gortiz Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 What annoys you when you are watching and listening to a band at a bar/small venue. I thinking more towards local bands. In other words, what are some pet peeves? I'll give some examples - hearing the guitar tune up, not talking to the crowd, playing all original songs, out of tune, etc ... I'm playing a gig this weekend and I wanted to get everyone's opinion ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilmer17 Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 I hate it when they let their friends join in. Always a bad move. I also hate it when they attempt to play something that they A- dont know correctly B- cant play well. But MOST of all, I hate it when they change lyrics to fit a certain place or person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stophovr6 Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 I hate when they play mandolins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 I find it intensely annoying to see musicians who aren't taking it seriously... who are just there for the beer and the women and the paycheck. But that is true of all musicians, indie or major I guess. If it's done with heart and talent, I really don't have a problem with it. :2cents: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gortiz Posted February 7, 2006 Author Share Posted February 7, 2006 But MOST of all, I hate it when they change lyrics to fit a certain place or person. interesting ... One thing I can't stand is a band playing a cover exactly like you would hear it on the CD ... I also can't stand it when you can't hear all the instruments ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 My personal top 3: Dead air on stage between songs. Either no sound guy, or having a crappy sound guy. Any band that actually plays a cover of Freebird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gchwood Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 I can't stand hearing a band playing all covers, do something original!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gchwood Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 My personal top 3:Dead air on stage between songs. Either no sound guy, or having a crappy sound guy. Gotta agree with you there. having been a sound guy (semi-retired from that business, wife and kid), I hate when a sound guy can't get the reverb correct or the volume on the instruments are all out of whack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gortiz Posted February 7, 2006 Author Share Posted February 7, 2006 My personal top 3:Dead air on stage between songs. QUOTE] thats huge, one thing you can tell from a band that can move real smoothly from song to song is that they have put some time in practicing and into putting on a decent show ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Judges Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 They almost always turn up too loud. I have heard so many bands that would sound OK if they would only turn down a hair. When a PA distorts it can be painful to the ear and bad for the speakers. Do it enough times and those speakers will never sound good no matter what. I also agree that there are a lot of horrible sound guys out there. The guy at Jacks in Springfield is utterly pathetic-and he needs to take a freakin' shower. The guys at the 9:30 club are true professionals. Always good levels there. There is a sound guy at one of the bars at Seven Springs Ski Resort and he is awesome. I talked to him for about 2 hours one night and learned a lot about running sound/micing stuff live etc. He made every band that weekend sound great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HailYeah Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 I also agree that there are a lot of horrible sound guys out there. The guy at Jacks in Springfield is utterly pathetic-and he needs to take a freakin' shower. There is a sound guy at one of the bars at Seven Springs Ski Resort and he is awesome. I talked to him for about 2 hours one night and learned a lot about running sound/micing stuff live etc. He made every band that weekend sound great. I believe it is JAXX. I've played that venue and seen bands there and I think the sound was pretty good. But most bands there are the death-metal type that self-impose imbalance between instruments. So I guess it depends whose playing at that place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zguy28 Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 I hate it when the vocalist goes off an a political diatribe. Save it for the voting booth. I'm here to hear music not your political manifesto! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HailYeah Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 I played a small bar in Adams Morgan over the weekend. It was a pretty good crowd, we wanted to play originals with one cover thrown in. I have to admit that I personally like hearing a few more covers but we kind of needed to plug our stuff. I would say that talking to the crowd is a fine line. A little bit is necessary, but, you definetely DONT want to be annoying or introduce each song, I hate hearing that crap. Just play, sound good, and shut up. The sound guy was also the bar tender, so that is always difficult to work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 Want to win over a crowd? Do a Violent Femmes cover. :2cents: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iheartskins Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 1. When crappy guitarists play too loudly. 2. When the performers are too drunk/high to be good. 3. When people don't know how to integrate dynamics into their music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 When you can't hear the vocals at all. I suspect this is done when the guy clearly sucks so all the other sounds are louder then need be to drown the poor fool out completely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EersSkins05 Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 I'll stick to pet peeves with covers: 1) Biggest pet peeve- singers that incorrectly attribute the song (I've seen that happen several times- I stopped paying attention when the singer announced that the band was doing a "van halen song" and then proceeded to cover "You Really Got Me" in a manner that was exactly like the Kinks' version.) 2) Any band that covers Dave Matthews (and I like Dave Matthews)- usually done as a gimmick to impress girls 3) Any band that covers AC/DC, Led Zep, or the Offspring with a singer that can't hit the notes 4) Bands that cover "Brown Eyed Girl" - again, done to impress women, and I also despise the fact that no one ever gives the line "So hard to find my way, now that I'm all on my own..." the soul it deserves... lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankbones Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 1. Cover Bands 2. Cover Bands 3. Cover Bands A couple of covers is acceptable/encouraged, but I freakin hate cover bands. Play something original please. Also, it's not always the sound guys fault. He (or she, though rarely) can only work with the equipment that is at the venue. edit: sorry if I offend any people in cover bands, I know the gigs usually pay better than when you play originals. I still hate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HailYeah Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 1. Cover Bands2. Cover Bands 3. Cover Bands A couple of covers is acceptable/encouraged, but I freakin hate cover bands. Play something original please. Also, it's not always the sound guys fault. He (or she, though rarely) can only work with the equipment that is at the venue. edit: sorry if I offend any people in cover bands, I know the gigs usually pay better than when you play originals. I still hate it. I think DC counsel shoud pass legislation that cover band are only allowed in certain venues. :laugh: I mean, people know good venues and go there to hear good, original music. It just dissappoints me when the band that shows up doesnt know it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renesis Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 1) Schizophrenic bands: A drummer friend of mine was in a band where the guitarist wanted to be a metal guitarist, the bassist wanted to play Funk, the singer wanted to be a Metalcore vocalist, and he was just trying to hold everyone together. They sounded horrible. 2) Horrible sound levels: Sometimes the house sound guy blows and it's hard, but some bands don't even try. 3) Covers: They have their place, but if I went to the show to see you, I want to hear your songs. 4) Tuning: Mutable tuning pedals exist for a reason. 5) Intoxication: Unprofessional, you look stupid, and generally sound like crap. 6) Over talkative vocalist: A little bit of talking to kill some dead air while tuning is generally acceptable, but I don't want to hear inside jokes and political ranting. 7) Flailing about: I understand really getting into the music and stuff, but seriously, you're on the stage not in the pit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilmer17 Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 I think the "cover band" idea needs to have 2 allowances. 1- Tribute bands like Hotter than Hell that dont just play Kiss songs, but rather adopt their persona onstage. Another great one to catch if they are around- Bon Voyage (AC/DC), 2- Cover bands that dont take themselves seriously, but put on a great show. IE- Mel and the Party Hats (80s covers), Dread Zeppellin, etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codeorama Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 As a musician in a "local band" I hate: 1. When bands play cover songs and don't play it correctly. I hate when a band tries to re-arrange a song or the guitarist does his own guitar solo when the original solo is memorable. For example, if you can't play Randy Rhodes solo on Crazy Train, then don't play the freakin song. 2. I hate singers that try to sound like the singer for the band they are covering. The cover band singer needs to hit the notes, but the original singer has his own distinct voice and no one else can duplicate that, so don't try. 3. I hate the bands that run their own sound to save money. It sucks, don't do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codeorama Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 interesting ... One thing I can't stand is a band playing a cover exactly like you would hear it on the CD ... When I hear a cover band play a song differently, I assume they can't play it the correct way unless it's something obvious like a punk version of "feels like making love" or something along those lines. If a guitarist can't play Van Halen, then don't, if a drummer can't play Rush, then don't etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 When I hear a cover band play a song differently, I assume they can't play it the correct way unless it's something obvious like a punk version of "feels like making love" or something along those lines.If a guitarist can't play Van Halen, then don't, if a drummer can't play Rush, then don't etc... I tend to agree with code on that one. Seems like there is a right of passage involved in covering a song and 'making it your own', so to speak... and it seems like that right involves making your own mark first. i.e. Hendrix's cover of All Along the Watchtower, etc. etc. :2cents: ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignatius J. Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 I don't think that's fair code. Every one plays things differently and I think that accepting the fact that your version is different from the origional is a good thing. If I were to see a band cover tool's fourty six and two with the exact same drum break I'd leave. Heck I almost left the tool concert I went to when the break was the same as on the album. Maybe I look for different things in a live show. That being said I'd never play a tool cover. When I'm in a band I look for songs that are totally different from our band. i.e. a song with a piano and vocal turned into a song for a power trio. If the versions are very similar but the solo is different, that sucks. But if you completely change the tone and voicing of the song that is much better imo. My personal pet peave is when the band is bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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