Project Idea: Celebrating the music of Sting & PThe olice

bea

bea

AmBASSador of the F Clef
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Verena and i have a really hard time getting gigs for out Duo project.

As a reaction to a recent severe disappointment we are discussing the idea of starting something in addition. Some kind of tribute band dedicated to the music of sting. In our own way, not trying to imitate the sound of The Police or Sting.

Starting as the Duo we are now, but with the intention to extend that group at least by a drummer. and developing my playing style even more toward something covering both guitar and bass parts.

What Do You think? Reasonable?

A question on the repertoire, some kind of brain storming - i could of course pick the charts or check my (sampler) recordings, and of course there a lot of must haves to me - but what songs would You expect in a concert of a String tribute band in concert?
What would be Your favorites?
 
bea said:
Verena and i have a really hard time getting gigs for out Duo project.

As a reaction to a recent severe disappointment we are discussing the idea of starting something in addition. Some kind of tribute band dedicated to the music of sting. In our own way, not trying to imitate the sound of The Police or Sting.

Starting as the Duo we are now, but with the intention to extend that group at least by a drummer. and developing my playing style even more toward something covering both guitar and bass parts.

What Do You think? Reasonable?

A question on the repertoire, some kind of brain storming - i could of course pick the charts or check my (sampler) recordings, and of course there a lot of must haves to me - but what songs would You expect in a concert of a String tribute band in concert?
What would be Your favorites?
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I really have no favorites, but what a cool idea :2Thumbs:
 
There's some great stuff to choose from, certainly a dozen big hits are songs people would love to hear. The Police didn't release enough records for there to be such a thing as deep cuts, but I might go beyond the hits to add a few from Synchronicity and Ghost In The Machine; that period is my personal favorite. A couple like Rehumanize Yourself, and Tea In The Sahara. Walking In Your Footsteps might be a possibility. I find The Bed's Too Big Without You pretty poignant too.

I was tempted to suggest Wrapped Around Your Finger and Invisible Sun but those are so atmospheric & textural that it would take major reworking to adapt them. IMO they'd be worth the work though.
 
Quite independent on that project, i.e. as a duo, we are already doing Message in A Bottle and Sacred Love. Both will need some work - Message still refuses to groove (mostly due to me, i think I'd use a pick in that song), and Sacred Love is a fairly recent effort which in some spots is rhythmically tricky. But when we are through it'll be a good candidate for a recording attempt.
 
Here's a nice version of Fields Of Gold from Eva Cassidy with just two guitars and her sweet voice.
Eva was a remarkable talent, pretty much unknown until after she was gone.




One more of Eva, singing one of my favorite Cyndi Lauper tunes. Recorded live in 1996; she passed away later that year.
 
bea said:
Verena and i have a really hard time getting gigs for out Duo project.:dood:

As a reaction to a recent severe disappointment we are discussing the idea of starting something in addition. Some kind of tribute band dedicated to the music of sting. In our own way, not trying to imitate the sound of The Police or Sting.

Starting as the Duo we are now, but with the intention to extend that group at least by a drummer. and developing my playing style even more toward something covering both guitar and bass parts.

What Do You think? Reasonable?

A question on the repertoire, some kind of brain storming - i could of course pick the charts or check my (sampler) recordings, and of course there a lot of must haves to me - but what songs would You expect in a concert of a String tribute band in concert?
What would be Your favorites?
Click to expand...

It does sound like a very reasonable idea (I hate the Police/Sting personally, but that's neither here nor there...), especially if it's music that you both enjoy.

But, the concern would be back to your original point = not getting gigs now at the rate you'd like, so will this new idea get you the gigs you want? You're best placed to answer that as you know your local music scene. If that's the kinda music that will get you gigs locally and you both enjoy the music then it's a great idea and good luck to you.

The only song in this space I like (and only because it had links to a teenage love at the time...) is this one:


(He looks such a pretentious t%$t in the video though...)

Rock on, Bea. &, don't forget to throw in at least 1 MilliVanili tune to keep the crowd on edge! :io:
 
eclecticsynergy said:
Here's a nice version of Fields Of Gold from Eva Cassidy with just two guitars and her sweet voice.
Eva was a remarkable talent, pretty much unknown until after she was gone.




One more of Eva, singing one of my favorite Cyndi Lauper tunes. Recorded live in 1996; she passed away later that year.
Click to expand...
I was going to suggest "Fields of Gold", but electricsynergy beat me to it! A beautiful melody.

I would also suggest "I Hung My Head". Again a lovely melody, but the 9/8 count might be difficult.
 
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Gahr said:
I would also suggest "I Hung My Head". Again a lovely melody, but the 9/8 count might be difficult.
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Mhmm, i'm not afraid; i have already played Take Five and Unsquare Dance...

eclecticsynergy said:
Here's a nice version of Fields Of Gold from Eva Cassidy with just two guitars and her sweet voice.
Eva was a remarkable talent, pretty much unknown until after she was gone.

JohnnyGoo said:
I like SOS.
Click to expand...


One more of Eva, singing one of my favorite Cyndi Lauper tunes. Recorded live in 1996; she passed away later that year.
Click to expand...
Well, Time After Time will not be part of that project ;-) But it has been one of our first tunes as Velvet Beyond. A little bit insired by Cassandra Wilson's interpretation.

JohnnyGoo said:
I like SOS.
Click to expand...
Do You mean Message in A Bottle? An absolute Must Have in that Context. Already done - it's in our setlist as Velvet Beyond.
 
Great idea Bea, good luck with the project
Tea in the Sahara hasn't been mentioned. Not as overplayed as some of the favorites.
 
BTW, the present state of our setlist:

4 string bass (mostly the Sharkfin, except Message where i prefer the RD):
Message in a bottle
Sacred Love
Wrapped around Your Finger
Stolen Car
Fragile

Bass VI (i.e. combining bass line with guitar chords)

Englishman in New York
Walking on the Moon
Every Breath You Take

We are adding drums which means due to lack of a drummer interating a drum sequencer (hydrogen on a notebook)

A note to Fragile

this cover inspires me to do it slowly and just use a pretty minimal syncopated bass line. Less is more. A lot less than even that - fits well to my current mood:

 
stringtree said:
Gotta have Roxanne!
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Have Roxanne...

Guitar and bass line on a Bass VI...

slowly growing setlist.

Message in a bottle
Sacred Love
Englishman in New York
Walking on the Moon.
Every Breath You Take

Wrapped Around Your Finger
Fragile
Shape of My Heart
Send Your Love
Stolen Car

Roxanne
Seven Days
(just did the 1st baby steps - that song will probably take long... look at the official video to see Sting concentrating on the rhythm)

We're still a Duo - we don't find a drummer. But Krafla is with us...

Krafla is the name of a large volcano system in North East Iceland
and it is the name of my Notebook
which is running Hydrogen into our PA
and i create the drum loops and operate the software by a footswitch.
 
Well, i just mentioned the 1st gig with the new repertoire here: A Mini-Skirt for my amp ;-)

It is probably better to show the setlist here:

Rushing Water
Englishman in New York
Walking on the Moon
Shape of my Heart
Sacred Love
Stolen Car
Send Your Love
Every Breath ... (inspired by the loud version of Moscow 2016...)
Wrapped Around Your Finger
Message in a Bottle


And a few songs from our old repertoire covered by Sting

Little Wing
Aint No Sunshine
Dock of the bay


And those two pearls

Streetlife
When a Blind Man Cries


Our sting repertoire is actually a bit larger. We do already have

Fragile (in a very different version - slower, different key (a minor, like Cassandra Wilson), and just a semi improvised bass line over a percussion loop)
Roxanne
Russians (chord arpeggios over an ostinate death bell)

and we are currently putting together Seven Days.
 
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