SETLIST SCIENCE.
BUILD NIGHTS THAT CROWD-SURF THEMSELVES.
Your setlist isnât just a list of songs. Itâs your battle plan. Itâs the difference between an audience thatâs slouching in their seats and one thatâs leaping around, losing their minds, buying you drinks and begging for more.
DO NOT FUCK THIS UP
Mess up your set order, and youâll watch the energy in the room fizzle out faster than a dodgy amp. Nail it, and youâll have punters talking about your gig for weeks.
STOP PLAYING JUKEBOX HERO
Youâre better than that. Too many bands treat their setlists like random playlists. That’s bullshit. âYeah, letâs whack this one in here, maybe that one next, see how it goesâŠâ
No. You are not a Spotify shuffle. You are not a human jukebox. Youâre in that room to control the night and have everybody going absolutely mental.
OPEN WITH INTENT
Your first song is your war cry. If you start with a slow-burner, youâre already losing.
Front-load the bangers. The first three tracks should be absolute weapons. Grab their attention before the idea of a bar crawl does.
Mid-set is where the energy sags. Donât let that happen. Drop a surprise. Maybe an unexpected cover or a mash-up, something that snaps people back to the stage.
Close like you mean it. Your last two songs should be the ones people sing in the streets on the way home. Leave them wanting more, not checking their watches.
READ THE ROOM, DONâT JUST READ THE LIST
Youâre not playing to a bunch of fucking robots. Your setlist should flex. If the roomâs buzzing, ramp it up. If theyâre flagging, donât be afraid to call out for audience energy and hit them with a crowd-pleaser.
And for the love of all thatâs rock ânâ roll, do not default to the clichĂ© of slowing things down a bit unless you mean it. If the room needs it and you sell it with confidence, then the room will absolutely lap it up. It can be magic.
But if youâre just filling space or apologising for a ballad, youâll lose them. Read the energy, own your choices and bring the crowd with you. Control the rollercoaster.
MASTER THE FLOW
A killer setlist isnât just about song choice. Itâs about owning the flow of the evening. Hereâs a few tips for you to get your chops into:
Key changes: Donât make your singer jump from a low croon to a high screamer with no warning. It will be dogshit for the crowd.
Tempo: Donât stack five slow tunes back-to-back unless you want the crowd to start texting their exes. Cos that bad breakup was way more bearable than what youâre offering.
Transitions: Nail your time between songs. Keep the dead air to a minimum, because the less time you spend tuning, clearing your throat and scratching your balls, the more time you spend owning the room.
WANT THE FULL ARSENAL?
This is just the tip of the iceberg. In YOUR BAND IS A WAR MACHINE, I break down:
- Setlist templates that pack dancefloors and double bar sales
- Real-life stories of gigs won and lost by setlist choices
- The secret energy curve that pro bands use to keep crowds hooked from start to finish
- Printable worksheets to build and tweak your own setlists
If youâre sick of playing to half-empty rooms and want every gig to feel like a headline slot, the full science is in the book.
Ready to weaponize your setlist and turn every night into a riot? Then grab YOUR BAND IS A WAR MACHINE. It’s the ultimate cover band handbook for ambitious musicians who want to dominate their scene.
