NWB - Community Blog

3: Regurgitating Hendrix and/or old blues tunes that John Mayer covered recently, in the style of John Mayer, doesn't make you innovative. It still makes you just a covers band.

4: Don't adopt the facial expressions of your guitar heros in some faux attempt to add "credibility" to your performance, it will just make you look like you're dying for a shit.

yeah, Mick - play to the room size as well as your audience (we can all throw in appropriate songs from our repertoire). If I played to 50ish punters who were lovin' our band and giving back "the love", I would do it for expenses and come away with a massive smile on ma face and look forward to going back again,

Rick (should be in bed)

Early start, lol.

That's 5 & 6 btw, lol.

Hi Mick
My sentiments exactly,as in my blog (drummers why so serious)But its even worse when all the band look like theyve been given 6 months to live.This is the reason why so many punters turn their backs on bands and start yacking.Im also with you on the volume thing,some of them are clueless, ie, can you hear me at the back?Thats why im stood at the bloody back,so that i might be able to tell what yer playin.
After saying that ,I know where the door is, the bar staff just look at it longingly.

7. You're too serious if.... you tell other band mates not to begin impromptu singalongs with the "local" drunk. (its the local pub - not Wembley Stadium; and he's the venues profit margin!!!)

8, don't play 80's pop songs and expect a round of applause at the end of you set, (only 3 guys over 6 foot could possibly get away with that one. Hahaha) and never let you singer remove his clothes!!!!!!
D'oh!!!!
Lol

Seriously,

8, guitarist's is it really necessary to tune your guitar at full volume INBETWEEN songs,
Don't they come with a by- pass button!!!

The 'Oasis moody look', it's might have worked for them but if you're doing covers you just come across as cold/bored/pretentious

Drummer has to do a solo just before you start the first set? Its not as though they're plugged in or need to be played to see if they are in tune or not, they're just as they were left about 30 minutes ago.
N (drummer)

9. if you think the solo is way way more important than the chorus

10. if achieving CD quality reproduction is more important than the faces in front of you

11. Soundcheck is as long as your set.....OR .... you play 5 songs to 'get your sound'

@LA80 - I'd love a 2 song soundcheck.... sometimes, it just isn't possible without the use of a gun and/or backing tapes!!!

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12. You're way too serious if you keep pitching to sell your latest demo or t shirt. HELLO!

13.You become dis-heartened because no-one joins in when you start clapping the beat of the song or chanting a na na na na in the middle of a set.

14. I have known bands to introduce a song as "this is the third track off our second album", and then play a Stones cover.WHAT!!!!!!

15, You play in a pub covers band, but can't find the time to chat to members of your audience when not playing - it's called losing The P.L.O.T.!

16. You do 4 'encores' even though no-one is shouting for 'em........

AYP

watching the telly whilst playing and looking bored, your being paid to entertain people!

@BH-Mick... you're too serious if you need to make a list of what others should not do :p

Some good points on here....however-

@Jez C - You're too serious if.... you tell other band mates not to begin impromptu singalongs with the "local" drunk.

Really?

Like The Shedbrothers said - "you're being paid to entertain people" - personally that kind of thing doesn't entertain me. I don't care if he's the profit margin, I'll be friendly but if he wants kareoke then terrah! And I'm not care in the community either!

You know your too serious when ... "watching the telly whilst playing and looking bored,"

You know the venue is NOT serious about bands when they leave the fucking things on!!

@cottonhouse - I wasn't entertainimg you, I was entertainimg the local drunk. He wanted some CCR, we don't do it, I started playing Bad Moon and he sang along for half a minute.

You know you're too serious if.....

sigh

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Ah right, so your band member told you off... It's a tricky one this one.

If the pub was full or half full then I wouldn't have humoured him but I suppose there's no harm done if there's only three of you in. If you fob him off when there's only a handful in attendance then that is a bit too serious....even for me! haha.

@chs - you've got it, he was pretty much the audience!!! In fairness to the venue, it was a gastropub (for want of a better phrase) and was not a band pub. People were still eating on the allocated stage area at 9 so we couldnt set up!!! It was the ideal place for a Sinatra trib or something similar!! All part of the learning curve lol

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