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One set or two?


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I don't recall ever seeing this idea discussed here,but it is a question that occasionally crosses my mind.

Has anyone on VC that knows the guys in the band,or has read anything on the band where they have talked about the idea of doing 2 shorter sets (let's say 75 min.) instead of one long 2 1/2 hour set?

 

I know that usually at about the 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 mark they usually take a SMALL 5 min. 'break' & then finish with 30-45 min. worth of encores.

 

Personally,I really like 2 sets (probably a result of dozens of GD & Phish shows).2 1/2 hrs. is an awful long time to go w/o a bathroom/beer break...but ya really hate to leave the room when the Boys are crankin' out the RXR :rock

 

What do you all think???

 

Scott

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I'm totally in favor of the two set system a la the Dead. I'm with you MB. Time to hit the bathroom, grab a beer, and discuss the first set/ ponder the second set makes for a more enjoyable concert experience rather than figuring which song you can live without while you make the run.

 

The one set method is useful for figuring out which songs are a crowds least favorite by the amount of people making the above mentioned "run".

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I think the one loong set is pretty great. When it's really drawn out, and they're playing song after song you leave the experience and all you're able to say is "whoa..." I also like the suspense that comes with an encore. And even though you know they're coming back, you never know. Especially when you've only seen them twice like I have.

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I am on the side of the two sets. Wouldn't it be great to see a show where the first part of the show is their new material and some favorites, and then the second set come back and play A Ghost is Born (with drone) in its entirety? That would be amazing.

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Seriously.

 

I'm also probably alone in thinking 45 min to an hour is just the right set length for most bands.

most bands?all bands?please explain. ;)

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I am on the side of the two sets. Wouldn't it be great to see a show where the first part of the show is their new material and some favorites, and then the second set come back and play A Ghost is Born (with drone) in its entirety? That would be amazing.

That would be great for us who are tired of AGIB,and could know ahead of time when to go home. :cheers

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I am on the side of the two sets. Wouldn't it be great to see a show where the first part of the show is their new material and some favorites, and then the second set come back and play A Ghost is Born (with drone) in its entirety? That would be amazing.

That's what I'm thinking :thumbup A 'warm up' set w/ newer stuff to get the fingers loose & then BLAM off to the outer limits w/ some sure-fire crowd pleasers to send ya home with :rock

Scott

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That would be great for us who are tired of AGIB,and could know ahead of time when to go home. :cheers

 

Well I'm glad some of us have money to burn on shows they don't really give a damn about. I wish I was so lucky.

 

I, for one, don't care about the "encore system." Whatever they want to do is fine by me. As long as they play for a reasonable amount of time (90 mins +) I couldn't care less.

 

I'm one of those people whose concert motto is "If you don't like how they set it up, what they play, or what they do on stage, don't even go." Just don't whine about it later because you've seen the band 30 times and all the shows are "running together" or say "I've seen them play Spiders 18 times and I'm sick of it!" It's stupid and, when you think about it, why are you going if you know that you're not going to really wanna hear half of what they play? :punch It just doesn't make sense to me.

 

I go into every show thinking "hey, I'd be happy if they played Pieholden tonight," but when they don't, I don't come out of there going, "Well, I'd say I loved the show, BUT...they played Spiders again but didn't play Pieholden."

 

That being said, as a Dead fan, I definitely like the two-set system, but I couldn't give a damn about making 5 dollar beer runs during the show, so...whatever they want is cool.

 

Oh, and ction, I don't mind the 45 minute set either...unless I'm there to see that band and the opener played a 45 minute set too. Then it's just stupid and I feel kind of cheated afterwards.

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I think what you're sayin' is if you go to the show w/ no expectations & alot of joy in your heart,you won't go away disappointed.

Something I had to learn when I started re-evaluating whether or not to see so many shows by the same band.Easier said than done but well worth it in the long run..

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I'd love to see a Dead-style two set show. That way you could drop your acid at the beginning of set 2 and peak when Spiders get's going full throttle :stunned

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most bands?all bands?please explain. ;)

 

I guess I could come up with scenarios where I'd enjoy listening to a band for 2 - 3 hours, but quite frankly they'd be pretty rare (I would happily listen to Sam Cooke or Otis Redding, if they could come back from the dead and play a show, for as long as they're want to sing).

 

Most bands, however, should follow the theory of "leaving them wanting more".

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it would be much better, I think there current encore system is lame.

Thats not what I said. I am ok with them coming back once for 1 or 2 planed tunes and mabey do some more some nights. But come on everyone knows there coming back for 2 good size blocks.

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(I would happily listen to Sam Cooke or Otis Redding, if they could come back from the dead and play a show, for as long as they're want to sing).

But they'd be zombies and only interested in singing songs about eating brains and whatnot, and that's no fun. At least not for 2-3 hours.

 

I'd also say no to any ideas emanating from the Phish + GD camp about how to make concerts better for much the same reason I wouldn't pay much attention to Paris Hilton advising on how not to be a skank. Maybe it makes sense in some kind of bizzaroland context but not any one I want to be a part of.

 

So... the problem isn't that Wilco is playing a long set, but what they're playing just isn't compelling enough to hold everyone's attention for the 2+ hours they play. I won't bother to beat that horse any more but the solution is pretty easy, at least conceptually.

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Well I'm glad some of us have money to burn on shows they don't really give a damn about. I wish I was so lucky.

 

 

 

I'm one of those people whose concert motto is "If you don't like how they set it up, what they play, or what they do on stage, don't even go." Just don't whine about it later because you've seen the band 30 times and all the shows are "running together" or say "I've seen them play Spiders 18 times and I'm sick of it!" It's stupid and, when you think about it, why are you going if you know that you're not going to really wanna hear half of what they play? :punch It just doesn't make sense to me.

Good point,your right I don't give a damn about Wilco shows,sorry your not so lucky!I am glad that it is O.K. with you to tell people who should go to shows or not.I am planning on going to the Springfeild and Wichita shows,please PM and let me know if it's alright if I go.I'm also sorry for going to back to back shows and wanting to hear different tunes,I am so sorry for saying the first night wasn't so great but they played CandyFloss the next night and that rocked.I know,I know,it's so wrong to go to a show wanting to hear a certain song or songs for that matter........shame on me.

 

Next time you go and make an observation like that,you better know me personally. :thumbup

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I think the point is more about being a band that strays from the norm and takes chances. It's pretty eay to settle in and not take a chance when you're doing the same set every night. And it's really easy to rag on the Dead. That's not critical, that's cliche. .Music is a weird deal. Whether you go to one show or 190 shows shouldn't matter. Nobody wants Hemingway to write Old Man and the Sea twice. Once was good enough. Why should I as a fan want to hear canned music? Because I live in a different city than you hearing the same version in Detoit last night? Horseshit. Shake the shit up. If you can't (re)interpret your own tunes...

 

And really, I'm not trying to be a drag. I dig the wilco as much as anybody .

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Watch out , you might get malled by a bear on this thread!As for me,I may be an idot but I like what your sellin'.Maybe I just need to see more solo shows,but god damn,I love the new tunes.I think we might be headed in a new direction.

 

 

 

Be Not So Afraid......................................to do what ever the hell ya wan't to on stage.

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Good point,your right I don't give a damn about Wilco shows,sorry your not so lucky!I am glad that it is O.K. with you to tell people who should go to shows or not.I am planning on going to the Springfeild and Wichita shows,please PM and let me know if it's alright if I go.I'm also sorry for going to back to back shows and wanting to hear different tunes,I am so sorry for saying the first night wasn't so great but they played CandyFloss the next night and that rocked.I know,I know,it's so wrong to go to a show wanting to hear a certain song or songs for that matter........shame on me.

 

Next time you go and make an observation like that,you better know me personally. :thumbup

 

Where in my post did I say you couldn't go? Nice over-reaction there.

 

What I DID say that you apparently did not understand the first time was this:

 

1) You still want to go to plenty of shows.

2) You know what most of the set will be and yet you're still whining about the setlist.

 

to which I replied:

 

1) If you don't like it, you don't have to go. No one is forcing you, although you seem to believe I was up until about 2 hours ago.

2) Go in with the expectation that you will get a great band at the top of their game and only that expectation and you will enjoy the show.

 

I hope this easy to read summary will help you understand my points (none of which was a direct order to you telling you not to go to shows).

 

I totally understand wanting to go back to back nights and hear different tunes but the fact remains, the band is pushing a certain set of songs right now (and, if you'll notice, they've got over 5 new ones they're tossing in there). I'm going to Cincy and Louisville b2b and I'm just happy to be in attendance, really. These will be my 23rd and 24th Wilco shows and I'm going in with the expectations I went with on my first show back at the Rock the River show...one: I expect them to put on a really solid performance. Through 22 shows, I haven't been disappointed if I go in with that one expectation. In fact, that's the expectation I go to every concert with and I find that, more times than not, I have a good time.

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For one your points make completely no sense at all.

 

1.How do you know if I have ever even seen Wilco before from my 1st post.

2.How was I whinning about setlists,when I was responding to another post saying that a second set with all AGIB tunes would rock,which I responded to in a jokingly manner.Either way I still think that would suck.

 

I think you acussing me of all this made up bullshit is pure nonsense,have you ever been to a show with me?

Have I ever said I had a bad time at a show?

Why in all of god's great world would I go see a band I didn't like?

 

Agib pretty much changed my life................

The definition as of why is no concern to you!

 

Talking down to someone is really not that cool,you have no idea what Wilco means to me,nor for that matter do I wan't to share with you now.I always like and respected your posts,but come on man,you have no right to advise me on evaulating why I should see live music.And as far as talking about the new tunes,read post above.

 

 

I hope this is all a misunderstanding,and someday we can laugh at this all while at a Wilco show and listening to a song I don't care too much for.

 

 

Through music we can change the world!

 

 

Your VC friend........Ryan

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Was just listening to Jeff's 3/5/05 show on my way home tonight, and it really helped get me out of the bad space I was in. Such an amazing show!!! Don't really have an opinion on the topic (I'm kinda like Scalzunfield, just always happy to be there), just wanted to give props to this one incredible night.

 

1. Someone Else's Song

2. Remember The Mountain Bed

3. I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

4. Airline To Heaven

5. (Was I) In Your Dreams

6. Wait Up

7. Black Eye

8. Radio King

9. Chinese Apple

10. Bob Dylan's 49th Beard

11. Someday Some Morning Sometime

12. Blasting Fonda

13. Someday Soon

14. Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway(again)

15. Summer Teeth

16. ELT

17. I Can't Keep From Talking

 

Encore 1:

18. Gun

19. We've Been Had

20. Candyfloss

21. Henry & The H Bombs

22. Acuff-Rose

23. I'm The Man Who Loves You

 

Encore 2:

24. Misunderstood

 

Encore 3:

25. Not For The Season (with Glenn)

26. The Family Gardener (with Glenn, Mike and Pat)

27. How To Fight Loneliness

28. John Wesley Harding

29. Political Science

30. Hummingbird

31. The Late Greats

 

Encore 4:

32. Passenger Side

33. California Stars

34. I Shall Be Released

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