Raisingthe 'Bar' band quotient

I caught a local 'bar band' recently and the band had a front man that just 'wasn't there'- he read from his music stand, did fairly by-the-numbers renditions of his songs (70% him singing - 30% rest of group), and had a generally 'meh' personality. The Bassist showed flashes of talent, as did the lead player, and they had a keyboardist that was vastly underused - but this guy in the middle just gave the whole group a 'tired' feel.

The songlist was standard bar band fare as expected, from Doors to Santana, to Creedence, a couple Beatles, Stone Petty, etc..the typical 'Classic Rock' menu. I've got no quarrel with the list, it got people up and having a good time but I really sensed an 'X' factor missing.

I have been watching a show called "Restaurant Impossible" in which this cool chef/entrepenuer goes into failing restaurants and zeroes in on the problems and fixes the place - this band I saw needs a 'Band- Impossible' makeover.

What makes it 'happen' for you at a Bar/Club? What makes a Bar Band stand apart for you? What separates the men form the boys. What would you do to turn this band around if you were thrust into the frontman position? I have an idea what I would do - but minds greater than mine here are free to ponder.

All I can tell you is what I do. I work with talented people. Inspiring people. Entertaining people. When all of those are missing, you just think you think it's tired......

I watched the show if it is with that blonde englishman

Thats really a great tv idea

I watched the show if it is with that blonde englishman

Thats really a great tv idea

That would be Kitchen nightmares with Gordon Ramsey. Same premise.

Limit the menu and use the freshest ingredients.

I watched the show if it is with that blonde englishman

Thats really a great tv idea

That would be Gordon ramsey's kitchen nightmares. Both shows are surprisingly entertaining.

what would i do? hmmmmmmm .well first id sh!tcan tha song list not that they arnt good songs but how can you get excited about playing mustang sally for the millionth time ? if your bored on stage it shows plain and simple guess thats where my quirky lead style came from just my attempt at keeping myself entertained on stage. in other words im not afraid ta make up new licks on the spot and yeah sometimes i crash and burn lol .but it keeps things interesting

my favorite thing to do on blues and rock songs is to change em up for example on the georgia sattalites song dont hand me no lines when the guitar lead comes in we jump to a western swing type of thing and go right back into the verses like normal it grabs peoples attention

To start with, if the lead singer is reading the music from a music stand the band isn't ready to be performing in public, period.

He (she) is connecting with the printed music, not the audience - and that's a huge drawback, no matter how good the band sounds.

What I would do - or I should say what I always do, is this

1} Keep in mind that we (the band) are there to make the audience have a good time, stick around, consume beverages, dance, come back (and bring their friends with next time)

2} To keep from being bored with the setlist think of ways to make those tired old songs fun - don't try to do an exact recreation of the original, do 'em your own way. Check out some covers done by big name acts - they never do an exact re-creation of the original, they always do it their own way.

3} Try to keep the audience involved - if everybody is up dancing, extend the song a bit, throw in another solo or repeat a verse or two. Sometimes I'll try to get people from the audience to come up and sing the chorusus with me (cute girls if possible) or even just play a tambourine or something.

4} I always at some point have the audience give a round of applause to the bartender(s) and barmaid(s). That makes them feel good, and ups the "good time" quotient a bit.

In short, anything I can think of to make the whole experience seem more like a big party to everybody is the way I go...

3} Try to keep the audience involved - if everybody is up dancing, extend the song a bit, throw in another solo or repeat a verse or two. Sometimes I'll try to get people from the audience to come up and sing the chorusus with me (cute girls if possible) or even just play a tambourine or something.



Why restrict it? You are playing to people of both genders and all ages presumably, so why not mix it up a bit? I generally find that late middle aged women are the most fun to involve in that sort of thing.

That might be a good show! Having some professional come in and "Fix" bands with egocentric band members!! Get them to really perform. Man, the trainwrecks would be something to see for sure!!

Why restrict it? You are playing to people of both genders and all ages presumably, so why not mix it up a bit? I generally find that late middle aged women are the most fun to involve in that sort of thing.

Oh, I didn't mean that I restrict it - it all depends on who is available and willing in that particular audience.

In the bars around here, that's simply the ones who are usually interested in participating.

I should add that I'm an old guy (63) so a "cute girl" has a very wide age range to me :smile:

I was about to offer some advice, when I spotted something almost overlooked in your mini-review of the show...

I caught a local 'bar band' recently and the band had a front man that just 'wasn't there'- he read from his music stand, did fairly by-the-numbers renditions of his songs (70% him singing - 30% rest of group), and had a generally 'meh' personality. The Bassist showed flashes of talent, as did the lead player, and they had a keyboardist that was vastly underused - but this guy in the middle just gave the whole group a 'tired' feel.

The songlist was standard bar band fare as expected, from Doors to Santana, to Creedence, a couple Beatles, Stone Petty, etc..the typical 'Classic Rock' menu. I've got no quarrel with the list, it got people up and having a good time but I really sensed an 'X' factor missing.

So... They are pleasing the crowd, just not dazzling a fellow musician who happens to be watching. There might not be anything to "fix" here, depending on what their ambitions are.

Well, the different here is that nobody in a bar band has half a million dollars and a second mortgage inversted in making something work. If some jackass came in and told me I had to dance or swing on a wire while I played he'd either be carried out or I'd just leave. Chefs may think they are "artists" but they obviously haven't met a singer before.

I caught a local 'bar band' recently and the band had a front man that just 'wasn't there'- he read from his music stand, did fairly by-the-numbers renditions of his songs (70% him singing - 30% rest of group), and had a generally 'meh' personality. The Bassist showed flashes of talent, as did the lead player, and they had a keyboardist that was vastly underused - but this guy in the middle just gave the whole group a 'tired' feel.

The songlist was standard bar band fare as expected, from Doors to Santana, to Creedence, a couple Beatles, Stone Petty, etc..the typical 'Classic Rock' menu. I've got no quarrel with the list, it got people up and having a good time but I really sensed an 'X' factor missing.
Was that you standing in the back of the bar staring at us disapprovingly with your arms folded?

it got people up and having a good time but I really sensed an 'X' factor missing.

So . . . um . . . where were you playing again?