Reading live stream

[Johnson_Foo]

Originally Posted by lharris92

It's a cycle of their own making, if you do mix up the setlists people will possibly broaden out from just listening to the hits, if you just stick to the tried and tested then you won't get reactions from when you play "rarities" from those who are casual fans - you'll still get that to an extent but not as much maybe.

Said this elsewhere - Jaded with the setlists, enjoyed the show.

Completely agree, whilst they sounded great on the stream, I’m a lot less disappointed that I had to sell my ticket.

To be fair this is a complaint a lot of different bands receive so it’s a difficult one to perfect. I’d love to see more bands go the way of Metallica, who’ve not played the same setlist twice in nine (?) years since they started recording their setlists.

[lharris92]

Originally Posted by Johnson_Foo

Completely agree, whilst they sounded great on the stream, I’m a lot less disappointed that I had to sell my ticket.

To be fair this is a complaint a lot of different bands receive so it’s a difficult one to perfect. I’d love to see more bands go the way of Metallica, who’ve not played the same setlist twice in nine (?) years since they started recording their setlists.

It's a common complaint from 'hardcore' fans of most bands I'd suggest.

And I know they will always play the hits, its part and parcel of the set - they could just mix up a few other songs in rotation.

Springsteen does the same as Metallica - always mixes it up (barring his Broadway run he did - may have changed slightly but looked to be the same 15 songs all the way through), likewise Pearl Jam.

You'll never get a perfect set list as there's always someone who won't fully be happy with it.

[Foo3001]

Originally Posted by lharris92

It's a common complaint from 'hardcore' fans of most bands I'd suggest.

And I know they will always play the hits, its part and parcel of the set - they could just mix up a few other songs in rotation.

Springsteen does the same as Metallica - always mixes it up (barring his Broadway run he did - may have changed slightly but looked to be the same 15 songs all the way through), likewise Pearl Jam.

You'll never get a perfect set list as there's always someone who won't fully be happy with it.

I think it’s good they do not do the old’uns no more.

I mean honestly, as much as I prefer the 90s stuff to anything since, a lot of it it sounds out of place among the newer more AOR stuff. And with the keys.. Well they arent exactly made for Weenie Beenie. Metallica pulls mixing old shit with the new off and hats off to them.

It’s a different show by a different band now, they did not take the PJ route.

[StuFighter]

Originally Posted by Johnson_Foo

Get a reputation for playing old stuff and people listen to full albums

It's the year of Our Lord 2019 - and the world is run by the millennials. Do people actually still listen to full albums anymore?

It's not like we need to buy music physically. If people want a listening experience they just make a playlist.

[matineeidyll]

Originally Posted by StuFighter

It's the year of Our Lord 2019 - and the world is run by the millennials. Do people actually still listen to full albums anymore?

It's not like we need to buy music physically. If people want a listening experience they just make a playlist.

I've said elsewhere that their minds would be turning to longevity now and figuring out how to hold their current position. The old-school fans, they don't have to work that hard to keep them - after 25 years, they're a lock. It's the younger ones they have to try and convert. While vinyl is enjoying a comeback, the new generation's interest in physical sales isn't enough to sustain it as a revenue stream. Touring and merch are the two big things putting food on the table.

What does this have to do with setlists? They've reversed how they work. Before, they would be more daring in live performances than on record; nowadays, that's reversed. At their current level, they (ie. Dave) show a lot of anxiety about what they play and who they think they're playing for. Since WL - when their crowd numbers exploded and never went back - there seems to have been a conscious decision to not scare off newbies by digging around in the vaults too much. Playing the hits brings in those consistent numbers. However, this, in my opinion, takes away the incentive for those newbies to look deeper into the band's discography, by way of not showing interest in it themselves.

A cover is fun and gives people another singalong moment, but I remember on the SH tour when they were up to a block of 4-5 in a show and it just got ridiculous. That was a good 20-30 minutes that could've been used to dust off a few songs that have left rotation, but it's the general unwillingness to do that that gets me. If they fear becoming irrelevant with time, hate to say it, this is how they'll do it.

All that said, I do appreciate that they listened and bent a little to bring Hey, JP! and I'll Stick Around back. It's a start. And FF25 is just around the corner, there's a world of possibilities there that I hope they embrace.

[Johnson_Foo]

Originally Posted by Foo3001

I think it’s good they do not do the old’uns no more.

I mean honestly, as much as I prefer the 90s stuff to anything since, a lot of it it sounds out of place among the newer more AOR stuff. And with the keys.. Well they arent exactly made for Weenie Beenie. Metallica pulls mixing old shit with the new off and hats off to them.

It’s a different show by a different band now, they did not take the PJ route.

Controversial suggestion. Rami steps away from the keyboard for a song like weenie Beenie?

I do think it’s good that they put HJP etc in, but they could afford to put in more and take out a Sunday rain or a wheels

[lharris92]

Originally Posted by Foo3001

I think it’s good they do not do the old’uns no more.

I mean honestly, as much as I prefer the 90s stuff to anything since, a lot of it it sounds out of place among the newer more AOR stuff. And with the keys.. Well they arent exactly made for Weenie Beenie. Metallica pulls mixing old shit with the new off and hats off to them.

It’s a different show by a different band now, they did not take the PJ route.

Each to their own, they are always going to play the hits - but do you actually need the keys for every song? The answer realistically is no but hey

They will never take another bands route, they never needed to in the first place.

It's also this: I'm not overly fussed about what "rarities" they play (if any at all) - there's stuff from the past few albums that haven't been given airtime - it would just be nice for there to be a bit of a mix once in a while.

But they've got their picks from each album that they will play, and it won't differ so really no point in discussing it anymore.

Breakdown of each album and the track they've played live is here: https://www.setlist.fm/stats/albums/...s-bd6893a.html - some will be skewed due to the promo tours they did but it's all moot.

Originally Posted by Johnson_Foo

Controversial suggestion. Rami steps away from the keyboard for a song like weenie Beenie?

I do think it’s good that they put HJP etc in, but they could afford to put in more and take out Wheels for good

I fixed that a bit

[aprilshack]

Originally Posted by lharris92

I fixed that a bit

[pjonze]

Is there an actual on-stage set list doing the rounds? Was anything dropped?

[Foo3001]

Originally Posted by pjonze

Is there an actual on-stage set list doing the rounds? Was anything dropped?

Based on skipping a guitar change for the drop D one before Cows I’m pretty sure something was skipped.

Unless they were going for Everlong on the set there which I doubt.

[lharris92]

There was a photo of a setlist that surfaced on facebook in the YKYAFFFW group, had the following:

Pretender
Learn To Fly
Run
Sky is a Neighbourhood
Times Like These
Sunday Rain
My Hero
These Days
La Dee Da
Walk
Under Pressure
I'll Stick Around
Wheels
Monkey Wrench
Hey J.P.
Ricks Song ( )
Big Me
Weenie Beenie
For All The Cows
This Is A Call
Best Of You
Everlong


So they moved BoY to where Weenie Beenie was and added Let There Be Rock before Everlong

Edit: Looks like the setlist was from one of the security or something as was folded up.

[wol]

Originally Posted by lharris92

I fixed that a bit

Well done

[StuFighter]

Originally Posted by matineeidyll

I've said elsewhere that their minds would be turning to longevity now and figuring out how to hold their current position. The old-school fans, they don't have to work that hard to keep them - after 25 years, they're a lock. It's the younger ones they have to try and convert. While vinyl is enjoying a comeback, the new generation's interest in physical sales isn't enough to sustain it as a revenue stream. Touring and merch are the two big things putting food on the table.

What does this have to do with setlists? They've reversed how they work. Before, they would be more daring in live performances than on record; nowadays, that's reversed. At their current level, they (ie. Dave) show a lot of anxiety about what they play and who they think they're playing for. Since WL - when their crowd numbers exploded and never went back - there seems to have been a conscious decision to not scare off newbies by digging around in the vaults too much. Playing the hits brings in those consistent numbers. However, this, in my opinion, takes away the incentive for those newbies to look deeper into the band's discography, by way of not showing interest in it themselves.

A cover is fun and gives people another singalong moment, but I remember on the SH tour when they were up to a block of 4-5 in a show and it just got ridiculous. That was a good 20-30 minutes that could've been used to dust off a few songs that have left rotation, but it's the general unwillingness to do that that gets me. If they fear becoming irrelevant with time, hate to say it, this is how they'll do it.

All that said, I do appreciate that they listened and bent a little to bring Hey, JP! and I'll Stick Around back. It's a start. And FF25 is just around the corner, there's a world of possibilities there that I hope they embrace.

This is in no way a dig - but that last part... what can the FF boys do that would really surprise anyone anymore?

Not just them... ANY band?

Music has changed so much from when I was young. I liked a band? I got the CD. My kids? They don't even THINK to ask for the CD! They can just find it on the internet or on their phone.

To be completely honest - I don't think I'll ever need to buy a CD again myself!

[mjgm84]

I'd love them to do a studio version of NGGYU with Rick. I like Foos live versions better than the original!

[StuFighter]

Originally Posted by mjgm84

I like Foos live versions better than the original!

I'm willing to bet most people do!

[matineeidyll]

Physical album sales are dropping but they're still responsible for more revenue than streaming and digital downloads combined. The infrastructure as it is at the moment just isn't enough to sustain artists. So FF's biggest pull, historically and for the foreseeable future, will be physical sales, and as far as they go, they aren't doing too badly. When C&G came out, it went #1 on the strength of physical sales - only 5.5% came from digital sales.

Paid subscriptions make up nearly half of recorded music revenues last year, while CDs and LPs were 7% and 4% respectively. But within those percentages, we're still looking at hundreds of millions in revenue. Just because it's not the leading consumption method anymore doesn't mean it's no longer viable or useful to the band. (https://www.riaa.com/u-s-sales-database/)

As for what they might do the next year, I suspect it'll be built around how they've been promoting themselves of late: Building hype. I reckon they could embrace social media a lot more, maybe do another stream of their own like with WL Live at 606. foofighters.tv is still just sitting there!

[O.B.gene]

It's changed since the 'Greatest Hits' album was released. The majority of the crowds at Foo Fighters show only know this album.

[Epic Failure]

Originally Posted by O.B.gene

It's changed since the 'Greatest Hits' album was released. The majority of the crowds at Foo Fighters show only know this album.

Which gets exacerbated by the fact that the band prefer to play the hits, which is then likely to discourage some fans of the older albums from attending shows in favour of those who have the GH/new album. Becomes the self-fulfilling prophecy. Fans only know hits/new songs, so band only plays hits/new songs, so fans never go outside that "bubble".

It is what it is. It works. It's not going to change anytime soon, I suspect.

[O.B.gene]

Yes indeed. Which is why I get confused why fans, at this point, are still questioning the set lists from these big festival/stadium shows. This is what Foo Fighters do now. It’s the smaller (and rare) club shows where they will pull out the rare tunes.

[Johnson_Foo]

Originally Posted by O.B.gene

Yes indeed. Which is why I get confused why fans, at this point, are still questioning the set lists from these big festival/stadium shows. This is what Foo Fighters do now. It’s the smaller (and rare) club shows where they will pull out the rare tunes.

I accept it’s what they do, just question if it’s necessary. I get the festival setlists but surely at their own shows there’s a bit of room for manoeuvre?