Good Idea or Potential Disaster? Gig song requests via phone.

[Guitar Stu]

After reading through the thread about drawing the line on song requests I had an idea. Now most musicians (me included) are still using and buying guitars that are Replicars of 1950's design, using tube amps and getting song requests at gigs via some drunk in the crowd yelling out "freebird" "play Mustang Sally".

Now everyone has a smart phone (I think some people glue them to their hands). How about getting some interaction with the crowd through their phone. I mean it's not uncommon for two people to go out to dinner and spend the whole time on the phone.

Its hard to believe but sometimes musicians playing covers are referred to as human jukeboxes. Why not embrace it.

My idea is to set a page or app where punters can access with their phones and make song requests during the gig. Just set up a sign with a web address or Google search. I don't play songs that are not part of my setlist so I would have the punter chose from my list of songs and put down a first name or nickname with the request. That way I could do a " this song goes out to ---" between songs.

I would put down freebird and Mustang options but rickroll the punter and have them redirected to a nostalgic video of Rick Astley.

In all seriousness if done properly I think this could be a good way to get the crowd invested in your act.

Cheers

 

[starkd12]

One one hand it could work, on the other it's just another way to encourage audience members to stay on their phones

 

[n9ne]

It's a good idea....but in my experience, you have to consider the worst-case scenario and assume that's how it will probably happen.

I think the 95/5 rule would apply: 95% of the texts would be generated by only 5% of the audience. Even if you received 50 requests....chances are good that most of them would be from the same 2-3 people over and over.

I also think you'd have to weed through a lot of anonymous trolling and insults from drunks who think they're funny or clever.

I think it's a good idea fundamentally. However, it assumes that everyone will conduct themselves in a mature manner and act like adults....and I'm not sure people are ready for that.

 

[Turi]

Good idea but it's easier if they request in person, yeah?

 

[ccpa]

Good idea If you could put a marketing spin to it. Facebook likes enables you to vote? Whatever. Something that gives the band exposure or marketing future gigs.

 

[Guitar Stu]

I had a search and found an app on iTunes called play my song which seems to do this. It's aimed more at Dj's. I can't try it out till I get home from holidays so I am unsure of exactly what it can do.

 

[mango]

Go one step further and give everybody in the crowd your drummer's phone #.

 

[Digits_Only]

Monetize it. $1 to request a song. $5 more if you play it.

 

[Baxtercat]

Why not embrace it.

Because it's demeaning? depressing?

The phone just means you'll be reading requests for B.Eyed Girl, Mustang Sally, etc.
You already know what they'll ask for.

 

[Yer Blues]

I think it would be chaotic and slow the gig down. IN my opinion, I think it's better to keep the show moving for the majority of the crowd rather than just one person who wants to hear a request. I'd imagine getting the entire crowd in on it would be really chaotic.

 

[stevieboy]

IN my opinion, I think it's better to keep the show moving for the majority of the crowd rather than just one person who wants to hear a request.

But that's an issue you have already.

With the text idea, you don't have to tell someone "No" if they ask for a song you don't like or know. You can just say "We have lots of requests, can't get to them all, thanks for playing!" You actually don't have to play a single request!

 

[Chris Scott]

Too distracting imo.

Plus it's as someone already said - ANYTHING to get people to turn the g-----n, m-----------g phones off, especially at a venue is a very good thing indeed.

I was at a club in L.A. a few weeks ago, and it was downright refreshing, dare I say cathartic to see nary a smartphone in the place. The people were a bit older of course, (Jimmy Z and the Z-Tribe headlining) but still - keep the damn phones out of the venues!

 

[Blue410]

Separate from the mechanism to prompt increased interest and engagement by the audience is the addiction to the devices. How is the band going to treat a paying customer, e.g. a possible regular who might throw something in the tip jar once a year, who comes to the stage and asks the band to turn down so they can make some calls?

 

[Frank Prince]

Sounds like an opportunity for a lot of drunks and idiots to annoy the band all night.

I have seen bands do live karaoke where giant sheets of paper with all the songs are laid out and patrons choose their tunes and then approach the band with their picks and get put on a list for performance. I suppose the website/text thing could greatly improve and streamline that process.

Simply providing a website or number for texting during the gig sounds like an invitation for every idiot in the place to start messing around with it.