Is It Time to say "Thank You and Good Night" to the Pro Forma Encore?

[azaghal1981]

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2011/07/encores_no_more_a_perfect_circle_motley_crue.php


Please, God let this trend continue. Fuck stupid planned encores!

[Relaxer]

Yeah the encore at Urge Overkill was ridiculous. They reserved their second biggest song (Sister Havana, and didn't even play their #1 biggest song, Girl You'll Be a Woman Soon, at all) for the encore, plus it took them like 10 minutes to come back onstage.

Best was the Datsuns playing to like 100 people at the club and then saying "This is when we're supposed to go offstage but instead we'll just do the encore right now" and then immediately returned to rocking.

[azaghal1981]

The most excessive I've seen was The Feelies' four planned breaks. Wilco take an absurd amount, too if I remember correctly. I actually heard an idiot or two complaining about no encore after My Bloody Valentine in Richmond as if YMMR wasn't the best way imaginable to end a show.

[Herr Professor Doktor Doom]

It would be great if a band left the stage for this purpose and everyone stayed quiet instead of applauding like seals barking for a fish they know is coming...

[Brian_Wallace]

It would be great if a band left the stage for this purpose and everyone stayed quiet instead of applauding like seals barking for a fish they know is coming...

"Oh....you WOULDN'T LET US LEAVE!"

"Shut up!  You wouldn't turn on the lights!"

The obvious reason for the encore break is so the band can start prepping the post-show inbibing so they peak at the right time.  It takes a few minutes to get buzzed.....about the time it takes to do A.) a fan favorite and B.) their biggest hit which a band can usually do completely f'ed up.

Suede did that "Let's pretend we didn't go off for five minutes.  Here's the songs we'd do for our 'encore'" a while back at WUST, didn't they?

Also, when they were dewy-faced, most-hyped-bands-on-the-planet, The Strokes and Oasis didn't do encores.  Mainly due to the fact that they probably didn't have enough songs to.


Brian

[i am gay and i like cats]

i like the days of old in the world of hair metal . . . when they would go underneath the stage and bang broads.  yeah . . . banging broads.

[azaghal1981]

Wouldn't they do that mid-set during the obligatory drum solos?

[Bombay Chutney]

I have no problem with the standard encore setup.  However - You only get to come back once.  You can play a few songs, but don't keep running off/on the stage.   At that point you're just wasting my time.

The Dead were great about this.  They'd leave the stage for a few minutes, come back and play one song.  Thanks for coming.  Goodnight.

And the "let's pretend we just went off stage" thing is as cliche as the encore these days.

[Brian_Wallace]

One of the greatest encore stories is this Aerosmith one:

http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/aerosmith.asp

Sure, it MAY be an untrue urban legend...but wouldn't that just be a fabulous testament to how f'ed up they were in the 70's?

Brian

[i am gay and i like cats]

this is just me . . . but one of my favs, is on 6/26/11 at redrocks, final night for widespread panic three night run.  all covers second set, final song being wild thing.  encore.  back into wild thing . . . then into sultans of swing.  fucking sweet.

[Thousand Made-Up Loves]

"Thank you, thank you, thank you and FUCK YOU" would be fine by me.

[atomicfront]

I like encores.  I also like multiple ones when the show is great and the audience keeps clapping and they come out and have to think of songs to do. 

If you dont' like encores just leave after the set. 

[hutch]

i tell you what i hate: when the audience is really into it and the band refuses to come out for an encore..


that is L A M E

[Jaguar]

^ Agreed.

I'm with Atomicfront, I like encores though some are obviously contrived. It gives the band a chance to pee and freshen up for a last blowout.

Although, sometimes I have to laugh, or even feel a bit sad for the band, when they quickly turn around and come back to play their planned encore set for fear the crowd will leave without cheering them on for one.

[xneverwherex]

The Dandy Warhols are pretty good about this - instead of an encore - whomever (usually Zia) has to use the restroom/take a smoke break whatever they have to do - usually leaves and the band continues on without them. Sometimes Courtney takes over drum duties if Fathead is gone but it runs smoothly.

I figure they took that from Bowie after touring with them - as Bowie used to just say he was leaving for a cigarette break and he'd be back in 10 mins or so and everyone should get a drink. (or at least thats what he did at the Warfield show).

But my personal favorites are the bands that have one album - are on their first ever tour (sometimes first show ever in the states) and they have an encore listed (naturally their 'hit'). Never makes any sense when your set is only going to be 40 mins anyway. Thankfully this doesnt happen much.