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The settling in song


Newfoundfreedom

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Does anyone else have a particular song that settles you into a set at a live performance. 

The song, or a stage at a gig where you really start to relax, forget that you're playing in front of a crowd, and really just enjoy playing? 

For me it was "Drive" by Joe Bonamassa. A song that I was blissfully unaware of before my old band started to play it. I'd never heard it in my life, and I actually hated it when we first started playing it. But once we started playing it live, it was like therapy. I just stopped worrying / thinking and just enjoyed playing. 

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Not these days, I don't get nervous at gigs, which is odd as I'm a very anxious guy the rest of the time. 

Back in the day it used to be Monkey Man (Specials version) I'd go somewhere else while leaping around playing that, and never really came back to earth! 

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10 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Mmm. Not as such, but there are a couple of songs in the set that in my head I see as problematic (they're not - I just know I have to be on point and can't relax) and once they are out of the way and after that I'm all smiles.

Exactly the same for me.

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4 minutes ago, yorks5stringer said:

We always start with My Silverlining by First Aid Kit, very straightforward and the harmonica player does not play on it so he can check our sound too.

You have a guy who plays just the harmonica? Does he do anything else? Shaker, make tea, drive the singer to gigs?

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I don’t necessarily have a settling in song, but do have a fave to play which is 3rd in the set. As much as I love the two before it I’m glad when they’re out of the way and we’re onto song no 3 - This Ain’t No Love Song for anyone interested btw.

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50 minutes ago, chris_b said:

I hate it when someone says, "Let's start with xxx, to ease in." 

The first number has to hit the audience between the eyes and make them want to stay for the rest of the set.

Spot on Chris, that first song is the song where people/audiences generally formulate their opinions on the band, makes no sense to not hit them with a good ‘un.

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6 hours ago, lurksalot said:

I don’t but the singer does , but I think it is purely a confidence thing , beds are burning is his go to first set starter and I have to go back a couple of years  to recall a gig that didn’t start with it 

I'd never heard that before but love it, simple but hypnotic bassline. I'd love to start with that if I ever join a band. Added to lyric and chords sheet list.

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3 hours ago, stewblack said:

Not these days, I don't get nervous at gigs, which is odd as I'm a very anxious guy the rest of the time. 

Back in the day it used to be Monkey Man (Specials version) I'd go somewhere else while leaping around playing that, and never really came back to earth! 

 

ugh, I despise that song :D

Playing in a 50-50 originals-covers classic ska/reggae band, it was in our repertoire. We all hated it. But it was very popular. If the dancefloor was not very busy... here comes Monkey Man. WE didn't even announce it, just hit the first G-G-GGG notes... and we watched people rushing into the dance floor. 

That band is on a... hiatus, due to disagreements between two members. I miss the band, but I feel so happy I haven't played that song in 6 months now!

A couple of months ago I was playing in town with another band. It was actually supposed to be the the classic ska band playing, I had booked that one and convinced everyone to do that one gig. Unfortunately, a couple of weeks before, the guitarist injured his back and we had to pull out. Instead I offered my other band. We do play some ska tunes but it's a bit more eclectic, mixing ska/funk/reggae and whatever else, it's all high energy good spirits bouncy dancey stuff. Crucially, it's all originals except a cover we do of Bad Boys (and occasionally "Beer" by Reel Big Fish). There was a group of "hardcore ska fans", you know the type... They were not amused. They expected the other band and tunes they knew, and got us. The bar was bouncing, but they stayed at the back looking whizzed off. Close to the end of our first set they started heckling. Ah well. We decided that was our last song before the break. As we finished, I looked at the guitarist, who had been in another ska band and he also knew the song, and I started the intro for Monkey Man. The group got excited for a second... and we stopped and went for a break.

Oh they hated us. :D

I wanted to do it again at the beginning of the second set but my bandmates thought it was not wise to taunt them too much...

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2 minutes ago, mcnach said:

 

ugh, I despise that song :D

Playing in a 50-50 originals-covers classic ska/reggae band, it was in our repertoire. We all hated it. But it was very popular. If the dancefloor was not very busy... here comes Monkey Man. WE didn't even announce it, just hit the first G-G-GGG notes... and we watched people rushing into the dance floor. 

That band is on a... hiatus, due to disagreements between two members. I miss the band, but I feel so happy I haven't played that song in 6 months now!

A couple of months ago I was playing in town with another band. It was actually supposed to be the the classic ska band playing, I had booked that one and convinced everyone to do that one gig. Unfortunately, a couple of weeks before, the guitarist injured his back and we had to pull out. Instead I offered my other band. We do play some ska tunes but it's a bit more eclectic, mixing ska/funk/reggae and whatever else, it's all high energy good spirits bouncy dancey stuff. Crucially, it's all originals except a cover we do of Bad Boys (and occasionally "Beer" by Reel Big Fish). There was a group of "hardcore ska fans", you know the type... They were not amused. They expected the other band and tunes they knew, and got us. The bar was bouncing, but they stayed at the back looking whizzed off. Close to the end of our first set they started heckling. Ah well. We decided that was our last song before the break. As we finished, I looked at the guitarist, who had been in another ska band and he also knew the song, and I started the intro for Monkey Man. The group got excited for a second... and we stopped and went for a break.

Oh they hated us. :D

I wanted to do it again at the beginning of the second set but my bandmates thought it was not wise to taunt them too much...

Man I loved that tune, still do! As soon as the singer said This one for all the bouncers, I was bouncing ready for the off! 

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1 hour ago, dave moffat said:

Prefer the Maytals version, bassline still the same, just about my level of incompetence.

 

I prefer that version too.

Last year my band supported The Dualers in Glasgow, this is their version of Monkey Man from the very same gig (my girlfriend filmed it on her mobile), I quite enjoyed it from the audience even if it was a rather long version. It doesn't seem like much, but the atmosphere was really good.

 

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