More up tempo please!

[stratoliner66]

A couple of places I play have requested that I play more up tempo songs. Any suggestions? My audiences age usually range from 40 - 60. My playing skill is somewhere between intermediate to advanced. My genre ranges from Bob Dylan to Blackberry Smoke I can do some fingerpicking and lead with a looper. Thanks for your help

[Rosewood99]

How about Paul Simon's "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard"?

[agfsteve]

Play your regular songs at a faster tempo.

[leew3]

We get some mileage from 'Get Downtown' but Drive By Truckers. It's an easy I IV V progression and some fun lyrics. Depending on the venue some bluegrass or Flat and Scruggs can liven things up a bit. Hope this helps.

[Mandobart]

I totally agree with your venues - opening up to live music now is going to kill a few players and customers, so leave 'em laughing!

Too many standard singer songwriters dwell on the slow, plodding, plaintive folk standards. When I gigged before covid, I focused on upbeat, uptempo, humorous songs.

What works and doesn't:

Dylan - no more knocking on heaven's door! A dirge is more fun. Try Buckets of Rain, Things Have Changed, etc.

Play John Prine! Spanish Pipedream, All the Best, Please Don't Bury Me....lots more.

Townes Van Zandt - most of his stuff is grim. But To Live is To Fly, Loretta and a couple more are actually upbeat.

Good luck! Seriously, we're still in the first wave of the pandemic in the US and it hasn't crested yet.

[Chipotle]

I have Sunshine by Jonathan Edwards in my sets.

[Scotso]

let rockabilly be your friend

[Goat Mick]

When audiences start calling for something more rocking, I go for Sympathy for the Devil or Gimmee Three Steps. There's plenty of up tempo Blackberry Smoke songs to do. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie comes to mind.

[Rudy4]

Do a set of all Minutemen material? They released four albums and you could probably cover all of their songs in a set...

From my experience with playing in a band any dirge-like material (Knocking On Heaven's Door" rightfully previously cited...) will flavor an audience's opinion of the entire set. Best to look at your set list and cross them off to begin with.

[llew]

Try Neil Young's "Don't Let It Bring You Down"! Of course I'm kidding although I do like that song...

[Mr. Jelly]

One of my personal rules was one ballad per set. I'm guessing you play many ballads. You don't want to see your audience going into 1.000 miles stares while you are playing. The main point of playing music for people is to be entertaining.

[bufflehead]

Please don't take this as harsh, but playing lead with a looper might be killing your sets. That sort of thing can be so formulaic that it becomes a musical death sentence.

Maybe lose the looper?

[zombywoof]

How about adding some Guy Clark?

Even though I only play with my fingers and then mostly blues and some attempts at jazz (such as Louis Armstrong's "Cheek to Cheek") I started having fun with some rock tunes. It was a nice break. Stuff like the Stones "Paint It Black" with a kazoo taking the sitar part and Sam the Sham's "Wooly Bully" with a concertina or accordian.

[Tahitijack]

We are known for our harmonies. Our opening song is Cecilia. Other up tempo songs on our set list are Lookin Out My Back Door, I'll Be Back, Kentucky Woman, On The Way Home and Big Yellow Taxi. Hope this helps get you started.

[Tico]

Originally Posted by bufflehead

Please don't take this as harsh, but playing lead with a looper might be killing your sets. That sort of thing can be so formulaic that it becomes a musical death sentence.

Maybe lose the looper?

+1

I want to hear what the musician can do, not what gizmos can do, which anyone can buy.