hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted Sunday at 15:41 Posted Sunday at 15:41 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 Sunday at 15:59 Posted Sunday at 15:59 Great list! Pressure Drop - Toots and The Maytals 2 1 Quote
Reggaebass Posted Sunday at 16:06 Posted Sunday at 16:06 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 Sunday at 16:39 Posted Sunday at 16:39 Ali Baba by John Holt would be worth considering… 1 Quote
ezbass Posted Sunday at 16:55 Posted Sunday at 16:55 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 Sunday at 19:28 Author Posted Sunday at 19:28 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 Sunday at 19:28 Author Posted Sunday at 19:28 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 Sunday at 19:34 Author Posted Sunday at 19:34 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
Homatron Posted Sunday at 19:35 Posted Sunday at 19:35 Would Time Bomb by Rancid suit the vibe? 1 Quote
oldslapper Posted Sunday at 20:19 Posted Sunday at 20:19 Everything I own - Ken Boothe. Love that tune the way he did it. 1 Quote
Raslee Posted 9 hours ago Posted 9 hours ago 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 8 hours ago Posted 8 hours ago 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 8 hours ago Author Posted 8 hours ago 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 8 hours ago Posted 8 hours ago (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 8 hours ago by Misdee 1 1 Quote
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted 8 hours ago Author Posted 8 hours ago 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 4 hours ago Posted 4 hours ago Night Nurse - Gregory Isaacs. Everything I Own- Ken Boothe. Wild World - Maxi Priest. Quote
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