the only way I know to get originals across to a cover type audience is to play covers they know and once they're listening slip some originals in here and there.

I had a fun experience this past weekend playing a gig I hadn't planned on - the folks who were booked had to cancel. So I was playing a last minute happy hour set to folks who weren't there to see me. I played a couple of covers and requests and then some of my own tunes. Typically the applause and attention of a bar crowd drops off when they don't recognize the songs you're playing but this time the applause was actually stronger after my tunes. So my in between song banter: "I really got to tell you you're my kind of crowd. You cheer louder for the originals than the covers" and I got more applause and requests for more original tunes back. It was a good night.

Last edited by Marty Helly; 01/16/07 03:43 PM.
Marty my home

Experience is that marvelous thing that enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again!