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3 hour set

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(@almann1979)
Noble Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 1281
Topic starter  

lately we have been having a run of good fortune, and have been booked in to play a few wedding by people who have seen us in pubs - which is great for the old confidence.
recently we were asked to do a wedding in August but the couple wanted us to play for 3 hours. Unfortunately, we declined and wished them all the best because we have not got 3 hours of material, but this raises the question "should we have 3 hours of material if we are getting into functions and weddings??"
im sure professional musicians could play all day but 3 hours is a serious number of songs, i cant imagine having 3 hours worth of songs where EVERY SONG is a well known classic (which is what we bill ourselves as playing).
How long do other band members on here feel they could play for without compromising the quality of their set?? is it a case that 3 hours is too long to be asked, or that we are still a bit green around the edges and need to seriously expand our set??

by the way, currently we do 2 50 minute sets of songs we are very happy with, plus an encore of 3 or 4 songs (about 30 songs), so a long way short of 3 hours.

"I like to play that guitar. I have to stare at it while I'm playing it because I'm not very good at playing it."
Noel Gallagher (who took the words right out of my mouth)


   
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(@jwmartin)
Noble Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 1435
 

Did they want you to play for 3 hours straight? It sounds like you are pretty close to having enough songs. I would imagine by "3 hours", they meant 3 45-50 minute sets. If you have 2 50 minute sets, plus 3 or 4 songs, you're really only about 30 minutes short. Learn "In-a-gadda-da-vida" and you're all set! :D

Bass player for Undercover


   
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(@davidhodge)
Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 4472
 

Three sets is what many bars expect, at least in the bars that I've been to and / or played at. As JWMartin mentions, usually a band will play a forty-five to fifty minute set, then a ten minute break and so on and so on.

A third set doesn't have to be that big of an obstacle. It's more than okay at the end of the night to do a song (or two or three) that went over very well from the first set or the first half of the second. Especially if it has people up and dancing. That's why they're there.

If you figure most songs average out to between four and five minutes, you're not talking a lot of material new material to learn just to be on the safe side of three sets. Of course, when you're starting out, even one set can seem like an eternity :wink:

Go for it! They obviously like you enough and (better yet) many classics are not that hard to learn and arrange in a very short period of time. You want more suggestions to fill out your set lists? Just post here and you'll have more than enough suggestions to get you through six hours in no time flat. And August is over four months away. Your band sounds more than good enough to be able to learn even ten to twelve new songs in sixteen weeks. That's one a week plus at least four extra weeks to make them even better.

Hope this helps. More importantly, I hope this leads to a wonderful gig report in August!

Peace


   
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(@moonrider)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 1305
 

I don't think they meant three hours straight - more like 3 sets of 45-50 minutes. Our normal routine is 1 hour for the first set, break 15 and 45 minute sets the rest of the night. Most places in this area expect you to fill the majority of 4 hours. A three hour gig is an easy night for us :D

Playing guitar and never playing for others is like studying medicine and never working in a clinic.

Moondawgs on Reverbnation


   
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(@almann1979)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 1281
Topic starter  

Blimey - looks like we have some more songs to learn :D
thanks for the replies guys. i have been looking at the "how to get people up dancing" thread to try to find classics to add, but i have to say that a lot of the songs mentioned must be better known in the US than over here.

anyway, this is our current list - we hope the first set is full of "good songs" and the second is a dancers set.

set 1
let me entertain you - robbie williams
take me out - franz ferdinand
sex on fire - kings of leon
i bet you look good on the dancefloor - Arctic monkeys
Mr brightside - the killers
use somebody - kings of Leon
teenage kicks - the undertones
hard to handle - black crows
so lonely - the police
under the bridge - chilli's
dont stop me now - queen

set 2
sweet home alabama - lynard skynard
mustang sally - commitments
take your mama - sissor sisters
a little respect (erasure/wheatus cross)
jailhouse rock - elvis
johnny be good - chuck berry
medley of labamba, twist and shout and that song from dirty dancing
valerie - amy whinehoue
let it be - beatles (to give the dancers a rest)
play that funky music - not sure who did this???
i feel good- james brown
brown eyed girl- van morrison
i love to boogie - t rex

encore songs
summer of 69
i feel fine
stuck in the middle

our firsrt wedding is in may - they are happy with 2 50 minute sets, which im sure we could accomadate - we are looking to add new songs for then, any suggestions are greatly appreciated :D
i really didnt realise how many songs other bands had in their repetoire until this, i thought we were moving along fine - i guess its sort of back to the drawing board, but we'll definatley get there. :D

"I like to play that guitar. I have to stare at it while I'm playing it because I'm not very good at playing it."
Noel Gallagher (who took the words right out of my mouth)


   
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(@joehempel)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2415
 

Looks like you got a great set list going!

I wish I even knew half of them off the top of my head, wow!

Oh, BTW, Wild Cherry did Play that Funky Music

In Space, no one can hear me sing!


   
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(@noteboat)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 4921
 

A few bits of advice if you'll do a lot of weddings...

1. You'll need to add typical cheezy novelty songs: Chicken Dance, Hokey Pokey etc. Not only do many people expect them, but they help your reputation - because these tunes will get any little kids out on the dance floor.

2. You'll want some songs for every generation that's going to be there, and you'll want to cover a lot of dancing styles. You've got a good start on that, with a nice variety. Throw in a swing number or two (Jump Jive & Wail, In the Mood, etc) and a line dance (maybe Boot Scootin Boogie). You might also want to think about the ethnic groups that might be attending... Hava Nagila or Danny Boy can get you more work by word of mouth, if that's what people expect to hear at a wedding.

3. Be prepared to learn a new tune or two for every wedding you do. Many people have specific tunes they'll want for the first dance, and the mother/son and father/daugther dances.

Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL


   
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(@dogbite)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

I like the line dance reference. a few country songs would go over well. take a look at Waylon Jennings stuff. easy and well thought of songs.
the Stones do country so it isn't like you are going into an ugly part of town.

I think three sets is a good goal to achieve. throw in a drum solo. that eats a few minutes (LOL)

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
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(@ricochet)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

You can always plant someone in the crowd to yell "Wipeout!" Play a little bit, get the drummer started on a solo, wander off for some refreshments...

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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(@almann1979)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 1281
Topic starter  

great tips guys - and thanks for the responses. ill definately share them with the rest of the group.
In fact, im just packing the gear up for a gig now actually, i might see if i can do some filming and post one or two on hear here when i get back. i always like to have a look at GN when i get back from a gig with a beer or 2, helps me wind down before bed. :D

"I like to play that guitar. I have to stare at it while I'm playing it because I'm not very good at playing it."
Noel Gallagher (who took the words right out of my mouth)


   
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 Cat
(@cat)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 1224
 

Even the G'Dead had problems keeping their REGULAR three hour gigs going. (Actually...three hours would have been a short gig!) The inebriants spread through the crowd usually lasted three hours, so...

Cat

"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"


   
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