hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted October 26 Posted October 26 My rock covers band have been offered a regular gig slot. We get one gig per month throughout 2026, but we’ve been asked to vary the set on a three month rotation. So, January will be mod/ska/reggae, Feb will be pop and March will be rock and so on. We’ve got the pop and rock think covered as we have 80+ songs in the bag anyway, a few of which also fall into mod/ska/reggae. I’ve knocked up a playlist for January comprising songs we already do along with a selection that some of the band have played before along with a few new ones. I’ve tried to avoid anything with large brass arrangements/sounds as although we have a sax/EWI for these gigs, we don’t have trumpet/trombone. The rest of the set up is one guitar/vox, one keys, drums and me. Question: What absolute bangers have I missed that are doable in this band format? Thank you in advance. Here’s my list: (* are already in our repertoire) [I’m sure there will be a few from this list that won’t make the cut for various reasons, so would be good to have some other ideas] Three Little Birds - Bob Marley * All or Nothing - Small Faces * That’s Entertainment - The Jam * Geno - Dexy’s * Night Boat to Cairo - Madness * My Girl - Madness * Mirror in the Bathroom - The Beat * Food for Thought - UB40 * On My Radio - The Selector Special Brew - Bad Manners Baggy Trousers - Madness A Message to You Rudy - The Specials Monkey Man - The Specials Nite Klub - The Specials The Prince - Madness Sally Brown - Bad Manners Tom Hark - The Piranhas Town Called Malice - The Jam The Eton Rifles - The Jam Be Young Be Foolish - Madassa Soul Band Gangsters - The Specials Good Thing Going - Aswad Guns of Navarone - The Specials It Must Be Love - Madness Lip Up Fatty - Bad Manners One Step Beyond - Madness You’re Wondering Now - The Specials The Tears of a Clown - The Beat Too Much Too Young - The Specials * Wolly Bully - Bad Manners 54-46 Was My Number - Toots and The Maytals 10/10 - Paulo Nutini Poison Ivy - The Lambrettas Time For Action - Secret Affair 1 Quote
miles'tone Posted October 26 Posted October 26 Great list! Pressure Drop - Toots and The Maytals 2 1 Quote
Reggaebass Posted October 26 Posted October 26 Sounds great hiram, a few off the top of my head without getting too into the heavier reggae stuff , theres many Marley songs maybe pick your favourites , Buffalo soldier, Jamming, three little birds etc Sweat - inner circle Jimmy Cliff - You Can Get It If You Really Want The Melodians – Sweet Sensation, one of my faves Baby I Love Your Way - big mountain I see you already do good thing going by Aswad , that’s a great song, Shine is another one more will come to me soon 😁 1 1 Quote
Old Man Riva Posted October 26 Posted October 26 Ali Baba by John Holt would be worth considering… 1 Quote
ezbass Posted October 26 Posted October 26 A few things from my band's set lists: Police & Thieves - Junior Murvin Heatwave - The Who or Martha Reeves Move On Up - Curtis Mayfield Itchycoo Park - Small Faces Substitute - The Who David Watts - The Kinks/The Jam Black is Black - Los Bravos Keep on Running - Spencer Davis Midnight Hour - Wilson Pickett Knock on Wood - Eddie Floyd Do I Love You - Frank Wilson Out On The Floor - Dobie Gray Kingston Town - UB40 1 Quote
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted October 26 Author Posted October 26 3 hours ago, Reggaebass said: Sounds great hiram, a few off the top of my head without getting too into the heavier reggae stuff , theres many Marley songs maybe pick your favourites , Buffalo soldier, Jamming, three little birds etc Sweat - inner circle Jimmy Cliff - You Can Get It If You Really Want The Melodians – Sweet Sensation, one of my faves Baby I Love Your Way - big mountain I see you already do good thing going by Aswad , that’s a great song, Shine is another one more will come to me soon 😁 Ooh, I do like that Inner Circle tune 👍 Baby I Love Your Way would be perfect too. Thanks. 1 Quote
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted October 26 Author Posted October 26 3 hours ago, Lozz196 said: Can’t Explain - The Who I don’t know why I didn’t think of that one myself 🙄. Good shout. Quote
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted October 26 Author Posted October 26 2 hours ago, ezbass said: A few things from my band's set lists: Police & Thieves - Junior Murvin Heatwave - The Who or Martha Reeves Move On Up - Curtis Mayfield Itchycoo Park - Small Faces Substitute - The Who David Watts - The Kinks/The Jam Black is Black - Los Bravos Keep on Running - Spencer Davis Midnight Hour - Wilson Pickett Knock on Wood - Eddie Floyd Do I Love You - Frank Wilson Out On The Floor - Dobie Gray Kingston Town - UB40 Again, a couple there I should have picked up on, especially Move On Up which I played last night with another band 🙄. Some others I’m not familiar with, so I’ll have a listen. Thanks 👍 1 Quote
oldslapper Posted October 26 Posted October 26 Everything I own - Ken Boothe. Love that tune the way he did it. 1 Quote
Raslee Posted October 27 Posted October 27 Marleys ‘Could you be loved’ always went down well. You may want to consider some modern ska reggae I.e. The Skints or Interrupters etc, perhaps a bit of Shaggy for a laugh..oh my old band used to do Israelites by Desmond Decker…folks used to sing along to that, 007 is also a good number. Always enjoyed playing UB40’s Rat in mi Kitchen. Enjoy! 1 Quote
Rich Posted October 27 Posted October 27 A few from my band's set: I'm Running Right Through The World - The Toasters 007 - Desmond Dekker Train To Skaville - Ethiopians (we do this as a mashup with 54-46) People Do Rock Steady - Dandy Livingstone / Bodysnatchers Too Much Pressure - The Selecter Rat Race - Specials Time Bomb - Rancid * Is This Love? - Bob Marley * Three Minute Hero - Selecter You're Wondering Now - Specials Special Brew - Bad Manners * My two favourite songs in our set 1 Quote
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted October 27 Author Posted October 27 20 minutes ago, Raslee said: Marleys ‘Could you be loved’ always went down well. You may want to consider some modern ska reggae I.e. The Skints or Interrupters etc, perhaps a bit of Shaggy for a laugh..oh my old band used to do Israelites by Desmond Decker…folks used to sing along to that, 007 is also a good number. Always enjoyed playing UB40’s Rat in mi Kitchen. Enjoy! Israelites is a great tune. It prompted me to remember Liquidator which I love as well. Thank you. 2 Quote
Misdee Posted October 27 Posted October 27 (edited) Sponji Reggae by Black Uhuru maybe, great tune but perhaps a bit obscure for a mainstream audience. If you want a slower number for a lovers rock kind of vibe, how about Silly Games by Janet Kay. Edited October 27 by Misdee 1 1 Quote
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted October 27 Author Posted October 27 7 minutes ago, Rich said: A few from my band's set: I'm Running Right Through The World - The Toasters 007 - Desmond Dekker Train To Skaville - Ethiopians (we do this as a mashup with 54-46) People Do Rock Steady - Dandy Livingstone / Bodysnatchers Too Much Pressure - The Selecter Rat Race - Specials Time Bomb - Rancid * Is This Love? - Bob Marley * Three Minute Hero - Selecter You're Wondering Now - Specials Special Brew - Bad Manners * My two favourite songs in our set I've listened to Time Bomb quite a few times since @Homatron suggested it. What a great little tune that is. Some other nice suggestions there. Thank you. 1 Quote
jazzyvee Posted October 28 Posted October 28 Night Nurse - Gregory Isaacs. Everything I Own- Ken Boothe. Wild World - Maxi Priest. 1 1 Quote
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