Anatomy of an Awesome Set List
Do you think you can create an awesome classic rock set list? Maybe you just put together the most incredible setlist ever! You know you have it. You’ve been practicing and learning songs and now you are ready to put them all together and play them for the people of the world. Next step, global domination!
So what makes a great set list? What are some good and bad moves you can make in putting one together? Well, lets analyze a set list, see whats in it, and what makes it work.
For this example we can look at the set list from the classic rock cover band – Daddy and the Innocents. These guys hail from Los Angeles and have played shows all over Southern California (and beyond) since the last century! (They’ve been around the block a few times!)
Recently they played a show at The Canyon Club just north of Los Angeles and this is the set they used. Let’s have a closer look and see what they did.
Do Ya - ELO
This song is a great opener! It’s most known from the ELO album ‘A New World Record’ which was released in 1977. The song has a catchy melody and beat that encourages people to sit up and take notice. It’s a popular song, but not one that is played by every cover band in the world, so it sets the tone that you’re about to see something different. It starts with a simple lone guitar riff and builds to a giant orchestral crescendo by the end. The fanfare at the end sets the tone for the night as they sing to the crowd, “Do ya, do ya want my love?!” (The answer is yes. Yes, they do!)
As the first song fanfares at the end, the band immediately transitions into the next song –
China Grove - The Doobie Brothers
Nothing fancy here. This song is just a straight up rocker. It’s from “The Captain and Me’ album which was released in 1973. This song is very familiar and well known. This is just a great upbeat tune that gets people up on their feet. The songs ends without a fanfare and the band quickly transitions into –
Come and Get Your Love - Redbone
This song has an easy, laid-back, danceable groove. It was originally released in 1973. It’s gained popularity in recent years from being featured in the movie ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ as well as in commercials. It’s a fun song that always brings the people to their feet. The band uses an extended intro here to say hello to the crowd, introduce themselves to the audience and invite them out to the dance floor (if they’re not there already.) As the song ends the band immediately kicks into –
Bad Case of Loving You - Robert Palmer
This song was from Robert Palmers 1979 album ‘Secrets’. It has a great driving blues feel to it. The drummer has their work cut out for them in this song with it’s bass drum ‘thump thump’ throughout the whole song. It’s got a great hook that people love to sing along to. This is a good addition to help you create a classic rock set list. It’s not overly played by bands. so it feels fresh and new. The song ends with a fanfare that immediately transitions into one of the most iconic guitar intros of its day –
Jenny 867-5309 - Tommy Tutone
Released in 1981 this song has gone on to be enjoyed by millions. And annoyed and bothered almost everyone that unfortunately had that number on their phone at home! This song features a great call and response that always creates an audience interaction. Just as the dancing crowd is whipped into a party frenzy the band kicks it into high gear with –
Saturday Nights Alright for Fighting’ - Elton John
This song kicks it into another gear! Released in 1973 on the album ‘Goodbye Yellowbrick Road.’ This is another song with a great call and response opportunity and gets the crowd pumped up and jumping. It rocks and rocks and rocks!! The song ends on a quick yell of ’Saturday! Saturday!’ And then the band moves into a droning D chord that lingers and drones on creating a sense of mystery while giving the crowd a chance to catch their collective breath. From here the band eases into –
Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi
This is the most ‘modern’ song of the set. Released in 1986 on the bands ’Slippery When Wet’ album. This is a crowd favorite to be sure. It’s a perfect spot for this song as it gives the crowd a chance to ease back and just rock out. Everyone loves singing along to the chorus and of course singing out the call back ‘Wanted! Dead or Alive!’ From here we now kick into the home stretch of the set –
Hurts So Good - John Cougar
This song starts with a grooving kick and snare pattern before the guitar kicks in. It’s from the album American Fool released in 1982. Before he was known as John Mellencamp! This song has a certain strut to it that gets the crowd clapping and singing along. The songs ends with a ringing chord and segues into –
Suffragette City - David Bowie
“Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am!’ Who doesn’t love singing this phrase towards the end of the song? This is from David Bowie’s “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars” which was released in 1972. An upbeat glam rocker with nods to old rock and rollers like Little Richard. It’s a fun song and great guitar rocker! This song has a cold ending and the lead singer quickly goes into thanking the crowd for coming out as the drummer kicks into the drum beat intro of –
American Girl - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Here’s another song that goes over great because every girl thinks its about her. Which I suppose in a way it is. It is a song about longing for something more. It was originally released in February of 1977. Although it didn’t really become a big hit until the 1990’s when it became ubiquitous in movies, TV and classic Rock radio. Also this is the last song Tom Petty ever played in concert. He played it to close out his show at the Hollywood Bowl on September 25th, 2017. The song ends on a fanfare in D and then the band transitions up to E and the opening iconic lick of –
Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin
This song just flat out rocks! It’s also the oldest song on this list! When you set out to create a classic rock set list this is an awesome song to include! Released in 1969 it was the opening track on Led Zeppelin II. This song gets the crowd moving and banging their heads and often evolves into joyously sensual mosh pit on the floor in front of the band. The song ends on a fanfare that, with the drummers intro, becomes –
Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band
This is an epic rocker! Released in 1975, it features a wall of sound production that conjures up freedom and release from the drudgery of the common day. It’s a great song to end the set with as it fills people with a sense of adventure and nostalgia. Springsteen would often end his shows with this song bringing the house lights up and filling the arena with light and energy. In this case, Daddy and the Innocents end with a giant fanfare, as the singer introduces the band and thanks the crowd for rocking out with them all night!
Can You Create an awesome Classic Rock Set?
Daddy and the Innocents do a great job of blending all of their songs together to create one awesome classic rock set. They don’t finish a song and then stare at each other or noodle about. Instead they power through, treating all the songs as one extended number. They bring high energy to start, then ease into some mid-tempo rockers and settle in with a great rock ballad. Then they start ramping up again, finishing off with some great classic and iconic rock songs!!
Check them out sometime if you have the chance!
So what do you think? Do you have a set of songs that can rock like these? Share your opinions or even you own sets below. We’d love to hear from you!
