Songs for Openers...

ragztem · Post by **ragztem** » Monday Oct 20, 2003

When you are an opening band, do you think you should see the headliners setlist adn see what songs they are playing so you dont play a song they are doing? Do you play it anyways? or try to fit something else? What if the opening band plays a song you are going to do as the headliner? Do you do the songs or do somethign else?? Interested on some thoughts on this..........

Colton · Post by **Colton** » Monday Oct 20, 2003

we always check set lists to advoid any conflicts... if there are, we usually dont have any problems resolving them...

Sanctify · Post by **Sanctify** » Monday Oct 20, 2003

openers should definetly make sure they aren't going to play anything the headliner is... if you are.... change it... if you can't change it due to the fact that you don't have enough material.. then work something out with the headliner... especially if the headliner booked you... if the bar booked you as an opener... you should do your best to compromise... if you are a headliner and the opener plays something you were going to play... you have a couple options
1. play something else
2. play it better than the opener
3. play it worse than the opener and feel stupid

of course all that changes if they played something they already agreed not to... but remember you never want to burn bridges...

here's my favorite solution----------- > GO ALL ORIGINAL!!!!!

FatVin · Post by **FatVin** » Monday Oct 20, 2003

Bands should work together. Musicians who entertain the same audience, share the same hardships, face the same pressures, and suffer the same indignities should avoid at all costs fighting among themselves. If you are not the headliner, then you should defer if you can because when you are the headliner you will want to be treated with that much respect.

Having said that, if you are the headliner and your opening act comes to you and says, "Hey we need that song cause we're just starting out and we don't know that many tunes", maybe you could be gracious and let them have it.

It seems to me that a good match for an opening act/headliner wouldn't play the exact same songs anyway but it's something that should be worked out in a spirit of compromise.

That's just my opinion, what do I know

SUperstar · Post by **SUperstar** » Monday Oct 20, 2003

I saw a Dead cover band open up for THe Jerry Garcia Band (after Jerry's death) at Tinks and could not believe it that bu the end of the night the JGB ended up doing two of the same songs as the openers. Suprised the opener didn;t check that out before they played... Because obviously the opener looked bad AND they got blown off the stage by true professional musicinas from the JGB

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Monday Oct 20, 2003

In a perfect world, everyone will communicate beforehand and be friendly about things. In general, a headliner will be willing to drop a few songs from their set, because one or two songs won't make or break the night and they will have enough material that it won't even matter.

If you are familiar with the band, just make sure that you don't play any of their "trademark" songs. This is usually not the meat and potatoes of their set anyway, but something weird and distinctive. For example, we usually do a big goofy production of Rock 'n Roll Part 2. Hands off that one. If you open for Flight 19, don't take anything from their disco segment. And so on and so on.

Of course, you get plenty of situations where one band or the other pulls an attitude and does the prima donna thing. If you are the opener and the headliners are being a$$holes, be polite and respectful and try not to let it get to you. Let your music do the talking for you. Pay them back with strong music, not strong words.

Now if you are the opener and YOU are being the prima donnas . . . well, don't be surprised when you have a hard time booking gigs later on.

Chevelle7982 · Post by **Chevelle7982** » Thursday Oct 23, 2003

Everybody has the right idea. Set lists should be exchanged. The lists should be exchanged by phone, in person, or by email days before the show, because I know that alot of bands like to have a pre-show practice. I have run into situations like this before. The band "Wiskerbiskit" is so versatile and has such a large set list that they just said to play what we wanted and they would accomodate it. Now my question is: What if you play a song a complete different way, should you both bands play it and compare? I know the bands I have played with all played Jimmy Eat world's "The Middle". However, we play it in Drop "D" which does tend to give some songs a whole other sound. Wating to hear from anyone's advice.

facingwest · Post by **facingwest** » Friday Oct 24, 2003

Irregardless to the fact that you're playing a song in drop D or another key, it's still the same song. Unless the song is completely restructured or rewritten, I wouldn't suggest it. Think about it this way...People get used to hearing a song a certain way, that if you start changing it, it could be a turn off for the crowd. However, on the other end of the spectrum is if you take the song entirely out of context and do it in a completely different style, it could float. What matters in the end is going to be whether the crowd accepts or rejects what you did with it.

I think everyone else pretty much summed up the most typical ways of both headliners and openers working together. I'd just like to add a twist to that....If you write your own material, you won't ever have to worry about anyone else playing it on the same stage as you.

RobTheDrummer · Post by **RobTheDrummer** » Friday Oct 24, 2003

Here's the key!!! The opener and headliner have to communicate well. It helps bring musicians together and utimately helps each band out in the long run.

Chevelle7982 · Post by **Chevelle7982** » Friday Oct 24, 2003

Believe me, I am a very strong supporter of original music. Unfortuantely, you could have ten #1 hits within your set list, but alot of crowds in the area just want to hear what is familiar to them. You almost have to play what they want to hear until they take a liking to you as a band. Then they wil come to see and hear you no matter what you play for them. I would much rather write and play my own music than try to perfect something deosn't have personal meaning to myself.