Options
Lets discuss "The Casual Fan"
SPEEDY MCCREADY
Posts: 24,803
in The Porch
First off, had I been at that show last evening in Toronto, I would have been doing somersaults, being able to hear Binaural live. I LOVE that album!
But how did the casual fan enjoy that show last night? And should we really care? I am guessing the casual fan was kind of lost after the first 10-15 songs. Right? I am going to take a guess and say most casual fans are not BIG fans of the album Binaural. Im guessing that 60% of the people in that building had to think that maybe they just wasted $100, after hearing the first 15 or so songs. Now I understand the next 20 songs had plenty of hits, and the casual fan got most of his favorites, along with some sing-a-longs. But I have a feeling plenty of people who were at that show woke up this morning scratching their heads. What do you think?
Another question. Do you think the band will continue with the "Surprise Albumside" at future shows? How do you think that will go over? How will the casual fan react to Backspacer or Riot Act? How will Avocado go over live, to the casual fan? And again should we care that maybe 60% of the people attending the show, may leave very unhappy?
Also I realize the BAND is having a GREAT TIME playing these albums. And maybe that is all that matters. Personally I think its pretty damned cool they played 10, VS, and Binaural on this tour. But if the trend continues, how will the next few albums go over live?
But how did the casual fan enjoy that show last night? And should we really care? I am guessing the casual fan was kind of lost after the first 10-15 songs. Right? I am going to take a guess and say most casual fans are not BIG fans of the album Binaural. Im guessing that 60% of the people in that building had to think that maybe they just wasted $100, after hearing the first 15 or so songs. Now I understand the next 20 songs had plenty of hits, and the casual fan got most of his favorites, along with some sing-a-longs. But I have a feeling plenty of people who were at that show woke up this morning scratching their heads. What do you think?
Another question. Do you think the band will continue with the "Surprise Albumside" at future shows? How do you think that will go over? How will the casual fan react to Backspacer or Riot Act? How will Avocado go over live, to the casual fan? And again should we care that maybe 60% of the people attending the show, may leave very unhappy?
Also I realize the BAND is having a GREAT TIME playing these albums. And maybe that is all that matters. Personally I think its pretty damned cool they played 10, VS, and Binaural on this tour. But if the trend continues, how will the next few albums go over live?
Take me piece by piece.....
Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
0
Comments
Casual fan was then pretty lost for the next 13 songs. A good hour or so of not really knowing what was going on, and for sure wondering, "how much money did I spend on this ticket?
Casual fan was then whipped right back into shape with Corduroy, Once, and RVM. 3 songs they've surely heard a bunch of times and could really get in to.
Casual fan then got 2 really cool covers, and Betterman and Porch. A great encore for casual fan.
And then a 7 song second encore where casual fan has probably heard of most of the songs.
The thing with casual fan (or those who haven't done any research on PJ shows) is that they were not expecting a 3hr, 33 song set. That's just not the norm for most arena rock shows. They probably thought the night was done after encore 1.
So, all in all, I think casual fan had a great night. Yeah, there was an hour or so in the middle where he lost, wondering what was happening. But the band they knew and loved ended up delivering for them. They got to hear a bunch of hits, sing real loud, and enjoy some nice cover songs.
said he could understand the band doing Ten, VS, No Code or Yield.... but not Binaural....He called Binaural a "snoozer" for fans....
Blasphemy!!!!!!
or so I have heard.
but then again I fall into the hardcore fan category. the hipster that would've been disappointed with MSG shows.
livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=446
1995- New Orleans, LA : New Orleans, LA
1996- Charleston, SC
1998- Atlanta, GA: Birmingham, AL: Greenville, SC: Knoxville, TN
2000- Atlanta, GA: New Orleans, LA: Memphis, TN: Nashville, TN
2003- Raleigh, NC: Charlotte, NC: Atlanta, GA
2004- Asheville, NC (hometown show)
2006- Cincinnati, OH
2008- Columbia, SC
2009- Chicago, IL x 2 / Ed Vedder- Atlanta, GA x 2
2010- Bristow, VA
2011- Alpine Valley, WI (PJ20) x 2 / Ed Vedder- Chicago, IL
2012- Atlanta, GA
2013- Charlotte, NC
2014- Cincinnati, OH
2015- New York, NY
2016- Greenville, SC: Hampton, VA:: Columbia, SC: Raleigh, NC : Lexington, KY: Philly, PA 2: (Wrigley) Chicago, IL x 2 (holy shit): Temple of the Dog- Philly, PA
2017- ED VED- Louisville, KY
2018- Chicago, IL x2, Boston, MA x2
2020- Nashville, TN
2022- Smashville
2023- Austin, TX x2
2024- Baltimore
Me personally..any album prior to riot act would have been exciting to be apart off..but by no means necessary or do I crave it..if I hear riot act, avocado, backspacer, or LB at wrigley I would be surprised.
6/18/03 Chicago-United Center
5/17/06 Chicago-United Center
7/19/13 Chicago-Wrigley Field
10/11/13 Pittsburgh-Consol Energy Center
10/17/14 Moline-IWireless Center (No Code)
10/20/14 Milwaukee-Bradley center (Yield)
4/26/16 Lexington-Rupp Arena
8/20/16 Chicago-Wrigley Field
8/22/16 Chicago-Wrigley Field
8/18/18 Chicago-Wrigley Field
8/20/18 Chicago-Wrigley Field
9/5/23 Chicago-United Center
9/7/23 Chicago-United Center
2012 Missoula (9/30) 2013 Chicago (7/19) Pittsburgh (10/11) Buffalo (10/12) Baltimore (10/27) Dallas (11/15)
2014 Austin (10/12) Memphis (10/14) St. Paul (10/19) Milwaukee (10/20) Denver (10/22)
2016 Ft. Lauderdale (4/8) Miami (4/9) Hampton (4/18) Philly (4/28,4/29) NY (5/1,5/2) 2018 Seattle (8/10) Missoula (8/13) 2022 Nashville (9/16)
E.V. - 2008 Berkeley (4/8) 2012 Austin (11/9,11/12)
Temple of the Dog - 2016 Upper Darby
Edited to add, I love that the band is playing these albums. I just wish they would rehearse it a little bit more first. Some of the songs were pretty sloppy.
I hope that they back off of the complete album shows once they get through them each once. I was at the Ten show in Philly and loved it at the time, but I'd hate to get a repeat of an album show if I travel to see the band and see them outside of my hometown in a year or two. I love the unpredictability of shows with this band and it's getting to the point where these album shows are starting to be expected instead of being a special present we get every once in a blue moon.
2008: 6/20 Camden, NJ
2009: 10/28 Philadelphia, PA
2013: 10/22 Philadelphia, PA; 10/27 Baltimore, MD
2016: 4/20/ Raleigh, NC; 4/28 Philadelphia, PA; 4/29 Philadelphia, PA; 8/20 Chicago, IL
And you're a hardcore fan, then we should assume you're into...
St.John's 9/25/2005
Toronto 9/11/2011
Toronto 9/12/2011
Quebec City 5/5/2016
Ottawa 5/8/2016
hardcore but I don't like Phish.... so maybe not a hipster after all
livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=446
1995- New Orleans, LA : New Orleans, LA
1996- Charleston, SC
1998- Atlanta, GA: Birmingham, AL: Greenville, SC: Knoxville, TN
2000- Atlanta, GA: New Orleans, LA: Memphis, TN: Nashville, TN
2003- Raleigh, NC: Charlotte, NC: Atlanta, GA
2004- Asheville, NC (hometown show)
2006- Cincinnati, OH
2008- Columbia, SC
2009- Chicago, IL x 2 / Ed Vedder- Atlanta, GA x 2
2010- Bristow, VA
2011- Alpine Valley, WI (PJ20) x 2 / Ed Vedder- Chicago, IL
2012- Atlanta, GA
2013- Charlotte, NC
2014- Cincinnati, OH
2015- New York, NY
2016- Greenville, SC: Hampton, VA:: Columbia, SC: Raleigh, NC : Lexington, KY: Philly, PA 2: (Wrigley) Chicago, IL x 2 (holy shit): Temple of the Dog- Philly, PA
2017- ED VED- Louisville, KY
2018- Chicago, IL x2, Boston, MA x2
2020- Nashville, TN
2022- Smashville
2023- Austin, TX x2
2024- Baltimore
I would say about half of my row cleared out at around the Thin Air>Insignificance point, probably wondering wtf was happening and why they hadn't played something they recognized yet. Surprisingly a lot of these people who left never came back. At least not that I saw. The rest were sitting for a good portion of it, until they played Corduroy.
In my opinion, the reaction of people around you at a show definitely impacts your enjoyment (think of being in a section where everyone is up standing and fired up vs. being around a section of sitters).
That being said, Binaural is my favourite album and I was in heaven throughout the show. I said this in the Toronto show thread, but to show the amount of confidence and balls to just say "fuck it, we're playing through Binaural tonight" says a lot about this band and represents pretty much everything I love about them. And their ability to just say "fuck it, we're doing it our way" is probably the main reason they have had such longevity to begin with.
I love this move for more than just the fact that I got to experience my favourite album played front to back.
Completely agree with Attaway77 and that PJ is always worth the ticket price. Thats why I feel comfortable taking people who haven't heard of them or listened since HS. Because of the feel of Binaural you arent going to see a lot of people getting into it, but sure as shit anyone present is feeling it...and if they wake up scratching their heads they should get to the bottom of it for themselves
I was doing somersaults from home last night. There's something about seeing live an album- its the way you are exposed to the music in the first place- play through, repeat- that order becomes ingrained....
I hope you get this message but your not home...I will be there in just a minute or so...
I want to go but I want to go with you.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime. -MT
I've had enough, said enough, felt enough. I'm fine, still in it.
So to answer the question I think we should not care about the casual fan's feelings for last night.
After all they got to hear some hits.
Toronto 1 was a celebration for hardcore fans or even casual fans that like Binaural (what is the definition of a casual fan actually?). It's good that hardcore fans get legendary setlists from time to time. I really wish I was there last night.
Regarding Full Album Shows:
They still haven't played Vitalogy, Riot Act, Backspacer and LB (full Avocado happened 9/19/06 in Torino). I am not sure I would like to be there when they play full Backspacer or Full LB, although I would love Riot Act and would be ok with Vitalogy.
Maybe instead of playing whole albums it would be better if they have a better mix of ALL albums in every show.
You just don't see that anymore - they sound incredible (as we know)
However I just don't get Gods Dice, to me that is the song where the casual fan would start to lose attention. They should've played Last Kiss instead, it is way better and appeals more to the masses and keeps them engaged.
Gods Dice I find myself wishing they would sing it faster and get it over with.
i sure dont
https://nowtoronto.com/music/concert-reviews/five-things-you-missed-at-pearl-jam/
www.headstonesband.com
I'd gladly take a pass on the others. As a side note, I would rather eat broken glass than have Backspacer played at a show.
London, ON - Sep 12, 2005
Toronto, ON - Aug 21, 2009
Toronto, ON- Sep 11 2011
Hamilton, ON- Sep 15 2011
London, ON- Jul 16 2013
Buffalo, NY- Oct 12 2013