wedding dance floor fillers

Jetfire · May 2014

So do most of you guys play with a keyboard section of horns? If not, how would you do the some of stuff like Superstition and Shake Your Tail Feather?

Gassage · May 2014

I always find 'Refuse/Resist by Sepultura is of the ultimate wedding tunes.

Really gets the mind thinking.

Danny1969 · May 2014

Jetfire said:

So do most of you guys play with a keyboard section of horns? If not, how would you do the some of stuff like Superstition and Shake Your Tail Feather?

We've got a keys player playing a horns patch but I've heard loads of bands cover superstition with just guitar and it's fine. With a bit of inventiveness there's not much you can't do with 2 guitars

Jetfire · May 2014

we're a single guitar band at the moment but id like a keyboard player/midi stuff

ElectroDan · May 2014

Jetfire said:

So do most of you guys play with a keyboard section of horns? If not, how would you do the some of stuff like Superstition and Shake Your Tail Feather?

Yeah, Keys player, guitar, bass, drums and singist. There isn't much you cant cover with that. As the guys have said though, you don't have to do a verbatim copy of your dance floor fillers (people don't pay such close attention when they are dancing. As long as you get in the right ball park.

ESBlonde · May 2014

@Jetfire if you can't do whole songs because a lack of backing singers/brass/keys etc. just do the hook line/riff and sing a verse as part of a medley. That way you did the hook and they danced, move on to the next one. It can be quite fun linking songs (many with the same tempo and or key) think stars on 45 type thing. They will love you for it.

Jetfire · May 2014

Yeah, we've talked about doing mashups etc. so would be worth a look

RobDavies · May 2014

Wasted Years by Iron Maiden.

One for the 25th anniversary party, anyway....

RocknRollDave · May 2014

Jetfire said:

So do most of you guys play with a keyboard section of horns? If not, how would you do the some of stuff like Superstition and Shake Your Tail Feather?

On guitar, simple as that.

A good wedding band will have videos and audio samples that the client can audition before booking you. If they don't like the sound of a band that doesn't have keys or horns, they won't book them. If they do like the sound of your band, they'll book you - simple as that. Truth is most punters probably won't even put 2 and 2 together and notice that there aren't any keys/ horns.

If they wanted you to play the records, they'd have booked a DJ.

EricTheWeary · May 2014

Everybody love ska! Okay, I love ska...

Stupid Marriage by the Specials.

Okay, Message To You Rudy - strumming 3 chords in a lively manner.

RocknRollDave · May 2014

ElectroDan said:

One of the keys to packed wedding dance floors is not hanging about in between songs. It's like an automatic response of the audience to turn and walk toward their chairs after a song. But if you can come staright in with a great intro, they will stay.

This is spot on.

Danny1969 · May 2014

Yep, don't leave em hanging

One tip is ; you don't all need to be ready to start the next song straight away ... just start the drum beat to Superstition or SOF etc while people tune \ get their patchs sorted and that. As long as that beats going they will stay and dance

EricTheWeary · May 2014

Makes me think of something I read by funk blues guitarist Bernard Allison ( ok, I've gone away from the wedding stuff here) about rehearsing the set and not just the numbers. If you see him there is no time to catch breath between numbers for the first 30 minutes. You can see that the outro of one song is a mental intro for the next. Then he stops, has a chat and plays a slow one.
Surprising how few bands are capable of doing that ( or interested in working toward it based on my experience ).

RocknRollDave · May 2014

^ this makes a HUGE difference to a gig, too.

Metallica are the worst of the big names for this, they really mess about between songs, have in-jokes that you can't really make out because they're mumbling into mics and talking over each other...just doesn't work.

Of course, we all need the odd breather, swig of water whatever, but the stagecraft of putting a set together is something that, Eric quite rightly says, is so often overlooked.

EricTheWeary · May 2014

I moaned a bit about how shit Deep Purple were last year. A few weeks ago I got one of those official bootlegs of the classic MKII line up from the early 70's. So much annoying twaddle between numbers. Deep Purple would have been a terrible wedding band. You heard it here first folks.

ElectroDan · May 2014

Yeah, this is something my own band has really focused on recently. Everyone has a set list and who ever starts the song does so within a few seconds, unless there is an arm in the air and a worried look on the arm wavers face. It makes a huge difference and negates the need for amateur stand up comedy (which is always a good thing)!

Having your stuff together is essential for this way of playing though. A well set up guitar that has stable tuning, and the confidence that your band mates are alert, and not going to be caught with a mouthful of the buffet's finest offerings, or exchanging phone numbers with potential horizontal dance partners.

viz · May 2014

Rocky version of california girls. David lee roth style.

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wedding dance floor fillers

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