Advice for New Year's Eve gigs?

Booked my band's first New Years Eve gig -- which I'm pretty happy about. Anybody have suggestions/advice on how to make it a fun evening for people -- other than playing our usual sets?

Dress like a baby.

Or just do what I do. Drink a lot.

What genre of music? Any idea what age crowd?

What genre of music? Any idea what age crowd?

A mix of 90's/current rock such as Foo Fighters/Goo Goo Dolls/Wallflowers, and classic rock such as Tom Petty/CCR. Crowd will range from late 20s to 40-50s.

It's new year's eve,the drink will flow and folk will be pretty determined to enjoy themselves,this makes your job easy.Any old danceable noise coming their way will do just fine.

Don't do what I do and plan on being up early for work a few hours after getting home. :rolleyes:

make sure you know auld lang syne.

we have a couple of contests for tshirts and cd's (oldest, youngest, next married, last married, and divorced, happiest person in the bar, just fun stuff)

make sure to laugh a lot and remind the band to show they are having fun... I am really excited about this new years... it is gonna be really really fun.

I say if you can't dance to it, it gets cut from the set.

Folks are gonna be living it up. This isn't the venue for stand still and nod your head music--do for example, Tom Petty--"American Girl" yes, "You Don't Know How it feels" no...

listen to Jeff!

Agree with all so far, especially the dance songs part...they want to party and have fun. Really like the contests idea!

We used to call it "amateurs night"....because the amateur drinkers will all be out. Us pro's drink all the time. :wink:

The biggest thing is "audience participation". Let them know this isn't your night, but it's all for them.

We always threw out some crazy stuff like "Beer Barrel Polka" around 11:30 or so. (yes, in a rock band). Or some fast country swing song.

Sing alongs sometimes go well....just any old song everyone knows - and stop the music for a few seconds to let the audience carry it.

Best advice I can think of is to HAVE FUN. If band is not having fun, audience won't either.

Good luck on your NYE gig!!

Time Warp

I've been playing Prince's "1999" at NY's eve party's since 1982 when it came out. All ages, all ethnicity's love that song (on new year's eve).

As Randy pointed out you ABSOLUTELY have to know 'auld land syne'.

*As far as making it fun? I don't know - I hate new year's gigs ... but that's just because I've done them since 1978 - so don't listen to me regarding 'fun' - lol!:wink:

Good ideas thus far...

I just thought of something that could be fun: have people write down their new year's resolutions and read them between songs. Some could be quite entertaining, especially as the night goes along.

Good ideas thus far...

I just thought of something that could be fun: have people write down their new year's resolutions and read them between songs. Some could be quite entertaining, especially as the night goes along.

That's a great idea! And remind people that it's OK to kiss a musician.

Know auld lang syne right after the countdown, and follow it up with a real heater. A funky one I enjoyed:

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A mix of 90's/current rock such as Foo Fighters/Goo Goo Dolls/Wallflowers, and classic rock such as Tom Petty/CCR. Crowd will range from late 20s to 40-50s.

Sounds like an appropriate set for that age range.

In my experience, the worst thing that can happen during an important gig is equipment failure. So I make sure that I have BACKUPS for EVERYTHING to make sure the night goes off without a hitch. Backup guitar, backup amp, effects, microphone, CABLES, lights, extension cords...and if possible, extra power amp/mixer/speakers for your PA system. I know it's not always possible to have a backup for everything, but usually we charge quite a bit extra for a NYE gig and it covers extra rentals.

Also, get someone at the establishment to give you a 5 or 10 minute warning before midnight. Don't try to push your set too close to midnight...it's okay if you stop playing 5 minutes before...announce to everyone that midnight is approaching...it gives the crowd time to get a drink, find their drunk significant other...fix their hair, powder their nose, etc...and gather on the dance floor. If you wait until the last second to stop playing and then immediately go into the countdown to midnight, it's too much of a rush IME...kills the mood.

Of course...you must play Auld Lang Syne at the stroke of midnight. People will get angry and storm out if you don't play it.

JMHO.

Dress like a baby.

Or just do what I do. Drink a lot.

This man is a well-spring of wisdom.

Since nobody mentioned it yet the amateur drinkers may make a mass exodus about 12:15. Don't worry. That just leaves you with the professionals.

You never said what the venue is for your NYEve gig...is it a Bar or private party??

If it's a beer joint..I wouldn't stress..play your usual setlist and have some good dance music to pipe in between sets if you want.

Anyway..thats how I would play it....if it's a Hotel Ball room or private party...My thinking is this...those are for bands that can play weddings and such...those setlist are generally very Deep and those bands charge a fat fee non the less.

Good luck and thanks for the reminder..I need to get our band booked in a Beer Joint that night :shock::lol:

You never said what the venue is for your NYEve gig...is it a Bar or private party??

If it's a beer joint..I wouldn't stress..play your usual setlist and have some good dance music to pipe in between sets if you want.

Anyway..thats how I would play it....if it's a Hotel Ball room or private party...My thinking is this...those are for bands that can play weddings and such...those setlist are generally very Deep and those bands charge a fat fee non the less.

Good luck and thanks for the reminder..I need to get our band booked in a Beer Joint that night :shock::lol:

Our NYE gig is in a beer joint/bar -- a fairly lively one. The owner is a marketing guy -- he pumps dance tunes in between sets to keep it lively. It should be a great time. I think I'm going to do the resolutions thing -- it has potential for some laughs. Hell, I'll make some crap up if I have to get ball rolling on it.

Thanks for all the advice -- good stuff!

Try to have someone with a video cam record you guys that night and some of the crazy things that might happen...upload to youtube to share with the rest of us. I just found out tonight @ band practice..no NYE gig for us..one of the 2 vocalist in our group can't make it :mad:

Also...we sounded like Shiiit tonite..my brother is the Bassist and it's his band ..he was lousy tonite..real lousy and obviously not practicing and he knew I wasn't happy :mad: We've added 'Witchy Women' and 'The Monster Mash' for this Halloweenie gig..and the damn drummer still didn't have the correct beat for the friken Monster Mash song..and my brother wasn't no better on the Bass:shock: The one singer strums on his Telecaster only knowing a few chords..I have to show him the chords for Witchy Women even though he can't properly make some of those chords:twisted: I really do have my hands full with these cats:mad: We are trying to get ready for our Halloweenie weekend gig at this Country poke of a Beer joint :roll: Sometimes I feel like flushing this band down the toilet:mad::confused:

Try not to do a seven hour gig. I did that once and I won't do it again.

Bring a sandwich.:lol:

The band I started this year, earlier today we just confirmed our New Years gig. I'm excited! It'll be our first New Years.. some excellent suggestions here thanks ya'll!!!

make sure you know auld lang syne.


Aye Laddie, here's a version that'll git ya throo until tha hangover kicks in.

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CHeers!

Aye Laddie, here's a version that'll git ya throo until tha hangover kicks in.

JBSvVSHCQR4
CHeers!

Hey, that version is right up my band's alley -- minus the bagpipes. :cool:

Good ideas thus far...

I just thought of something that could be fun: have people write down their new year's resolutions and read them between songs. Some could be quite entertaining, especially as the night goes along.

Good idea. Or get them to text their resolutions to you?

In addition to Fezz Parka's excellent advice about packing a sandwich, this veteran of a couple of New Years Eve gigs recommends:
1. Take a nap sometime during the day before the gig, if you can.
2. Contrary to previous advice, don't drink heavily. Lots of amateurs tend to come up on stage (if they can get there) and try to give you a drink. Drink no more than you normally would during a gig, maybe less--NYE gigs tend to be longer, in my experience, and will be a lot longer for you if you drink heavily. You'll also start to suck, although if everybody else is loaded, they probably won't notice.
3. Book a room close to the venue, unless the venue is about 5 miles or less from home. All those guys you see getting loaded out there on the floor will be trying to squire their ladies home or to a hot-springs motel in a motor vehicle, you don't want to be out there with them.
4. Beer Joint, eh? Lively one? Remember the CW bar in the Blues Brothers? Invest in some 2 x 4's and chicken wire, maybe?
5. It always amazed me how much YOU, the band, can control the crowd's mood. A lot of drunks want to either fight or do the other f-word. If it looks like things are getting rowdy, don't be afraid to re-arrange your set list, to insert a slow-squeeze-yer-sweetie dance tune to cool things down and steer the drunks away from fightin', and toward the lovvin'
6. Does the venue normally provide security? Bouncers, off-duty cops, etc? NYE is an unusual event, and may require some extra security for the evening, for a number of reasons, not the least is to protect the band and its equipment.
I remember the gigs as a lot of fun, but long and totally exhausting. Never got so many compliments on our playing. Just wish more of the positive critics were sober, or were in a position to book bands!:cool::cool::lol:

"2. Contrary to previous advice, don't drink heavily."

But if they are buying you a drink take it. that's how the bar makes money. That doesn't mean you have to drink it. If you do drink you might take a sip and set it aside. If you don't drink just say thanks and set it aside. But this is advice for every bar job, not just new years.

Yeah, I stand by my previous advice.

Drink Heavily.

Hey, that version is right up my band's alley -- minus the bagpipes. :cool:

Keep the Bagpipes, run them through a half-stack.

"2. Contrary to previous advice, don't drink heavily."

But if they are buying you a drink take it. that's how the bar makes money. That doesn't mean you have to drink it. If you do drink you might take a sip and set it aside. If you don't drink just say thanks and set it aside. But this is advice for every bar job, not just new years.


I still have to do the beer bottle or can of coke trick ...
Take the shot so everybody can see and then 'pretend' I'm chasing it.
I spit the shot (OK, maybe not the first one) into the coke can or beer bottle.

I spit the shot (OK, maybe not the first one) into the coke can or beer bottle.

Ah, beer with a shot in it - we call that a 'Depth Charge'. Haven't had one of them for a while. I'll have to change that at my NYE gig. :mrgreen:

"2. Contrary to previous advice, don't drink heavily."

But if they are buying you a drink take it. that's how the bar makes money. That doesn't mean you have to drink it. If you do drink you might take a sip and set it aside. If you don't drink just say thanks and set it aside. But this is advice for every bar job, not just new years.

I only drink when I'm alone or with somebody.

Ah, beer with a shot in it - we call that a 'Depth Charge'. Haven't had one of them for a while. I'll have to change that at my NYE gig. :mrgreen:

He's saying he spits it out. Not mixing them to drink them.

Thank you. Yeah, I spit them into the the beer - as if I'm taking a chaser - in order not to offend all the souls buying me the tequila shots.

Know auld lang syne right after the countdown, and follow it up with a real heater. A funky one I enjoyed:


Yeah, like that or this:

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