRS guitar and a $7500 DW Drumset, but don't play on some piece of junk axe or drumkit, either. Have a good PA, and some lights as well.
2. Stage presence. Or presents. I really can't stand going to see a show and spending my money and 4 hours of my time to watch all the players stare at their fretboards, keyboards, and drumkits with no eye contact to the audience. It's a cycle. Give the audience your energy on stage and they'll give it back to you tenfold. Treat every show like it's a concert in front of 50,000 at The Meadowlands.
3. Short breaks. Can't preach it enough.
4. Song selection. I hate playing "Hotel California", but if the crowd wants it, I'll suck it up, and put on a good face while playing it.
5. Practice, practice, practice. The tight bands are the ones that slam and have great crowds. Very few bands can get away with not practicing and still sounding good.
6. Find a way to put your own stamp on things. When I was in Gin-N-Juice, one of our most popular songs was "Sweet Home Alabama". Let's face it, it's been done to death. But we put a spin on it and made it into a reggae/gospel type of jam, and people about shit themselves when they heard it. It was a fresh take on a tried-and-true classic.
7. Don't abuse your status. Simply because you get booked and get paid money plus free beer does not give you a license to try to drink the bar dry. Free drinks are a courtesy that the bar extends to you, not a right.
8. Ego. Keep it in check. If your playing and your band kicks ass and you know it, don't come off as a condescending asshole. Trust me, I learned this the hard way.
9. Spend time with your bandmates outside of music. Get to know them as people and not just musicians. It's much easier to work out any personality issues and/or quirks as friends rather than merely bandmates.
10. Have FUN. Let's face it, it takes a good set of balls to get onstage and ply your trade. Whether cover or original, it takes talent and guts to do what we do. Get out and have a blast. Support each other, support rival bands, and enjoy the musical gift that you've been blessed with.
Just my .02
1. The gear. First rule of any business is that you have to spend money to make money. Make sure you have good gear. I'm not saying you need a $2500 PRS guitar and a $7500 DW Drumset, but don't play on some piece of junk axe or drumkit, either. Have a good PA, and some lights as well.
2. Stage presence. Or presents. I really can't stand going to see a show and spending my money and 4 hours of my time to watch all the players stare at their fretboards, keyboards, and drumkits with no eye contact to the audience. It's a cycle. Give the audience your energy on stage and they'll give it back to you tenfold. Treat every show like it's a concert in front of 50,000 at The Meadowlands.
3. Short breaks. Can't preach it enough.
4. Song selection. I hate playing "Hotel California", but if the crowd wants it, I'll suck it up, and put on a good face while playing it.
5. Practice, practice, practice. The tight bands are the ones that slam and have great crowds. Very few bands can get away with not practicing and still sounding good.
6. Find a way to put your own stamp on things. When I was in Gin-N-Juice, one of our most popular songs was "Sweet Home Alabama". Let's face it, it's been done to death. But we put a spin on it and made it into a reggae/gospel type of jam, and people about shit themselves when they heard it. It was a fresh take on a tried-and-true classic.
7. Don't abuse your status. Simply because you get booked and get paid money plus free beer does not give you a license to try to drink the bar dry. Free drinks are a courtesy that the bar extends to you, not a right.
8. Ego. Keep it in check. If your playing and your band kicks ass and you know it, don't come off as a condescending asshole. Trust me, I learned this the hard way.
9. Spend time with your bandmates outside of music. Get to know them as people and not just musicians. It's much easier to work out any personality issues and/or quirks as friends rather than merely bandmates.
10. Have FUN. Let's face it, it takes a good set of balls to get onstage and ply your trade. Whether cover or original, it takes talent and guts to do what we do. Get out and have a blast. Support each other, support rival bands, and enjoy the musical gift that you've been blessed with.
Just my .02
Dood...