Tonight, I’ve decided to open up the debate on performing cover songs and playing the music you’ve created on your own, a.k.a. originals. I invite any and all musicians, individual or band members, to join the discussion.
First off, let’s make it clear that there is a purpose and a strategy behind playing both. Some of this strategy refers to keeping fans engaged. A band’s love of a particular artist is also an influence. Where the band pictures itself is another factor to consider. So, let’s explore these different aspects and see what opinions we gather.
The strategy of playing covers: Bands that promote their original material have to build a fan base. No one knows how good you are if they’ve never heard your material. So, bands can embrace the thought process that everyone has to hear as much of the band’s material as possible. These bands may land slots opening for national acts, or may book clubs claiming to sound like the bands that influence them. Either way, the goal is to appeal to fans of a certain sound or genre. Here’s where the strategic performance of cover songs becomes relevant. If a band is going to play for fans of a certain band or type of music, the band should identify itself with that same attraction. This is something we engage in regularly with Division. We almost always close with a cover song that we believe appeals to the audience. We may add in a second or third cover song that we feel keeps the audience relating our material to the type of music they came to hear.
Let’s take a look at some of the songs the band has covered to show how diversity can really strengthen the relationship the band may have to an audience. In the past two years, Division has covered the following songs; “Number of the Beast” by Iron Maiden, “Holy Wars” by Megadeth, “My Own Savior” by Iced Earth, “Damage Inc.” by Metallica, “Hall of the Mountain King” by Savatage, “War Ensemble” by Slayer, and “Battle Hymn” by Manowar.
If the band played those songs in order, we would be hard pressed to find a single fan who enjoyed all of them. However, using the appropriate cover song as icing on the cake of our set can set the tone for the band that follows. It’s important for a band to understand what lineup the fans are going to see on a particular night, and how the band fits into the overall picture.
Slamming your sound down the audience’s throat will always alienate a certain percentage of the crowd. Playing something you love that the crowd has never heard is no different than playing your own song, so bands should always consider the impact of a cover song on the people listening to it. Merely saying you’re playing a cover isn’t enough. Make it relevant to the audience. If they’ve come to see a particular band, take the time to tailor your set list so that it compliments the tastes of the fans.
Division is particularly versatile. In the past few months, we’ve tailored our set to support Hammerfall, Therion, Testament, ZO2, Kamelot, Symphony X, Epica, Paradise Lost, Evergrey, Jon Oliva’s Pain, Circle II Circle, and more. There isn’t a single set list we could have put together that would appeal to an audience that enjoyed every one of those bands. We had to pick and choose our songs and which songs we covered. Therein lies the lesson for bands teamed with national acts. Figure out which songs you should play, and which songs you should cover to support the headlining act. Fans will appreciate you for it, and you have a greater chance of connecting with those great men and women who will follow you for a lifetime.
Plenty more to follow on this topic. I welcome your feedback on what we’ve explored so far. Till next time…
nK, Division