Setlists - New Material vs. Old Classics
 

A few years ago, my Mom went to see Bob Dylan and came back complaining that he didn't play enough of his familiar hits. I know for sure that before that show, she had neither seen him live nor heard a new song of his for 30 years. His more devoted fans, on the other hand, would surely be more familiar with his recent work. I explained to her that the real fans, who support Bob Dylan more often than she does, probably don't want to hear the same thing every time he plays.

The way I see it, an artist can choose a set list with either the fans in mind or based on what they feel inspired to play. If they choose the former, I think the most devoted fans will want to hear new material. I've seen Sonic Youth at least one or two times on every tour since '93. I've already heard Teenage Riot, Schizophrenia, etc. multiples times. I don't want to see a show that focuses on the "classics." I'm really excited to find out how The Eternal sounds on stage, and if they can mix in a few oldies, that's great. I can understand that the casual or first-time fan wants to hear certain songs he's never heard before, but I suspect he is in the minority.

If a band chooses a setlist based on what they feel like playing, then it makes sense they would want to play new material. And as a fan, don't you want to see a band that feels inspired and which expresses something fresh? Or would you prefer to see a band just going through the motions and mechanically executing songs?

As for the first few shows on this tour, the only complaint I might have is that their selection of oldies could include some more songs they haven't played in a while. Starpower would be a hell of a lot more exciting than hearing The Sprawl for the fifth time in as many shows. But that's a fairly petty gripe. It's Sonic Fucking Youth, and I'm psyched as hell for tomorrow night!

Usually by the time I see Sonic Youth on tour, I've listened to the new album so many times that it is nearly as familiar as the older stuff. And I'm more curious about what the fuck they do to get their sounds on the songs I've never seen them play. But of course, I always go apeshit if they throw down "Brother James" or "I Love Her All of the Time".

Overall though, I respect them more for continuing to put out great new albums worthy of focusing on than being a jukebox of their past catalog.

If I go to see a band that's just released a new album, I expect to hear a lot of songs off of that album. It's never bothered me. You've gotta figure that bands get kinda bored playing all their old fan favorites over and over again anyway. So as much as love hearing the classics, I can't fault a band for playing new songs, especially if they've just put out a new record.

I like hearing a lot of new stuff also. I think they play a perfect amount of old stuff, I just wish they would mix the old stuff up a little more from tour to tour.

having never seen them before, i dont care what songs they play, im excited to hear whatever. but im sure there will be a couple of songs that ill wish they had played. but like pax americana said, its to be expected that a band will play mostly stuff from whatever new album they just released.

I'm RIGHT there with you ! I want to hear ALL of The Eternal like they played just the other night and lesser played tunes from their past. As much as I love Catholic Block, Tom Violence, Cross the Breeze, Making the Nature Scene etc...they've played those quite frequently over the last few years. I want to hear stuff I've never heard live before...from ANY of their previous albums before RR and TE.

I'm not too demanding. :rolleyes:

I think they hadn't played Cross The Breeze for years (maybe 1989) before the Daydream nation shows.
As much as i love Tom Violence played live i agree with you though. I wished they played some stuff off their recent albums also, like a song from ATL (other then Sunday) or Murray Street/Sonic Nurse(but maybe without Jim they think something would lack).

As long as it's a good mix of old stuff, new stuff and "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" stuff, I'm happy.

I love the band, but I've pretty much stopped making a big effort to see them because of their setlists.

Although I do like The Eternal and am a bit bummed that I missed their recent show here, this band has 16 albums and 30 years under their belt....so to hear they just played The Eternal in it's entirety and a few random old songs from Daydream, etc....is kind of disappointing. They left out everything from the Geffen era.

I know everyone has the utmost respect for the band, and the fact they have continued to evolve their sound from album to album, but at a certain point recognize the strength and diversity of your catalog and legacy of music and well basically.....give the majority of fans what they want. The band makes the vast majority of it's income these days through their live show and ultimately if material from all those amazing 90's albums were represented a bit more, I'm sure plenty of people would be ecstatic. I mean it says a lot when the Daydream Nation tour popped up, because Thurston openly admitted they were offered a lot more money to specifically play Daydream Nation. It's what people want, to hear the absolutely amazing and classic albums the majority of us were too damn young to hear live the first time. I had only heard A Thousand Leaves once before I saw them perform live in 1998 (and play lots of ATL), of course I didn't appreciate it then, but now I would completely love to see a show featuring that album in it's entirety.

"...the majority of us were too damn young to hear live the first time."

I'm in the minority I guess. I've been around since EVOL. <sigh>

In fairness I think more people have heard The Sprawl than Starpower, since Daydream Nation is one of their most popular albums. A casual fan would probably appreciate The Sprawl more.

I don't think it's ever too hard to create a balance though. All you have to do is have all the new songs to promote your new album, mix in one or two surprises for the hardcore fans, and have some all-time classics for the casual fans. That way everyone wins.

I can understand why they don't bust out 20-minute versions of Free City Rhymes (if only), but I'm sure Death to Our Friends wouldn't be that hard to relearn or rehearse, but it would be a huge surprise for us and we'd love it, and its not like casual fans would find it offputting.

Having seen the band approaching 30 times since 1985, I don't think I am exactly a "casual fan". I've only seen "The Sprawl" live once on the 1988 Daydream Nation tour, and I've seen "Starpower" multiple times. So I'm excited to have the chance to see "The Sprawl" live again, though if they don't play it I'm sure what they play instead will be every bit as good.

What very few people seem to take into consideration in these discussions is that Sonic Youth are human beings not an iPod. They actually have to rehearse songs to pull them off live. So, when they're on tour they tend to play the new album they are touring and a select list of old songs they have been able to practice. With shows practically every single night, it always amazes me how well they manage to change things up as it is. If they suddenly decide, "lets play "Mary Christ" and fuck with everybody's expectations" they actually have to figure out what they played almost 20 years ago, change it around so Kim can have a guitar part, teach Ibold the bass line, and adapt it to the guitars they are using now. The fact that they sometimes actually do this shows they truly love being Sonic Youth and it shows on the new album too, because it's a record full of great songs I can't wait to see live.

20 minute of free city rhymes... my favourite song.... it's a dream....

I like sonic youth's choise of songs. Every tour they play a lot of song of the new album: that's ok for me:D . Some rockbands (pearl jam, rem) are now coverbands of theirselfs: rem play every time Losing my religion and everybody hurts, Pj's last beautiful song is dated 2000... I like their shows, not their setlist like a 'the best of'.

But, at the other side, for one time, i dream a cd 'the best of sonic youth' and a worldtour with all their great songs, from 'kill yr idols' to 'Antenna'. I'd like it

Well, I wasn't implying anyone here is a casual fan; maybe that's not what you meant either though. I meant more people have heard the Daydream Nation record than have EVOL. More casual fans would recognise songs from the former rather than the latter, in likelihood. The Sprawl is one of my favourite ever songs, I didn't mean it's something a hardcore fan wouldn't want to see.

I do take into consideration that they have to rehearse and relearn the songs, but perhaps they should exploit more of their huge discography when they're in that early rehearsal stage.

I love Sonic Youth regardless of what they play anyway though. They could do hour long versions of Melodikim.

At least Sonic has a chance of always "pulling sumthing out of their ass" on occasion...there are some bands who just play the same 70 minute set each night.

Yeah, I wasn't really referring to you either. Just the general thing where people are "I wish they'd do this and I wish they'd play that" and the people don't seem to consider how difficult it is for a group of real humans to learn, re-learn, arrange and change the quality of sets that Sonic Youth deliver every night. Even when they fuck up it's graceful, because they are masters of presentation. But it doesn't come out of thin air.

Again, I know you get that, but a lot of people don't seem to.

New

Someone above isn't very familiar with REM and Pearl Jam's setlists. With PJ, just about anything in catalog is in play at any time. Yes, the do play more hits, but they also play longer shows so they can play quite a few hits and still have room for plenty of deep cuts and new stuff. With REM, they tend to play a good chunk of their current release as well. And while they may always play Losing My Religion and Everybody Hurts, that is only 2 songs out of 24+.

Besides, although not at every show, there is a good chance you will hear either Bull In The Heather or Kool Thing at just about any SY show you go to. So it's not that uncommon to mix in a "popular" song on a regular basis.

It's really admirable when a band focuses on new material rather than only playing old stuff to make $$$ off of nostolgia. It shows that the band is progressing. That being said, it's always nice to hear an old tune you'd never have thought they'd play. I was shocked when I heard Catholic Block last night.

You're right, sorry for my english, I cant' explain very well:confused:
I've seen three times Rem, three Pj. Five sonic youth. I like sonic youth because every their tour is completely different to each other. I could say that I've seen five different shows of Sy. Rem and Pj not. Great difference, of course: Rem and Pj play everytime 2 hours and 23-24-25 songs. But I remember one final song for Rem (It's the end of the world) and the same setlist for every date of the same tour. Pj are a great band, my first love but... great energy... play entire catalog... and so there are no surprises! The very very surprise of a pj setilist it'a new cover. I've seen them last time in turin, they played all the avocado album, nobody in the audience like this show... but for sy it's a normal thing...
My mistake: talks about and compare three bands that i like and I know, and not talk about u2 and their setlist with bono that talk with astronauts...