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Help with choosing setlist for acoustic covers gig.
So, after mainly playing my own stuff for years i've recently decided to start playing some solo acoustic covers gigs to earn some extra money. I've going to be playing pubs in small towns and villages where the general clientele are not quite as musically obsessed as myself so i need to aim for the mainstream with my setlist. i've had to drop a lot of the covers i was planning to do as Jeff Buckley, Grateful Dead and Nick Cave are all a bit off the radar for the audience. I've currently got a list of about 25-30 songs (which i'll list in the comments) but i could do with 10 - 15 more songs so i'm asking for suggestions of what to play from the massive. unfortunately "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" isn't a good idea as very few people in the pub will know who RT is (plus it's slightly too difficult for me to play!) I'm aiming for a wide range of covers from the last 50 or so years so recent suggestions will be as useful as playing some old.
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current setlist includes -
smll faces - itchycoo park
spencer davis group - keep on running
hendrix - all along the watchtower
van halen - jump
acdc - you shook me all night long
springsteen - born to run
fleetwood mac - go your own way
the cure - just like heaven
the stones - wild horses
the smiths - the boy with the thorn in his side
ocean colour scene - the day we caught the train
HJH - Revolution 1 (i was tempted to try 9 but couldn't quite get it to work acoustically)
REM - it's the end of the world as we know it (and i feel fine)
U2 - one
Otis Redding - Dock Of The Bay
Elvis - Suspicious Minds
The other elvis - whats so funny bout peace love and understanding
kaiser cheifs - ruby
the zombies - she's not there
pulp - common people
del amitri - nothing ever happens
crowded house - distant sun
the jam - thats entertainment
the beatles - she loves you
How about
AC-DC - Back in Black. There's a guy called Foy Vance that does a great acoustic version. He'll be on Youtube somewhere doing it.
cheers, i'll give it a
cheers, i'll give it a listen. it's certainly well known enough anyway. i'm toying with working out an acoustic version of ace of spades as well.
Ace Of Spades
Great acoustic version!
If you like your blood unplugged...
...you've got it. Mark Kozelek did a whole album's worth of acoustic AC/DC covers on "What's Next To The Moon", and they're great. Particularly this...
Aye, i've got that album.
Aye, i've got that album. It's bloody brilliant!
Welcome to my world
I went through exactly the same transition as you. No one particularly wanted to hear my Buckley or Ryan Adams covers (though there was more interest in Hallelujah post X Factor). When I made the switch to more well known covers I not only got more bookings but my own enjoyment increased. I cringe slightly to admit this, but I get more of a thrill playing Summer of 69 to a crowd of people dancing and singing along than When the Stars Go Blue to a people who couldn't care less.
I'm typing on a phone so can't see your list very easily but is I Saw Her Standing There on there? Great set opener, works well in D if you can't sing it in E as Macca does.
Also Town Called Malice never fails, particularly for a more blokish audience.
I adapt depending on audience. Like I say, The Jam is always a winner for the blokes - or Oasis. For the hen party crowd, I Think We're Alone Now never fails. If people are very drunk, Hey Jude is the ultimate set closer.
I know your pain
I banged out a bluesy acoustic version of "Livin' on a prayer" recently and was aghast at the level of pleasure it gave the audience, and indeed me when they all clapped.
Always close with Hey Jude
And stick Dobie Gray's Drift Away in the middle somewhere. Gnarls Barkley's Crazy is also a toe tapper. We found that anything currently in an advert seemed to go down well (The Violent Femmes for example), although people did keep nipping out to buy sofas during the break.
My first laugh of the day
(it's been one of those days) for the sofas, Mr Kirk.
Upped...
Having seen Ray Davies on TV
showing his Glastonbury set, I suspect Autumn Almanac + other KInks songs would go down nicely.
good choice, i was in the
good choice, i was in the audience so i know how good that was. although autumn almanac may be overestimating some of the audience, so i'll probably do something like sunny afternoon or days.
cheers for all the suggestions so far guys, you're really helping me out!
Don't laugh
But there is a busker down Oxford Circus on occasion who last year was playing Cheryl Cole's Fight For This Love re-imagined as a Norwegian Wood style acoustic strum (with no apparent irony at all), and it sounded bloody good. That kind of rework of current(ish) hits might work out a pretty good crowd pleaser.
yeah, i was thinking of
yeah, i was thinking of maybe reworking a lady gaga song or something of that ilk. i already do a mashup of katy perry's "hot n cold" with the cure's "just like heaven" as they're the same chords. interestingly the synth part on that cheryl cole song is nicked wholesale from eric johnson's cliffs of dover. if i was a much better guitarist i could maybe do something with that!
Seek out Ben's Brother's version of Poker Face
To hear how beautiful that song can really sound.
A word of warning though
I sometimes find that people would rather hear a straight rendition than a reworked version, especially if you've dramatically slowed it down. I've tried that BB arrangement of Poker Face before and could sense people willing me to speed it up. But then again it depends on the venue, attention span of the audience, position in the set etc.
Talking of slowed down covers, Tainted Love works well either slow or fast - capo 3rd, Em, G, C, Am.
Looking at your setlist
the versh of Cheryl Cole I was talking about didn't sound too dissimilar to the Del Amitri you've got in there.
Poker Face by GaGa - she does a pretty good slow down piano version of that, it's on Youtube, might be worth checking out. Plan B's stuff converts to acoustic nicely, and Katy Perry's Firework might work out nicely on an acoustic as would Eliza Doolittle's Pack Up.
Heard
an acoustic version of GaGa's Bad Romance which was good too.
"Tempted" by Squeeze is always good.
Paul Carrack sings in a pretty comfortable register for most blokes. I think it's an interesting song to play as well.
By the same token, Over My Shoulder by Mike And The Mechanics works very well, although it does have the sizeable drawback of being a Mike And The Mechanics song.
Glenn Tilbrook
has included "Tempted" this in his acoustic sets - he did write the music after all. There certainly used to be versions of him doing it available online. Though chord-heavy it's reasonably straightforward to pick up his guitar version if you play by ear.
Richard Thompson
also does Tempted in his 1000 Years Of Popular Music shows.
A few years ago I heard a
A few years ago I heard a female singer doing an acoustic version of "Sound of the Underground" by Girls Aloud. Sounded pretty good to me, passing my test of "what does it sound like played solo on an acoustic guitar with all the production fluff blown away"?
Also try Voodoo Chile. Seen that done acoustically in spectacular fashion too.
To my audience in the bedroom mirror, I play -
Paul Simon - Me And Julio Down By The School Yard
Cat Stevens - Wild World
Boo Hewerdine - Patience Of Angels
I used to play Billy Bragg's A New England and Don McLean's American Pie.
All goodies
noted.
BTW Stevie - I shaved off the 'tach this morning. I'd got quite fond of it!
Good on you mate!
I shaved mine off on 1st Dec...and not a moment too soon...hehe!
I might go for the full bifter next year though.
Here it is...
In daring 5 thread join....
1. Acoustic set suggestions
2. Acoustic covers on YouTube
3. Moustaches
4. My cave
5. Yes, self publicity (not that I'm selling anything).
My laptop mic has introduced a trippy phasing effect into the proceedings. Filmed yesterday for a laugh.
nicely played! here's my
nicely played!
here's my cover of the cure's just like heaven, with a bit of katy perry mixed in -
Nice!
like the jangly guitar work particularly. Any other Wordistas on You Tube?
I'll get my excuses in first....
It was a couple of summers ago. A golf outing with a dozen or so workmates to somewhere in Perthshire.
We had an overnight stay, so drink was taken; on the golf course; with dinner; after dinner. One of the boys spotted a guitar behind the bar and duly presented me with it. It was just a cheapo with gut strings. I had no plectrum and tuned the thing by ear....I think I'm a couple of steps out...hence my straining vocal(hehehe!). Some bastard caught it on his mobile....his hand is remarkably steady though.
This summer we went back to the same place. I took my own guitar with me this time. Much of it was filmed but it's never shown up.
Oasis...?
There's a couple of Oasis numbers that you could have a go at:
Half the World Away
Married With Children
I'd double up on Lenny's suggestion of Over My Shoulder too.
Another one it might be worth trying, although it's a tad obscure, is Sugar's "If I Can't Change Your Mind" - cracking song, and certainly playable in an acoustic set. It has a good enough melody to get round it's obscurity.
One I used to try to play was the Outdoor Type by the Lemonheads, which is quite amusing as well as a good tune. But again, not sure if it's too obscure for a pub crowd.
Popular Choices
I have friends who probably fit the profile you will play to.
Consider songs by artists such as:
James Taylor,
Eagles,
Versions of Motown Classics (a la linda ronstedt).
Carole King.
Dire Straits.
Some Creedence.
I know some of this will hurt - but think of the money.
I do a pretty good*
version of Hit Me Baby One More Time on me uke.
*This is the author's opinion. Other opinions are availableWhat he said
There's a couple of covers of this (Travis, Fountains of Wayne, err...Bowling For Soup) which confirm that it's a class song however it's performed - especially as a slowed-down acoustic number.
In the same vein (although essentially it's already an acoustic number), 'Ver 'Vat's 'Back For Good' is a CHOON.
The Who - Squeeze Box
.
Crowded House
Most stuff really but the obvious, well known one, is Weather With You. Nice jangly sound and very uplifting.
I was going to vote for more Crowded House too
particularly "Fall at your Feet". Glad you've got "Distant Sun" already, one of my very favourites.
The great thing
about Crowded House is nearly all of their songs work well with just acoustic guitar and voice, even if you have a voice like mine.
FAYF
I do that one! Great song.
FAYF Me...
...too. To be a tosser I do it in 3/4 and then go to 4/4 from the bridge. Impresses no one but me. Clever v popular? That'll be why I'm skint and audienceless
i've just worked out don't
i've just worked out don't dream it's over, and i reckon fall at your feet is a good one to try next!
Obviously somebody'll be along in ten to correct me...
but I've yet to come across somebody who didn't like Fall At Your Feet. I know plenty of people who don't like Crowded House, but FAYF is one that *everybody* says 'yeah, I like that one...who's it by'...
Four Seasons In One Day
Works very well on solo guitar. And easy to work out by ear. I managed it so it must be.
U2
A local guy regulary plays "Miracle Drug" - and it sounds better than the original. "Stuck in a Moment" would work well too
I saw a solo artist perform
'Where The Streets Have No Name', acoustically - worked very well.
'Chasing Cars' goes well,as does 'Creep'
Other favourite covers of mine (I play a mix of my own stuff and covers):-
Walk Away Renee - try slowing it down a la Southside Johhnny
Willin' (Open G with Slide - Gene Parsons-style)
Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers
Long Distance Love (Feats again)
LA Freeway - Guy Clark
Jimmy Buffet - Come Monday
Jackson Browne - Something Fine, or The Road.
James Taylor either 'Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight', or 'Close Your Eyes'
On Broadway (after George Benson version).
Dimming Of The Day - great in 'Dropped D Tuning'
Straighten Up And Fly Right - Nat King Cole
Willie Nelson -Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground, Crazy or 'Night Life' - segues with 'Funny How Time Slips Away'
Summertime is a good old favourite (but get the chords right - have a look at the piano arrangement)
Like it
Where are you gigging? I'll come!
Three winners
I do a fair few acoustic gigs and have a handful of winning covers to provide, err, cover for doing a few originals. You cannot lose with:
Folsom Prison Blues
Brown Eyed Girl
Ticket to ride
To the right audience "Willin'" and "The Weight" always go down well too.
Oh, and "You never can tell" or "Nadine" should be in every gigster's back pocket.
For the populist vote
some Abba songs work surprisingly well on an acoustic. Try Mama Mia or SOS for starters.
Mary's Prayer
by Danny Wilson sits easily under the fingers and has the uplifting chorus beloved of all.
Slade
I closed a set recently (a magnificent comeback gig, if you must know) with a folky version of Gudbye T' Jane. I'm tempted to try a few other reworked Glam classics next time... Blockbuster, anyone?
slade!
i hadn't even thought of them! cum on feel the noize has got to be a crowd pleaser!
I know!
It went down pretty well. Tell you one thing... slow that song down and get all moody and misty-eyed and it works a treat
Oooh
Far Far Away might work well as an acoustic number - particularly if you can get the audiende singing along to the chorus.
Mashup.
Try throwing in an All You Need Is Love / Cum On Feel The Noize medley. People like to feel they're in on the joke.
What about?........
A few of suggestions:
"Angie"
"Mrs Robinson"
"Heart Of Gold"
Find out the favourite song
of the landlord/landlady, and learn it - will help you to get a return booking (unless, of course, you murder it).
Likewise, taking requests from the audience - while risky - pays dividends if you can pull off a punter's favourite song. (Ask if there are artists people want to hear from, rather than songs, to broaden out your options.) Alternatively ask them to pick a decade (and be prepared to play Jump, because they WILL say eighties).
Some more:
Free Fallin by Tom Petty - just three chords and a hell of a catchy chorus.
Break on Through by the Doors
Honky Tonk Women (see previous entry cf blokish crowds)
Faith by George Michael as a medley with the Winehouse version of Valerie
Don't You Want Me Baby
I Love Rock'n'Roll as a medley with We Will Rock You (definitely one for the end of the night when people are very drunk)
My beginners "Song Book"
for the terminally useless
America "Horse With No Name"
Moody Blues "Nights In White Satin"
Del Amitri "Tell Her This" ( and NEH)
Mumford & Sons "Winter Winds"
Take That "Back For Good" (doubles up as Oasis "Whatever" interestingly)
Depeche Mode "Just Can't Get Enough"
Barry Manilow "Can't Smile Without You"
The Jam "That's Entertainment"
Bon Jovi "Livin" On A Prayer"
I play like I have 10 thumbs but in my head each one is a show stopper. I long for the day I am good enough to play in front of people, it must feel amazing
Good luck!
dave,
get yourself to your local open mic night. a good open mic should welcome players of all levels and it's the best way to get yourself used to playing to a crowd. once yu get a taste for it it'll improve your playing in no time.
Genuinely, thank you
I have tried to promote a "can do" approach on here which was received warmly http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/dont-be-afraid-suck but this assumes a modicum of talent. I think the only thing I would get a taste for is boot leather and the bitter tears of failure and humiliation. I'm not ready to leave the bedroom yet!
ah, don't be so down on yourself.
you're probably better than you think you are, and any open mic night worth its salt should be supportive of beginners. maybe do a song or two with somebody else more experienced to start with if it's too daunting to go solo. That's your challenge for the next few months dave, i reckon you can be confident to play your own gigs by 2012 if you give it a go and as mcfly say, don't be afraid to suck!
you can do it man!
Is there any chance you could do me a favour
and tell me what chords JC uses to play this. It is something I would love to be able to play but despite my best efforts my untrained ear can't manage it. The video is just some bits and pieces from my old man's time as a POW.
Thanks
Which parts are you struggling on?
Capo on 2nd fret and the intro is C Em Em7 F C.
The verse is Am/Em/F/Dm/G/C/Dm/Bb/C
Bb and F shapes are a must
They seem hard at first..you'll get them.
Thanks Stevie
I'll give it a go. I've avoided Bb and F up to now but this should give me the incentive I need.
the Eagles
Everyone loves the Eagles........
For rank amateurs
I can sing reasonably well, but my guitar playing is remedial at best, further stymied by an old injury which means the middle finger of my fretting hand is numb. Anyway, I've played in front of people a few times - social gatherings, I mean, not paid gigs - and these are the songs that I can get away with:
I Got What I Wanted - Brook Benton song, done in the Ted Hawkins style, ie two chords virtually throughout.
Brass Buttons - Gram Parsons - beautiful, and really easy to play
What Do You Want The Girl To Do - Allen Toussaint (maybe a bit obscure for a general crowd)
Ain't No Going Back - Annabel Lamb - OK, this is a song hardly anyone will know, but it is very special to me, as it was part of the reason I got to know her, having tracked her down to the Kashmir Klub in the late 90s. Her partner and co-writer Dave Dix taught me the chords, and I was forever trying to get them to play it live, but they didn't; I, however, have played it, to a dozen or so people. I also played it to a client once. I can't find the song or even the lyric on the web, but it's worth seeking out, from the album Flow.
You can't go wrong with
Long Train Running by the Doobie Bros.
It never fails to a crowd going.
Bit of John Hiatt?
How about "Riding with the King"?
Admittedly, this version is a bit electric, but I have played an acoustic version & it's great fun...