Choose Wisely

"Freebird!!!!"

There's always one in the crowd. Seriously. At least once a night, I can expect to hear someone scream that out because you know, it's original and no one has ever thought of that before. Curious enough though... how come it's never "Karma Chameleon!!!" or "Dancing Queen!!!” ?!?! Not that I know how to play either of those songs.


So is this good karma or bad? Talk amongst yourselves.

Anywho…

Song selection and knowing certain requests is another dimension to being a local musician/performer. Your song selection can set you apart and get you noticed. There are many ways to approach this so it is subjective depending on your taste and sensibility. Here’s what I consider when selecting a song to cover:

1. Can it be translated/ be performed as a solo acoustic song? Acoustic trio?
- A song has to work within the instrumentation you have. For me, the song has to be performed well in a solo format and in a band format.

2. Does it fit the demo for the people I play most to?
- A simple business principle… KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE/CUSTOMERS.

3. How much mileage can I get out of the song? Is it a song that I can play in most settings?
- I play in all sorts of environments… bars, restaurants, private parties, wedding receptions, social functions, business mixers and everything in between. The song has to be versatile enough to work in most settings. Also, I try not to having anything too obscure in my setlist. I'd rather entertain with a song that everyone knows then to please the music elitist laughing to himself in the corner because he's so clever. Just sayin'.


I play a lot of different places. Seriously, I'll come set up in your driveway if you want. I can rock a house party with the drop of a hat.

4. Is it unique or overplayed?
- To me, unique is the unexpected not obscure. Overplayed is “Brown Eyed Girl” and “Margaritaville”.

5. Is it something I naturally enjoy?
- First I will say there are plenty of songs that I play that are naturally outside of my personal taste. To me, that’s business. My preference would be to play songs that entertain me but it doesn’t always work that way.


Here’s my current setlist… oh, for the record, I don’t know “Freebird” so don't ask. ;)

Original songs:
Outloud
Senseless
He Knew It All
One More Day
A Thousand Miles
Angel
Free
Wasting All My Time (capo 1)
Color (Capo 2)
Madness + Furniture


Cover songs:
4 Non Blondes – What’s Up
Akon – Right Now (capo 2)
All American Rejects – Move Along (capo 2)
Avril Lavigne – Nobody’s Home (capo 2)
Bare Naked Ladies – Old Apartment
Better Than Ezra - Good
Black Crowes – She Talks to Angels
Bob Marley/Eric Clapton – I Shot the Sheriff (capo 1)
Brandi Carlisle – The Story (capo 2)
Bush – Comedown
Bush - Glycerine
Chris Daughtry – Home (capo 3)
Chris Daughtry – It’s Not Over (capo 2)
Chris Issac – Wicked Game
Coldplay – Clocks
Coldplay - Yellow
Coldplay – The Scientist
Cracker – Low
Damien Rice – The Blower’s Daughter
Damien Rice – Volcano
DMB - #41
DMB – The Space Between
DMB – Crush
Dishwalla – Counting Blue Cars
Dylan/ Hendrix/DMB – All Along The Watchtower (key:Am)
Eagle Eye Cherry – Save Tonight
Elton John/Fuel – Daniel
Fastball – The Way (capo 2)
Foo Fighters – Big Me
Foo Fighters – Everlong
Foo Fighters – Learn To Fly
Foo Fighters – My Hero
Fuel – Shimmer
Gavin Degraw – Follow Through
Gin Blossoms – Hey Jealousy
Gnarles Barkley – Crazy (capo 4)
Goo Goo Dolls – Name (capo 2)
Goo Goo Dolls – Slide (capo 1)
Green Day – Time of Your Life (Good Riddance)
Green Day – When I Come Around
Guns N Roses – I Used To Love Her
Guns N Roses – Patience
Howie Day – Collide (capo 4)
Jack Johnson – Sitting, Waiting, Wishing
Jack Johnson – Upside Down (capo 2)
Jack Johnson – Flake (capo 1)
James Blunt – You’re Beautiful (capo 1)
Jimi Hendrix – Hey Joe
Jasom Mraz – Right Now
John Mayer – No Such Thing
John Mayer – Waiting On the World To Change
John Mayer – Why Georgia
Journey – Lights (capo 2)
Kelly Clarkson – Since You’ve Been Gone
Kenny Wayne Shepard – Blue On Black
Kid Rock/Lynard Skynard – All Summer Long/Sweet Home Alabama
Lifehouse – You & Me
Live - Lightning Crashes
Live – Pain Lies By The Riverside (capo 2)
Maroon 5 – This Love (capo 2)
Matchbox 20 – 3am
Matchbox 20 – Long Day (capo 4)
Matchbox 20 – Push
Metallica – Nothing Else Matters
Michael Jackson - Beat It
Nickelback – Leader of Men
Nickelback – Rockstar
Nirvana – All Apologies (drop d)
Nirvana – In Bloom
Oasis –Wonderwall/ Boulevard of Broken Dreams (capo 2)
One Republic – Apologize (key: Am)
Paolo Nutini – New Shoes (capo 1)
Pearl Jam – Black
Pearl Jam – Elderly Woman
Pearl Jam – Yellow Leadbetter
Pepper – Ashes
Peter Gabriel – In Your Eyes (capo 4)
Poison – Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees
Radiohead – Karma Police
RHCP – Otherside
RHCP – Snow (Hey oh!) (capo 4)
Seal – Crazy
Seether – Fine Again
Seven Mary Three – Cumbersome
Soundgarden – Black Hole Sun (drop d)
Staind – Outside
Stereofuse – Everything (capo 1)
Stone Sour – Bother (capo 6)
Stone Sour – Through Glass (capo 2)
Stone Temple Pilots – Plush
Stone Temple Pilots – Interstate Love Song
Sublime – Badfish
Sublime – Santeria
Sublime – What I’ve Got
The Fray – How To Save A Life (capo 2)
The Killers – Mr. Brightside
The Killers – When You Were Young (capo 4)
The Nixons – Sister
The Outfield – Your Love
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus – Face Down (key: Am)
The Rolling Stones - Wild Horses
Tom Petty – Last Dance With Mary Jane/Dani California
Tom Petty – Free Falling (capo 2)
Tommy Tutone – 8675309 Jenny
Tonic – If You Could Only See
Tonic – Open Up Your Eyes (drop d)
U2 – One
U2 – Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For (capo 1)
Vertical Horizon – Everything You Want
Vertical Horizon – You’re A God
Violent Femmes – Blistur In the Sun
Weezer – Beverly Hills
Weezer – Say It Ain’t So