British Invasion or Motown Band?

[DonW]

Just curious as to what my go over better in your location. Last band I was in did Motown/Latin/ Classic rock mix it was fun and people dug it. My buddy on bass wants a brit invasion band but the other guitar player wants Motown exclusively and I'm trying to convince them a mix is acceptable. I'm good with either.

 

[FFTT]

If you want to work, play music that gets the ladies on the dance floor.

British Invasion, Motown, all good as long as you select the right songs.

 

[franksguitar]

Variety is the spice of life

 

[stevel]

Just curious as to what my go over better in your location. Last band I was in did Motown/Latin/ Classic rock mix it was fun and people dug it. My buddy on bass wants a brit invasion band but the other guitar player wants Motown exclusively and I'm trying to convince them a mix is acceptable. I'm good with either.

Dance music is better if you want to get gigs.

I would love to do a Brit Invasion (and American tunes of the same time period like "Dirty Water" that have that same "sound") band, but I don't think it would go over very well in my locale.

To be honest, the biggest problem is not the choice of style you make, but the choice of SONGS you make. I see too many people go out with this set list of songs no one has heard.

Number One Rule: If you're going to play obscure covers, you might as well play your originals.

True story: At a gig, checking out my friend's band. They're playing Big Head Todd and stuff like that when it was popular. Audience dancing and grooving. Then they say "we're going to do one of our own songs now" - half the audience gets up and leaves the room to get a drink or hit the head. They come back when the first licks of a song they recognize are played.

Number Two Rule: If you're playing originals in a cover band, don't tell the audience they're originals.

If you're in a band, and you intend to entertain an audience, you have to play what THEY want to hear.

But, a mix of POPULAR British Invasion, and POPULAR Motown songs would do well.

Just don't pick OBSCURE songs or bands. We played some "beach music" in a band. Did great with a certain audience (beach music lovers who liked to shag (that's a dance, not the Austin Powers reference)) but it fell flat with everyone else.

Steve

 

[shredtrash]

Dance music is better if you want to get gigs.

I would love to do a Brit Invasion (and American tunes of the same time period like "Dirty Water" that have that same "sound") band, but I don't think it would go over very well in my locale.

To be honest, the biggest problem is not the choice of style you make, but the choice of SONGS you make. I see too many people go out with this set list of songs no one has heard.

Number One Rule: If you're going to play obscure covers, you might as well play your originals.

True story: At a gig, checking out my friend's band. They're playing Big Head Todd and stuff like that when it was popular. Audience dancing and grooving. Then they say "we're going to do one of our own songs now" - half the audience gets up and leaves the room to get a drink or hit the head. They come back when the first licks of a song they recognize are played.

Number Two Rule: If you're playing originals in a cover band, don't tell the audience they're originals.

If you're in a band, and you intend to entertain an audience, you have to play what THEY want to hear.

But, a mix of POPULAR British Invasion, and POPULAR Motown songs would do well.

Just don't pick OBSCURE songs or bands. We played some "beach music" in a band. Did great with a certain audience (beach music lovers who liked to shag (that's a dance, not the Austin Powers reference)) but it fell flat with everyone else.

Steve

Exactly. I play in a band that mixes 50's and 60's stuff and it goes over VERY well. It doesn't really matter if you pick the right songs. Call it a 60's Review or something like that if you're concerned about how to market it. A mix will do really well IMO.