It's funny how reading through these and how vast the answers are.
1. It obviously comes down to ones personal preference.
2. The word variety also comes into play here. I attended 5 Dark Matter shows over the last 2 years and heard quite a bit of the same songs at each show. Dark Matter tunes plus the regular constants (DTE, Even Flow, Alive, etc.). But I also saw at least 2 or 3 new songs at each show. So the more shows you saw, the more variety you got overall.
3. I heard a lot of people say they were better when they were playing 35 songs a night. But, I will take 26 high quality songs anytime over 35 songs that they play just to play. (Not that they were bad, but just saying).
4. Finally, if your one of the lucky ones who have seen them upwards of 50 or more times, I'm betting the Dark Matter shows were just ok because you've probably already seen most songs live and it would take more to impress you. But maybe I'm wrong.
These are just the thoughts of a guy who has only seen them 15 times and I thought they were great over the last 2 years. Those 2 Pitt shows were amazing and 2 of the best I've seen. (Maybe only St. Louis in '22 was better?)
3. The quality was every bit as good for the "evening with" shows, just more of it. If someone wants to say the quality took a hit hey #1 is #1 but I would disagree completely.
4. This is me but I don't think it's about needing more to be impressed. Just missing the vibe of the old days (when these set lengths were very much the norm by the way). Two nighters meant 1 or 2 repeats max and any song in the catalog was in play. Didn't get better than that.
It's funny how reading through these and how vast the answers are.
1. It obviously comes down to ones personal preference.
3. I heard a lot of people say they were better when they were playing 35 songs a night. But, I will take 26 high quality songs anytime over 35 songs that they play just to play. (Not that they were bad, but just saying).
4. Finally, if your one of the lucky ones who have seen them upwards of 50 or more times, I'm betting the Dark Matter shows were just ok because you've probably already seen most songs live and it would take more to impress you. But maybe I'm wrong.
Yeah, I don't think those 35 songs a night gigs were low quality. A few mess ups here and there but they were doing that back in the late 90's/early 2000's when they were playing similar length shows as they are now. There a definitely less mess ups now though, as they playing a lot of the same songs throughout a tour.
And I'm at the 50 show mark and if you take out new albums songs (Gigaton and DM), I'd have to go back 7 shows to the last time I heard an original song I hadn't heard yet (Out of My Mind at Fenway in 2018). Doesn't mean I haven't been impressed. The shows have still been great. They probably just don't stack up to how things used to be. And that's OK. Different band now and I'm just happy to be able to keep seeing them live.
Sorry, I didn't mean the shows with 35 songs were bad... although I re-read my post and it does sound that way.
I just mean it seems like so much more care was put into the shows over the last few years as opposed to just pumping out songs.
Hope that makes sense.
I feel like if they were putting more care into the shows, at least as compared to the pre-covid, 30+ song sets, there would be a lot fewer repeats in any given two night stand. I would think they would be making up for the shorter sets by giving us more variety... the element of surprise simply isn't what it was in years past.
I'm not complaining about the current sets, I'll take any live PJ I can get. & I'm not suggesting they're mailing it in, and yes, Philly 1 was one of the best shows I've ever seen... but I would still take the "Evening w/ PJ" Era shows > anything post covid 10 out of 10 times.
Sorry, I didn't mean the shows with 35 songs were bad... although I re-read my post and it does sound that way.
I just mean it seems like so much more care was put into the shows over the last few years as opposed to just pumping out songs.
Hope that makes sense.
All personal preference but "care" chips away at what I love most about them. I will take a couple flubs for all the perks of a looser approach to the set. I don’t need the songs refined like a steel blade. I don’t think giant screens or bigger production suits them. I love seeing them in an arena where the backdrop is fans.
I don't get the hang up about the screens... at least not when it comes to stadiums or sheds, the only option for those venues besides the screen is nothing at all.
If I didn't love the latest album as much as I had, I'd feel very different about the setlist and format. I do wish the setlist was more of a half split of hits & DM, with the other half more varied, as the ~25 song setlist means cutting out more of the random songs or covers I'm hoping to see. I kinda wish they toured Gigaton like this (they had the visualizers) because I loved the last 2 albums a lot more than I expected.
The visuals were a nice touch and appreciated for the shows I was further back. It's a great collaboration between Rob Sheridan and the band, and I hope if they continue this route the build off of it and not let it get stale. I do slightly regret not buying a ticket behind the stage from past tours to get that perspective of the crowd though...
I'm hopeful that this new format is only for touring new albums, but during those gap years we are able to get some of the larger stadium shows and longer setlists. It's funny how fast a 2 hour show feels - it's tight and with little interruption, but I can almost sense how quickly we're getting to Yellow Ledbetter. I do pine for the days where we could have a show with 1/3 more songs, encore breaks and time for the occasional EV story, so fingers crossed we'll get opportunities for bigger/longer shows again.
I don't get the hang up about the screens... at least not when it comes to stadiums or sheds, the only option for those venues besides the screen is nothing at all.
I didn’t really dig them at Fenway. There were some nice moments (Setting Sun), but mostly I felt the visuals were fine but whatever (the DM stuff) or the band would get lost in whatever was on the large screen directly behind them (crowd shots, band shots, the DTE video).
While the new DM material is certainly a driver for the current set-list rotation, I wonder if the decision to use a background screen and song specific video also factors in to a higher number of repetitive songs. While a nice visual change, I’m fine with more fans behind the stage and ditch the screen for more set-list flexibility - if a factor.
I haven't seen all that many shows but I saw 3 shows post-COVID and have listened to tons of bootlegs spanning their career and my takeaways are:
- I don't like the two nights in each city. With the fact that they play so few shows that means they are only hitting 8-10 cities where they could hit 20 if they didn't do the two-night thing.
- the shows from the '10-'18, while they were long and full of surprises, they were also very sloppy and I think these past few years they sound much more tight and there are fewer mess-ups.
- Eddie's talking has gotten out of control. In a 2.5 hour show he probably talks for a total of 30 minutes. Maybe he uses the time to take a break but it really takes away from the flow of the show when there are two or three songs played and then a 5 minute stoppage. At least with the bootlegs the talking is at the end of the track and I can just skip it.
- With the shorter shows, the covers should be gone. I never have to hear RITFW, Crazy Mary, Baba O'Riley, or I Won't Back Down again. The encores should get a little less predictable too.
- I did enjoy the shows I attended recently and I really liked DM and so them playing those songs was fine. I assume in future shows the DM songs will drop to one or two per show.
While the new DM material is certainly a driver for the current set-list rotation, I wonder if the decision to use a background screen and song specific video also factors in to a higher number of repetitive songs. While a nice visual change, I’m fine with more fans behind the stage and ditch the screen for more set-list flexibility - if a factor.
its def a factor.....I think it had its run, sign that bad boy and auction it off! I LIKED the visuals, but it was an era that now seams to be over
I don't get the hang up about the screens... at least not when it comes to stadiums or sheds, the only option for those venues besides the screen is nothing at all.
I didn’t really dig them at Fenway. There were some nice moments (Setting Sun), but mostly I felt the visuals were fine but whatever (the DM stuff) or the band would get lost in whatever was on the large screen directly behind them (crowd shots, band shots, the DTE video).
I was quite happy to have those screens in Dublin & Fenway N2 when I wasn't all that close to the stage. I get the point of them getting lost in it, but in the end they didn't take that much away from my experience.
While I was very against it at first I have say the shorter sets have made a huge difference. Playing 6 or more songs less I think has translated into playing the 24 or so songs better. Especially when they pull out rarities.
I also should say that I don’t know I could last another 5 or 6 songs on multiple nights anymore haha
Listening to shows from like 2010-2018 they played a ton of songs, but one thing i noticed is how fast they played those songs. I do miss the 3 hour shows, but I don't miss how fast they played them. While the sets have become waaaay more predictable, I think the music and how they play the songs is better now.
I don't get the hang up about the screens... at least not when it comes to stadiums or sheds, the only option for those venues besides the screen is nothing at all.
I didn’t really dig them at Fenway. There were some nice moments (Setting Sun), but mostly I felt the visuals were fine but whatever (the DM stuff) or the band would get lost in whatever was on the large screen directly behind them (crowd shots, band shots, the DTE video).
I was quite happy to have those screens in Dublin & Fenway N2 when I wasn't all that close to the stage. I get the point of them getting lost in it, but in the end they didn't take that much away from my experience.
Different strokes & whatnot.
Yeah I think it's the law of quibbles where if you have a few quibbles you feel compelled to present all of them but if it was just the one quibble I probably wouldn't think about it too much
Comments
4. This is me but I don't think it's about needing more to be impressed. Just missing the vibe of the old days (when these set lengths were very much the norm by the way). Two nighters meant 1 or 2 repeats max and any song in the catalog was in play. Didn't get better than that.
And I'm at the 50 show mark and if you take out new albums songs (Gigaton and DM), I'd have to go back 7 shows to the last time I heard an original song I hadn't heard yet (Out of My Mind at Fenway in 2018). Doesn't mean I haven't been impressed. The shows have still been great. They probably just don't stack up to how things used to be. And that's OK. Different band now and I'm just happy to be able to keep seeing them live.
I just mean it seems like so much more care was put into the shows over the last few years as opposed to just pumping out songs.
Hope that makes sense.
2025: Pitt 1 05-16, Pitt 2 05-18
I'm not complaining about the current sets, I'll take any live PJ I can get. & I'm not suggesting they're mailing it in, and yes, Philly 1 was one of the best shows I've ever seen... but I would still take the "Evening w/ PJ" Era shows > anything post covid 10 out of 10 times.
The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
2020: Oakland, Oakland: 2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
The visuals were a nice touch and appreciated for the shows I was further back. It's a great collaboration between Rob Sheridan and the band, and I hope if they continue this route the build off of it and not let it get stale. I do slightly regret not buying a ticket behind the stage from past tours to get that perspective of the crowd though...
I'm hopeful that this new format is only for touring new albums, but during those gap years we are able to get some of the larger stadium shows and longer setlists. It's funny how fast a 2 hour show feels - it's tight and with little interruption, but I can almost sense how quickly we're getting to Yellow Ledbetter. I do pine for the days where we could have a show with 1/3 more songs, encore breaks and time for the occasional EV story, so fingers crossed we'll get opportunities for bigger/longer shows again.
- I don't like the two nights in each city. With the fact that they play so few shows that means they are only hitting 8-10 cities where they could hit 20 if they didn't do the two-night thing.
- the shows from the '10-'18, while they were long and full of surprises, they were also very sloppy and I think these past few years they sound much more tight and there are fewer mess-ups.
- Eddie's talking has gotten out of control. In a 2.5 hour show he probably talks for a total of 30 minutes. Maybe he uses the time to take a break but it really takes away from the flow of the show when there are two or three songs played and then a 5 minute stoppage. At least with the bootlegs the talking is at the end of the track and I can just skip it.
- With the shorter shows, the covers should be gone. I never have to hear RITFW, Crazy Mary, Baba O'Riley, or I Won't Back Down again. The encores should get a little less predictable too.
- I did enjoy the shows I attended recently and I really liked DM and so them playing those songs was fine. I assume in future shows the DM songs will drop to one or two per show.
Different strokes & whatnot.
2025: Pitt 1 05-16, Pitt 2 05-18