# Bands doing "surprise" covers in concert. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 8, 2019, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373 "2019-08-08T21:11:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2019, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/41 "2019-08-09T21:14:09Z")
> [@Ashtura](#): > > Do you like it when your band spends a long time on covers? If they spent a long time doing it I could see myself finding it irritating. I’ve frequently been in concerts where the band covered one or two songs, and have enjoyed that. But if they did it a lot, yeah I think I’d be a little irked about missing out on more of their original work. When I see live music I’ve typically bought tickets to a specific group that I want to see, and it’s their specific music and songwriting that I’m there to see. It’s not necessarily that I’ve missed out on specific favorite songs, there’s always the chance their specific set list doesn’t align, but just their overall “sound” and “theme”. Of course, some covers are so in sync with their work that it matters less, and I totally wouldn’t be surprised to know that there are cases where I didn’t even recognize that it was a cover. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2019, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/42 "2019-08-09T21:45:37Z")
I waited all my life to see Leon Russell. Somehow, the stars were never in alignment. Finally got a chance to see him in 2014, a couple years before his death. He played almost exclusively covers, and none of my favorites of his originals. We actually walked out. Very disappointing. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/43 "2019-08-10T02:33:22Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > I waited all my life to see Leon Russell. Somehow, the stars were never in alignment. Finally got a chance to see him in 2014, a couple years before his death. He played almost exclusively covers, and none of my favorites of his originals. We actually walked out. Very disappointing. Wow. Never saw him, though I was a huge fan. I would have paid to see him do a sound check. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/44 "2019-08-10T14:00:21Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > I waited all my life to see Leon Russell. Somehow, the stars were never in alignment. Finally got a chance to see him in 2014, a couple years before his death. He played almost exclusively covers, and none of my favorites of his originals. We actually walked out. Very disappointing. Did he do that Carpenters song? d&r ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/45 "2019-08-10T15:05:08Z")
Michael Hedges was an amazing guitar player. Most of his songs were instrumental but he would sprinkle in some covers that he would sing on. Most well known is his cover of _All Along the Watchtower_ but he did some other weird ones like _Buffalo Stance_ and \* Lucky Star\* [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XqGHE5GqZ44/hqdefault.jpg "Michael Hedges All Along the Watchtower Live") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqGHE5GqZ44) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/41l3UzA64sE/hqdefault.jpg "Michael Hedges - Buffalo Stance") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41l3UzA64sE) ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/46 "2019-08-10T15:05:32Z")
Richard Thompson (with or without band) is noted for doing unpredictable covers. For example, “She May Call You Up Tonight” and “Ooops! I Did It Again.” They are not exactly surprises, since he will generally do them at every performance in a tour, but it’s pretty hard to figure out what he’ll choose to perform. Might be something from The Kinks, Cream, or Bowling for Soup. But he invariably makes it great. (Yes, even his cover of “Ooops! I Did It Again” is outstanding.) ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/47 "2019-08-10T16:16:25Z")
Faith No More do a good cover version at concerts. They performed the Michael Jackson song “Ben” at Coachella and at other concerts have dropped in New Kids On The Block’s “The Right Stuff” and The Village People’s “Macho Man”. I think the most surprising thing they did though was the theme tune to a British TV soap called EastEnders. They’ve done that at least twice I think! ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/48 "2019-08-10T20:26:07Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Did he do that Carpenters song? > d&r No, I wish he had. I assume you mean Superstar, great song. One cover I remember him doing is I’ve Just Seen A Face, and he barrelled thru it like he couldn’t wait to be done. Very disappointing show. Luckily Hot Tuna was the opening act, so the evening wasn’t a total loss. ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/49 "2019-08-12T13:09:30Z")
**Metallica** seems to have started playing covers of local bands when they play outside of the US. [In Belgium](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFu_Fg2FUgw) [In France](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r55Y7mrZVpE) [In France again](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9N8eVzNzDE) I don’t know whether they’re surprise covers or sort of expected by their fans, but it’s a nice gesture, especially since they learn the original lyrics. I just wonder how many such songs they have in their repertoire for when they tour, say, Latvia for instance. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/50 "2019-08-12T13:45:41Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Nirvana covered 5 songs in their Unplugged performance and gave, I think, the iconic performance of each. They did: > > \*\* > The Man Who Sold the World\*\* - David Bowie - I’m sure the original is famous, but I think Nirvana really did increase the fame of this song by a lot. That is an incredible album and performance by Nirvana, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves… ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/51 "2019-08-12T15:03:53Z")
On Saturday I saw Bearnaked Ladies opening for Hootie & The Blowfish at Madison Square Garden. BNL closed their set with an amazing cover medley of: [Shallow / Old Town Road / Sicko Mode / High Hopes / Whole Lotta Love / Another One Bites the Dust](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/barenaked-ladies/2019/madison-square-garden-new-york-ny-3b9f90ec.html). (You can see the video through the link). I can’t imagine there’s much that can top that for range. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/52 "2019-08-12T15:34:35Z")
I saw Dee Snider at Riot a few years ago and he played Head Like a Hole during his set. That was surprising and I never thought I’d want to hear Snider play that song until I actually did (and after a quick Google search, it looks like he plays it a lot). I thought Trent Reznor should have returned the favor and played We’re Not Going to Take It but alas that did not happen. When Green Day played at Wrigley field in 2017 they threw in Shout / Always Look on the Bright Side of Life / (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction / Hey Jude all jammed together – you can hear it here: [Green Day Concert Setlist at Wrigley Field, Chicago on August 24, 2017 | setlist.fm](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/green-day/2017/wrigley-field-chicago-il-be2b172.html) ---
**Author:** ![Trafalgar\_Laura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trafalgar_laura/32/2907_2.png) [@Trafalgar\_Laura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trafalgar_Laura)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/53 "2019-08-12T16:35:08Z")
Yet another story from a Barenaked Ladies concert, one held here in Austin. Presumably because they were in Texas, they covered… Rio, by Duran Duran. It was a pretty great cover, and BNL also did some interesting alternate versions of their own popular songs (including a fun version of “One Week” featuring a fiddle.) Rio had become a meme on this site by then, so I found myself thinking of SDMB as I heard it. And now it comes full circle, as I come to this board and think of that concert and that cover… ---
**Author:** ![ashtayk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@ashtayk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ashtayk)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2019, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/54 "2019-08-13T16:09:56Z")
> [@carlb](#): > > From that same Australian tour - [Stayin’ Alive](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n1GT-VjjVs). Yes, really Came in to specifically post this - but saw it was already done. My favorite version and cover. I have never found a good video of this - but Miley Cyrus did a killer version of S&G’s “50 ways to leave your lover” on SNL. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/55 "2019-08-13T20:53:56Z")
> [@GESancMan](#): > > Dream Theater used to sometimes surprise audiences by coming out for an encore and covering an _entire album_. Many of these performances were released on CD: _The Number of the Beast_, _Master of Puppets_, _Dark Side of the Moon_, _Made In Japan_… those are off the top of my head, but there are more. They’d do an entire album as their encore? As in after their regular set? Good Lord how long was that concert? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2019, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/56 "2019-08-13T21:11:42Z")
> [@ashtayk](#): > > I have never found a good video of this - but Miley Cyrus did a killer version of S&G’s “50 ways to leave your lover” on SNL. Here’s one: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BQLY6AcnXEA/maxresdefault.jpg "Miley Cyrus - 50 ways to leave your lover (SNL)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQLY6AcnXEA) ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2019, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/57 "2019-08-13T22:13:13Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > They’d do an entire album as their encore? As in after their regular set? Good Lord how long was that concert? Yep. They are known for playing long shows. (Or were? I’m not sure if they do the same stuff anymore, like covering albums, or playing long sets, or having a unique set list each night, without Mike Portnoy in the band. He used to be in charge of a lot of that stuff.) I saw them in 2000, and while they didn’t play any covers at that gig, their encore consisted of three songs, of lengths 20, 15, and 24 minutes. This was after playing for like two and a half hours before the encore. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2019, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/58 "2019-08-13T23:22:05Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Nirvana also covered _Son of a Gun_ and _Molly’s Lips_ on _Incesticide_. It’s a measure of how much money floats around a truly successful band that the Nirvana-generated royalties were enough to buy Eugene from The Vaselines a house - something he’d cheerfully admit that his own recording career was never likely to do. Oddly, I actually had never heard of Nirvana’s version of “Jesus Don’t Want Me For a Sunbeam” (until looking it up after this thread), but I did familiarize myself with the Vaselines through Nirvana’s covers of “Son of a Gun” and “Molly’s Lips” (through B-sides or possibly imports, though, not _Insecticide_.) ETA: Actually, looks like I know those through _Hoarmoaning_. Somehow, I never picked up the Unplugged CD. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2019, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/59 "2019-08-14T00:05:15Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I did familiarize myself with the Vaselines through Nirvana’s covers of “Son of a Gun” and “Molly’s Lips” (through B-sides or possibly imports, though, not _Insecticide_.) I’m sure there were bootlegs of this gig from October 1990 > **[Nirvana Setlist at Calton Studios, Edinburgh](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/nirvana/1990/calton-studios-edinburgh-scotland-13d67d09.html)** > > Get the Nirvana Setlist of the concert at Calton Studios, Edinburgh, Scotland on October 26, 1990 from the British Sliver Promotional Tour and other Nirvana Setlists for free on setlist.fm! floating around. The audio is certainly up on Youtube, and the Calton Studio wasn’t exactly the sort of place to have any rules about - say - taping off the mixing desk (or anything else, really). They played just over a year later at the same tiny place - after _Nevermind_ was out! - and opened with _Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam_. The Cobain plan to buy Eugene Kelly a house was long in the making, but only came to fruition on major label releases… ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2019, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373/60 "2019-08-14T03:06:18Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > I’m sure there were bootlegs of this gig from October 1990 No, I’m guessing they were from _Hoarmoaning_, as I mentioned above, or if they appeared on B-sides or imports, that would have been it. Definitely was a studio recording. It was fall my senior year in high school, so that would have been 1992, and Incesticide didn’t come out until December of that year, from what I can find. Got it from a friend who was selling Nirvana and Pearl Jam B-sides/imports/rarities on CrO2 cassettes via Prodigy (online service before mass internet). 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-doing-surprise-covers-in-concert/838373.md?page=4)