# My band is too heavy (x-post)



## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

We were looking at each other like - "WTF?"

A bar manager for a place we are to play at next Friday & Saturday came to our show last night. After the set we spoke to him and he said he was impressed with our playing but that we will be too heavy for his bar and he's going to book someone else for next weekend. WTF? We bill ourselves as a classic rock band - Zeppelin , Hendrix, Cream, Rush, Beatles, Floyd, Sabbath, Deep Purple, RATM, etc... We always get compliments from people, young and older about our song choices and how well we play them.

He says the patrons like to be able to sing along to the band. I know some of the bands that play his establishment, and I'll be ****ed if I'm going to play "Down on the Corner", "Rave On", "Brown Eyed Girl", "Sweet Home Alabama" et al. I get nausious just thinking about over-played schmaltz like that.

At any rate - I guess next weekend will be spent with the family finally.


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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

james on bass said:


> He says the patrons like to be able to sing along to the band.


Sounds like he has latent karaoke tendencies.:zzz:


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

That's about it. 

I realize we are a cover band, basically a live juke box, but people at our shows really enjoy hearing songs they've heard before, but not just last week.


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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

You could always do a Sing-along-with-Sabbath set. Alright folks, just follow the bouncing ball....:food-smiley-015:


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

Lester B. Flat said:


> You could always do a Sing-along-with-Sabbath set. Alright folks, just follow the bouncing ball....:food-smiley-015:


evilGuitar:


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## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

that's why you dont play country-western bars.:food-smiley-015:


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

Xanadu said:


> that's why you dont play country-western bars.:food-smiley-015:



:tongue:

We were actually in country music territory last night, but they love their classic rock there almost as much, and really like us.

Funny you mention country, as I actually grabbed the Guitarist's spare Strat and sang "Ring of Fire" for everyone.

I played in a country band for a few years and still love REAL country.


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## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

james on bass said:


> :tongue:
> 
> We were actually in country music territory last night, but they love their classic rock there almost as much, and really like us.
> 
> ...


I like the bass lines in country music, but can't stand listening to it.


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## hush (Sep 8, 2006)

> We were actually in country music territory last night


Personally I've found playing in "country music territory" to be the proverbial box of cracker jacks - you never know what you're going to get (or at least what you're going to end up playing). I should note that my old cover band was roughly two-thirds classic, one-third modern and no-thirds country. We'd throw a token country tune or two in each night but playing one set of country (let alone three) was not a possibility.

I found playing the same "country music territory" bars with more-or-less the same demographic in the house each night that one gig the flavour is all ACDC/Sabbath/Zeppelin, the next it's Eagles/Beatles/Hip and the next it's Killers/Audioslave/Green Day. I suppose that's one of the benefits of doing a live performance of any kind - you just never know.

As an aside I also noticed that "country music territory" bars have the best scraps. If I'm going to be underpaid I might as well be amused (kidding ... er, sort of... keep the cast iron mic stands in front and the tripods at the back).


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

personally I prefer the blues/classic rock stuff but there has been many times when I have played country just to be able to eat. It depends on the country stuff, I'm not a fan of the "tears in the beers" type but there is a lot of good stuff out there you can have fun with. Have also ended up in bluegrass/country mixes, although I'm not much at the flat picking style I enjoyed it. There is good music in all genres just depends on what you like. For me it doesn't matter as long as it is done well..


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## elindso (Aug 29, 2006)

PaulS said:


> personally I prefer the blues/classic rock stuff but there has been many times when I have played country just to be able to eat. It depends on the country stuff, I'm not a fan of the "tears in the beers" type but there is a lot of good stuff out there you can have fun with. Have also ended up in bluegrass/country mixes, although I'm not much at the flat picking style I enjoyed it. There is good music in all genres just depends on what you like. For me it doesn't matter as long as it is done well..


I was just going to say the same thing.

Listen to Lucinda Williams and her band or Steve Earle. There are some country players that make Tony Iomi look like,, well Tony Iomi.


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