Looking for an opener ...

... no not a bottle or can opener !!! if I were looking for that I would have asked at "The Bar" ...
I'm playing a big summer b-b-q for seniors in 2 weeks and I'm looking for a good, fun 'summer song' to open with ... any suggestions?
thnx,
t.

How about Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer or Margaritaville?

Satin Doll or It's Not Unusual ???

Tony...
For that kind of a party I might open with Alabama's "Gonna Have A Party". Its fun, upbeat and a great mood-setter.
Eddie

GONNA HAVE A PARTY

Gonna have a party, a rockin' little jamboree
Gonna have a party, come on along with me
Gonna have a good time, everybody feelin' right
Gonna have a party, a week from Saturday night

Thought I'd call you early, make sure that you know
There's gonna be a party and I'd love for you to go
I just wanna give you time to get your story right
There's gonna be a party and it might last all night

Gonna have a party, a rockin' little jamboree
Gonna have a party, come on along with me
Gonna have a good time, everybody feelin' right
Gonna have a party, a week from Saturday night

There's gonna be some music and we can sing along
I bet before the night is through they'll play our favorite song
When they play that slow dance and I'm holdin' you so tight
That's when the party's startin', baby, and it might last all night

Gonna have a party, a rockin' little jamboree
Gonna have a party, come on along with me
Gonna have a good time, everybody feelin' right
Gonna have a party, a week from Saturday night

Gonna have a party, a rockin' little jamboree
Gonna have a party, come on along with me
Gonna have a good time, everybody feelin' right
Gonna have a party, a week from Saturday night

I use that one too Eddie. Do you change tempos as Alabama did?
DonM

How about "STRUTIN AT THE BAR-B-QUE" oldie but goodie.....

Tony Rome

I had a 5 pc group years ago that changed the tempo ala Alabama. But now, when I feel its right I use it as a opener and keep the tempo constant.
Eddie

There's an inside joke at the places I work. People can tell how much I dislike the job by how early in the evening I play the theme from Mash...you know, "Suicide is Painless".
I play it very early...usually first on an outside (read hot) job.

That's probably not an ideal choice for a barbeque for senior citizens.

Oh well...My second suggestion... Sly Stone's "Hot Fun in the Summertime" is nearly
as inappropriate.

That's all I got, folks!

Russ

Hazy Crazy Days of Summer will be a "HOMERUN"..

"Groovin" by the Rascals is a good openning song, Neither too fast nor slow, then you can build the pace up:- eg." Moondance" ,and such.

Tye

My suggestion would be "All of Me"



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http://mychrisvalenti.com/

Tony just look out there & play the crowd.....
no need for suggestions ....
Im confient you can read them for sure!!!

Good Luck

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dnj:
[B]Tony just look out there & play the crowd.....
no need for suggestions ....
Im confient you can read them for sure!!!

DNJ, you are so right. A general plan on what to do, and be ready to chage it. And----know you that you will do a good job.

John C.

John...This is what being a Pro is all about...you got tools to build the house in your tool box.....which tools you'll use to complete it are up to you...

"Tie A Yellow Ribbon" would be an excellent
opener.

Gershwin's Summertime would also be a good choice perhaps


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Thanks for listening to,
The old Newb

What about "She wears red feathers and a hula hula skirt"

Thanks all ... I've played a number of senior affairs INSIDE, and can usually figure out a crowd pretty quick, but just wanted to set an 'outdoor, summer, happy party time mood with the first tune... I had thought of "Hazy, Crazy..." and might go with that ... others like "Summertime" and "In the Good Old Summertime" are a little too slow for the mood I want to set (although I will do "In the Good Old..." as a 'sing along' at some time during the performance ...
t.

How about Mungo Jerry's "In The Summertime"?

Bob
<><

Well, I started out with Lazy, Hazy, etc. and went from there ... played tunes from the 40's, 50's, 'deck tunes' (Buffet, etc.), Motown, line dance, just about every style ... all 'up' tempo except for "After The Lovin'" and a special request for "My Way" ... The Seniors, and just as importantly the people who hired me, loved it and I booked 2 Christmas parties, and a possible dinner dance ...
It was fun to play outdoors (hadn't done that in a while) with no worries about the volume being too loud ...
The temp was about 90 degrees and I was a little concerned about how the kn6000 would get through it, but I was set up under a beautiful shade tree and there was a slight breeze ... I also had a big fan blowing under the kb, just in case ... The 'slide' that adjusts the shading on the screen made viewing it no problem...
It all went well ... Wish I had another outdoor gig tomorrow ... ...
thnx for all your suggestions ...
t.

Tony, Glad to hear you had a good gig, I knew you could do it....just read the crowd and play accordingly......I performed at a High End Retirement community outdoors also last night....300 people, & although it was only 3 hrs there were many obsticles to overcome such as, The Heat and Humidty which made seing & playing difficuly due to the keys being sweaty & sticky and the screen on the KB /Laptop almost blank until sunset. Mesquitos were out in full force and very hungry, I was getting bit like crazy even though I sprayed myself with Deep Woods OFF.....I couldnt wait to out of there....but I've done these kind of gigs hundreds of times and its par for the course, personally I prefere indoor airconditioned venues for sure!!

Donny ... that reminds me of a 'steak fry' I played 2 years ago at a local Country Club ... the manager thought he was doing us a favor putting one of those huge "Mosquito Magnets" right close by ... It was like they were all stopping for their final meal on the way to the chamber ...
t.

My choice always goes to "All the things you are" or Jobim's "Corcovado"

Chico

Chico ... I find it really difficult to pick ONE FAVORITE song over all others, but if my life depended on it, the choice most likely would be "All The Things You Are" ... it just didn't fit this occasion ...
t.

I've recently discovered & begun opening my Classic American Songbook genre shows with a medley of the following two 'very fittingly appropriate' classic Irving Berlin swing tunes originally made famous by the incomparable dancer & singer (and master at vocal phrasing), Fred Astaire:

"Top Hat, White Tie,& Tails"/"Stepping Out With My Baby"

I just got an invitation
Thru the mails
Your presence requested
This evenng it's formal
A top hat a white tie and tails

Nothing now could take the wind out of my sails
Because I'm invited to step out this evenng
With top hat and white tie and tails

I'm putting on my top hat
Tying up my white tie, brushing off my tails
I'm dudeing up my shirt front
Puttin in the shirt studs, polishing my nails

I'm steppin out my dear
To breathe an atmosphere that simply reeks with class
And I trust that you'll excuse my dust when I step on the gas, for . . .

I'll be there
Putting down my top hat
Mussin up my white tie
Dancing in my tails

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If I seem to scintillate
It's because I've got a date
A date with a package of
The good things that come with love
You don't have to ask me
I won't waste your time
But if you should ask me
Why I feel sublime

I'm Steppin out with my baby
Can't go wrong cause I'm in right
It's for sure not for maybe
That I'm all dressed up tonight

Steppin out with my honey
Can't be bad to feel so good
Never felt quite so sunny
And I keep on knocking on wood

There'll be smooth sailing
Cause I'm trimming my sails
In my top hat and my white tie and my tails

Steppin out with my baby
Can't go wrong cause I'm in right
Ask me when will that day be
The big day may be tonight