What's Up With The Setlist??? Options

[Badman]

When you consider other popular bands of today They wish they could have even 15 songs they could put in a setlist We all want to hear our lesser heard songs played live but they have to pander to the casual fan crown becuase that is where the money is. In truth, they don't totally play for the person who has only heard TC. Operation Spirit or Wings could prove that.

I totally agree with everyone who says that Live does change up their setlist. They do have songs they rotate in or out. The only problem is that the number that stay are more than the number they rotate out... but I feel they have to do that for the casual fan.

It would be pretty cool if they did remember how to play some songs not heard in concert like Gas Hed, People Like You, or Freaks. If they made a DVD of these songs I'm sure us fans would buy it.. even if they didn't sell it in stores you know...

This post has been edited by Badman: Jun 20 2007, 9:02 pm

[crazy1]

I guess we should just appreciate the fact that they haven't quit touring and making new music even though we would love to see them change the setlist!!!

[FishOutaWater]

To the people who want Live to play a bunch of obscure hard core fan favorites, I say wake up and smell the coffee. A band that has been around since the early 90's, with about 10+ big hits, with a recent album, and a set that lasts about 90 minutes to 2 hours is going to play all of those hits, a generous amount of tracks from the newest album and maybe a few hard core fan favorites like Mirror Song. What else would you expect? They have to play each of the hits (although if I'm not mistaken I think Selling the Drama has dropped out of the setlist). People, especially the casual fan who bought a ticket to see the Live they remember from that one Throwing Copper album they bought, demand it. When people go to see Elton John, the Eagles, the Who, the Police, they expect to see them play all of the hits. That takes up at least 3/4 of the setlist. then if the band is still making albums, they will play 2 to 4 songs from that album. What does that leave you with? They can't play for 3 hours. To Live's credit, they have always given the fans a generous helping of Mirror Song, POD, Pain Lies, Operation Spirit, Beauty of Grey, Rattlesnake and other stuff that most casual listeners never heard of. Furthermore, they always bring it. No matter how tired they are from a tour or a lack of sleep, they give the 100% vocals, all the stomping, all the energy. And they always attend a meet and greet with fans after every show, even when they have to get on a bus right afterwards and drive 5 hours to the next town. And they are always pleasant and grateful with the fans. I guess what I'm saying is that Live does just what they should and more than I would expect them to at their concerts, which is another big reason why I follow this band so passionately.

[Pokey]

I don't know where people get off thinking they HAVE to play x amount of big hits .. maybe if they're playing a festival where there are a lot of casual fans but if it's a concert they are putting on then people are coming to see them and they should recognise that we don't just all sit here at home and listen to their CDs and skip tracks that wern't radio songs.

I love when an artist just goes out and plays the song THEY want to play .. it always feels more intimate that way. So what if a casual fan is there and doesn't know Heropsychodreamer or TBD or Face and Ghost .. they can fucking listen to it and it'll probably blow them off their feet with how awesome it is. Why cater to the lowest common demoninator? Reward the fans that are true fans and loyal, not the ones that just come to hear the big hits. I mean sure they gotta include a couple .. but why not a night with LC, LJ, I Alone, Dolphins and maybe Heaven ... they don't need STD, RTTW, TSUFL, All over you ... yeah include them all on the tour but rotate them, some nights only do 2 of those ones and that free's up another 2-3 songs that dig deeper into their deep list of songs.

This post has been edited by Pokey: Jun 21 2007, 9:07 am

[SJN1279]

Even as a hardcore fan, I still love when Live plays their hits. It brings the entire crowd into the show and the overall energy is amazing. Without their hits, the shows would lack energy.

Selling the Drama is still played in concert, just not every night.

[SJN1279]

Even as a hardcore fan, I still love when Live plays their hits. It brings the entire crowd into the show and the overall energy is amazing. Without their hits, the shows would lack that extra spark.

Selling the Drama is still played in concert, just not every night.

[SJN1279]

Even as a hardcore fan, I still love when Live plays their hits. It brings the entire crowd into the show and the overall energy is amazing. Without their hits, the shows would lack that extra spark.

Selling the Drama is still played in concert, just not every night.

[Pokey]

Even as a hardcore fan, I still love when Live plays their hits. It brings the entire crowd into the show and the overall energy is amazing. Without their hits, the shows would lack energy.

(Ok im very bored and waiting for my new Ween EP to download so,)

Hence why I said maybe 4-5 a night, its all thats needed unless it's a festival. You can't tell me a rocker like Heropsychodreamer isn't gonna get the crowd riled up, any dickhead who doesn't get into it because "they don't know the song" doesn't deserve to be there, or breed for that matter, it's just ignorance.
But why now be content with that for the rest of their career? I don't understand how people can just .. not care, don't you have any feelings like "ok I've seen these songs in concert enough, I'd really kill for a REAL setlist shakeup" .. as awesome of a time I had the last time Live were here, a lot due to the people that were there I really doubt I'm gonna see them next time they come out if it's just gonna be the Awake tracklisting plus some new songs, I don't really know any other bands I follow as much as Live that are so lazy with their setlists.


Morrissey is a perfect example, there are people that still hang shit on him for his setlists but to me I couldn't ask for more. A band like Pearl Jam or Ween that seem to change their lists almost every night is extremely rare and I don't really think anyone expects that.

But I'm gonna go with Morrissey as an example.
The average setlist for him is probably 20 songs. His tours are usually split into two parts with maybe 2 weeks break in between. The first half's setlist looks very different from the second. He has a few staples in there, generally almost an entire new album will be played over the course of a tour, Live don't seem to even touch half of their own new material, whats the point in releasing an album like SFMB if you leave so much unplayed .. anyways.

Examples were given of Live's setlist in June 2006 and June 2007 I think, this is the setlist for Mozza when I saw him in Dublin April 2006:

First Of The Gang To Die
Still Ill
You Have Killed Me
The Youngest Was The Most Loved
Reader Meet Author
Let Me Kiss You
My Life Is A Succession Of People Saying Goodbye
Girlfriend In A Coma
I Will See You In Far-off Places
To Me You Are A Work Of Art
Life Is A Pigsty
In the Future When All's Well
Trouble Loves Me
How Soon Is Now?
Suedehead
Irish Blood, English Heart
A Song From Under The Floor Boards
I Just Want To See The Boy Happy
At Last I Am Born
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me

And in Hollywood June 2007:

The Queen Is Dead
The Last Of The Famous International Playboys
Ganglord
The National Front Disco
Let Me Kiss You
All You Need Is Me
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
Irish Blood, English Heart
Disappointed
I've Changed My Plea To Guilty
Everyday Is Like Sunday
In The Future When All's Well
I Will See You In Far Off Places
Panic
Girlfriend In A Coma
First Of The Gang To Die
I Just Want To See The Boy Happy
You Have Killed Me
That's How People Grow Up
Life Is A Pigsty
How Soon Is Now?
Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want
You're Gonna Need Someone On Your Side
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Now you can see the ones which stayed which are fine, but look at the amount of changes, that's 13 songs in Hollywood which weren't played a year earlier, not to mention the Dublin set list included 5 songs which hadn't been played in a least 5+ years, 2 of which over 15years, a heap of new songs and 2 songs which he's never played before that tour (which wern't new) and the crowd was HOT.

Fast forward to Hollywood, 2 songs not played in 20 years, 7 songs which haven't been played in at least 7+ years, 2 brand new songs not even on an official release and from all reports and footedge from the show once again the crowd were hot.

I don't understand why Live can't do this .. he's maintained big crowd pleasers in both list and made so many changes in the space of a year ... granted he has 24yrs of songs to choose from, but it's not like Live have only released 2 albums either.

There is no reason why a 2006 setlist can't look like this:

1) Mystery
2) All Over You
3) Selling The Drama
4) The River
5) Mirror Song
6) They Stood Up For Love
7) Voodoo Lady
8) Wings
9) Shit Towne
10) I Walk The Line [Johnny Cash]
11) Iris
12) The Dolphin's Cry
13) Heaven

ENCORE
14) Sofia
15) Lakini's Juice
16) I Alone
17) Lightning Crashes
18) Operation Spirit
19) Dance With You

and 2007 look like this:

1) Where fishes go
2) Waterboy
3) The Distance
4) The River
5) Face and Ghost
6) Turn my Head
7) I Alone
8) Wings
9) All I need
10) Feel the quiet river rage
11) Iris
12) The Dolphin's Cry
13) Heaven

ENCORE
14) Night of Nights
15) TBD
16) Heropsychodreamer
17) Lightning Crashes
18) Lakini's Juice
19) Gas Hed Goes West

So case in point, Live are lazy with their setlists

Now the EP has finished so im taking that to bed to listen to because I gotta be up bright and early tomorrow morning to go into the city to meet Mike Fucking Patton!

[FishOutaWater]

I don't think that Live would sell 3,000 tickets to a sell-out show on a week night in the U.S. unless a certain percentage of those tickets are bought by the casual fan who bought Throwing Copper and maybe doesn't own any other Live album, and wants to pay $30 to here Lightening Crashes and I Alone and all of the other hits in person. The casual fan who bought Throwing Copper wouldn't be attracted to a Live show if they didn't play all of the hits and most of the concert was filled with songs they never heard of. And if those casual fans don't buy tickets, then Live doesn't sell out 3,000 tickets on a week night in a bar in Sayerville NJ. And if they don't sell those tickets, then they can't ask for $50,000 to $75,000 to play a show. And if they can't ask $50,000 to $75,000 to play a show, then it isn't worth them going on the road to play shows and you won't get any (or as many) Live concerts to see.

Would they sell 1,500 tickets if they played a concert filled with nothing but Sparkle and Feel The Quiet River Rage and Like I Do? Sure, and it would be a great crowd of hard core fans. But the tour and our ability to see a regular does of shows is based on economics and supply and demand.

Not only that, but like Nick said, I love seeing the hits. I never get tired of any of them. It has become my concert ritual to enjoy the ride as we go from the spiritually moving They Sttod Up For Love to the mind crushing Lakini's Juice to the lighters in the air Lightening Crashes. It's a great ride.

[Heather]

But wouldn't it be better to see one show with a really amazing setlist than to see ten shows that are exactly the same? Seriously, don't you people get bored with seeing the same show over and over again? I know I did that's why I haven't been to a show in over a year. I am planning on seeing them again soon but I doubt I'll be impressed with the setlist. It would seem to me that if they catered to the hardcore fans from the get go they would still have a really strong fanbase and they would still be able to sell a ton of tickets based on the fact that they do mix up their setlists. At this point I think it's way too late for that to happen. So I guess we're stuck with the hits setlist.

[LiveRoCkS77]

Well, I agree with Eamon completely.

Songs like STD, All Over You have to go and the setlist be mixed up.

They have plenty of hits and recognizable songs to keep people intersted while introducing them to the "LIVE" that too many people are ignorant of.

My ideal setlist would be this, in this exact order. SFBM blew and nobody bought it or digs it, so get it the fuck off the setlist completely....cept maybe You are not alone or Night of Nights.

Like I Do(perfect opener)
PLOTR
I Alone(introduce the familiar)
Heaven
Wings
I walk the Line
Lakini's Juice
Iris(two rocking, keep the energy tunes straight up)
The Dolphin's Cry(familiarity once again)
Gas HED( now introduce some vintage LIVE)
Dance with you(slow shit down a little)

Encore
Mirror Song(old and great!)
Stood up For Love
Overcome
Run To The Water

Encore
Turn My Head
Lightning Crashes
White Discussion

[Hoodstock]

Pokey, you make an excellent point. How about this as a 19 song set list for one show:

The Dam At Otter Creek
Selling The Drama
Mystery
Century
Operation Spirit
The Distance
I Alone
The Dolphin's Cry
Simple Creed
Graze
Turn My Head
Lakini's Juice
Shit Towne
The Stood Up For Love
The River
All Over You

Encore:
Lightning Crashes
Run To The Water
Heaven
White Discussion

[LiveRoCkS77]

Pokey, you make an excellent point. How about this as a 19 song set list for one show:

The Dam At Otter Creek
Selling The Drama
Mystery
Century
Operation Spirit
The Distance
I Alone
The Dolphin's Cry
Simple Creed
Graze
Turn My Head
Lakini's Juice
Shit Towne
The Stood Up For Love
The River
All Over You

Encore:
Lightning Crashes
Run To The Water
Heaven
White Discussion

Century, yeah...forgot to add that one!! I seriously cannot understand how so many people dislike that song. Song fucking rocks at the end.

But honestly, The River and All Over You need to be off any setlist. All Over You is just over done, not a great song to begin with and overdone.

Second, I know some of you like it, but The River is simply straight up balls. I go to see LIVE to hear some good rock music performed by a bunch of guys I admire. They play The River and honestly? I'm embarassed for them. Last show I was at, I heard at least ten or 15 people say, "why the fuck are they playing this crap?'" And I'm sorry to those of you who like it, it's complete crap really. Just like you say Avril Lavigne is crap, The River is equally so.

Wake up and admit it to yourself. Think about it in the context of LIVE and good rock concert music. The River doesn't fit into either one.

[Tina]

I don't think that Live would sell 3,000 tickets to a sell-out show on a week night in the U.S. unless a certain percentage of those tickets are bought by the casual fan who bought Throwing Copper and maybe doesn't own any other Live album, and wants to pay $30 to here Lightening Crashes and I Alone and all of the other hits in person. The casual fan who bought Throwing Copper wouldn't be attracted to a Live show if they didn't play all of the hits and most of the concert was filled with songs they never heard of. And if those casual fans don't buy tickets, then Live doesn't sell out 3,000 tickets on a week night in a bar in Sayerville NJ. And if they don't sell those tickets, then they can't ask for $50,000 to $75,000 to play a show. And if they can't ask $50,000 to $75,000 to play a show, then it isn't worth them going on the road to play shows and you won't get any (or as many) Live concerts to see.

Would they sell 1,500 tickets if they played a concert filled with nothing but Sparkle and Feel The Quiet River Rage and Like I Do? Sure, and it would be a great crowd of hard core fans. But the tour and our ability to see a regular does of shows is based on economics and supply and demand.

Not only that, but like Nick said, I love seeing the hits. I never get tired of any of them. It has become my concert ritual to enjoy the ride as we go from the spiritually moving They Sttod Up For Love to the mind crushing Lakini's Juice to the lighters in the air Lightening Crashes. It's a great ride.

It certainly is a great ride. One that I will never get sick of...at least I haven't yet and I've been to 33 shows.

[Pokey]

A great ride, but don't you crave a bit of new scenery? ooo now it's getting philosophical!