Songs that you love or hate to play live... What are yours?

[John Bradley]

18 hours ago, bitflipper said:

Especially the one-hit wonders.

Recently got promo email from the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City announcing an upcoming Chubby Checker show.

I mock Elton John for taking a 2 year period of admittedly top-notch work and pretty much coasting on that for the next 50 years, but Mr. Checker has been living since 1960 on the strength of a single song, God bless him!

That said, to be 81 and have people only remember you because of a hit you recorded when you were 19… that has to be it’s own special form of Hell. Who wants to even be reminded of anything they did when they were 19?

[Shane_B.]

1 hour ago, Rain said:

I am wondering if you reach a point where it's actually fun to play again.

I played live every weekend for 16 years straight. There were songs I liked that the audience didn't and ones they liked that I didn't.

I hated that Elton John Lion King song. Can You Feel The Love Tonight? Or something like that. But the floor was elbow to elbow every time we played it and that I loved.

My favorite to play was Hotel California. Nobody within our tri state area ever attempted it. Took me weeks to learn the lead and rearrange it for 1 guitar. People would sit there staring at us until it was over and then they went nuts.

Least favorite I can't really remember. I think Hello by Lionel Ritchie, or maybe Desperado. It was the only song I played keys on and it was incredibly stressful. But people loved both so we kept doing them for a very long time.

[bitflipper]

On 6/6/2022 at 10:48 AM, Notes_Norton said:

I'm lucky that I get to make a living doing music and nothing but music. What's there to hate about that?

• Lugging gear in the rain and snow.
• Risking your life driving home with the drunks at 2:00 AM.
• Showing up at the venue with a 6-piece band and discovering a stage sized for a singer-songwriter with a drum machine.
• Meeting your FOH guy who introduces himself as a future metal star temporarily doing sound for free beer, just until he's discovered.
• Stairs.

I don't hate anything about playing music, though. I'd play House of the Rising Sun one more time even without that $5 tip.

[Notes_Norton]

20 hours ago, bitflipper said:

I think about this every time I see a classic band who've had to play the same songs over and over for 40-50 years. Especially the one-hit wonders.

I remember an interview I heard with Tony Bennett. He was asked if he ever got tired of singing "San Francisco". Tony responded "No! How can I get tired of it? The fans want to hear it, and they are the reason I am living this wonderful life."

That's a good attitude.

I don't mind playing the same songs over and over, either. I have a life doing music, and nothing but music. To many other musicians, I'm living the dream. If it weren't for the audience, I'd probably be a wage slave for some faceless corporation.

Musician? Entertainer? Both.

What's worse? Playing "Yakety Sax" again or waking up to an alarm clock 5 days a week doing whatever people do in their day jobs. For me, it's the day job. And I'll mix in the show things that are new and challenging for me when appropriate. It's give and take, I give them what they want, and they accept what I like. Sometimes they end up liking the new and eventually request them.

Furthermore, I think when someone has a hit song, they owe it to the fans to play it as close to the recording as possible. The fans are the reason why the stars can make a great living playing music.

Insights, incites, and personal opinions by Notes ♫

[Notes_Norton]

47 minutes ago, bitflipper said:

• Lugging gear in the rain and snow.
• Risking your life driving home with the drunks at 2:00 AM.
• Showing up at the venue with a 6-piece band and discovering a stage sized for a singer-songwriter with a drum machine.
• Meeting your FOH guy who introduces himself as a future metal star temporarily doing sound for free beer, just until he's discovered.
• Stairs.

I don't hate anything about playing music, though. I'd play House of the Rising Sun one more time even without that $5 tip.

Thanks for the grins - I remember those days - but now...

• I live in Florida, no snow - schlepping gear is better than a gym membership to keep in shape
• I play for an adult audience, rarely past 10 PM. Lately I've been playing outdoors in the afternoon 3 or more days a week.
• I play in a duo, but we have had to squeeze into to some tiny spots.
• No need for a FOH sound man
• Elevators - everything is wheelchair accessible now

But we jokingly tell people that we charge people to move the gear, and we play for free.

 

Notes ♫

 

[Notes_Norton]

1 hour ago, Shane_B. said:

<...snip...>

I hated that Elton John Lion King song. Can You Feel The Love Tonight? Or something like that. But the floor was elbow to elbow every time we played it and that I loved.

<...>

It's all about attitude, and that to me is the right attitude.

The most boring song for me to play is the Electric Boogie (Electric Slide). But when I'm playing for the oldest audience in my targeted market, I'll call it at an appropriate time and the dance floor will be filled with people having fun. Then once the ice is broken, the dance floor will probably stay full for the rest of the night. And I enjoy the Boogie, the audience, and what I do for a living.

Notes ♫

[craigb]

9 hours ago, Rain said:

Reminds me of Boris Karloff who used to say that one should consider himself lucky to be typecasted and that it was an honour. Bela Lugosi ... would have begged to differ...

 But, as Bauhaus reminds us: ?

 

9 hours ago, Rain said:

I am wondering if you reach a point where it's actually fun to play again.

Jethro Tull found a way as Ian explains in the start of this:

 

[57Gregy]

Ooh ooh ooh I got another one! Birthday.

[craigb]

1 hour ago, 57Gregy said:

Ooh ooh ooh I got another one! Birthday.

Oh, right.  Like we're supposed to believe that?  Didn't you already have one last year??? ?

 

(Have a good one! ?)

Edited June 12, 2022 by craigb

[Notes_Norton]

Many years ago we learned the Beatles' "Birthday" and it never really went over. People preferred the standard "Happy Birthday" song which through the years we've done as a jazz swing, reggae, rock, country and whatever style.

I wondered why the Beatles' version was never appreciated. Then one day it hit me, it's the line "Well, it's my birthday too yeah".

A person having a birthday celebration considers it a special day. They don't mind sharing the day with others who were actually born on that date, but not with members of the band and anyone/everyone in the audience who sings along.

Now I just strum a Bb7 on the guitar for pitch, Mrs. Notes leads off and the audience sings along.

Then, when the song is over, we do a little shtick for some grins, and make people smile.

 

Notes ♫

[Xoo]

On 6/9/2022 at 6:14 PM, bitflipper said:

If you don't feel that way, stay in your bedroom and entertain yourself.

With added double entendre.

[bitflipper]

On 6/10/2022 at 7:26 AM, Notes_Norton said:

...we jokingly tell people that we charge people to move the gear, and we play for free

Off-topic, but since this thread is being visited by currently-performing musicians I have a decision to make that you all might have opinions on.

I've been considering buying some portable stage lights for those venues that don't have any lighting. Some of the places we play don't even have a stage; they just slide over a pool table or move around tables and chairs. Those also happen to be some of our favorite gigs.

But I hesitate to buy lights because it'll increase setup/teardown time. I already have a couple RGB pars, a DMX controller and cables, but haven't used them in years because it's more stuff to set up in addition to my rig, the PA and monitors. Fortunately, everybody in this band pitches in with the lifting, which is why I'm considering this purchase at all.

Here's what I'm looking at - a pair of these, one for each side of the stage (or wood pallets, plywood on milk crates, or flat spot in the back garden), They pack up assembled, so the manufacturer claims a 5-minute setup time. They are wirelessly controlled, eliminating the need to string DMX cables. However, they'd only be used once or twice a month and the cost is not insubstantial. Your thoughts?

[57Gregy]

I'll bet there's an app for that.

[Notes_Norton]

3 hours ago, bitflipper said:

<...snip...>

Here's what I'm looking at - a pair of these, one for each side of the stage (or wood pallets, plywood on milk crates, or flat spot in the back garden), They pack up assembled, so the manufacturer claims a 5-minute setup time. They are wirelessly controlled, eliminating the need to string DMX cables. However, they'd only be used once or twice a month and the cost is not insubstantial. Your thoughts?

For me? Too much to schlep.

I have a pair of those workshop clamp-on light fixtures with a silver dome.

I put a LED regular light bulb replacement in each, and if the place is too dark, I use them.

Of course, it depends on where you are playing. I've never needed more than this.

Notes ♫