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opening song for first set - plus please discuss, rearrange, or criticise our set(s)

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nickpnickp Frets: 182
edited October 2014 in Live
our first set runs something like

caroline, valerie (zutons), i lurve rock n roll, learn to fly, dancing in the moonlight, whats up (4 non blondes), walk this way, lets stick together, brother louie (hot chocolate - but we are like the choirboys), boys are back, london calling, hush


we are bored shitless of caroline but it fulfills the job of getting us started on something easy.  other guys fancy having lets stick together as an opening number.  i feckin hate the song and we play it relatively slowly.

so suggestions please?  what would you do - or do you have a fab opening song?  feel free to completely re-order and criticise our setlists (but play nicely please!!!!) or suggest songs (we are fairly quick learners)

btw second set looks like this: place your hands, why did you do it, always on the run, day tripper, dani california, whiskey in the jar, riverboat song, milk and alcohol, 2.4.6.8 motorway, my sharona, i predict a riot, sex on fire.....encores are Dakota, monster and chelsea dagger.

in reserve we have won't get fooled again, chip away the stone (aerosmith) 

plus we have just sorted out some new songs which haven't made it into the set yet so we have some scope to chuck songs out - back in black, rocks (primal scream), i will survive (yep gloria gaynor) and Orson - No Tomorrow

suggest away coz I'm stuck and i've heard our songs too many times.  I am also predujiced as i have some pet hates.  incidentally I don't think Dani California goes down that well.

nuff said - and this post is far too long - sooo over to you

cheers
Nick
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Comments

  • Col_DeckerCol_Decker Frets: 2188
    We used to open with Everybody Needs Somebody (inc the blues brothers bit). Very cheesy but everyone knows it, loves it, and it gets them on your side right from the start.

    Ed Conway & The Unlawful Men - Alt Prog Folk: The FaceBook and The SoundCloud

     'Rope Or A Ladder', 'Don't Sing Love Songs', and 'Poke The Frog'  albums available now - see FaceBook page for details

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  • not_the_djnot_the_dj Frets: 7306
    "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks. Easy and well known to get us going.


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  • stickyfiddlestickyfiddle Frets: 26749
    In my old lot we often opened with Teenage Kicks.
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • RolandRoland Frets: 8590
    In my book the first set opener in a pub has two purposes: tell punters what to expect, but more importantly let the band settle down, tweak volume and tone, shift the mic stand etc.  So it needs to be simple to play, on the fingers and the ears, so that it's easy to make adjustments. Fwiw we currently open with Let's Stick Together because it does just that. Not a very exciting song I'll admit but it's practical benefits outweigh its artistic merit.

    If you want something in the same vein then how about Rocking All Over the World?
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
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  • An utter cliche(don't know how to make that an acute), but Barnaby Mild?
    You don't need much knowledge of anatomy to appreciate the fundamental ubiquity of opinions.
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  • GassageGassage Frets: 30826
    edited October 2014
    My mate's band played a Bris once and opened up with Sheryl Crow's First Cut is the Deepest.....I suggest you also play something apt.

    *An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.

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  • nickpnickp Frets: 182
    An utter cliche(don't know how to make that an acute), but Barnaby Mild?

    um am I an ignoramus - what's Barnaby Mild?  is it rhyming slang or what.

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  • nickp said:
    An utter cliche(don't know how to make that an acute), but Barnaby Mild?

    um am I an ignoramus - what's Barnaby Mild?  is it rhyming slang or what.

    Born To Be Wild.
    You don't need much knowledge of anatomy to appreciate the fundamental ubiquity of opinions.
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  • nickpnickp Frets: 182
    nickp said:
    An utter cliche(don't know how to make that an acute), but Barnaby Mild?

    um am I an ignoramus - what's Barnaby Mild?  is it rhyming slang or what.

    Born To Be Wild.
    ahhh a pune, or play on words... I geddit
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  • monquixotemonquixote Frets: 17485
    tFB Trader
    Opening songs need to be easy to play and up tempo.

    My last rock band used to open with Local Boy in the Photograph.  Nice easy three chord thing goes down well.

    Starting with a ballad is asking for trouble.
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  • nickpnickp Frets: 182
    IIn the light of the above I've just suggested to my partners in rock n roll crime that we stick it to them hard with Rocks as an opener so the setlists now look like this songs with a / are alternates which we swap between gigs.  I will survive going in late to get the laydees dancing


    ROCKS
    VALERIE
    I LOVE ROCK N ROLL
    LETS STICK TOGETHER 
    WHY DID YOU DO IT
    LEARN TO FLY/WON’T GET FOOLED AGAIN
    BROTHER LOUIE/CHIP AWAY THE STONE
    DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT
    WHAT’S UP 
    MILK AND ALCOHOL
    WALK THIS WAY
    BOYS ARE BACK
    LONDON CALLING
    HUSH

    PLACE YOUR HANDS
    ALWAYS ON THE RUN/NO TOMORROW
    DAY TRIPPER
    WHISKEY IN THE JAR
    RIVERBOAT SONG
    MOTORWAY
    MY SHARONA
    I PREDICT A RIOT
    BACK IN BLACK
     DAKOTA
    SEX ON FIRE

    I WILL SURVIVE
    MONSTER 
    CHELSEA DAGGER

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  • Could you start on Won't Get Fooled Again?
    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
    soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
    youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
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  • not_the_djnot_the_dj Frets: 7306
    edited October 2014
    Could you start on Won't Get Fooled Again?
    Goes on a bit. I prefer something short and snappy to open with, not something big and epic.

    IMO of course.
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  • JAYJOJAYJO Frets: 1526
    I saw her standing there Beatles is easy enough and ace to kick off with or end.
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  • EricTheWearyEricTheWeary Frets: 16253
    Generally what @Roland said.

    Something you know really well as a band to help settle the nerves, possibly something that works as a sound check as well so you can be super slick.

    On a pub gig your opening number might slay the crowd or it might be to two men and a dog and if it's your tightest number a bit lost there. I'm all for using it again as a second set closer or encore.
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • DesVegasDesVegas Frets: 4510
    Jumping Jack Flash .. 

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  • Handsome_ChrisHandsome_Chris Frets: 4779
    edited October 2014
    Did anyone on here know that the lead singer of Steppenwolf's real name isn't John Kay? He was born Toby Wild.
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  • Pretty sure that would make an impression
    ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
    We usually start with something classic, easily recognisable and with a punchy opening riff such as Free or Bad Company number's Wishing Well, All Right Now or Can't Get Enough and some times Cream's version of Crossroads.
    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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  • nickpnickp Frets: 182
    @not_the_dj - agreed won't get fooled again goes on a bit.

    @erictheweary - we have a few songs that really work well so in that context Rocks isn't that special - but it is fairly short and snappy and up tempo so it kinda fits - although in some respects it is a sort of a waste as the opener -= but as you say in a slow venue it can always be wheeled out again at the end 
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