Hey guys, I am really excited. Tomorrow is planned to be my first gig ever with me and my band. The drummer's mother told us about this place having a Valentine's Day Banquet on February 11th 2006, and they were in need of entertainment. Needless to say we accepted. We are a fairly new band, only playing for about 3 months, but we thought it would be great practice. We were asked to play love themed songs, and since we're new, we decided to play all covers (not that fun :( ) So in the end, we ended up picking almost all Beatles songs, since they're all about love anyway, and they're easy to learn. Heree is our expected setlist: (We were asked to play about 35min, for entertainment while the food is served)
Eight Days a Week- Beatles
Something- Beatles
Help!- Beatles
Sunshine of Your Love- Cream
While My Guitar Gently Weeps- Beatles
She Loves You- Beatles
Now that I think about it, I get more disappointed with the setlist, but I'm still really glad to be playing.
Despite all this, we are going to have a problem with equipment. Me and the guitarist have a 15w Marshall amp. I'm sure it will just meet the minimum, but we are going to have a hard time overpowering the drummer. Stuff like this forces us to make the drummer play softer and such. In the end, wish me luck! and pictures are soon coming.
Good luck. Sounds like it will be fun and don't feel bad about the set list since they are all favorites of many many people.
Two 15w marshals will do you fine. Remember they are eating and would not enjoy being over powered.
Stuff a pillow in the drummers bass (not kidding) Make it frilly to upset him (kidding)
blackzerogsh
Congratulations! You are going to have a blast.
Nothing wrong with that setlist, those are all great songs the crowd will know and enjoy. Probably the best music possible for the crowd you will be playing to.
Get those amps up off the floor. If you don't have stands, place them on a chair. Then you and the crowd will hear the amps much better. Talk to your drummer and ask him to play with dynamics. It is not a contest to see who is loudest. You have to all be considerate of each other and go for a great group mix.
Take extra strings, cords, duct tape, extension cords, tools, etc... Always be prepared for the worst.
But when you get up there just smile and have fun.
We expect a detailed report you know.
Knock 'em dead. :D
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Good luck with your gig. We've all had the first one's and they are great...no matter what may happen.
Learn from any bad experiences and enjoy the good ones.
Your setlist is great just like Nils and Wes mentioned.
A quick way to tone the drummer down a bit.....if he has bottom heads on his toms, tune them up somewhat higher than the batter heads and that will quiet them down alot for no money investment. If you have a few bucks to spend go buy him a pack of moon gels. They work great on the top heads but can fall of the bottom ones.
And the pillow in the bass drum is effective as alluded to by Nils.
I have to play tomorrow night also. It'll be a great night. I can feel it now....come to think of it, I'll really be feeling it Sunday...alas. :)
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
blackzeroghs,
i just did my first gig a couple of weeks ago with a new band i joined about 4 months ago, i was a nervous reck, i talked to wes alot about it, and he really settled me down
so to speak, great advice, great pointers, and just encouraged the hell out of me. so in the words of wes inman " relax, have fun, and everybody thats out there watching wants to be
you, you are in a band! " your set list is fine, the rush your going to experience is going to blow yor mind, believe me, i survived, so will you, have fun and knock "em dead :D
even god loves rock-n-roll
Have fun is the most important part.
Dan
P.S. Your set list rocks! 8)
"The only way I know that guarantees no mistakes is not to play and that's simply not an option". David Hodge
