cover bands at bars

[turbo4g63]

So me and a couple friends went to the bar last friday night and of course there was a cover band there. Now i am aware that there are a couple people on here that are in bands, and feel free to chime in here. Well this band royally sucked ass. they just didn't sound good at all. I understand that every now and again this will happen, and sometimes you get lucky and get a good band, and sometimes you get a bad band. But the point i am trying to make is that why can't they be more original...I just turned 21 back in december and have been to the bar quite a few times, and it seems like every band is essentially the same...they all play the SAME SONGS. Is it that hard to be original and play a song you don't hear every single day. I don't know how many more times i am gonna be able to stand hearing that stupid song, i don't even know what its called "haven't you people ever heard of closing the god damn door" i don't know the title..but some of you may know the song i am talking about. end///rant

[CHAOS]

cover bands are ****ing terrible. they are an insult to real musicians like me.

[BlackBulletTSi]

Ur talkin about a panic at the disco song, yea I agree some bands suck some dont. There is one that I see everywhere called Split Decision and they actually do an alright job play most covers but have been doin some original stuff. The reason they only play the same stuff is cause thats what most people wanna hear unfortunately, they want the song they can go sing to drunk off their ass. I actually have stopped going to bars like this for that reason and I go to parties where its EDM music always something different and beer is usually not to bad price wise. Then again I own an internet radio station and get favors alot lately lol

[CHAOS]

the best example of cover bands not being able to make it big in philly... octane... where have they gone? absolutely no where.

[97TurboDSM]

there was a band at 15North in west chester on saturday and they are awesome. they are a cover band but they are so good. i wish i could remember their name..but i do agree that most cover bands suck donkey balls and they all sing the same damn songs that everyone is tired of hearing

EDIT: the name of the band is Lost in Paris.

[JSeoul]

Sounds like your going to ****ty bars. When a band that does cover songs in a bar, majority of the time, its not their choice on what songs they do. The bar usually has a set list that a band must be able to play in order to perform at their bar. I go to the bars more than I should and the cover bands are usually top notch.

[CHAOS]

ugh... thats an oxymoron.. top notch and cover band dont go together...

[drew]

last cover band i saw at maggie o'neils was the **** ( the place next to j b dawsons on route 1 )

[turbo4g63]

i was at 15 north ....the band was called Sub G i think....horrible

[97TurboDSM]

ah yea i was also there on friday and they were terrible. i wasnt paying attention to them whatsoever, i was too busy getting drinks lol

[JET02WRX]

I just don't see how you can consider yourself an 'artist' when you just regurgitate someone elses music for a living. I think throwing a cover or 2 in as a tribute to a band you like is one thing...but basing your entire bands existance playing other peoples music just seems heartless to me. Its settling for second best. Which is the exact reason why I'm not in a band...I'd rather sit home and just play with myself....(interpret that as you wish) :mrgreen:

Oh and Jon.... your are right.... COCTANE FTL.

[97TurboDSM]

i totally agree with that statement. screw playing someone elses crap, come up with your own crap if you want to sing. paying homage to a band by doing covering there song with a twist is one thing, playing all others music is another.

[Loserkidwac]

Eh this is a tuff one, I'm not in a band currenty but when i was it seemed like all the bars wanted cover bands...they don't want bands that play songs no one knows, they want songs beng played that everyone knows and can sing along to, I hate playing cover songs note for note, I'd so much rather put a spin n it and atleast make it somewhat original...but hell there is a lot of ****ty cover bands that just have no originality at all...but understand some places want cover bands to play...

Check out "Me First and the Gimme Gimmie's" for a great cover band!

[LiquidFire]

most of the cover bands that play at the hardware bars around here are good
Emily's Toybox is pretty good and htey have some of their own songs

[JSeoul]

ugh... thats an oxymoron.. top notch and cover band dont go together...

Answer me this, how many bars are gonna pay to hear your music? Lots of "cover" bands are doing that just to get rent money. Every cover band I have seen does at least one of their own songs. I'm sure they hate it just as much as you hate hearing it, but times get rough and you do what you have to do to get by. Some of you members must of had some very bad expierences. Last time I checked, I go to a bar to drink, hang out with friends and meet women. If you want to see a band, then pay a cover charge to see a good show. I've been to easily over 100 live shows when I lived in Texas, and i've seen more crappy bands play than I've seen cover bands do.

[97TurboDSM]

the thing is, in west chester at 15North you have to pay a cover charge all the time no matter how bad the band is so when theres a sh*tty band its annoying

[grimm]

Sounds like your going to ****ty bars. When a band that does cover songs in a bar, majority of the time, its not their choice on what songs they do. The bar usually has a set list that a band must be able to play in order to perform at their bar. I go to the bars more than I should and the cover bands are usually top notch.


what? bars providing a set list for a band so they can play at the bar?

Cover bands cover popular songs, and with that they play those songs frequently cause they know the majority will know them and enjoy them. Why do you think radio stations play the same songs over and over again, because thats what the listeners want... none the less i'm not standing up for cover bands, I'm more then likely one of the people in the crowd yelling at them to take a break. Not saying they aren't good musicians, or that they suck, but generally I don't care to hear a loud no name band when i go to a bar.

[97TurboDSM]

i think if a band is good they are good no matter what song they play. so if they have to play a song that everyone knows to sound halfway decent then that doesnt impress me at all

[JSeoul]

what? bars providing a set list for a band so they can play at the bar?

Thats how it was when I was bartending. I'm sure every place is different. It was pretty much a "whats hot" list. And most of the cover bands i've met did have their own music.

[BlackBulletTSi]

The reason cover bands are so popular is because its basically a live radio. Play a vast arrangement of music live. Thats why there is a nich for cover bands yes being an artist myself I can see how some people can be offended and whatever but ya know what they can play music. Who says they dont work on there own music. Most cover bands I know of do write there own its just the fact that for them to make a living and make money they play other peoples music at bars cause thats what they are therefor. So saying there not muscians or artist I think is a little unfair its just the fact you dont get to hear there other work. Though if the band doesnt do there own stuff at all then there just puppets but still technically a musician. I look at it like this

Muscian - Can play an instrument with melody and or rhythm.

Artist - A muscian(sp? lol) that creates there own rhythms and melodies.

[Snoozie]

Eh this is a tuff one, I'm not in a band currenty but when i was it seemed like all the bars wanted cover bands...they don't want bands that play songs no one knows, they want songs beng played that everyone knows and can sing along to, I hate playing cover songs note for note, I'd so much rather put a spin n it and atleast make it somewhat original...but hell there is a lot of ****ty cover bands that just have no originality at all...but understand some places want cover bands to play...

Check out "Me First and the Gimme Gimmie's" for a great cover band!

Um...I dont go to bars so I really have no other imput other than Me First and the Gimme Gimme's rule!!

[grimm]

Thats how it was when I was bartending. I'm sure every place is different. It was pretty much a "whats hot" list. And most of the cover bands i've met did have their own music.

wow i never heard of that. that seems :screwy: to me? (not doubting you) just the idea of it seems retarded...

ok so today we have jim singing the same songs joe sung last week??

[CHAOS]

me first and the gimmie gimmies is on a whole different level.... mainly because they dont try to copy exactly the songs... just remake them.

[CHAOS]

Answer me this, how many bars are gonna pay to hear your music? Lots of "cover" bands are doing that just to get rent money. Every cover band I have seen does at least one of their own songs. I'm sure they hate it just as much as you hate hearing it, but times get rough and you do what you have to do to get by. Some of you members must of had some very bad expierences. Last time I checked, I go to a bar to drink, hang out with friends and meet women. If you want to see a band, then pay a cover charge to see a good show. I've been to easily over 100 live shows when I lived in Texas, and i've seen more crappy bands play than I've seen cover bands do.

well first off... if you cant hold down a real job... you suck at life. secondly... most cover bands that write their own material ... write terrible material... the local music scene is full of terrible bands... end of story. there are a few shining stars. but not enough. and i avoid places when i know a cover band is going to play unless theres something going on there... then i heckle the band cause im better than they are. yes thats an asshole move... but **** them they make me look bad.

[CHAOS]

what? bars providing a set list for a band so they can play at the bar?

Cover bands cover popular songs, and with that they play those songs frequently cause they know the majority will know them and enjoy them. Why do you think radio stations play the same songs over and over again, because thats what the listeners want... none the less i'm not standing up for cover bands, I'm more then likely one of the people in the crowd yelling at them to take a break. Not saying they aren't good musicians, or that they suck, but generally I don't care to hear a loud no name band when i go to a bar.

hes right... some bands do require certain songs.. they are usually the popular ones tho... so neither one of you is wrong.

[JET02WRX]

Muscian - Can play an instrument with melody and or rhythm.

Artist - A muscian(sp? lol) that creates there own rhythms and melodies.

Agreed.... I'll also put this spin on it. Guys in cover bands are looking to do 2 things... get paid and get laid. They have no interest in learning "outside" what is necessary to play the comercial music they play. They know little theory, nor can competently create halfway decent music. Its big fish in a little pond syndrome. They know in a cover band, in some local dive, they are big fish. Stupid girls that go there and scream requests for whatever popular song is out that week. They freak out when they play that song and the guy singing it feels like a king. Its pretty shallow. I'm not saying EVERY cover band is like this...but 99% of them are. I've been around music for a long time, ran a recording studio, have recorded tons of cover bands and tons of original bands. If I have to explain how to play 1 more Nickleback song to another guitar player I will in fact shoot myself.

You know what your getting in most cases...when you walk into bars around here. If club owners would be a little more adventurous and selective in the bands they let play, we could have an awesome ORIGINAL local music scene like Boston.

[sherwood]

best cover band ever... Me first and the gimme gimmes...i listen to their cd's all the time

[95SC2]

There are a few of the local cover bands around here that are good. I like the loop, and split descion. I've heard pretty much every cover band in the area, and i've heard alot of them who were bad and missed notes and stuff, but there are a few out there that are good and have some talent.

[Jeffros Spec V]

Scythian
http://www.scythianmusic.com/

These guys are kinda a cover band but they play Irish style music with fiddles and accordians and ****. They are freaking awesome.

[roccobladr]

www.myspace.com/modernbliss
haha sorry free plug for my brothers band.

they play covers at some bars, cuz at bars that all they want you to play. its hard getting your name out there and making money by just playing originals.

they play covers, but sneak originals in there all the time.

its just the way the industry is.

[bastid]

Being a musician myself who has played in both cover bands and written what I consider to be some pretty decent original stuff, I can say that the general bar-going crowd usually cares less about hearing originals. On top of that, most all original bands don't have enough good original material to rest on. That being said, there's plenty of talent out there if you look for it.

If I were to play in a cover band again, I would make sure that the set list was "catchy" enough for people to recognize the songs being played but musically technical enough to establish credibility among those who can recognize talent. IE - If you are playing covers, you need to make them your own (and nail them).

I personally would love to play in a half cover, half original bluesy rock band (SRV, Clapton, Cray, etc).

Great thread BTW...