Can't Miss Set Openers (Cover Bands)

What songs does your Cover Band/ Bar Band open your night with and why did you choose that? What does the song say or tell the audience about you?

I never start with the same song that I started the last gig with. Also, I don't do bars but I do covers. Yesterday I started with a Dan Seals song - "I Won't Be Blue Anymore". I was catering to an older crowd that was more into country than anything else. I didn't want to scare them off with the first song. I did a lot of rock covers but did them with a country flavor. I did the Who song "Mama's Got a Squeezebox", I Don't Want To Be Alone Tonight - Dr. Hook, It Never Rains In Southern California, Knock Three Times, and traditional country songs by Hank Sr. and Jr., Faded Love, When You Say Nothing At All.

I don't know what these songs say about me, but I was singing to people in the 50 - 80 age group and I kept them there in their seats (except the dancers). I was asked to come back an hour later and do another set. I ended up playing for about 7 hours yesterday.

I actually went back today to help out with a memorial service. Played there for another 3 hours. All Gospel.

It is all about what WE feel like playing.

All of us get bored easily, so we make it a point to mix it up.
We make set lists. But if we show-up and aren't feeling that list (because of the energy/audience in the room, it gets tossed and we just go for it.

Hope that helps.

~ ST

I'm constantly TRYING to mix it up with my cover band, but both the band and our fans & friends seem to be happiest if we open our first set with "Add It Up" by the Violent Femmes.

all shook up /hound dog medley.....works great for us

I've found the first song is actually pretty unimportant. It seems to take a couple of songs for people to start to get into it anyway. But maybe that's because we aren't very good!

In a pub/club/party its either 'Rocks Off' by Primal Scream or 'The Pretender' by the Foo Fighters - gets 'em going! For a wedding (we do those ocasionally) its 'Whistle for the Choir' by the Fratellis - eases them in gently : )

"Let's Play House" makes a nice opener for a bunch of genres if you can adequately channel an inner Elvis.

Might be Born Under a Bad Sign, might be Route 66, might be a slow one that just lets the set build up to the firey inferno that I create with my playing.....yeah, the last one.

Hard To Handle, with long drum intro...

I'm constantly TRYING to mix it up with my cover band, but both the band and our fans & friends seem to be happiest if we open our first set with "Add It Up" by the Violent Femmes.

Great song!

My band, Groove Hammer, is a 9 piece band with a horn section, so we naturally want to showcase the horns. For us, openers are about establishing who we are, getting people's attention, and closers are about keeping people so happy with the band that they decide to stay through the break, eat and drink, and stay for more of the show, because when it's all said and done, a band's job is to bring people into the bar and keep them there to have a good time and spend their money!! Hopefully you're successful and your audience base grows, the bar makes more money, and you do too!

We focus on Soul, Classic Rock, R & B, and Funk. We often high energy songs instead of ballads as openers for the first couple sets (ballads we often slip into the third of fourth spot for a change) and we always end our sets with a high energy number or two that people know and love. Since our 2nd set generally emphasizes funk - we tear through 7 or 8 funk faves in the second half of the set that leaves the dancers happily exhausted - and ends with some classic rock like Hard To Handle and My Own Way To Rock, we often start the last set with a slow song like Waiting On The World To Change or even Holdin' Back The Years fo a change of pace, then up the speed and intensity to a blazing finish of the night.

Check us out on YouTube - Search "Groove Hammer," NOT "Groovehammer," or "Groove Hammers"!!-------------

Gimme Some Lovin'
25 or 6 to 4
Knock On Wood
The Letter
My Own Way To Rock
Hard To Handle
Funky Nassau
Hey Bartender
Flip Flop & Fly
Long Train Runnin'

That's a nice set.

Gimme Some Lovin'
25 or 6 to 4
Knock On Wood
The Letter
My Own Way To Rock
Hard To Handle
Funky Nassau
Hey Bartender
Flip Flop & Fly
Long Train Runnin'

I'd be more concerned with what you open your 2nd set with.
1st set they are still coming in the door. the second will determine if they stay for the third.
We mix it up but
"jammin me", "I know a Little", "The Breeze" all work pretty well. Among others.

I've found the first song is actually pretty unimportant. It seems to take a couple of songs for people to start to get into it anyway. But maybe that's because we aren't very good!

I disagree.

You should hit the stage running and knock them out of their seats, then when they get up and start asking about the truck that hit them, you hit them again!

THEN you should slow things down just a little and let them catch their breath.

The first songs set things up for the evening and If you kick off with some yawner or Mustang Sally BS, then that mood is what youre stuck with for 4 hours.

Another one that doesn't like Wilson Pickett. Who'd a think it.

Look, some of you treat a bar like a "concert". If you're all about playing a "venue" then yeah, go ahead and rock their socks off. If you're like me and play bars, and call then bars, then people are wondering in and out ALL NIGHT LONG. Around here they don't pay $10 or $15 to come see then band. Which means they might stay or they might not. So, EVERY song needs to be good and keep their attention. If you don't then your crowd migrates on to the waffle house.

Someone posted a thread about a band that opens up with "Freebird" (complete song) and then asks, "Any requests?". I thought that was hilarious.

I always like to grab their attention. Last band I was in (mostly country some classic rock) we opened with "That's How Country Boys Roll" by Billy Currington. It's labeled as a country song, but it's right on the verge of rock.

4D21mxgGRhY

Last 2 gigs - Long Train Running

2 gigs before - Foo Fighters - No Way Back

Variety is the Spice of Life.

Here is what you need to think about. Volume and tempo on the start. Mid tempo rocker that get the patrons attention, and nothing too heavy or ballads.

A few that come to mind are.

Cumbersome-7 Mary 3
Hey Jealausy-Gin Blossoms

I disagree.

You should hit the stage running and knock them out of their seats, then when they get up and start asking about the truck that hit them, you hit them again!

THEN you should slow things down just a little and let them catch their breath.

The first songs set things up for the evening and If you kick off with some yawner or Mustang Sally BS, then that mood is what youre stuck with for 4 hours.

That's exactly what we try to do every night. What I meant was, you can never really predict what song will work as the first number and sometimes it does take a crowd a while to warm up. Actually I find the first couple of songs is exactly the time when often they will NOT get into it - they are still in 'meeting up with friends' mode and maybe ordering drinks, finding seats or whatever. So there's no point obsessing about it too much - do your best but don't worry if it doesn't knock their socks off. They always seems to get into it soon enough. We usually go with 'Great Balls of Fire' BTW.

Usually a Van Morrison tune like "Domino" if it's a dance set and we want an upbeat number to get people up or something like "Ain't Nothin' You Can Do" or "Cleaning Windows" if it's a listening set.

Lesse, set openers we've used.


Little Miss Honky Tonk
Pour Me
I Feel Lucky
Kerosene
Pride and Joy
Walkin' the Dog
Gimme Three Steps
I Hear You Knockin'
Memphis
Keep Your Hands to Yourself
Old Time Rock 'n Roll
Mustang Sally
Six Days on the Road


Thats a start . . .

Elvis Presley's 'Mystery Train'...why?? The opening riff sounds cool and let's the crowd know that we are there to kick ass and hopefully please them with some of our Oldies selection.

If we're playing an American Legion, we usually play Route 66. If we're playing more of a rock joint, we've been opening with the Beat Farmer's cover of Neil Young's Powderfinger.

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"Tough Enough"

Hey Negrita

The other night. The first time in 15 years I played in public and 23 years with a band.

If we're playing an American Legion, we usually play Route 66. If we're playing more of a rock joint, we've been opening with the Beat Farmer's cover of Neil Young's Powderfinger.

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I have to ask: Do you follow-up with Gun Sale at the Church?

2nd set opener (usually about 9.30 ish) which always seems to work - Orbison's "Pretty Woman" Walk on stage, have the drummer start with the naked drum beat, keep it going for a few bars longer than the record - gets the crowd noticing the fact that the band is back, - then "THE RIFF!" Dah dah, dah dah, - Daaah! Then into the song, and usually there is a floor full of dancers.

Other good openers have been Route 66, Midnight Hour, Do You Wanna Dance. Keep On Running is also good, works like PW as mentioned above. Drum beat, bass riff, guitar riff, into the song. Allows the crowd to notice you're back whilst you build up the textures .

Rick J

I've found the first song is actually pretty unimportant. It seems to take a couple of songs for people to start to get into it anyway. But maybe that's because we aren't very good!

I'm with you. I don't like burning a hot tune right off the bat -- chances are no one is going to dance to the first couple tunes anyway, so I like to ease into the set. We've been opening with One Headlight by The Wallflowers -- kind of a ease-into-it type of song. But that may be totally lame, I really have no idea.

Mess Around by Ray Charles or Juiced by Jackie Brenston. One or the other.

the first tune i ever played in public with a band was chuck berry's "round & round". it was the opener for 6 or 7 of the 14 bands i've been a member of in the last 35 yrs., and IT STILL WORKS !

played tight, it really "shows off" the group with just the built-in dynamics of the tune.

We're playing a gig in Waller TX this upcoming Saturday night. 3 sets, these are what we are opening each set with.

Set 1 - Driving My Life Away by Eddie Rabbitt

Set 2 - Midnight Special by CCR (and Leadbelly)

Set 3 - Maddy's Song an original

Gona be a fun night. :razz:

Anything from Hot Rails To Hell by B.O.C. to Search And Destroy by The Stooges usually sets the tone for the evening well. Seriously, it all depends on the venue and the crowd.

I've found the first song is actually pretty unimportant. It seems to take a couple of songs for people to start to get into it anyway. But maybe that's because we aren't very good!
I disagree.

You should hit the stage running and knock them out of their seats, then when they get up and start asking about the truck that hit them, you hit them again!

I find it fairly unimportant too. Nights here run from 9:30pm-1:30am. Crowds don't even start showing up until 10 or 11. All you are playing for at 9:30 is some crab-ass farmer telling the waitresses to have you "turn it down" so they can finish their bar burger. Only ones dancing are the rural couples that come to town on band nights to do their country partner twirling and 2-step shuffle stuff. Openers like Peaceful, Easy Feeling work well here.

It's sets 2 & 3 that are the important ones. Here you have the college chicks getting drunk while home on weekend break, with the rich oil pipeliners buying house rounds and throwing money in all directions. Mix in Lady Gaga for the girls and Toby Keith for the boys...everyone's happy, everyone's drunk, and you're seeing boobies!

Set 1 is more of a sound check or warm up.

To me, the second set opener is always the one. A few I like (they're old, like me): I Can't Explain, Roadhouse Blues, Open My Eyes.

Best set openers I have ever played:
Tush - ZZ Top
Bad Luck - Social Distortion

No two gigs are ever the same so the opening song can vary from night to night.I play Blues and Rock n Roll about 5-6 nights a week.I play songs I love...I'll never play songs I don't feel.But I do observe the crowd before playing and try to choose the right song to break the ice.Sometimes an instrumental Blues shuffle in E is the right tune when you don't want to shock some people who aren't expecting a guitar based show that they might percieve as too loud(usually when there are old people who are indifferent to Blues and live music in general).Sometimes I'll play 'Shake your moneymaker' when I have an audience of Blues lovers who are waiting to be rocked.Sometimes ZZ Top's 'Lagrange' is a good opener when the audience has a skeptical vibe and not knowing much about Blues and you need to win them over with something familiar at first.So it really depends on the night...I never use a setlist because I am always observing the crowd to judge what will keep them focused on the show.

One of the first times we went the Americana Conference in Nashville we made a point of paying attention to set lists, (and drummers, but that's another story).

EVERY band we heard started with something kick ass. Granted they were all doing one set showcases but they demanded attention from the first song.

We usually open with an original, How to Fall, but when we're playing more than one set we go with the Flying Burrito Brothers "Christine's Tune"....acoustic guitar drives for a couple of measures, then a very loud off mic four count and the whole band kicks in.

It works.

I have to ask: Do you follow-up with Gun Sale at the Church?
We don't, but we are talking about learning it. Cool song!

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Usually a Van Morrison tune like "Domino" if it's a dance set and we want an upbeat number to get people up or something like "Ain't Nothin' You Can Do" or "Cleaning Windows" if it's a listening set.

Sort of a +1. I was thinking of Van Morrison's, "Brown Eye'd Girl".

Agreed opening songs for bar gigs = not that important and a lot of times we warm up with an original instrumental we do with several tempo changes and everything from surf to jazz included.

Two weeks ago we did a private party for a guy throwing himself a 60th B-day party complete with open bar for about 100 of his closest friends. We opened with "Old Man Down the Road" CCR and the party was off and rolling.

Last week we were the opening band for a BBQ and Blues fest. We opened with our version of "Let the Good Times Roll" and never looked back. How can you resist "Hey everybody, let's have some fun, you only live once and when you're dead you're done, So let the good times roll...."

We try to open each set (usually 3, sometimes 4 per night) with the newer songs we know. Or something they would not expect a 3 piece to cover. Kind of let's people know we are hip from jumpstreet. We play music from the 70's to Top 40, but we try to kick it off with a recent chart topper. Right now those are.
Moves LIke Jagger - Maroon 5
Adventures of Raindance Maggie - REd Hot Chili Peppers
This is How we Do It - Montel Jordan
Eminence Front - The Who (with an mp3 playback for the keyboard parts)