Do It Differently

Some of the things I notice about so many of the bands I see is that they commonly (1) perform the songs they've chosen as closely arranged as they can to the original, (2) perform the songs in the key the original was in even if nobody in the band can hardly hit any of the high notes and (3)often take themselves too seriously.

Many may disagree with me but in the grand scope of the cosmos, if you're playing with three or four other guys or girls in a bowling ally bar in McHenry County Illinois, you really shouldn't take what you're doing that seriously. This should be fun. The crowd should have fun. Leave the political musical statements to U2 or Paul McCartney or Green Day. If I'm going out some night with a girl to have some beers and some fun and maybe do some dancing, I want to have fun. If a band is performing as a concert rather than playing songs to get you moving, I'm not having as much fun as I should be having. Don't take yourself too seriously .... because ... most others are not. Most of us who play out know deep in our hearts we are not going to be famous. We know what our place is in the natural order and there is nothing wrong with that!

One thing I really like in a band is when they do some interesting versions of songs everyone else does. There is nothing wrong with doing the same songs everyone else does and you know from my blogs that that is kind of a pet peeve of mine. But there really is nothing wrong with that because most of the people who come to see you want to hear those songs anyway. I get turned on when I hear a song you DON'T hear everyone else do or you do a fair number of songs in a totally different style or tempo or rhythm than the original was done in .. and it actually works! Just like they say on American Idol; Make The Song Your Own. Now that's imagination. That's doing something different from everyone else. That's giving your audience something to remember and something to differentiate you from all those others that do Sweet Home Alabama the same way everyone else does. So your band can't pull off a decent version of Free Bird. Do that song in a different way and in a different arrangement and shorten it up some. Work within your abilities. There was a band around many years ago named The Critics and they did a great version of If I Only Had A Brain. I saw them three or four times and always waited for that song and always remembered the name of that band.

Finally, in some of my blogs, I've mentioned that the singer is stretching too hard for the high notes and subsequently, the song doesn't sound all that good. Don't do that! If the singer(s) can't hit the higher notes, don't do the song. Every song you do should song strong and tight. If you insist on doing the song, change the key. If you can't change the key or won't change the key, you have two options: (1) don't do the song or (2) be content with performing a song that doesn't sound good.

There are other issues as well. Start on time no matter what. Don't take breaks that are too long as that gives your audience a good excuse to leave and bar owners don't like that. When you go into a new club to play, don't immediately ask the bartender or manager if you get free drinks. That shouldn't be an important reason you're there. Be a pro. Stay straight during the gig. You may think you're sounding good as you get more buzzed as the night goes on ... but you aren't. Record some of your gigs sometime ... especially the last set. Get ready for an awakening. Be very nice to all employees of the bar or restaurant you're playing in. Most importantly ... look like you're having a great time up there. That's what truly gets an audience on your side.