The hardest gig yet

wsabol

Gold Member
My old bandmates and I got together and decided to do a classic rock show.. The setlist we came up with is one of the most intimidating documents I've ever seen. There are 30 songs so far, the highlights are

Zomby Woof - Frank Zappa
Tom Sawyer - Rush
Subdivisions - Rush
Home At Last - Steely Dan
Kid charlemange - Steely Dan
Hey Joe - Hendrix
Frankenstein - Edgar winter
Good Times Bad Times - Zeppelin
The Abbey Road Medley - Beatles
Aqualung - Jethro Tull

There are also a few from ZZ Top, The Who, and more Hendrix, Steely Dan, and Zeppelin that aren't listed above.


I've got to learn all these really hard songs. I don't think its be too much of a problem because I love all these songs. But the hardest part will be getting everything to feel right and sit right. I'm not crunched for time, but there isn't a lot of room in the future for full band rehearsals. I'm kind of freaking out haha

Any of you guys have any tips for channeling your inner Bonham, Mitchell, Moon, Ringo, and Peart and in the same gig?? (edit - oh, yea and Purdie!) lol.. I'm stuck inbetween learning these tunes note for note, and playing them with more of my own style. I'd rather put my own spin on things, but like I said, getting the feel right and doing the original justice is always important, and to do that sometime you have to learn the fills and comping ideas note for note.

For those who can play those songs well, any tips, or anything I should know? ... kind of a weird question, I'm in for it with this setlist.
 
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Forget "note for note". Learn the "notable notes" and concentrate on making it feel good for the audience and easy for your bandmates.
 
Forget "note for note". Learn the "notable notes" and concentrate on making it feel good for the audience and easy for your bandmates.

I agree. Covering a song doesn't by any means require you to play to the chart.

As far as 'channeling your inner ____', just channel you. Good drums sound like good drums.
 
I agree with the others. Just make sure you catch the most important parts of the song. Enough to make it groove and be recognizable.

Still though...I wouldn't want to deal with that set list.

But if you guys have played those songs in the past, I'm sure everythiing will come back to you.

Good luck.
 
Ok. That makes me feel a little better.

I'll definitely try channeling a bit more me when I practice this stuff. I well aware that learn songs note for note is not required. I just want to get the style just right. For instance, Ringo's Mitch Mitchell's, and Neil Peart's fills and feel are all very different, and they really make each song as good as it is. I can't just throw that out the window.

I'm excited to shed some of this stuff out now rather than just freaking out.. thanks.
 
Still though...I wouldn't want to deal with that set list.

...

Good luck.

lol, yea. After our guitar player added the second Rush tune, I had to cut off the prog. Not that Rush or prog is bad, its just too much to learn and feel right with everybody. Our gig is in less than two months... so yea.

I love the fact that nobody wants to do the typical classic rock cover band standards, but at certain point it gets too ambitious.

..

Thanks, I'll need it :)
 
Wow sounds like a killer. Let us know how it goes! Subdivisions is one of my favorite Rush songs.
 
Not to sound like a jerk, but I'm not sure the payoff is going to be worth all the hard work. The average person probably won't be able to appreciate the difficulty of these songs. You're catering to a very small market. Those may be songs that musicians want to play but I'm not sure anyone wants to hear them.
 
I' m sure you'll have your nice Slingerlands up for it. But I gotta say, as for the setlist, Rush doesn't fit. I like Rush but those songs don't jive with any of those other tunes, and will stand out like a sore thumb. Give yourself a break and tell guitar buddy to take 'em out.

Also you actually have a vocalist who goes from Geddy Lee to Frank Zappa?
 
I' m sure you'll have your nice Slingerlands up for it.

lol. I wish. The 13-16-24 Radio Kings in my avatar would perfect for the gig, haha.

But I gotta say, as for the setlist, Rush doesn't fit. I like Rush but those songs don't jive with any of those other tunes, and will stand out like a sore thumb. Give yourself a break and tell guitar buddy to take 'em out.

I thought about that too. We'll have to order the tunes carefully for sure. Honestly though, we aren't looking for any validation from any other than ourselves when it comes to this gig. We wanted to do some Rush, so we are doing Rush, if it doesn't jive then so what.

B_HALF said:
Not to sound like a jerk, but I'm not sure the payoff is going to be worth all the hard work. The average person probably won't be able to appreciate the difficulty of these songs. You're catering to a very small market. Those may be songs that musicians want to play but I'm not sure anyone wants to hear them.

You are most certainly right. Most listeners won't be able to tell. But we wanted to do a rock show and play the hell of it, and thats what we are going to do. The rest of the guys in the band are great musicians, and they aren't going to be "going through the motions", neither should I. Plus, all the drummers on these tunes are idols. Studying for this gig is a great opportunity for me to absorb some of those great playing styles, break out of my comfort zone, and hopefully be a better player. I don't want to half-ass it. That's partly why and came here for help/advice too.
 
Houston is not a small market.
Good luck Bro, I hope to have the talent to play T.Sawer in public someday.
I would pay a cover to see a band with that set list.
 
Hey guys, I thought you guys could help with my progress and preparation for this gig.

So far I've got Zomby Woof pretty much down and have started on the other challenging ones. I've recorded myself playing Zomby Woof, and I'd like your feedback. Good enough? Other than playing along with the track how else should I prepare this tune?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFTxygOPAe8

I've also sent this to the other guys in the band so they can see what they will be playing on top of, and so they can also give me feedback. i think it'll make prepping for rehearsal a bit easier don't you think?
 
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