Covers: To gig or not to gig!

[Wez]

I am a Singer/songwriter and im just wondering what other performers opinions are of playing covers at gigs. Some people say that you should always play some covers at gigs to keep the audience listening. I like playing covers and singing them at home or to friends but Im not sure If this is the best way to get people to appreciate/listen to my own music when it comes to gigs. Ive often had people thinking my own songs were cover songs and didnt realise I wrote and played my own songs. SO ... Covers at gigs ...good or bad?

[philboyd studge]

Depends on the gig I suppose. If you're playing someplace where people will appreciate your original material, then by all means play it.

[mikeh]

I agree it depends on the gig - however, it is the rare band/artist that has 3 hours of quality original material.

A showcase that requires only a few songs is doable for most writers - but if you have 3 hours of good original material you must be a very prolific writer indeed!!!

[shookiejones]

Again as mentioned depending on the venue and what you are trying to do.
If you want to make money then you're going to do covers and occasionally throw in an original maybe 80-20% you know?

And if you want to get you're stuff heard (and starve - just kidding..not really) You're going to have the same situation but flipped -- 80% originals..etc.

Now here's the thing - if you're going to go the original route. pick a few covers that kind of compliment your sound, if you sound like the Beatles (lucky you) throw in a couple of tunes and place them before (in the set) your favorite (strongest) originals. I always found that playing an original song that you feel strongly about next to a popular cover will get people to "listen" a little better. It makes it sound familiar...to their ears.

Better still do your own rendetion of the cover song...make it your own.

That's my 2 cents..hope it helps.

[Aaron Cheney]

A normal, non-musician audience wants to hear songs they know.

If you are going to play them something they don't know, it has to be catchy as hell and delivered well or you will lose them.

A

[andydeedpoll]

hhmm... personally i dont find anything creative in playing covers. when i listen to a band and i'm enjoying listening to their original music, it annoys me when they then start playing covers... and if i'm not enjoying a bands original music then i couldn't care less if they play covers or not... because i've probably just walked out of the door

so when i play live i dont do it. i think my band have only ever played one cover. we hated doing it, and there was a definite lack of attention from the audience while we were, so we didnt do it again.

Andy

[Garry Sharp]

What are you trying to achieve Wez? Do you want the buzz / more experience of live performance, or do you have things you want to say? Decent covers acts can always get work, it's much harder as an originals act but those rare gigs can be much more rewarding. Totally different marketing approach required as well. Depends what you want out of it.

Personally I'd rather stay home and watch TV than play in a covers band, and I'd prefer to play to 30 people who want to listen to what we have to say rather than 300 people out for a party, but that's just my motivation - you might be the opposite.

Tell us more about what you want out of it?

[Rokket]

When I was in a band, we did about 90% covers, because we played different venues every night, covering about 4 different genres of music. Most people do want to hear their favorite band's music, and it was only after we established our reputation that we were able to slip in our own material. I know that times have changed, but I think you need to play covers to establish yourself, and slip in an original now and then. And then eventually, the ratio will change to where you are doing more and more of your original stuff....

[Dogman]

If YOU enjoy the covers, play them. That is what it's all about, isn't it? Having fun. If you don't want to play covers, then there is no reason to. You wouldn't put any real effort into it, and people won't want to listen. Music lovers love to hear music, and will give almost anything a listen. A good cover is fun to play, or listen to. A bad one is just a bad song.

I know, didn't say much, but keep it fun.

[oh_the_blood]

i personally dont like covers.
they usually end up messing it up anyways

[Wez]

Thanks for all your thoughts and opinions.
I suppose what I want is for people to hear the songs I have put my time and effort in to writing and performing. I know that if you want to make a living off playing gigs then you have to play clubs and pubs where people want to hear covers most of the time. Its not cool when people come up to you during a gig and start making requests for "Lady in Red" when you are trying to play your own material. I dont need to make a living off playing gigs so I think the best way is to play fewer gigs and pick them more carefully.I dont mind playing a cover now and again but I mean...what's the point in trying to compete with DJ's and Kareoke machines? I'd also rather play to 20 people who want to hear my own stuff rather than be the guy in the corner of a noisy pub churning out jukebox tunes getting the odd bit of eye contact every other hour and people trying to talk to you in the middle of a song hehe.

[Garry Sharp]

Wez - yes

[songwritten]

It kinda depends on what you're doing. I'm in a band and we sometimes play hour and a half long sets. We usually don't play covers. I know this may seem totally different since your a solo artist...but this is what im getting to....hahaha bare with me here.... Its entertainment. I've found that the best way for a singer/songwriter to keep the attention of an audience for an extended period of time is to use DYNAMICS. If you have good songs and use dynamics then your set. You might not even have to play a cover if you can continuously surprise the audience. Draw the audience in..once they know whats coming...throw a curve ball. Don't over use this technique...but do it enough to keep it fresh. Also, If my band does get in trouble and people are starting to get a bit anxious...I play Wonderwall by Oasis by myself. Most people love this song. They sing along to the whole song and are smiling with their friends by the end of the song. Automatically they are sucked back in. If you really wanna make them the happiest people in the world...play another well known cover song. Then, play an original and see how it goes from there. Don't start off the night play covers then switch to originals cause they won't want to hear them if you play them later. Play them early in the set while people still have patience/aren't drunk. Play covers later if you have to.

I hope someone got something out of all this lol but if not....i gave it a shot!

Peace, Love, Simon and Framp-funkel!

[acidrock]

There are so many great songs out there that it's almost a sin to play only originals.
It depends if you consider yourself an artist or an entertainer first.

[Rokket]

Originally Posted by acidrock

There are so many great songs out there that it's almost a sin to play only originals.
It depends if you consider yourself an artist or an entertainer first.

Damn good point! Have a cookie!

[Mikey likes it!]

Learn to play Free Bird just like Lynyrd Skynyrd plays it. You'll have fans for life by the end of the gig.

[songwritten]

My band does the entire solo section of Free Bird....it's sad but its true...if you can play free bird...the crowd will praise you. It's even more impressive when someone in the crowd screams free bird trying to funny...and then you actually perform it....they are shocked. Its a great feeling lol

[Rokket]

Originally Posted by songwritten

My band does the entire solo section of Free Bird....it's sad but its true...if you can play free bird...the crowd will praise you. It's even more impressive when someone in the crowd screams free bird trying to funny...and then you actually perform it....they are shocked. Its a great feeling lol

As long as they don't scream "Stairway To Heaven", when I was gigging, that was the one song we would not do. We even had a little sign next to our tip jar that said "We respectfully refuse to play Stairway To Heaven".

I've told this story before, but for those who missed it:

We had a guy come up and offer to drop $100 in our tip jar if we played it. We said no. He kept coming back and raising the ante, but we stuck to our guns. Eventually, he offered us $500. Idiot... We took it, then proceeded to play the worst rendition of Stairway ever heard. I played the bass in A, but one guitar was playing in B-flat, the other in F#, the drummer was doing a solo the whole time, and our singer was doing the worst Robert Plant impression of the live version I ever heard.
The guy was pissed, but he got what he asked for.

But we could do Freebird at the drop of a hat.

And Hotel California was another that was always asked for. We got tired of that one pretty quick too.

[Jack Russell]

To me it entirely depends on the venue. Some clubs want covers 99% of the time, so people can drink and dance. Other clubs are for originals only and it is sort of a sin to play a cover. I've played in both kinds of bands, and it is really an eye-opening experience to see how the two audiences differ.

I do enjoy playing covers. A great song is great song. But you have to be very careful about what you play where. I was in a group once that played 2 hours of originals, but with 2-3 covers thrown in. Our own music was a bit on the serious side, and so, when we played the covers, the band seemed loser, and like we were having more fun. It was odd, but a critique of that band was that we sounded better on covers. Alas, not a good sign....

Deciding on which way to go can really be a political battle within a band. Good musicians who are non-writers will get frustrated with the all-original venues where the money is scant or nonexistent. On the other hand, artist/songwriters will get frustrated quickly with the 2-hour all-original gigs, where the money is better. Note that I say "better".

That's me 2cents.

[Jack Russell]

Just one other thing: Playing covers shouldn't be an EVIL thing to artists/songwriters. Learning to play the parts and chops of other musicians who have clearly succeeded in the music biz can definitely improve your own writing and playing chops.

Few musicians just pick up a guitar and start off creating brilliant stuff in a vacuum. Or as a friend of mine said once about going to galleries in the Art World:

"If you don't put something in [your brain], you won't get anything out."

That's my 3 cents.

[Reel Recording]

It pretty much comes down to this.

If you want artistic integrity, you play your own music.

If you want to get paid, you play covers.

[the edzell]

Just because you play covers doesn't mean you have to play them note for note like the artist. Most bands aren't going to sound like ABC or XYZ (or the Eagles, Zepplin, Beatles etc...) anyway so why try? Why not put your personal stamp on it. Most people aren't going to care unless their a die hard fan of the band, and even then they should just go see the oringal band or at least a "tribute" version.

Medley's seem to be a crowd favorite. Find a bunch of songs in the same key and loop them together. I saw a local band that tied in Pearl Jam's "Even Flow" with John Melencamps "Pink Houses" Pink Floyd's "Brick in the Wall" and President's of the United State's "Lump."

As far as the Free Bird / Stairway thing, well there was a band that did Stairway to Free Bird. (Free Bird Music with Stairway lyrics.)

[Jack Russell]

Yeah. when I find some free time I'm gonna go into my studio and do a version of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs". My version will be done in an extreme white American Hick Boy country style. With a mouth harp, banjo, and a washboard for percussion. The instrumental sections will have the "country guy" persona (me) yelling square dance moves.

That'l show em.

Am I insane?

[Jack Russell]

Originally Posted by songwritten

My band does the entire solo section of Free Bird....it's sad but its true...if you can play free bird...the crowd will praise you. It's even more impressive when someone in the crowd screams free bird trying to funny...and then you actually perform it....they are shocked. Its a great feeling lol

Free Bird is really the song that represents the Gauntlet between original bands and cover bands. Hey, don't get me wrong: I've played Free Bird and had a wild great time playing it to a mostly shit-faced audience. They love it. But playing such a song at an all-original venue would be professional suicide (unless, of course, you are in a band playing THAT genre of original music).

Definitely a whole different mentality of patrons to the club in each case.

The patrons (and the bands they come to see) are like the difference between Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens. I'll leave you to decide which is which for yourself.

[Reel Recording]

The freebird guy has followed me around for almost 25 years, through most of my bands, original and cover. He's most obnoxious with regard to my original bands.Nothing like playing your heart out on one of your own tunes, and having some drunk redneck yelling "freebird"...
In one of my bands ,we came up with a pretty funny solution. When the guy yelled frrebird, we broke into a version that we came up with. The first part of the song was done heavy dub reggae style, complete with rastamon accent and tams we would throw on, the fast part we did ska. People would dance and we thought we were on to something.
Then one night after doing it, we apparentely really pissed off a group of dumb good ol boys who took it to heart that we had committed the ultimate sacriledge. They stormed up to the stage, a giant fight broke out, one bouncer truly got the shit beat out of himself, and the cops came and we shut down for the night.
That was the last time we ever did that.
Now when I heard the freebird moron, we all flip him a free bird.