Have seen a few comments here and elsewhere that variety has not decreased as well so I checked out the numbers.
In both 2022 and 2016 (most recent semi-comparable tour) there were 17 songs that were played at least 40%+ of the time.
13 songs were in this group in both 2022 and 2016 (Alive, Even Flow, Porch, Corduroy, Do The Evolution, Small Town, Given to Fly, Daughter, Better Man, Jeremy, Why Go, Black, Yellow Ledbetter).
4 songs were common in one year but not the other (Quick Escape, Clairvoyants, Superblood Wolfmoon, Seven O’Clock in 2022; Mind Your Manners, Lightning Bolt, Rearviewmirror, State of Love & Trust in 2016).
In 2022 with an average setlist of 21 songs / show this means that these 17 songs represent 80% of the setlist aka the average show gets ~4 relatively uncommon songs per night.
In 2016 with an average setlist of 31 songs, the 17 common songs were 55% of the setlist, leaving room for ~14 unique songs per night.
So objectively they are playing much more standard setlists on this tour than they have previously. I think it would go a long way to making people happy if they considered rotating a few of the ol standbys a bit more often.
That first 3EB record is still one of my all time favorites. That was sophomore year of college for me. Also, saw them open for U2 during their PopMart tour at the Edward Jones Dome in St.Louis.
I'll need to see this trend continue into a next tour - one negotiated, contracted and scheduled with COVID in mind - before I am prepared to admit this is the new normal.
It was said they were going to change things up well before the tour. So here we are.
Where was this said and what was said? I do not remember that
Wasn't it Jeff that was quoted saying he'd like the band to play more concise Zepplin-esque shows?
Concise zeppelin shows?!?! 45 minute versions of no quarter and dazed and confused isn't concise. Zepp would be at the top of my list for bloated overly long live shows.
I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell.
-Christopher Walken
you're=you are
your=showing ownership
The truth has a well known liberal bias.
-Stephen Colbert
That first 3EB record is still one of my all time favorites. That was sophomore year of college for me. Also, saw them open for U2 during their PopMart tour at the Edward Jones Dome in St.Louis.
The self-titled Third Eye Blind album is one of my favorites from the 90s. It’s a complete album start to finish and one that I never have to skip a song on (my personal test of a what I consider a great album). They can play great fast songs and great slow songs…that part is similar to Pearl Jam IMO. Do they compare live to PJ? No. But they have put out some of the most popular music from the 90s. As others have said though it’s too bad Jenkins has had a falling out with multiple other band members. Him and Cadigan were an unbelievable song-writing duo.
I'll need to see this trend continue into a next tour - one negotiated, contracted and scheduled with COVID in mind - before I am prepared to admit this is the new normal.
^ This. This tour could very well be an anomaly. I’m very much in the camp of let’s see what happens on the next tour before we declare the glory years over.
I went to LA1 / LA2 and I will be going to MSG, Nash and probably STL or Toronto.....Thought LA1 / LA2 were great.
My off the wall take is if the band is going to do 20-25 songs a night, I'd love to see them seriously mix it up significantly. Make it a pure...who the hell knows what they are going to play??? This is the perfect band with an unbelievable catalogue to do it. It would mean that Elderly, DTE, Corduroy aren't heard every night....but, it would give some life to those songs which aren't played often. For instance, I might be wrong....but, I'm not sure if we've heard Inside Job, Breakerfall during this tour.
Anyways, just my opinion....if shorter shows.....go the Grateful Dead route and make it a who knows what we're going to get.
I'll need to see this trend continue into a next tour - one negotiated, contracted and scheduled with COVID in mind - before I am prepared to admit this is the new normal.
Yeah that’s a great one. Definitely a band that was way better than their big hits. Motorcycle Drive By. God of Wine. Slow Motion. Blinded. So many classics.
I don’t really pay attention to Jenkins personally but that dude can write some great lyrics.
Have seen a few comments here and elsewhere that variety has not decreased as well so I checked out the numbers.
In both 2022 and 2016 (most recent semi-comparable tour) there were 17 songs that were played at least 40%+ of the time.
13 songs were in this group in both 2022 and 2016 (Alive, Even Flow, Porch, Corduroy, Do The Evolution, Small Town, Given to Fly, Daughter, Better Man, Jeremy, Why Go, Black, Yellow Ledbetter).
4 songs were common in one year but not the other (Quick Escape, Clairvoyants, Superblood Wolfmoon, Seven O’Clock in 2022; Mind Your Manners, Lightning Bolt, Rearviewmirror, State of Love & Trust in 2016).
In 2022 with an average setlist of 21 songs / show this means that these 17 songs represent 80% of the setlist aka the average show gets ~4 relatively uncommon songs per night.
In 2016 with an average setlist of 31 songs, the 17 common songs were 55% of the setlist, leaving room for ~14 unique songs per night.
So objectively they are playing much more standard setlists on this tour than they have previously. I think it would go a long way to making people happy if they considered rotating a few of the ol standbys a bit more often.
Have seen a few comments here and elsewhere that variety has not decreased as well so I checked out the numbers.
In both 2022 and 2016 (most recent semi-comparable tour) there were 17 songs that were played at least 40%+ of the time.
13 songs were in this group in both 2022 and 2016 (Alive, Even Flow, Porch, Corduroy, Do The Evolution, Small Town, Given to Fly, Daughter, Better Man, Jeremy, Why Go, Black, Yellow Ledbetter).
4 songs were common in one year but not the other (Quick Escape, Clairvoyants, Superblood Wolfmoon, Seven O’Clock in 2022; Mind Your Manners, Lightning Bolt, Rearviewmirror, State of Love & Trust in 2016).
In 2022 with an average setlist of 21 songs / show this means that these 17 songs represent 80% of the setlist aka the average show gets ~4 relatively uncommon songs per night.
In 2016 with an average setlist of 31 songs, the 17 common songs were 55% of the setlist, leaving room for ~14 unique songs per night.
So objectively they are playing much more standard setlists on this tour than they have previously. I think it would go a long way to making people happy if they considered rotating a few of the ol standbys a bit more often.
This was a good post.
+1
PJ built its concert reputation with length, variety and surprise. If Father Time requires a shorter set (I get it, I’m in my late 50s) so be it. But why throw away all three points on their live reputation? They can play a shorter show and still rotate six to seven songs that aren’t staples.
it seems they want that “crispness” to the shows, which is difficult when dusting off rarely played tunes.
What year was it when they set out some info saying that they hear the fans complaints about the sets and are going to mix it up even more. Maybe I am remembering that wrong but I feel like there was something in the 10C newsletter or somewhere that said something along those lines a decade or two ago.
Last night's set list was pretty, pretty, pretty good.
I second that! In my opinion it was the perfect example of how you create a nicely balanced setlist, that pleases casual fans and rarity-hunters at the same time and leaves the crowd happy and exhausted after an energetic and tight 2 hour show that (at least to me) felt 30 (or so) minutes longer.
Last night's set list was pretty, pretty, pretty good.
I second that! In my opinion it was the perfect example of how you create a nicely balanced setlist, that pleases casual fans and rarity-hunters at the same time and leaves the crowd happy and exhausted after an energetic and tight 2 hour show that (at least to me) felt 30 (or so) minutes longer.
Yup. Most here won't complain if the shows are shortened to 20-24 songs if we get the things you mentioned in your post in each set. Last night's set looked like a real treat!
Much better variety in Frankfurt. That’s how you make the most out of a shorter set. 👍
04-11-94. The Boston Gahden. Boston, MA 10-02-96. The Meadows. Hartford, CT 08-29-00. Tweeter Center. Mansfield, MA 07-02-03. Tweeter Center. Mansfield, MA 03-27-11. Tres Mts (with Jeff and Mike). Paradise Rock Club. Boston, MA 06-16-11. EV solo tour. The Wang Theater. Boston, MA 09-03-11. Alpine Valley. PJ20. East Troy, WI 09-04-11. Alpine Valley. PJ20. East Troy, WI 09-04-18. Fenway Park. Boston, MA
Nice research on these JBob87: 13 songs were in this group in both 2022 and 2016 (Alive, Even Flow, Porch, Corduroy, Do The Evolution, Small Town, Given to Fly, Daughter, Better Man, Jeremy, Why Go, Black, Yellow Ledbetter).
I would love a show without any of these being played, but that is because I am old and been to a few shows. Totally agree with everyone's comments on variety over length.
Here is my theory on why the setlists are shorter than recent tours:
-Opening Act: most tours in recent years were An Evening With Pearl Jam, and the opening act cuts into the show time
-They hadn't played in 3 years and due to infections and quarantine they didn't have the time to relearn all the songs
-Covid bubble rules during the tour have limited time during the tour to relearn some songs. Have they been doing soundchecks?
-they are getting older
I think a combination of the above factors is what has led to the change. Any one of the factors could have been overcome but the combination, more or less has them making this choice, perhaps to help make it more likely the tour happens at all.
I think they could play a little bit longer...maybe 25 songs. But in the end, I don't care. I just saw Korn play for 1 hour 15 minutes and it was effin' brilliant from start to finish...so if PJ plays for 2 hours I'll be stoked. Yes, I have my own personal requests and they'll maybe play one or two if I'm lucky...and my wife who'll be with me is not a fan, but she hopes they'll end the show in Vienna with Ledbetter. If not, we'll have a blast regardless. This will be our first vacation without the kids so I can barely contain myself with 4 days in Vienna including 2 hours of Pearl Jam. And who knows...maybe Vienna is the show where they'll stretch it to 25 songs? 🤞🤟
Comments
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
-Christopher Walken
you're=you are
your=showing ownership
The truth has a well known liberal bias.
-Stephen Colbert
My off the wall take is if the band is going to do 20-25 songs a night, I'd love to see them seriously mix it up significantly. Make it a pure...who the hell knows what they are going to play??? This is the perfect band with an unbelievable catalogue to do it. It would mean that Elderly, DTE, Corduroy aren't heard every night....but, it would give some life to those songs which aren't played often. For instance, I might be wrong....but, I'm not sure if we've heard Inside Job, Breakerfall during this tour.
Anyways, just my opinion....if shorter shows.....go the Grateful Dead route and make it a who knows what we're going to get.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TcjyYqNrwec
really really good
https://youtu.be/AHlOybXcT7o
Prague Krakow Berlin 2018. Berlin 2022
EV, Taormina 1+2 2017.
I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
PJ built its concert reputation with length, variety and surprise. If Father Time requires a shorter set (I get it, I’m in my late 50s) so be it. But why throw away all three points on their live reputation? They can play a shorter show and still rotate six to seven songs that aren’t staples.
it seems they want that “crispness” to the shows, which is difficult when dusting off rarely played tunes.
10-02-96. The Meadows. Hartford, CT
08-29-00. Tweeter Center. Mansfield, MA
07-02-03. Tweeter Center. Mansfield, MA
03-27-11. Tres Mts (with Jeff and Mike). Paradise Rock Club. Boston, MA
06-16-11. EV solo tour. The Wang Theater. Boston, MA
09-03-11. Alpine Valley. PJ20. East Troy, WI
09-04-11. Alpine Valley. PJ20. East Troy, WI
09-04-18. Fenway Park. Boston, MA
But Black just came on random on a non PJ heavy rotation, and the thought is…
how weird would it be going to a PJ show not hearing these fans scream this song?
sorry Prince, Alanis, Whitney…Ed did it better.
13 songs were in this group in both 2022 and 2016 (Alive, Even Flow, Porch, Corduroy, Do The Evolution, Small Town, Given to Fly, Daughter, Better Man, Jeremy, Why Go, Black, Yellow Ledbetter).
I would love a show without any of these being played, but that is because I am old and been to a few shows. Totally agree with everyone's comments on variety over length.
-Opening Act: most tours in recent years were An Evening With Pearl Jam, and the opening act cuts into the show time
-They hadn't played in 3 years and due to infections and quarantine they didn't have the time to relearn all the songs
-Covid bubble rules during the tour have limited time during the tour to relearn some songs. Have they been doing soundchecks?
-they are getting older
I think a combination of the above factors is what has led to the change. Any one of the factors could have been overcome but the combination, more or less has them making this choice, perhaps to help make it more likely the tour happens at all.
Let's see what happens in the future...
Cincinnati 2014
Greenville 2016
(Raleigh 2016)
Columbia 2016