Opening number

Drumquest2

Senior Member
My band works to mainly middle-aged /older audiences. I need suggestions for set-opening material which is bright, not too aggressive but which has wide appeal.

As an aside , has anyone noticed the decline in live music local venues, ( and I mean live music, not backing track acts,) in their area?
 
Nope... if anything, it's increased.

Bars around here (Canada) typically fill up for hockey games, but with the NHL lockout, bars are scrambling to fill their chairs, and they're turning to bands to do that.

It's actually pretty cool.

As for a set opener, what style of music? Are you a cover band? What songs are in your setlist already?

Probably can't go wrong with a classic rock tune. "Mississippi Queen" is a fun one... ? Cowbell too, which you really can't ignore. ;)
 
Assuming you're playing to a British audience, you can't go wrong with classic Kinks: All & Day & All Of The Night or You Really Got Me, or something a little mellower like Well Respected Man. Or, how about some Van Morriason? Domino, or the mellower Moondance.

Those are the first things that popped into my head, there are certainly hundreds of great hits from the '60s & '70s, from various countries, that have broad appeal. Most of the US r&b hits of the '60s hold up well: Mustang Sally, Midnight Hour, Motown & Stax stuff, etc.

Bermuda
 
Not sure of the popularity of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers over there but I'd go with "American Girl".
 
my band almost always opens with 'i'm a believer' - more or less the smashmouth version. gets 'em on the dancefloor and then an elvis medley keeps 'em there - regardless of their age.

and as for the decline i have noticed we have to work hard to get gigs and worst is that we haven't had a raise in 6 years. still my band are managing to do about two gigs a week. that's london for you. i imagine the scene is smaller in bristol. this government should lighten up on licencing laws and encourage the music industry - afterall 8% of the uk GDP is from music.

j
 
afterall 8% of the uk GDP is from music.

j
Really? That's a serious number.

drumquest2, I'm not that far from you, but I don't know the Bristol scene very well. Bar & pub opportunities in these parts are fairly constant, but only pay well after you've already shown some audience pulling power. Any good Bristol gig recommendations? :)

As for openers, a bit more modern, but light/happy & still with "middle age" appeal, Teenage Kicks fires things up from the get go :)
 
How about some Elton John or Rod Stewart? "Stay with me" from Faces, now that's a song I want to play. For a starter for an older group, how about "Do you think I'm sexy"? They'll go crazy if you just kill it.

My cover band used to start with Precious by the Pretenders. I liked it because it was kinda fast.
 
Really? That's a serious number.

drumquest2, I'm not that far from you, but I don't know the Bristol scene very well. Bar & pub opportunities in these parts are fairly constant, but only pay well after you've already shown some audience pulling power. Any good Bristol gig recommendations? :)

As for openers, a bit more modern, but light/happy & still with "middle age" appeal, Teenage Kicks fires things up from the get go :)

If you're coming from Herefordshire, can't think of any gigs that'll make it worthwhile money wise! Thanks for the suggestion, like the tom and ride sounds, what are they?

Here's a guide to some Bristol venues; www.pncnews.co.uk
 
If you're coming from Herefordshire, can't think of any gigs that'll make it worthwhile money wise! Thanks for the suggestion, like the tom and ride sounds, what are they?

Here's a guide to some Bristol venues; www.pncnews.co.uk
Thanks for the heads up. Gig money isn't the reason we play, but it sure helps our expenses. We're quite lucky in many venues, as we get paid well above the going rate. It's not exactly great after costs are removed, but we can' complain.

What video or clip are you referring to in your reply, as I didn't post a clip?

Cheers, Andy.
 
keep it simpleRe: Opening number
Quote:
Originally Posted by NUTHA JASON
afterall 8% of the uk GDP is from music.

j

Really? That's a serious number.
i got that 8% figure at a music service conference in January. i feel that if the governemnt doesn't actively encourage music education, and by extension live music, then the number will dwindle in coming years.

j
 
Hello Andy, if this clip - http://youtu.be/n8XNqDPXaqA?hd=1 is your band, then that's what I'm referring to; otherwise I've confused you by 'pasting' someone else's thread!

If so, sorry.
Yes, that's me. It's my (now retired) Spaun maple kit. Ride is a 24" Amedia Vigor. Recorded on a Zoom Q3 Handycam.

i got that 8% figure at a music service conference in January. i feel that if the governemnt doesn't actively encourage music education, and by extension live music, then the number will dwindle in coming years.

j
Interesting Nutha. I was most surprised at such a big number. By my rough calculation, that's 130 billion pounds the UK earns from music. Seems way high to me, but I agree, even if the truth is less by a factor of 10, the level of support provided for music, considering only it's economic value, is pitiful.
 
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