Lots of discussion about Jacks short sets (75-90 min a lot of them). He commented on instagram today about his thoughts on people complaining about it. His shows are pretty high energy though. Lots here complain about short 2 hr 15 min PJ shows. Jack is at least 10 yrs younger than almost everyone in PJ. Hard to fault Ed for doing more talking these days. Jack does play way, way more shows though.
I would take into consideration the venue size, number of bands on the bill and ticket price. 75-90 minutes from a headliner of Jack White's caliber means I need some wins in some or all of those other areas.
He keeps bringing up 45 minute sets and I see those shows too but there are usually 4 or 5 bands on those bills.
completely agree with this. one of my favourite bands, the Headstones, play a very high energy punk rock set that last anywhere between an hour and 75-80 minutes. And they're perfect.
"Oh Canada...you're beautiful when you're drunk" -EV 8/14/93
I have zero problem with his statement and I totally agree with him! Go back and look at bands like Led Zeppelin sets! I’d rather have a high energy set than 3 hours of high and low energy songs! The Who did 90 minute sets religiously
I realize concerts and people’s experiences are subjective. Personally I support Jack on this one, for those artists that are giving their all and putting on a ‘great’ (again very subjective) show. I’ve seen some artists that I’ve left feeling disappointed by show length, but largely those were ones where I thought the artist was going through the motions and not putting on an authentic entertaining show (in reflection more an issue with the performance/performer than the length in retrospect).
Again different strokes for different folks, but personally some of the best shows I’ve seen have been 1.5 hours or less. No doubt I’ve seen some fantastic 3+ hour shows too, but in both cases it was the performance and performer that made it a memorable show, rather than the length.
I’ll also admit my bias posting about this in a Jack White thread coming off seeing 3 fantastic shows of his.
I realize concerts and people’s experiences are subjective. Personally I support Jack on this one, for those artists that are giving their all and putting on a ‘great’ (again very subjective) show. I’ve seen some artists that I’ve left feeling disappointed by show length, but largely those were ones where I thought the artist was going through the motions and not putting on an authentic entertaining show (in reflection more an issue with the performance/performer than the length in retrospect).
Again different strokes for different folks, but personally some of the best shows I’ve seen have been 1.5 hours or less. No doubt I’ve seen some fantastic 3+ hour shows too, but in both cases it was the performance and performer that made it a memorable show, rather than the length.
I’ll also admit my bias posting about this in a Jack White thread coming off seeing 3 fantastic shows of his.
TOTD comes into play with this they did the whole album from front to back and I believe three covers so the show wasn’t that long but the performance of those songs was amazing to say the least!
For me, I feel like 90 minutes is kind of the lower threshold for how long a headlining set should be. 90 minutes (unless it's a one hit wonder band where I only know one song) usually leaves me wanting more. 75 minutes feels like barely over an hour and feels pretty short. That's like seeing a headlining punk or metal show or something
To Jack and others, there’s lenghths in between 75 min and 3 hours. Jumping straight to 3 hours is ridiculous. Not sure anyone is asking for that. 1:45 to me is the minimum for a headlining show with these todays ridiculous ticket prices.
I realize concerts and people’s experiences are subjective. Personally I support Jack on this one, for those artists that are giving their all and putting on a ‘great’ (again very subjective) show. I’ve seen some artists that I’ve left feeling disappointed by show length, but largely those were ones where I thought the artist was going through the motions and not putting on an authentic entertaining show (in reflection more an issue with the performance/performer than the length in retrospect).
Again different strokes for different folks, but personally some of the best shows I’ve seen have been 1.5 hours or less. No doubt I’ve seen some fantastic 3+ hour shows too, but in both cases it was the performance and performer that made it a memorable show, rather than the length.
I’ll also admit my bias posting about this in a Jack White thread coming off seeing 3 fantastic shows of his.
TOTD comes into play with this they did the whole album from front to back and I believe three covers so the show wasn’t that long but the performance of those songs was amazing to say the least!
I wonder the ratio of comments vs complaints. I imagine most people would want more songs/longer sets of concerts as long as the quality of the performance is good. But it's more of a comment (harmless) than a complaint (personal).
1993: 11/22 Little Rock
1996; 9/28 New York
1997: 11/14 Oakland, 11/15 Oakland
1998: 7/5 Dallas, 7/7 Albuquerque, 7/8 Phoenix, 7/10 San Diego, 7/11 Las Vegas
2000: 10/17 Dallas
2003: 4/3 OKC
2012: 11/17 Tulsa(EV), 11/18 Tulsa(EV)
2013: 11/16 OKC
2014: 10/8 Tulsa 2022: 9/20 OKC 2023: 9/13 Ft Worth, 9/15 Ft Worth
To Jack and others, there’s lenghths in between 75 min and 3 hours. Jumping straight to 3 hours is ridiculous. Not sure anyone is asking for that. 1:45 to me is the minimum for a headlining show with these today’s ridiculous ticket prices.
I agree. I’m sorry but these artists are getting paid too much for just 75 minutes. Jack is still young enough to do it. Seen several hundred shows, none that are less than an hour and a half rank anywhere towards the top.
Right now ticket prices are high, as are the number of shows coming through. If people are leaving Jack White shows feeling like it was good but maybe too short, carrying on about how short shows can be good too is kinda missing the point.
Or maybe it's not attendees but people considering attending. If so, that's potentially worse. May not matter in the long run but if you're lamenting what fans think they're entitled to, you're running the risk of them leaving it instead of taking it.
I mean how often do you see an artist compelled to take to social media to address criticism of their tour. If you're explaining, you're losing and all that.
Jack comes off as so pretentious in that statement. We don’t know what makes a good concert. He does. WE don’t know what a good rock show is anymore.
Then comparing it to the Beatles and ramones? Cmon guy. Always loved his music but sometimes he comes off as someone who enjoys the smell of his own farts a little too much.
what's pretentious? I mean, at his level, I think he's well within his rights to name drop the beatles and ramones. like he said, he's trying to bridge the gap between what he wants and what the crowd wants/feels entitled to.
"Oh Canada...you're beautiful when you're drunk" -EV 8/14/93
He should not have addressed all this. If you're confident in your show and your audience to come out you just keep doing what you're doing. No explanation required.
I'm currently holding tickets to 16 shows and none of the bands have felt compelled to temper my expectations or express concerns over what I might feel entitled to. Hope they're ok lol.
Glad he realizes that 30 min shows that he’d rather do isn’t really in the table. Plus who in this day and age wants to go through the hassle of presales for that. That’s shorter than most nonheadling sets at festivals for bands no one has heard of.
I don't think it's dumb. He's in a position where he can spout off about this and likely will have zero net effect. I think he just occasionally gets frustrated with the current state of things, whether it's the minority or not, and says so. It's likely more cathartic for him than anything else. It's not going to affect his ticket sales in any significant way at all. He likely wants people to go to this shows that want to be there and appreciate it for what it is, not people who bitch about every little detail.
Either way, this isn't going to hurt him. Except maybe in the minds of a very small group of fans.
"Oh Canada...you're beautiful when you're drunk" -EV 8/14/93
Comments
He keeps bringing up 45 minute sets and I see those shows too but there are usually 4 or 5 bands on those bills.
-EV 8/14/93
2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
2017: RRHoF 4/7 2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4 2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18
2022: MSG 9/11 2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
2025: Pittsburgh 5/16+5/18
Again different strokes for different folks, but personally some of the best shows I’ve seen have been 1.5 hours or less. No doubt I’ve seen some fantastic 3+ hour shows too, but in both cases it was the performance and performer that made it a memorable show, rather than the length.
1996; 9/28 New York
1997: 11/14 Oakland, 11/15 Oakland
1998: 7/5 Dallas, 7/7 Albuquerque, 7/8 Phoenix, 7/10 San Diego, 7/11 Las Vegas
2000: 10/17 Dallas
2003: 4/3 OKC
2012: 11/17 Tulsa(EV), 11/18 Tulsa(EV)
2013: 11/16 OKC
2014: 10/8 Tulsa
2022: 9/20 OKC
2023: 9/13 Ft Worth, 9/15 Ft Worth
2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
2017: RRHoF 4/7 2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4 2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18
2022: MSG 9/11 2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
2025: Pittsburgh 5/16+5/18
Or maybe it's not attendees but people considering attending. If so, that's potentially worse. May not matter in the long run but if you're lamenting what fans think they're entitled to, you're running the risk of them leaving it instead of taking it.
-EV 8/14/93
-EV 8/14/93
-EV 8/14/93
-EV 8/14/93
Either way, this isn't going to hurt him. Except maybe in the minds of a very small group of fans.
-EV 8/14/93