How to introduce original material at a gig

[Nighthawk]

What are your opinions on introducing original material at a gig?

The band I'm in has experienced musicians and has been playing together one night a week for about six years. We've all gigged a lot over the years. Now we have been talking about playing out some but there is disagreement on how to introduce the originals One faction says only after the third gig, another faction, (mine), says the hell with it, don't announce it, don't wait, just drop a few in amongst the covers as you go along. Its all music isn't it? If they're good the audience will let you know. Thoughts.

[asatfan]

I agree with you....just throw them in there and see how they go over. I wouldn't make a big deal out of it.

[getbent]

here's one we made up in the car on the way over here... we hope you'll like it as much as we do.

[RCinMempho]

Here's one we wrote about your mother.

[mudbean]

+1 on the "just throw 'em in without mention" ... if 'n their good, folks will fall in love without even noticing.

mud

[Chrismeyer]

Don't.
Just play through your set,when you get to YOUR SONG,play it,then after giving the crowd a chance to respond at the end of the song let them know it's yours!
This gives them the chance to be thinking"do I know this song?Where do I know this song from?""hey,I don't know this song,but it's really cool!"
That way there is no way for them to put up that wall and shut it out,they'll be trying to let it in HARD cause they'll be trying like hell to figure out what it is.They'll listen to the lyrics,the melody,anything they could grasp to recognize it. After it's over they won't wait for anyone else to respond,they'll just start clapping cause they don't want to look like they didn't know it!
Then when you do let them in on it there like"Oh cool,I like that song!"
Tah Dah,new fan of your origional!
we sold 5,000 copies of a CD we made at home that way!
Works like a charm.

[mudbean]

In fact, as I think about it, i really think it's best to do it that way ... if you warn people, they may not be as receptive ("Oh, crap, their gonna play one of their lousy songs.") ... if you just do it, and it's great, and everybody dances their bootie off and then you take a break, you may have folks coming up saying, "Hey, what was that last song? It was awesome!" ... "Thanks, that was one of ours." ... "NO WAY! Can I buy a CD?"

mud

[mudbean]

Ooops, Chris scooped me! Gotta learn to type faster.

What he said.

mud

[rand z]

we always announce the originals as our songs... sometimes people could care less, but quite often people will come and comment or ask about them.

either way, you should be proud of your work... always, and whatever it is.

good luck!

imho.\

rand z tropicalsoul.net

[Nighthawk]

I am liking these reponses gentlemen... I should print them for the other faction but I'll just wait till it comes up again and tell them what the vote was. Much thanks.

[klasaine]

" ... this next one's from an early Elvis Costello import only EP from about '77 I think ... ". I swear, at least it'll get them to listen initially. Then you can tell them it's yours.

[tiktok]

"1-2-3-4"

The way not to do it:

"Uh, this is a song we haven't played live before and we just wrote it last week, so uh..."

Either whip it out proud and loud, or keep it in your pants.

[trag-o-caster]

Just do 'em without announcing that they're yours. If you get a nice round of applause afterwards THEN you can announce it as an original composition.

[Tele Fan]

Anybody remember what we were gonna play next? Ah hell, let's just do this . . .

[GoldieLocks]

"Here's a crappy song that our drummer wrote...He said he'd quit the band if we didn't play it tonight".

Then everyone in the room will think - thats pretty good for a drummer

[Jakedog]

I would go with the vote of just play it, see how it goes over, then announce it.

This is totally the opposite problem that I deal with the majority of the time... I struggle with whether or not to throw a cover or two into a show, and which one I could play that would be percieved as "cool" by an audience that is expecting only original music. They can be a tough crowd when you throw a cover at 'em.

On the occasion that I get a gig that expects covers all night, I just play all of my stuff anyway. Intersperse my songs with a bunch of other stuff, and most folks don't know the difference, as a great deal of the covers I play are pretty obscure by bar gig standards anyhow. You can probably guess, I don't get asked to play many cover gigs!


Jake

[mudbean]

Originally Posted by GoldieLocks

"Here's a crappy song that our drummer wrote...He said he'd quit the band if we didn't play it tonight".

Then everyone in the room will think - thats pretty good for a drummer

HAR!! good one!

mud

[IronJoe]

Chrismeyer nailed it. If you announce it beforehand you're just giving people an excuse to go to the restroom, check the blackberry, or pay their tab.

[wilkat1]

Exactly. If you get the booties shakin' and a round of applause afterward, just say, "Willie Deuel, ladies and gentlemen! He wrote that one!"

And no, you don't have to use my name, but I'm happy to receive the credit.

[mad dog]

We just throw them out there. Sometimes they get thrown right back.

[drewsblues]

On the other hand, one of the guys I jam with likes to kick off a Johnny Cash or Elvis Presley song with "Here's a little number we wrote; hope you like it."

Maybe do that with a standard to break the ice (everyone will get the joke pretty quickly) and then follow with your song.

Or maybe not.

I'd just play it and see who mentions it at the break.

[Teleblooz]

Originally Posted by tiktok

"1-2-3-4"

Exactly like that.

If they really like it, take credit afterward. If not, move on to the next one. I get annoyed by bands that feel like they have to tell a story before every song.

[charlie chitlin]

I've found that most people are blown away by a good musician and think there's some sort of magic involved in playing music, and they're equally blown away by someone who can write a good song...thinking this territory is reserved for the big boys.
I've often heard people say stuff like, "...and they WROTE that one!"
Play 'em with pride and announce 'em beforehand.
The only time I disagree about the way to do this is with my lead singer, who wrote one song (but it is a good one) and says, "I wrote this one."
I always say, "This is one of our tunes," or "This is a Crawlers original."

[garytelecastor]

Here's the underlying issue. The other side is obviously seeing themselves as not at talented or whatever as the other artists out there who do their OWN or OTHERS material. Every act in the world has done at one time or another someone else's songs. Every national act I've ever seen has done cover material as well as their own. In addition, most national acts are singing songs that were written by someone else. These cats are getting too hung up on credit and fear of rejection.
To quote tiktok and randz you need to be Proud and Loud, brother. Nobody ever got anywhere hiding their voice.
But I agree that you do the song, judge response, then decide on disclosure.

[Sleph]

If they really like it, take credit afterward. If not, move on to the next one. I get annoyed by bands that feel like they have to tell a story before every song.

+1 if the song doesn't tell the story...don't try justifying it.