hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted September 22, 2022 Share Posted September 22, 2022 I quite enjoy looking at set structures and content for bands that I see and even ones that I don't. I'm a regular visitor to setlist.fm. This has never really occurred to me before today, but I saw a set today from a band I really like that are touring at the moment and they had a brand new song as the first tune in their three song encore. It's been released about a month as a single and only a couple of days as a song on their most recent album. In fairness I think they have been playing it for a bit longer than either, but is it a bit arrogant to put such new material in an encore? I can't actually decide myself. I guess for the people that that are at the gig that don't know their material that well, it doesn't matter and for those that do, they'll be familiar anyway. I guess I tend to think of encore material as a couple of absolute bangers that are known to the majority. Perhaps I'm in the minority? (Yes, I know the arguments around the daftness of encores - I am sympathetic to that view also) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted September 22, 2022 Share Posted September 22, 2022 Surely the age of the song is irrelevant if it's a good song? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted September 22, 2022 Share Posted September 22, 2022 I'm sure I've seen a number of bands play less familiar material as the first song of an encore, although I'd struggle to give an example. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted September 22, 2022 Share Posted September 22, 2022 Providing the band have a big enough fan base then new single to start the encore sounds good to me. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 23, 2022 Share Posted September 23, 2022 If you go and see a band who don't already have at least an album's worth of material available to the public, and they get an encore, unless you've been a regular at their gigs, it's likely to be something you don't know. IMO so long as the song is good and it fits the criteria for an encore (either a rousing anthem or chill-out vibe) it really doesn't matter if the audience is massively familiar with it. I've been in bands where we have used to encore as means of trying out a new song that we aren't ready to include in the proper set. Personally I hate the modern encore which seems to be all the band's popular songs and will often be 20% of the gig, and it is accepted by both the audience and the band that they will be back to do an encore. Traditionally an encore is a thank you from the band to an appreciative audience, and has to be earned by both the band and the audience. If a band really wants to play a song, it should be in the set, and they should only be back for an encore if the audience absolutely demand it. Then it should be one song and only a second if after they have gone off stage after the first one there is danger of there being a riot otherwise. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franticsmurf Posted September 23, 2022 Share Posted September 23, 2022 If it was the only song in an encore, then a new one would be inappropriate (IMO) but as part of several songs I think it is acceptable. I've played in a band working in the social clubs around South Wales for years and I've never really thought of the encore as anything more than a slightly extended gap between the last two songs. Not arrogance on my part, but the tradition of the social club - the compare comes up on stage, thanks the band and asks the audience if they want one more song. The conditioned response is 'yes', and we launch into a familiar up tempo tune. The 'new song' option doesn't apply, but we would never think of playing an obscure song as our last number. As has been said above we are thanking our audience for their appreciation. A rendition of 'Close to the Edge' would be a punishment for most present. 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted September 23, 2022 Share Posted September 23, 2022 14 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said: I'm sure I've seen a number of bands play less familiar material as the first song of an encore, although I'd struggle to give an example. This (but again struggling for an example). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted September 23, 2022 Share Posted September 23, 2022 3 hours ago, BigRedX said: Personally I hate the modern encore which seems to be all the band's popular songs and will often be 20% of the gig, and it is accepted by both the audience and the band that they will be back to do an encore. Traditionally an encore is a thank you from the band to an appreciative audience, and has to be earned by both the band and the audience. If a band really wants to play a song, it should be in the set, and they should only be back for an encore if the audience absolutely demand it. Then it should be one song and only a second if after they have gone off stage after the first one there is danger of there being a riot otherwise. Agree, play an encore if asked for it, if you weren`t go back to the studio & practice a bit more so you play better at the next gig where you might then get asked for one. My thoughts were to always keep one of the best songs back for a possible encore rather than play all your best ones then the encore not being as good as the set that was before it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloney Balderdash Posted September 23, 2022 Share Posted September 23, 2022 (edited) Depends if your primary incitament to be at the concert is to listen to live music or you are there to be entertained. Personally for me music should first and foremost be music, as in the artform music, and if it then also is entertaining that is a nice bonus, but not if it is at the expense of the actual quality of the music. Also I for one love when my favorite band comes out with something new. Edited September 25, 2022 by Baloney Balderdash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted September 23, 2022 Share Posted September 23, 2022 What does it matter? Is it arrogant? No, I don't think so. My personal thinking would be that if I had a new song, I'd probably want to have it somewhere in the middle of the main set, so if it goes over a bit meh then there's other songs to bring the set momentum back on track. But that's just me, and I'm not saying that others are wrong for thinking a different way. Of course, it would be nice to be in such a position - to have recognised songs for listeners to compare the new one to and make relative judgements about, but that's another issue entirely 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveK Posted September 23, 2022 Share Posted September 23, 2022 19 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said: is it a bit arrogant to put such new material in an encore? It's a little odd to include the word "arrogant" in a musicians forum?🤔 We could then be described as "arrogant", expecting punters to turn up just because we're playing😉 "Arrogance" is kind of our business.🤩 Re: new song as encore There was a time, many years ago, when I was 14 or 15 years old, I would pop along to my local venue on a weekly basis to see the likes of The Who, Genesis, Ten Years After etc I knew nothing of those bands when I saw them, every song was new to me, and yet I was blown away! I'm sure we all want to finish our set with the punters walking out muttering, "Damn, they were good!" I have no problem with a new song in the encore, providing it stands up against the rest of the set. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted September 23, 2022 Share Posted September 23, 2022 Playing a new song for an encore works for me ... how else are you going to learn it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted September 24, 2022 Share Posted September 24, 2022 IMHO. Calling for an Encore means that you want to hear more of the band. Doesn't matter what thay play. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathy Posted September 25, 2022 Share Posted September 25, 2022 Absolutely. Have seen numerous bands where they saved the greatest hits for the encore, which to me seems arrogant/contrived. For me, an encore should be something unexpected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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