The Substitutes

The act

1963 to 1970 is the whole brief. The Substitutes play British, US and Australian rock from those years note for note, the way the records sound, while keeping the experimentation and risk-taking that made the era matter in the first place. One night can hold Cream's White Room, Creedence's Proud Mary, Dave Clark Five, Buffalo Springfield and Black Sabbath's Paranoid. The Melbourne band features the vocals and guitar of Neil Scott, formerly of British 70s rock band Chalice, with bassist Peter Robinson, once of The Strangers, anchoring the rhythm section. They can MC a wedding if asked, and they'll keep quiet 60s background music running between sets so the mood never drops.

See The Substitutes play

Watch The Substitutes perform and get a feel for their sound, style and fit for your wedding.

What it costs

Pricing Quote on enquiry For your exact date, venue and running time, we send an itemised quote.

Pricing is confirmed before anything is booked. GST and travel are shown clearly on the quote.

Songs The Substitutes can play

Search their repertoire or browse the list below. Ask us about a first dance or another song that matters to you.

Do it Again-Beach BoysPoison Ivy-Billy Thorpe & the AztecsParanoid -Black SabbathFor What It's Worth -Buffalo SpringfieldGoing Up the Country -Canned HeatPsychotic Reaction -Count FiveWhite Room -CreamProud Mary-Creedence Clearwater RevivalChicago-CSNYHelplessly Hoping-CSNYFind the Cost of Freedom-CSNYOhio -CSNY

Good to know

What to expect

Ten years of playing 60s rock properly, which is rarer than it sounds. Most cover bands smooth the era out into pop melodies; these four keep the rawness and the risk-taking that made it worth listening to, the Dave Davies solo, the Keith Moon drum roll. Neil Scott sings and plays guitar, previously with British 70s rock band Chalice. Behind him is musical director and bassist Peter Robinson, formerly of The Strangers and 80s on the Edge, drummer Peter Reed, who has played with Gary Young, Phil Manning and Johnny O'Keefe among many others, and Peter Summers on guitar and keys, bringing punk energy from Riverina Playboys and Strange Idols. Every member's career is documented in the fifth edition of Who's Who of Australian Rock. It sounds like the record, but with dry humour and real spirit in it.

On the day

A 9 metre by 5 metre stage is what they'd prefer. Build two hours into your run sheet before the gig, which covers setting up and a proper sound check, and another hour afterwards for pack up and load out.

Set List

It's British, American and Australian rock from 1963 to 1970, and the range inside those seven years is the point. The Rolling Stones get the biggest share, Satisfaction, Paint It Black, Jumpin' Jack Flash, Honky Tonk Women, Brown Sugar, Mother's Little Helper and more. Then there's White Room by Cream, Paranoid by Black Sabbath, Black Night by Deep Purple, For What It's Worth by Buffalo Springfield, Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf and Going Up the Country by Canned Heat. Small Faces turn up four times, Dave Clark Five three, and CSNY four including Ohio and Helplessly Hoping. Australian songs sit alongside them: Poison Ivy by Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs and Little Boy Sad by MPD Ltd. Plus Do Wah Diddy Diddy, Summer in the City, Go Now, Cinnamon Girl and Tobacco Road.

Performance options

They'll take on MC duties at a wedding or a party if you want the one act handling both. Between sets, they can keep quiet 60s background music running for as long as you need, so the room never falls silent. If the gig is two hours or more from inner Melbourne, they'll need four separate motel rooms, plus an evening meal or plenty of finger food, and drinks.

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The Substitutes, cover band in Melbourne
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