Topic: Encores (Read 11052 times)

sjbrot · « **on:** 02 Oct 2005, 22:20 »

I've been to a few concerts in the past while, and I always find myself pissed about the encores. They are no longer something spontaneous and special and are now just assumed. The band walks off of the stage, the lights in the venue stay down, and everyone knows that the band will just come back out. It's like some big illusion that everyone pretends is real.

Does this bug anyone else? Am I the only one who wishes that the band would just play their set and stop kidding with everyone?

La Creme · « **Reply #1 on:** 02 Oct 2005, 23:24 »

Not when its the Eels. And they play 3 encores. The third of which is a 20-minute jam on Mr. E's Beautiful Blues.

And also not when its the Bad Plus, and they come back and play Big Eater REALLY FAST.

Or when its the Aquabats, and they throw marshmallows to the audience.

So basically I am saying NO!

Inlander · « **Reply #2 on:** 02 Oct 2005, 23:44 »

If you've got a significant number of people in the audience shouting out "more" or "encore", you'd have to be a bit of a bastard not to come back and play another two or three songs. And when people make an effort to go and see bands that they like, naturally they're going to want to get as much out of the experience as possible. So, encores happen at every major gig because there will be people at those gigs who are major fans of the band. To suggest that the band or the audience or whoever are somehow charlatans just because they play an inevitable encore is just absurd.

If you want to go to a gig and not have to worry about any "unspontaneous" encores, go down to your local pub and have a listen to the unknown band playing to a crowd of indifferent drinkers on a Wednesday night. They'll appreciate it.

Everest · « **Reply #3 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 01:56 »

I'm with you, sjbrot, that generally annoys the hell out of me. Encores should be spontaneous, but in nearly all shows I've seen, it all just happens because the general sentiment of both bands and audience is that "that's the way it has to be done". Lame. Is it the audience's fault, for yelling "we want more!"? Is it the band's fault for trying too hard to end their set in a "memorable" way?

I don't know, but if there's going to be an encore, the least a band can do is to not fool the audience with the whole "hey look, the stage lights are out, we're off-stage, so see you later, we're gone!... Or are we?" charade. We know you're not gone, you left your instruments plugged in onstage, for fuck's sake, your roadies aren't moving in to clean up. You're only drinking a beer, and chatting about how it went so far, and wondering if the audience is still dumb enough to know that it's an illusion, even after all those shows they've seen. So very lame.

That said, I suppose there can be good encores, but they are very rare. I've never seen any. Maybe it's not the greatest reference, but Blink 182's Tom, Mark & Travis Show (their live album) was a good, straightforward effort in the matter: at least they said their "encore" is just a fake.

(Yes, I have that album. Shoot me.)

Rizzo · « **Reply #4 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 03:53 »

Quote from: Everest

I don't know, but if there's going to be an encore, the least a band can do is to not fool the audience with the whole "hey look, the stage lights are out, we're off-stage, so see you later, we're gone!... Or are we?" charade. We know you're not gone, you left your instruments plugged in onstage, for fuck's sake, your roadies aren't moving in to clean up. You're only drinking a beer, and chatting about how it went so far, and wondering if the audience is still dumb enough to know that it's an illusion, even after all those shows they've seen. So very lame.

When Interpol came to New Zealand in August they did an encore of sorts, it was fake because it was the setlist but they left and the roadies started packing up and so on.
People started to move off but after about 3 minutes of general cheering they came back out and played another three songs. It all ended with the singer (Paul somthing?) playing a 5 minute feedback solo on his own on stage.. it might have been fake but it was damn cool.
But there should definately be more spontaneous encores.

StupidityKills · « **Reply #5 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 06:21 »

I don't really mind the encores, spontaneous or not. What does piss me off is when everyone knows theres going to be an encore and still stands there stomping and asking for one. Or worse, if its obvious there wont be and still people just dont give up.
I do love the Loui here in Bristol though, cos the only way on stage is through the crowd, making encores impossible, as many artists have left until the last song to realise. Oh the comedy moment when they turn around and it dawns on them theres nowhere left to go.

Garcin · « **Reply #6 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 08:39 »

Naw, I got to disagree with you guys. With most of the bands I've seen in concert lately, the set was pre-planned, but the encore was a reaction to what the audience wanted. So I figure while the audience is stamping 'n clapping, the band is in the back discussing what they're going to play next -- reacting to the audience.

So even if it's assumed that the headliner is going to come back on for an encore, getting off-stage beforehand makes sense. I've also been to a few shows where the band left the instruments on stage, the lights stayed dark, but the audience couldn't give a fuck, so there was no encore. Which is hilarious.

I don't think getting the audience to clap for 2-5 minutes is just fishing for compliments; I think it serves a purpose. One other thing: I get the sense in some of the venues I go to that the band is charged extra if they go over time; maybe averting a near riot due to fans demanding another few songs probably puts them in a better negotiating position with the venue management. I wonder if that's actually the way it works.

SpacemanSpiff · « **Reply #7 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 09:12 »

I'm sort of torn on encores. On the one hand, the longer a band plays, the better.
However, it's hardly a spontaneous thing anymore. The only real encores I've seen were encores to encores. They obviously weren't planned. Turbostaat did that, for example, and it rocked.
I also like bands that play a long setlist with a nice closure, giving the show a good and definitive end. When I saw The Mars Volta, they did that.
Another thing about encores is you can really see when the band has planned them. The general rule is: If the band leaves and the amps are still on, they'll come back and play a few encores. Once they turn the amps off, there's hardly any chance of getting a (real) encore. It's pretty predictable that way.

neomang5 · « **Reply #8 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 10:25 »

I saw a great encore.
The band walked off, and then the drummer came back out and said "What? Its over, go home."
People were pissed until they found out that they were having an acoustic session out back. They gathered a decent crowd before it got too noisy to hear them. They played a good 4 more songs.
It was a small venue so its not something any band can do, but hey, at least it was interesting.

sjbrot · « **Reply #9 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 10:29 »

Quote from: Moiche

I've also been to a few shows where the band left the instruments on stage, the lights stayed dark, but the audience couldn't give a fuck, so there was no encore. Which is hilarious.

That's just a whole lot of ouch.

I don't have a problem with the idea of an encore, but it just seems rather inauthentic when it is just assumed that it will happen.

Paul Banks did the five-minute feedback thing when I saw them a few days ago as well.

tacroy · « **Reply #10 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 11:36 »

The concept of a planned encore doesn't really bother me so much. So long as the show is good, it's cool that the band comes back out to play more. Granted, the whole "leave the stage for 5 minutes" concept is rather gimmicky, but it's not the end of the world.

That said, I saw an amazing encore at the Metric concert last night. Dead Disco was turned into a 20 minute song, with a long solo in the middle. The band also invited a random kid up from the crowd to rap for a while (he was pretty good). At the end, everyone randomly got up on stage and danced with the band. It was crazy, and I love it.

KharBevNor · « **Reply #11 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 11:36 »

I'm not sure if Rammstein really had encores as such, or just breaks for costume changes. First time I thought they'd done an encore, Till re-entered through a door underneath the drums with robotic flame-throwers strapped to his arms.

When I saw Pitchshifter, their vocalist got up front at the end of their set and said:

"Well, basically, now's normally the time when we'd tell you how much better you were than Norwich, dim the lights, wait a bit, get some chanting, come back on and encore, but we really can't be fucked with all that shit tonight, so we're going to play the encore songs now."

and then they just added the songs to the end of their set.

sjbrot · « **Reply #12 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 15:13 »

I'm slightly bitter about Metric. They just cancelled a show in my town (that was selling plenty of tickets) so that they could do a third show in Edmonton.

Also, I saw (courtesy of Johnny C) a very embarrassing live version of "Dead Disco" where Emily Haines starts naming different canadian bands in the middle of the song.

"I see Staaaaaaaaaaaaars."
"Broken Social Scene. Broken Social Scene."

Garcin · « **Reply #13 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 15:29 »

Quote from: KharBevNor

I'm not sure if Rammstein really had encores as such, or just breaks for costume changes.

Jeez man, when Rammstein takes the hooks out of their nipples it's nearly impossible to get them to play an encore.

Jarne · « **Reply #14 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 15:34 »

Paul McCartney did two encores when I saw him. It was annoying simply because of the amount of time he left inbetween each one.

Gryff · « **Reply #15 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 16:44 »

To me encores are only stupid if the band leaves the stage and comes back when there's only a half-assed audience response. The crowd should be begging for more, not politely clapping until the band inevitably comes back on.

Bigger bands have the luxury of knowing that there will be a big response from the audience when they leave the stage, so they can plan ahead and save a couple of hits for the encore. I'd prefer it if bands never took it for granted. If there is demand for an encore they should come back and play a few more songs, maybe some lesser known stuff, maybe a cover or two or something.

My best encore experience was seeing The Clean a few years ago in a small pub. It was a pretty small venue but it was full of people, and everyone was screaming for the band to keep playing. They did three encores after a pretty long set and by the end of it the band looked like they were going to collapse (along with most of the audience too I think). Good times - and man did my ears ring after that one.

Valrus · « **Reply #16 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 16:59 »

Quote from: Jarne

Paul McCartney did two encores when I saw him. It was annoying simply because of the amount of time he left inbetween each one.

I bet that motherfucker was just fishing for applause.

Kai · « **Reply #17 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 17:03 »

GEORGE WAS BETTER

Johnny C · « **Reply #18 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 21:16 »

Quote from: sjbrot

I'm slightly bitter about Metric. They just cancelled a show in my town (that was selling plenty of tickets) so that they could do a third show in Edmonton.

Fuck fuck FUCK. Words beyond that cannot express my fury.

Fuck.

Anyways, the Arcade Fire did an encore. They obviously planned it, as Win careened about the stage and knocked shit over at the end of "Rebellion (Lies)" after his crowdsurfing (that was surreal, guys) and guitar rockage bit. Roadies came on and brought it back up, destroying any illusion that they were done.

That said, the encore was amazing. Consider this: instead of "one more song," the crowd merely clapped in rhythm and "ooo"ed the violin hook from "Rebellion" and the band came on grinning in response. They proceeded to go through "In The Backseat" and walk out through the crowd, who sang along with them (again, "ooo"ing the same line the band "ooo"ed).

It was pretty kickass.

sjbrot · « **Reply #19 on:** 03 Oct 2005, 23:44 »

I think Gryff summed up my feelings very well.

Probably my only really cool encore experience of the last while was with Gonzales. He came on stage and pretty much said that since some people arrived late for his set, he would condense the whole thing into a three-minute highlight reel. Which he did, which was great.

He also turned "Happy Birthday" and "Frere Jacques" into minor keys, which was great as well.

Thrillho · « **Reply #20 on:** 04 Oct 2005, 08:42 »

My favourite encores are Oasis encores circa 2000. They'd do three, they'd go off, come back, do Champagne Supernova or something, off, come back on again and play Rock 'n' Roll Star, then go off again. At this point the house lights would come up and everyone would be asked to leave. At which point Oasis would come back on and play Helter Skelter, ha.

Merkava · « **Reply #21 on:** 04 Oct 2005, 19:28 »

Quote from: Kai

GEORGE WAS BETTER

If you mean George Harrison, then fuck yes and fries.

He's still pretty damn underrated.

Thrillho · « **Reply #22 on:** 05 Oct 2005, 07:29 »

Quote from: Merkava

Quote from: Kai
GEORGE WAS BETTER

If you mean George Harrison, then fuck yes and fries.

He's still pretty damn underrated.

True, but he's also responsible for the invention of the charity concert. I'm glad he did, but some people will hate him for it!

Kai · « **Reply #23 on:** 05 Oct 2005, 13:45 »

Yes, George Harrison. Because he was ace.

WHY COULDN'T RINGO DIE INSTEAD

Jarne · « **Reply #24 on:** 05 Oct 2005, 14:29 »

The Greenday concert I went to had a shitty oncore. They went off stage and some giant lights came up that alternated between "green" and "day". So people started shouting "Green! Day! Green! Day!" Those fuckers couldn't even count on people shouting to get them back.

Thrillho · « **Reply #25 on:** 05 Oct 2005, 15:14 »

Quote from: Kai

Yes, George Harrison. Because he was ace.

WHY COULDN'T RINGO DIE INSTEAD

Because he lived a healthier life?

And apparently didn't invoke a stabbing.

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Author Topic: Encores (Read 11052 times)

sjbrot

La Creme

Everest

StupidityKills

Garcin

SpacemanSpiff

sjbrot

sjbrot

Garcin

Jarne

sjbrot

Merkava

Jarne