Covers at a Live Show

[Ashes to Loco]

How do you guys feel about doing covers in your playing set for shows. My band and I are considering doing some covers but I wonder how people will react to some of the songs we would pick. What's some of your past experiences with doing covers at a live set.

[Fatal-Division]

what are your goals as a band? figure that out first, then once you know that
i.e.
- we're here to rock...f*** the audience - then hell..whatever songs you like you cover..just do it like a badass (remember..even if the music isn't like what your band is..the fans may enjoy it none the less..exercise some caution..(Aqua probably wouldn't go over too well at a Nile concert...),
-we're crowd pleasers *puts on sunglasses, then gets flashed*, well then you really want to cover a song like your band and like the bands your with, cover the more popular bands to really get the crowd going - at a Ska concert..cover the Bosstones etc. etc.

if you are a band highered for partys..you should stick even closer to what type of music your meant to be played...but if your an independent entity..don't be afraid to cover music..and if you do it well....it should go over well

right now im in a band and we are going to cover Drowning Lessons by MCR ( a great song off their first full length ) and Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus, (yes ..that's right..we are very comfortable with our sexuality) only one really matches our style but we love Teenage Dirtbag and I think the crowd will like it..they may be like WTF? but hell we will have fun...but that's just us..

[CanuckMania]

don't be scared to do covers... BUT, make sure you have a strong couple of originals to back it up, you should try to be remembered for your originals and not for your covers... playing a cover that'll get the crowd excited can be a very good strategy though, as it'll tune them into the rest of your music

[KKKKKocaine]

How do you guys feel about doing covers in your playing set for shows. My band and I are considering doing some covers but I wonder how people will react to some of the songs we would pick. What's some of your past experiences with doing covers at a live set.

Covers tend to go down well, usually the big commercial hits.
Killing in the name of.
Enter sandman.
e.t.c. stuff like that goes well, I tend to be opposed to covers though, they are fun to play but I'd really try and write your own songs instead, try and only do covers if you really need to fill a slot up, so I'd keep them to a minimum, otherwise you get sucked into a situation where you have a gig in 4 months, you spend all this time learning 6 covers to go with 4 of your own songs, which to be honest is 4 months wasted.

[airborne50caliber]

do them amazingly

[crazyguitarist72]

Covers tend to go down well, usually the big commercial hits.
Killing in the name of.
Enter sandman.
e.t.c. stuff like that goes well, I tend to be opposed to covers though, they are fun to play but I'd really try and write your own songs instead, try and only do covers if you really need to fill a slot up, so I'd keep them to a minimum, otherwise you get sucked into a situation where you have a gig in 4 months, you spend all this time learning 6 covers to go with 4 of your own songs, which to be honest is 4 months wasted.

only bad thing is that everyone knows metallica. I personally would cover some iron maiden cause not everybody knows them as much. Plus iron maiden kicks metallicas ****ing ***.

[PainKiller8191]

i'd say play an origional set and start OR end with a cover to drag the audience in

think of your cover like u think of your name, it's something people will remember you by......having people say "hey did u hear the guys who played (insert song name here) yeah i loved their origional stuff i cant wait to see them again"

[GoTeam]

i would limit it to one cover per set

[PainKiller8191]

^^^^goteams right

[airborne50caliber]

one in between and one at the end. maybe at the start too

[TangleEye]

PLay as many covers as you can. Play songs everyone knows and likes.
Peolple don't know your originals. Don't get me wrong i am not knockin originals but you can't stuff it down someones throat. Just add one here or there. If you do good and get bigger so will your originals. Like Steven Tyler Said " you have to fake it before you make it".
if you are playing clubs play covers that girls would like. they are most important part of the audience. Get them Fired up and who cares if any guys like it. If the girls are there the guys will be to and at least act like they like it and buy al kinds of drinks for themselves and all the little teases hangin around.
And trust me. Its not hard to Fire the girls up. Just play good, up beat, not to hard, love makin, easy to dance to, music. Thats alway been myphilosphy.
I mean i just don't get some ppl that just want to play Slipnot and Mudvayne and **** like that. Don't get me wrong that **** jams but how many good lookin ladies are gonna have fun listen to that **** at a show.

[KKKKKocaine]

PLay as many covers as you can. Play songs everyone knows and likes.
Peolple don't know your originals. Don't get me wrong i am not knockin originals but you can't stuff it down someones throat. Just add one here or there. If you do good and get bigger so will your originals. Like Steven Tyler Said " you have to fake it before you make it".
if you are playing clubs play covers that girls would like. they are most important part of the audience. Get them Fired up and who cares if any guys like it. If the girls are there the guys will be to and at least act like they like it and buy al kinds of drinks for themselves and all the little teases hangin around.
And trust me. Its not hard to Fire the girls up. Just play good, up beat, not to hard, love makin, easy to dance to, music. Thats alway been myphilosphy.
I mean i just don't get some ppl that just want to play Slipnot and Mudvayne and **** like that. Don't get me wrong that **** jams but how many good lookin ladies are gonna have fun listen to that **** at a show.

At some point you have to show your own material down peoples throats.
It's best to do it fresh rather then when you're established as a cover band.
If you play popular covers then suddenly throw in your own stuff, the lack of refinement will show and you will be judged in abad light compared to the covers.

[flea_slap_god]

my band usually plays about 3-4 covers in set, they always get the crowd moving.