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Topic: Opening Act Question |
Larry Robbins
From:
Fort Edward, New York
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 1:58 pm |
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Next month my band is opening for a big name steel player and his group. I am of course very excited !! The other day we received a list of "Do Not Play" tunes! because the Big Name will be covering those. Have opened for a few famous singers in the past but, this is my first time with a big name player. Is this the norm? Thanks ...
Larry
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Twang to the bone! |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 2:39 pm
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Ok, tell them you will not play Louie Louie and Free Bird !
I guess this may be common but the few big names we have opened for didn't even talk to us let alone send us a "do not play " list !
But I certainly do not think it would be wise to cover the top songs by the artist either especially if they are really well known.
either way, it would not bother me...
_________________
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Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Rick Campbell
From:
Sneedville, TN, USA
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 2:53 pm
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It would help us understand this if you identified the "big name steel player". Don't see why it would be a secret. Is the steel player the big name, or is he a band member of a big name entertainer.
If the big name is a singer and doing their current material, they're doing you a favor by letting you know what not to do. You can't beat a man at his own game. |
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Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 3:28 pm
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Yes that is normal.
I also think it is polite to not play the famous songs that the guest artist is known for; at the venue and when he/she plays there.
Ricky
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Ricky Davis
Email Ricky: sshawaiian2362@gmail.com |
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Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 4:09 pm
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Yes it's common, and reasonable, within limits.
I saw Weird Al's rider once, and it specified "No Parody or Comic Acts" were allowed on the same bill.
At one of this Summer's large Canadian festivals my Blue Rodeo Tribute band was booked the same night as a younger Rock Singer, who was just starting his solo career. He previously fronted tremendously popular band.
He thought enough of himself to specify, "No Tribute Bands are acceptable as opening acts." in his rider. 
We already had a signed contract. What was the promoter to do? 
He put us on after the Rock Star!  |
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Michael Haselman
From:
St. Paul
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 4:14 pm
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Enjoy the experience because, trust me, the opening act gig gets old in a hurry. I've done dozens and none of them have advanced my career. Maybe that says more about me than the "opening act" thing, but many agree with me. Can you say "No respect."
_________________
Mullen RP D10, Peavey NV112, Hilton volume. Hound Dog reso. Piles of other stuff. |
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Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 4:17 pm
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The "No Respect" is often from the sound crew.
They are hired to make the headliner sound great, and that's where all the sound check time goes.
Openers are lucky to get a "line check".
Not always that bad, but I've experienced this many times. |
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Michael Haselman
From:
St. Paul
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 4:28 pm
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Joey, you got that right in spades. We opened for a NCS act called "Rocky Lynne" a couple years ago and he went ballistic on the sound tech because we sounded "too good." Apparenly he didn't have the "suck" control up high enough. Unbelievable.
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Mullen RP D10, Peavey NV112, Hilton volume. Hound Dog reso. Piles of other stuff. |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 4:38 pm
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Larry,
Its normal and the respectful thing for your band to do.
If you are prsonally getting paid a cut of what your opening band is getting paid rather than a normal fee wear baggy cloths with lots of pockets and stock up over in catering !
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Bob |
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Larry Robbins
From:
Fort Edward, New York
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 4:55 pm
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Thanks all for the replys. I would not dream of playing any of the tunes on the "dont play list " !! especally in front of the "ACT" Those are tunes that this player is famous for and I for one, would not have the B@!!$ to play in front of them anyway!!! Just that I felt that it was kind of a "given" in this situation. I also do believe that it is moe than reasonable to expect this from whatever veneue you play.
Rick C., out of respect for this player and his contributions to our craft, I will not name names but I will say I was a bit surprised. There are just some tunes you dont play in front of some people!
Larry
_________________
Twang to the bone! |
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Shane Glover
From:
Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 6:19 pm
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Hey Larry,
I have opened for a lot of acts and no one ever gave us a Do not play list. But it was generally understood you don't play any of the artists songs.
Most headliners I have dealt with were great people. Like Tracy Byrd, Sammy Kershaw, McBride & the Ride.I have opened for a few acts that gave us trouble.
Usually the headliner would let us use their backline. We did open for Restless Heart one time.
They did not let us use any of their gear. As a matter of fact they put white sheets over it and made us play on the front 6 feet of the stage.
Needless to say it was very uncomfortable playing on a 6 x 40 foot stage. It is also customary for the sound man to make sure the artist sounds better than the opener. We started taking our own sound man & they would delagate one section of the board for us.
Our sound man was not allowed to push any knobs but those.
I would also agree that of all the opening acts I have done . It did not further my career one bit. About all you get out of it is some fond memories and maybe braggin rights!!
Shane |
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Jeff Hyman
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 6:58 pm
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| Shane Glover wrote: |
I would also agree that of all the opening acts I have done . It did not further my career one bit. About all you get out of it is some fond memories and maybe braggin rights!! |
Not only that... but at some venues, the opening act was the local band with the biggest PA. |
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Shane Glover
From:
Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 8:05 pm
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Jeff
That happened to me one time. The sound co. truck broke down . Sammy Kershaw played on my P.a.
It was a very interesting evening. For a while I thought we were gonna be the only act to go on.
I was not looking forward to that. Thankfully everything came out alright.
Shane |
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Charles Davidson
From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 8:57 pm
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They will use that SUCK button in a heart beat. Went to see Marty Robbins one time.The opening act [not local] someone on tour with Marty,The PA sucked. Then Marty ran up the the mike singing Big Iron.EVERY THING was crystal clear. YOU BETCHA, DYK?BC.
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Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC ! |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 9:10 pm
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There is some fun crazy stuff with those star bands. For instance when we opened for Darryl Worley his guitar player was wired to a speaker out back of the place and all you could hear for miles outside was his guitar blarring.
The idea was that he couldn't get the sound he wanted without turning his amps volume all the way up and to keep from blowing everyone off stage they put his speaker outside and ran him from the board.
I can just imagine how the shyt would have hit the fan if as a side man in an opening band I ask the sound man to put me a speaker outside.
As a PSG player I am and always have been just a side man and as such never have to worry about all that stuff. After all I'm not playing for the star I'm just playing for what ever band it is that is opening for the star and I just do whatever the band leader asks.
When my part is over I just walk around back stage and make out like I'm somebody important and watch a free show from the best seat in the house. |
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Shane Glover
From:
Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 9:26 pm
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Amen Bo !
And it the Star is Kool you might get to rub shoulders and partake of refreshments on the bus !!
Shane |
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Clete Ritta
From:
San Antonio, Texas
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Posted 15 Oct 2009 12:27 am
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Larry,
When I was in a cover band, we would usually pass our set lists on to the DJs, in hopes they wouldnt play the set songs. Usually it worked. Same type deal, just a step higher on the gig level. I dont think its abnormal at all.
I started a thread here on cover tunes:
Im curious about older songs being redone for new audiences.
Clete |
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Cal Sharp
From:
the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN
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Posted 15 Oct 2009 6:43 am
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When I was with Faron we had a couple clueless chick singers in opening acts do "Sweet Dreams", thinking they were covering a Patsy Cline song, when it's actually a Faron Young song, and one of his biggest hits. Didn't bother Faron, hell, these chicks weren't even born when he had the hit on it, and who's gonna out-sing him, anyway? But you'd think the opening act bandleader would have sense enough to look at the headliner's list of hits and cross them of their set list. Just a question of professionalism. They're only a local opening act, and usually not professional at all.
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Me: Steel Guitar Madness
Latest ebook: Steel Guitar Insanity
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Pete Finney
From:
Nashville Tn.
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Posted 15 Oct 2009 7:17 am
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Brings to mind the long circulating story of Buck Owens and George Jones on a show together in the sixties; there was a disagreement about who would close the show. Jones lost and went on right before Buck and allegedly (out of both spite and humor I would think?) sang nothing but Buck's hits for his own part of the show.
Don't know if it really happened quite that way, but even if it didn't it's a good story...! |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 15 Oct 2009 9:53 am
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i've opened hundreds of shows and usually find it exciting. you would, obviously, be a fool to play mama tried before merle or look at us before vince. it's fun and educational to rub shoulders with other professional pickers..not necessarily 'better' pickers.
opening for michael jackson once, he came up to me before hand and asked me not to dance since he knew how good i was. |
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Rick Campbell
From:
Sneedville, TN, USA
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Posted 15 Oct 2009 10:07 am
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| chris ivey wrote: |
opening for michael jackson once, he came up to me before hand and asked me not to dance since he knew how good i was. |
You said "was". Now that MJ's gone, you might have a chance if you can still do it. But, don't ask about money or they'll hang up on you. 
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Geoff Cline
From:
Southwest France
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Posted 15 Oct 2009 10:51 am
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Having been an artist and entertainment lawyer (representing both artists and venue operators at various times), I can say that things like "No play lists" and "interesting" rider requirements (to put it mildly) happen with great frequency and are not at all unusual. Whether it qualifies as "normal" or "the norm," we'll leave that to rhetoric experts.
Let's just say that there is no limit to the creativity and strangeness that can occur when you combine musicians, managers, venue operators, lawyers, egos, fame, $$ and years on the road. |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 15 Oct 2009 10:54 am
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| and lawyers.....oh...you said that! |
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John Steele (deceased)
From:
Renfrew, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 15 Oct 2009 10:59 am
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| Quote: |
be a fool to play mama tried before merle or look at us before vince.
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I was at a steel show one time, and the guy that was doing the set right before John Hughey got up and played "Just Look At Us". Very strange decision.
Of course, JH didn't have to verbally object or anything. He just went up to do his set afterward and blew the guy's doors off.
- John
p.s. On a different occasion I also saw Buck Grantham play the first two or three notes to the Look At Us intro as a joke, just to get a rise out of JH. That was hilarious. |
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Chris Schlotzhauer
From:
Colleyville, Tx. USA
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Posted 15 Oct 2009 11:07 am
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| Also as an opener, it's not cool to do an encore. Even if the crowd is screaming |
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