Why do Rock, Pop and Jazz concerts....

eljr

Koyaanisqatsi
Why do Rock Pop and Jazz concerts not provide you with a program of the performance before you buy the ticket nor at the show?

I have never fully understood this.

Then, it's relatively common for the artist to play stuff that ticks off the crowd and the artist thinks his preference supersede that of the ticket buyer.

:dunno:
 
. . .Then, it's relatively common for the artist to play stuff that ticks off the crowd . . .

I don't think I've ever witnessed this. I've probably seen some within an audience be disappointed if their favorite song is omitted from the performance. If an artist has a song that ticks you off, why would you attend their concert?

Also, the crowd isn't present when the set list is being chosen, so someone's choice will supercede that of the audience. Why wouldn't that someone be the performer?
 
If an artist has a song that ticks you off, why would you attend their concert?

Because you like others?

Also, you may not be ticked off at any songs they do play just ticked off at what is not.



Also, the crowd isn't present when the set list is being chosen, so someone's choice will supercede that of the audience. Why wouldn't that someone be the performer?

But they are not aware of what it will be before buying tickets to the performance.
This has nothing to do with the audience picking the performance, this is about the artist not informing the ticket buyer in advance of the ticket sale.


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I think my point is, just because rock concerts have always been done this way does not make it right. (or preferable)

I think your point is, that is how it's always been done so what's the problem?

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I don't think I've ever witnessed this. I've probably seen some within an audience be disappointed if their favorite song is omitted from the performance. If an artist has a song that ticks you off, why would you attend their concert?

Also, the crowd isn't present when the set list is being chosen, so someone's choice will supercede that of the audience. Why wouldn't that someone be the performer?


In fact, let's take out the word "ticked" from my original post and put in the word disappointed.
 
Rock shows I usually see the set list from previous stops. It may change a little. I usually have an idea what I will hear. My wife loves the symphony , And we do get a program when we walk in. For the price of tickets now, We should have a program for all concerts.
 
I've been to a few rock shows where the programme was known ahead of time, such as a band touring behind a 25 year anniversary of an album, where it was advertised that they would play that album in its entirety. That is the exception, though.

Knowing the set list in advance would also diminish the suprise at hearing a song one wasn't expecting. I've heard bands play old songs they rarely play live, cover songs they had not played live before, even try out brand new material. I have been delighted by such surprises many times, and never disappointed by a song choice.
 
Depends upon the venue. I worked 5 seasons at Ravinia and they had programs for all the shows. Only the classical and jazz shows had the set list printed in the programs. Pop shows did not, just a list of the players at best.

I've never seen a program at any other venues. Unless they had them them for purchase like Tull shows in the 70's.
 
I guess it's all what you get used to.

We have no expectations of knowing the material in advance so for the overwhelming majority of us we are fine or even prefer having to buy blind.

We humans are a curios species.

Thanks all that contributed!
 
Don't really care what songs they play at the concerts because I have been to concerts and songs that I may not have loved have been reworked and kicked ass. But what I wish the bands would do is list who will be playing at the concert on their web page. The bands have changed personal so much it is hard to keep score. I went to see Vince Neil a few years ago and his band was the members of Slaughter no loss because the drummer was one of the best I had ever seen
 
When I was a wee bit younger I followed bands that were known for their Improvisation and "synergy" with the crowd. Each of their live shows were very different from each other, I would see a group of shows by a band, maybe 8-12 shows in a row, and they were all very different, different sets, songs, and even instruments. Some call these kind of bands " Jam bands" and most of the time one song flows into another, into another. It is not odd to have 2-3 hours of non-stop music within these shows.

Bands like : Ozric Tentacles, String Cheese Incident, Rusted Root, Blues Traveler, Phish, The H.O.R.D.E. tour, and now even Tedeschi-Trucks and Bela Fleck and Gov't Mule.

If I would have seen a program, a song list, or any kind of choreographed structure, they would have lost my interest and following. If you have never seen a performance that captures the soul of everyone in that building, breathes in the emotion, and then hands it back to the crowd with a more connected performance, then you have not seen/heard real "live" music. This brand of Live music has a life of its own, and the real fans collect recordings (some bootlegged) of each show, and the shows that they've been a part of... well I dare you to talk to them about it.

When I hear the word "program", this is what I think: practiced, choreographed, sterile and lifeless. Binary music for all the ones and zeros. Please forgive, ...more judgements...

I might be wrong, but I think you are coming at this from the angle - " if a set list has more songs or compositions on it that I don't care for, then I don't want to go" ...
My perspective is this - " Why would I go to a show where the set list is a preprogrammed, robotic and rigid structure, that disallows Improv? Music that is Alive, is inherently improvisational."

Just different opinions, from different perspectives and different experiences.
 
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I guess it's all what you get used to.

We have no expectations of knowing the material in advance so for the overwhelming majority of us we are fine or even prefer having to buy blind.

We humans are a curios species.

Thanks all that contributed!

I don't think it is what you get used to... this lends to a programming in and of itself.

Expectations, and buying blind... For me, following a band, is like reading all of one authors books. My only expectations are change and evolution, and the blindness comes in with a surprise fork that was unpredictable.

We humans, we do come in all makes, Plastic, Elastic, Fantastic, Magic and tragic.
 
I don't think it is what you get used to... this lends to a programming in and of itself.

Expectations, and buying blind... For me, following a band, is like reading all of one authors books. My only expectations are change and evolution, and the blindness comes in with a surprise fork that was unpredictable.

We humans, we do come in all makes, Plastic, Elastic, Fantastic, Magic and tragic.
When I was a wee bit younger I followed bands that were known for their Improvisation and "synergy" with the crowd. Each of their live shows were very different from each other, I would see a group of shows by a band, maybe 8-12 shows in a row, and they were all very different, different sets, songs, and even instruments. Some call these kind of bands " Jam bands" and most of the time one song flows into another, into another. It is not odd to have 2-3 hours of non-stop music within these shows.

Bands like : Ozric Tentacles, String Cheese Incident, Rusted Root, Blues Traveler, Phish, The H.O.R.D.E. tour, and now even Tedeschi-Trucks and Bela Fleck and Gov't Mule.

If I would have seen a program, a song list, or any kind of choreographed structure, they would have lost my interest and following. If you have never seen a performance that captures the soul of everyone in that building, breathes in the emotion, and then hands it back to the crowd with a more connected performance, then you have not seen/heard real "live" music. This brand of Live music has a life of its own, and the real fans collect recordings (some bootlegged) of each show, and the shows that they've been a part of... well I dare you to talk to them about it.

When I hear the word "program", this is what I think: practiced, choreographed, sterile and lifeless. Binary music for all the ones and zeros. Please forgive, ...more judgements...

I might be wrong, but I think you are coming at this from the angle - " if a set list has more songs or compositions on it that I don't care for, then I don't want to go" ...
My perspective is this - " Why would I go to a show where the set list is a preprogrammed, robotic and rigid structure, that disallows Improv? Music that is Alive, is inherently improvisational."

Just different opinions, from different perspectives and different experiences.

sounds like a cult but I appreciate your determined opinion
 
sounds like a cult but I appreciate your determined opinion

A cult! I love it ! I studied Theology, and I agree. The euphoria that I experience at concerts is comparable to the emotion that belief delivers to whatever flavor of faith is your favorite... Music is my church. ... For me, music and poetry are a religion. The difference between a cult and religion, is just numbers.
 
Then, it's relatively common for the artist to play stuff that ticks off the crowd and the artist thinks his preference supersede that of the ticket buyer.

Don't they? Aren't the most boring artists those who cuddle up to the audience?
 
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When I was a wee bit younger I followed bands that were known for their Improvisation and "synergy" with the crowd. Each of their live shows were very different from each other, I would see a group of shows by a band, maybe 8-12 shows in a row, and they were all very different, different sets, songs, and even instruments. Some call these kind of bands " Jam bands" and most of the time one song flows into another, into another. It is not odd to have 2-3 hours of non-stop music within these shows.

Bands like : Ozric Tentacles, String Cheese Incident, Rusted Root, Blues Traveler, Phish, The H.O.R.D.E. tour, and now even Tedeschi-Trucks and Bela Fleck and Gov't Mule.
I used to see Phis a lot back in the early 90's. At one show I was near the soundboard and noticed the setlist, through multiple encores, hand-written on a piece of paper taped to the board. Every show after that, if near the board, I'd check, and the list was there. They didn't improvise, at least not at any of the shows I went to. The only shows that maybe were kind of a surprise were Halloween, when you could at least vote on what you wanted them to covert. YMMV.
 
When I saw Rush on the R40 tour a few years back, I found out ahead of time that they had a set number of setlists that they'd rotate through. You just had to find the date of your show and you'd know which version of the show you were getting. Scroll to the bottom of the link to see what they did. I was lucky enough to be at the "YYZ" iteration:

http://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/rush/setlists.php
 
I used to see Phis a lot back in the early 90's. At one show I was near the soundboard and noticed the setlist, through multiple encores, hand-written on a piece of paper taped to the board. Every show after that, if near the board, I'd check, and the list was there. They didn't improvise, at least not at any of the shows I went to. The only shows that maybe were kind of a surprise were Halloween, when you could at least vote on what you wanted them to covert. YMMV.

Thanks for that ! You want to come over and tell my kids the truth about Santa and the Easter Bunny too ? Do-do bird dog.
 
Well, Trey would still noodle for 25 minutes within a song. That was improvised. The starting and ending song that sandwiched it was predetermined. Maybe that antelope was really running out of control after all.
 
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