... songs you are playing ...
I'm looking to add newer material, but SO MUCH of today's music is geared to the 'tween/teen' crowd ... what NEW music are you guys and gals playing on gigs???
thnx

Check out Michael Buble's music. Other than that, most of the new stuff I do is country. I don't even like much of that, but Zak Brown Band and Billy Currington have some really good stuff.
DonM

Well, to me the 90's are still new. I just found this rock song by Radio Head called "Creep". Lots of other bands have done it too. My favorite version is an acoustic jazz version with vocalist Karen Souza. She has covered lots of 80's-90's pop music in a jazz style.

I'm very glad you asked this Tony, as I was thinking about asking the same question.

So far, everyone from 7 to seventy has responded well to:
Soul Sister (Train)
Lazy Song (Bruno Mars)
Just The Way You Are (Bruno Mars)
Toes (Zack Brown)
Highway 20 Ride (Zack Brown)
I'm Yours (Jason Mraz)
Bubbly (Colbie Callait)
any Michael Buble
any Rascal Flatts

Taylor the tunes to your special niche .... most anything will be accepted if you do it well!

Thanks Guys ...
Don ... Buble is one of my favorites ... a lot of his stuff are covers of prior hits ...
I have been adding a lot of C/W ... Josh Turner, Brad Paisley, Zack Brown, others ...
Dave ... thanks for that list ... I'll check them out ...

Very Nice List of Songs UD. Are you doing all of these songs?

Yup ... part of the benefits of working with teenagers!

The first barrier I have to get past is thinking of myself at my age singing some of these tunes ... Maybe for a musician age doesn't matter... Some of these tunes have a definite 'hook' ... Are you using SMF's or styles ... If styles I would love to hear a sample of Train, M3s and/or Mraz ...

Tony...
I do a wide variety of gigs for all ages. The people that ask for some of these current hits would not be satisfied with any version I could do live...even with a "perfect" style. At age 69 I am not going to attempt Lady Gaga's "Born This Way", Pink's "Raise Your Glass", both of which have been requested of me. That's when I lean on my computer for my supplemental DJ services. The MP3s fill the dance floor with the "younguns" and there is no complaint about me not doing it live.

I'd prefer to do everything live....but rather than lose the gig, I will do what's necessary to please the crowd. It may not be as much fun...but the checks clear and there is often a tip on top.

Eddie

Gary's right - I avoid anything that I'd not do justice to, but the ones I mentioned are cute, pop and very generic.
BTW - who is/are "M3s"??
My Soul Sister beat is a custom track I made from scratch - there was not a style that came close, and I love to play it live on my guitar or Uke, so I make a whole arrangement minus the strumming.
"I'm Yours" is just a Raggae-ish thing
"Highway 20" is another one I play on guitar, so I use a track, or a soft 8 beat
"Just the way You Are" is mostly a slowish Disco number, but I play the bass live to get more of a Bruno feel, rather than a retro attempt.

Thanks for that info, Dave ... BTW M3s is a BlackBerry phone typo of 'Mars'
It certainly helps that you are multi-talented when it comes to instruments ...

LOL ... stinkin', so called "smart phones"!

Last Tuesday we (band) added a new venue,,,,an outdoor night spot for young folks in Wildwood, NJ..

www.coconutcovenj.com

My band mates were concerned we may have the wrong material...I told them we were hired for what we do..don't worry..just do what we always do.....We played all up beat stuff from 60's and 70's to a bikini clad 20 year olds audience....They danced all night and loved it....They had a dance beat that thy could dance to..and a big high energy performance...Don't sell ourselves short...just adapt, but stay in your comfort zone....

BTW: Have you guys ever played to hot young ladies in bikinis, playing volley ball in the sand,ajoining the deck dancefloor...it is a experience for bandmembers over 50..

I even had to bring some girls up on stage ..to play tambourines

Fran,

You get all the good jobs.

I even had to bring some girls up on stage ..to play tambourines.

Now that does surprise me Fran, have you got any photos.

Tony

Yeah Fran ... Where are the pics ... inquiring minds and leering old men want to know !!!

Sorry, I didn't take pics other than two cell phone shots an hour and a half before the show...from the stage...It shows the area in front of the stage with a bar on both sides of the stage..there are a few early birds in the pics..

Fran ... if it gets a little breezy don't you worry about sand getting into the gear?
Or even if people are dancing in the sand area, small particles of sand dust could be flying in the air ...

Yes Tony, I worry about sand...The stage had a 36 inch fan behind me ...hopefully blowing sand particles away from my G70..Even though, when I got home I had to thoroughly clean a dust film off the keyboard and laptop....I may choose to use the A33 controller and laptop next outing...I would miss the G70, but I don't like foreign elements getting into key contacts..