The 30+ song set lists done for good?

devonfz

Check out the three San Francisco 2006 shows at the Bill Graham Civic Center those shows were all only two hours and 15 minutes and they played 2829 songs every night and check out the variety of songs they played I think that's what people are looking for

Celticskemba8

elvistheking44 said:

Like Kramer’s says….”sometimes it’s enough and I just wanna get some sleep”. This is how I feel sometimes towards the end of a show.

LOL this is gold Jerry!

PJammin'

devonfz said:

Check out the three San Francisco 2006 shows at the Bill Graham Civic Center those shows were all only two hours and 15 minutes and they played 2829 songs every night and check out the variety of songs they played I think that's what people are looking for

I was there for those. Amazing. 😎

PJammin'

edocon said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

I think I said this in another thread, and this will sound like an odd opinion, but I think the shows previously could end up too long. My other favourite bands typically do anywhere between 20 and 26 or so songs. That means their setlists are varied GREATLY from show to show with a few staples at each. I like the unpredictability aspect of this. Sometimes being surprised at a song not being played makes me appreciate the ones they did play even more. 

I agree. The 30+ song shows can meander too much, lose focus and precision. The LA shows on this tour had a flow and "tightness" that reminds me of the Yield tour in '98, including the energy with which Ed is singing every song. He must feel some sense of relief looking down at the setlist after 2 hours and knowing there's only 3 or 4 songs left to perform instead of 10-14. I certainly didn't come away feeling that any of the shows on this tour were too short, like I have at most every RHCP concert I've attended.

I was at both shoes and I didn’t feel cheated. Both shows were amazing. Also, it’s better leaving a crowd wanting more than staying too long. 🤷‍♂️ 

Ten Backspaced Riot Actors

YoullseeDragons said:

Ed could also still be recovering from COVID physically. People I have spoken with folks that feel very tired several months after recovery. Pacing himself through the tour to get back into shape. 

Never thought about this.  Good point.  Took me months to feel like myself again after getting COVID.

PJammin'

cp3iverson said:

My favorite PJ show ever out of all the ones I’ve been to was actually a “greatest hits” set.  

Why?  

Because it was probably the most on fire I’ve ever seen the band perform and the crowd was incredible.  It didn’t reach 3 hours.  Nobody in the building seemed to care that the Christmas single from 14 years ago wasn’t performed.   They were just locked in and everyone could tell.  

You’re right. I was at that show and the band and crowd were on fire. One of the best ever. IMO

Foriginal Sin

Not gonna lie, I’m way older than I was 6 years ago watching a 3+ hour set. 2.5 hours is plenty for my body, realized it last night. 

mace1229

JABK said:

D-Rod said:

Basically they took out the 5 cover songs and I’m good with that.  If I want to hear RITFW then I will go see Neil Young. 

I was just about to point this out...now they have more than enough great own songs.

Now they have more than enough? They’ve had more than enough since about 1994.

PJammin'

Foriginal Sin said:

Not gonna lie, I’m way older than I was 6 years ago watching a 3+ hour set. 2.5 hours is plenty for my body, realized it last night. 

Ok, grandpa lol

mshnayder

JojoRice said:

pbultimate said:

Dropping e flow, rvm and porch should allow 6 additional songs to get a turn. 

I'd add Elderly Woman, DTE, & Corduroy to that list as well. 

I mean....really guys? Sure lets drop the songs that the crowd gets most into. Can't imagine dropping RVM, Porch, DTE, or Corduroy...those are the songs to hear the band really rock out

bootlegger10

I figured it out.  All the Ed stories.  This is their last tour.  He is getting them all out now.  You're welcome.  

mace1229

mshnayder said:

JojoRice said:

pbultimate said:

Dropping e flow, rvm and porch should allow 6 additional songs to get a turn. 

I'd add Elderly Woman, DTE, & Corduroy to that list as well. 

I mean....really guys? Sure lets drop the songs that the crowd gets most into. Can't imagine dropping RVM, Porch, DTE, or Corduroy...those are the songs to hear the band really rock out

I’ve never understood that either. This time more so than ever. It’s been 4+ years since most of us saw them live, are they really that tired of corduroy and Elderly?
If this was 2009 and I was seeing them 6 times in a few weeks I could see maybe hoping they drop a few for some shows. But even then, personally I’d never get tired of some of those songs. I’d rather hear corduroy for the 20th time than Yellow Moon for a second.

PJammin'

mace1229 said:

mshnayder said:

JojoRice said:

pbultimate said:

Dropping e flow, rvm and porch should allow 6 additional songs to get a turn. 

I'd add Elderly Woman, DTE, & Corduroy to that list as well. 

I mean....really guys? Sure lets drop the songs that the crowd gets most into. Can't imagine dropping RVM, Porch, DTE, or Corduroy...those are the songs to hear the band really rock out

I’ve never understood that either. This time more so than ever. It’s been 4+ years since most of us saw them live, are they really that tired of corduroy and Elderly?
If this was 2009 and I was seeing them 6 times in a few weeks I could see maybe hoping they drop a few for some shows. But even then, personally I’d never get tired of some of those songs. I’d rather hear corduroy for the 20th time than Yellow Moon for a second.

People have lost their minds. 

Haijay

Lerxst1992 said:

BloodMeridian80 said:

Lerxst1992 said:

OceansJenny said:

Poking around the PJ stats ap, avg # of songs per show:

1992: 11
1993: 16
1994: 20
1995: 23
1996: 23
1998: 23
2000: 26
2003: 26
2005: 26
2006: 26
2008: 26
2009: 28
2010: 25
2011: 28

2012: 26
2013: 32
2014: 29
2015: 30
2016: 30
2018: 28

These average set stats are likely a couple songs shorter due to festivals reducing the average, reading thru the LB tour they averaged 35 (!) songs and 5 or 6 from LB at arenas. As good as gig is, 8 out of 22 songs is much different new song ratio than the last arena album tour for LB. It changes the dynamic. 

Running the numbers on 2013 US, I get 32.5 songs per non-fest arena show (24 shows total). I do count some songs as one that pj.com separates -> Interstellar Overdrive into Corduroy = 1; Wasted Reprise into Life Wasted = 1; Chloe Dancer into Crown of Thorns = 1. I don't count Eruption as a 'song' -> if you want to count these as separate songs, the average jumps to 33.1.

San Diego had 8 Gigaton songs, LA ended up with 6.

Eek I miscounted Gig songs for LA1, 6 of 22 is a decent mix. Have to say LA1 looks like a decent set.

It was🤗🤗🤗

aisleseats

I haven't been to one this year yet. But I did watch the entire Phoenix show live last night, and it definitely seemed shorter/different.
To those of you saying 3hr shows are getting to be too much for you, don't deprive the rest of us just because you're feeling old. 

JeBurkhardt

Other than a reunited R.E.M., I would rather see PJ play 25 songs than any other band play 30 songs. 

mrmcqueen

Merkin Baller said:

The band has built a reputation for playing marathon shows. 

That they aren't playing 30+ songs sets anymore is ok, and completely understandable, all things considered. 

That fans are talking about this fact is also ok. 

Amen!

vant0037

Go back and look through their longer set lists from years’ past.  They played plenty of stuff that we’d be lying if we said lit the room on fire.  If SBM, sirens, most anything off Backspacer gets us to 30 songs, I’m a hard pass. They’re at a point where I think quality is more important than quantity.

Spiritual_Chaos

vant0037 said:

Go back and look through their longer set lists from years’ past.  They played plenty of stuff that we’d be lying if we said lit the room on fire.  If SBM, sirens, most anything off Backspacer gets us to 30 songs, I’m a hard pass. They’re at a point where I think quality is more important than quantity.

The vibe of your post:

"We have ‘Detroit Rock City,’ ‘Love Gun,’ ‘Rock and Roll All Night,’ “Shout Out Loud,’ ‘Firehouse,’ ‘Hotter Than Hell,’ and the list goes on and on…. There isn’t room for some obscure song. Songs that are obscure are obscure for a reason. And if we’re going to please a handful of diehards, the real crazy diehards and have 20,000 other people go ‘What’s that?’ or “Let’s go out and get a Coke’ then we are failing the masses. We wouldn’t do that.”

- Paul Stanley

elcazador83

Way back to the '16 tour, I went to Jax with a buddy. I had a great time and so did he. When they played evenflow, he was blown away as was most of the crowd. At the same time, when they played Of The Earth and Ghost you could almost here a pin drop. The rarities only appease a small percentage of us while the vast majority enjoy the hits.

aisleseats

elcazador83 said:

Way back to the '16 tour, I went to Jax with a buddy. I had a great time and so did he. When they played evenflow, he was blown away as was most of the crowd. At the same time, when they played Of The Earth and Ghost you could almost here a pin drop. The rarities only appease a small percentage of us while the vast majority enjoy the hits.

I don't know where you were sitting, but I remember quite a bit of excitement when they busted out Ghost.

Merkin Baller

vant0037 said:

Go back and look through their longer set lists from years’ past.  They played plenty of stuff that we’d be lying if we said lit the room on fire.  If SBM, sirens, most anything off Backspacer gets us to 30 songs, I’m a hard pass. They’re at a point where I think quality is more important than quantity.

I looked at the set lists from my favorite PJ shows of the 20 I've seen going back to the '90s, and all had over 30 songs. 

Sure, there were some lulls during those shows, or some songs I could have done without, but the fact remains, Wrigley, Hartford, & Brooklyn 2 in '13, Denver '14, Philly 1 & 2 and Fenway 2 in '16... those were far & away the best shows I've seen them play, and none had fewer than 31 songs in the set.

I'm not saying they can't play great shows w/ fewer than 30 songs (I've seen some), and I also agree, that more often than not, quality > than quantity... but if you're suggesting shorter set lists make for better shows, my personal experience confirms the opposite. 


I'm not upset that they're playing shorter set lists, I'm happy they're still touring. I'll take any live Pearl Jam I can get at this point, but for my money? I would take those longer sets 10 out of 10 times if I had the choice and put up with a few songs I don't want to hear... everyone needs to use the bathroom at some point. 

evenflow82

I am kind of surprised RVM hasn't been played yet.  I wonder if Ed finally came to terms that he can't sing the "Once you....were in my....rearview mirror!!!" line before the outro.  It's been hard hearing that line be conveniently "forgotten" or seeing him purposely pull his mouth away from the mic during that part.  

PJNB

evenflow82 said:

I am kind of surprised RVM hasn't been played yet.  I wonder if Ed finally came to terms that he can't sing the "Once you....were in my....rearview mirror!!!" line before the outro.  It's been hard hearing that line be conveniently "forgotten" or seeing him purposely pull his mouth away from the mic during that part.  

Thought it sounded awesome at the Encore show. 

CP218430

I loved the 2 hour shows. I saw epic shows in person, the 3 plus hour sets and in the end I prefer the flow of the shorter sets. Energy and urgency. All that said - ten songs, thirty songs. I'll be thrilled to be in the same building again. 

mrmcqueen

devonfz said:

The four shows this year and the Ohana 3 all have had the basically the same variety of songs played haven't added it up yet but besides gigaton every night they basically are playing given to fly DTE corduroy Evenflo alive porch daughter better man at Ohana my personal favorite for all three nights was I am mine and in San Diego my highlight was amongst the waves I just would like a little more variety too I mean it seems like there's maybe one or two songs a night off the beaten path of what they're playing which is fine the shows were amazing the band is as tight as ever but it makes it tough to justify going to multiple shows

You make a great point, devonfz. If the 2022 23-25 song set lists provides room for 6-8 Gigaton, 7 "nightly core," and 8-10 wildcards, that's very different than the LB Tour with 3-6 LB songs, 9 core, and closer to 15-20 wildcards.  

Weston1283

I don't mind the idea of 20-25 songs, and I certainly don't have to hear "Dirty Frank" or "Other Side" to have it be a good show

But, there are entire albums and portions of the bands career that get sacrificed with the new show length (2000-2009).  Songs like Life Wasted, WWS, I Am Mine, even The Fixer.... I could go on.  There are going to be great songs that were usually commonly played that will sadly go by the wayside if the setlists stay around 22 songs.  

So to clarify for myself, its not the lack of specific rarities or white whales, but overall lack of diversity that will drive me to travel to less shows

PB11041

RiotAct10 said:

PB11041 said:

RiotAct10 said:

Weston1283 said:

Rarest song so far is Leash or Wash

I don't believe this is quite accurate:
Leash 129
Wash 91

Rarer songs so far include:
Amongst The Waves 51
Of The Girl 51
Sleeping By Myself 21
Low Light 76

Have to look at this based on probability too, not just raw net number.  Wash has been around and played live since 1991.  It was played 33 times in '91 and 31 times in '92.  And that is known setlists as many 91s and a few 92s are missing.  So of the 96 times it has been played (not sure where 91 came assuming stat tracker which is innacurate) 64 happened before 1993.  since vs was released the odds of seeing Wash are spectacularly low.

Post 2003 tour Of the Girl is certainly rare, but wash has a near decade head start on the song.

Amongst the Waves and Sleeping have not been around long enough to really be rare.  Since their release the former has been played 50x to Wash 15x and the latter 21x to Wash 11x.

Lowlight is played with incredible relative frequency since 2006.  

Fair enough. Where are you getting your stats? Yes I was using Stat Tracker. I am not able to pull up pjdb.net, is it still around?

livefootsteps.org

mrmcqueen

mshnayder said:

JojoRice said:

pbultimate said:

Dropping e flow, rvm and porch should allow 6 additional songs to get a turn. 

I'd add Elderly Woman, DTE, & Corduroy to that list as well. 

I mean....really guys? Sure lets drop the songs that the crowd gets most into. Can't imagine dropping RVM, Porch, DTE, or Corduroy...those are the songs to hear the band really rock out

Agreed. Similar to not playing some combination of GO, Animal, Corduroy, DTE, RVM and Porch during a tour of Latin America. The crowd gets too energized to deny either the band nor the audience that experience, each and every stop along the way.

bootlegger10

Weston1283 said:

I don't mind the idea of 20-25 songs, and I certainly don't have to hear "Dirty Frank" or "Other Side" to have it be a good show

But, there are entire albums and portions of the bands career that get sacrificed with the new show length (2000-2009).  Songs like Life Wasted, WWS, I Am Mine, even The Fixer.... I could go on.  There are going to be great songs that were usually commonly played that will sadly go by the wayside if the setlists stay around 22 songs.  

So to clarify for myself, its not the lack of specific rarities or white whales, but overall lack of diversity that will drive me to travel to less shows

Exactly.