New Tour 2014 Set List

I have to say that I, respectively, disagree with most of you on this subject. Yes, I would love to hear some old stuff, but the majority of people want to hear TSSK and after and that is EXACTLY what the band are giving and they deliver the songs faultlessly. Guy's banter is superb - the man is a born entertainer. Personally, I think they have got the set list just right, maybe not for all the die hard fans who have been there since the beginning, but for the majority of the music buying public. The only way to get a few more old tracks in would be to extend the gig by another half an hour or so. I would have no problem with that!   

ticky wrote:

I have to say that I, respectively, disagree with most of you on this subject.  Yes, I would love to hear some old stuff, but the majority of people want to hear TSSK and after and that is EXACTLY what the band are giving and they deliver the songs faultlessly.  Guy's banter is superb - the man is a born entertainer.  Personally, I think they have got the set list just right, maybe not for all the die hard fans who have been there since the beginning, but for the majority of the music buying public.  The only way to get a few more old tracks in would be to extend the gig by another half an hour or so.  I would have no problem with that!   

That's it Ticky, it's all about opinions - just to extend my gripe if I may ; the 'banter' in between songs sometimes goes on too long in my opinion ; in that time you could get an extra couple of tracks into the setlist.......however, if you personally have gone and spent you're hard earned on it and had a ball, that's all that absolutely matters !  

There is surely going to be a time eventually in the future, when even the TSSK lovers are going to get bored of going to repeats of the same arena sets year on, year out, bar the few new ones added from the latest album.
We were having similar discussions on here all through the last tour and at the end of the TSSK tour about predictable static set lists.
The TSSK crowd seem to love the new songs, so we are all on the same page there, so why wouldn't they embrace a more balanced back catalogue, now Guy has got them hooked?
Do we even get a string quartet playing some of the old ones we are missing, before the support on this arena tour?

My Bury Vest wrote:

just to extend my gripe if I may ; the 'banter' in between songs sometimes goes on too long in my opinion ; in that time you could get an extra couple of tracks into the setlist....

Maybe MBV, but I think audience interaction is HUGELY important!
Ok, enough already of the arm- waving and "hands everyone" but a bit of banter/acknowledgement from the band means a great deal!
A cousin of mine is big into a certain band from the US and I have gone to see them with her 3 times. Each time they arrived on stage with a single "hello" and left with a single "thanks" at the end. Admittedly their musical performance was flawless and they played songs from every era of their (huge) back catalogue but I will not go to see them ever again, even if you paid me!
Each time it felt like they were there just to do a "job" and as if they were doing you a favour by turning up.
I would much, much rather have Guy's banter than to be made like a poor relative by some rich, Californian millionaires whom I've paid a fortune to go see!  (Sorry, rant over!)
Anyway, I love Guy's banter but yes, more songs is always good!     Saw The Cure not so long ago and they played for over 3 hours. Now that was value for money!  

lucky with disease wrote:

Do we even get a string quartet playing some of the old ones we are missing, before the support on this arena tour?

No, unfortunately the string quartet aren't there.  I loved listening to their renditions of all the songs before the gigs.
I guess things need to keep moving forward but I think they are sorely missed.  

lucky with disease wrote:

The TSSK crowd seem to love the new songs, so we are all on the same page there, so why wouldn't they embrace a more balanced back catalogue, now Guy has got them hooked?

Couldn't agree with you more!
Perhaps I wouldn't throw a Vum Garda at them but there are plenty of songs in their repertoire which could be regarded as more "easily accessible" for those SSK-ers.
Ease them in gently kind of thing?   

The band may well have got more fans following TSSK but ignoring nearly half their back catalogue is a joke, what about making an effort to introduce new fans to the older material? Most the music buying public like and want to explore bands back catalogues and by playing some older stuff that would be a great way to do so. Guy is a funny man and a bit of chat is great but I, like most are there to see a concert, not a stand up. You could certainly fit in at least another 5 songs with a bit less banter. I have seen countless bands live, with equal or more extensive back catalogues than elbows and I can't think of any that have totally ignored previous albums, especially ones as good as the first two elbow albums, which were hailed as great albums when they came out. They want to carry on along the wave of the success of TSSK, sorry guys but you've been doing that for 6 years now.

Are we still having this conversation? Seem to remember this was going on last time I was here....

The set list is bound to be different when they're playing for 14000 not 3000 people. That's 11000 people who came in at TSSK who they are catering for, the vast majority.

Yes I would love the reappearance of fugitive motel and scattered black and whites, but when they are introducing a new album, would we realistically expect them to also re-introduce old stuff for new fans? I'm very pleased that elbow have the mega success they deserve, and it's unrealistic to think they can please all the people all the time with the set list.

It's entirely ok for fans to say "this is where I get off the bus" when you don't like how the band develops (I've done that with the aforementioned KoL and also Snow Patrol, I've also left and come back with stereophonics). I don't want to be that bitter voice at the bar saying how they don't play enough of the old stuff any more. Every established band have those voices, and I don't think it's helpful.

Quote :

Are we still having this conversation? Seem to remember this was going on last time I was here....

The set list is bound to be different when they're playing for 14000 not 3000 people. That's 11000 people who came in at TSSK who they are catering for, the vast majority.

Hi Hilary, afraid so, We could agree with you if this was true but the small intimate promos and warm up had the same set, apart from one, or at a pinch two, song changes, and going by past experience the set isn't likely to change for Eden gigs or Glastonbury either, or for the smaller american venues....which aren't Arenas
Apart from the new album songs inserted so that some had to be dropped to make way, nearly all the set hasn't changed in 6 years!
There are a lot who have already 'got off the bus'. Notice the fans who dont post here anymore and arent at the gigs.
Not helpful to who? Its helping us to have a voice on this fan forum. Occasionally a few voices request that the first 3 albums and b sides be remembered even on Elbow's facebook!
Elbow's early fans saying that they are missing songs that used to be played live just shows how much they care, even if they don't ever hear them live again.

I'll speak as someone who compulsively collected bootlegs of theirs for years and stopped being obsessive around barb's release. I'm a fan of their music, but their set list is lacking variety. It's a little stale. When an artist or band releases a new album, I want to hear as many of those new songs live as possible. I don't want to hear the same songs they've been playing nonstop since '08. I want to hear Honey Sun, TTOALOE, and This Blue World. I want to hear the bsides from dead in the boot (why did they stop performing bsides? Leaders-era had songs like McGreggor and the Good Day sneak in). And yeah, I'd love to hear an older Guy sing earlier tracks because his voice has evolved for the better.

I should note that this has only stopped me from collecting their bootlegs at compulsive rates. They're still a band I'd see live with no complaints. It doesn't mean that there won't be a nagging voice going "God, I've Got Your Number would be perfect right now..." in the back of my head, though.

U2's popularity increased massively after The Joshua Tree, did they then play only songs from that album and all albums since? No! Yes we are still having this conversation, why? Cos no other band I've ever known ignores so much of their back catalogue the way elbow have! This has nothing to do with "getting off the bus cos of not liking newer songs"! I like the new stuff, but in no way is it innovative or groundbreaking like I would say the older stuff is. A fair mix of all previous albums plus promotion of a new album is the very least one would expect from a band live and is hardly unrealistic. It is just common sense.

Jason wrote:

U2's popularity increased massively after The Joshua Tree, did they then play only songs from that album and all albums since? No!  

In fact, U2 pretty much throw in a "curveball" at each gig they do. And a different one each time! Larry (the boss) is on record saying it's "for the fans".
How cool would it be if elbow threw in an oldie every night?
Say, McGreggor in Glasgow, Any Day Now in Birmingham, Fugitive Motel in Manchester, Forget Myself in London, etc... That would be so exciting!    

I have been keeping up with all the comments, videos, etc. since the UK tour began, and the boys seem to be doing a great job. New material sounds wonderful from the things I've seen so far, and I am really looking forward to seeing it in person. I am wondering if the shows will differ at all once they come over here, though. The US tour will be happening in theatres and clubs, rather than arenas, so the vibe and the sound will be significantly different here. I would guess they'll follow the same set list anyway, based on past history, but I would love to see them taking advantage of the more intimate spaces here with a song or two that would suit the venues better. If we only get Great Expectations, as has been the way on the tour so far, I'll be happy to take it. I do think the smaller places are a good opportunity for them to switch it up a little bit, though.

I love the earlier tunes, one would have been nice but great expectations was good to hear, despite not being old old last tour did the play 'scattered B & W's' d... Plus oes anyone have a list of what they played at 02 16/4 to jog my memory?

Jason wrote:

U2's popularity increased massively after The Joshua Tree, did they then play only songs from that album and all albums since? No! Yes we are still having this conversation, why? Cos no other band I've ever known ignores so much of their back catalogue the way elbow have!

At the 9:30 Club last night, the set list (not counting the taped intro music on their entry to the stage), the set list had:

1 song from Asleep in the Back ("Scattered Blacks and Whites")
1 song from Leaders of the Free World ("Great Expectations")
5 songs from The Seldom Seen Kid ("The Bones of You," "Tower Crane Driver," "Mirrorball," "Grounds for Divorce," "One Day Like This")
3 songs from Build a Rocket Boys! ("The Night Will Always Win," "The Birds," "Lippy Kids")
5 songs from The Take-Off and Landing of Everything ("Charge," "Fly Boy Blue/Lunette," "Real Life (Angel)," "New York Morning," "My Sad Captains")

For an hour and a half set, I don't know what you drop out of that. Maybe "The Bones of You" or one or two of the Build tracks. I'd have been crushed if I hadn't heard "Mirrorball" and "Tower Crane" last night.

What else might I have wanted to hear? "The Take-Off and Landing of Everything" is the big one; that sounds like something the band would have a lot of fun with on the stage. Beyond that, I'm not picky. Even the neglect of Cast I'm fine with.

I wouldn't say that Elbow is the worst when it comes to ignoring the back catalog on stage. Paul McCartney's stage show is a mixture of Beatles, Wings, and whatever his most recent album is (which means that twenty-five years of his career goes unrepresented). I wasn't a fan of that when I saw McCartney, to be honest, but I understood the reasoning -- play what's new, play the songs the average person knows, and play a curveball if you can. On those terms, I think Elbow's setlist suffices.

It is quite frankly laughable to compare Elbow and their back catalogue with Paul McCartney, someone who has been releasing music for 52 years and was a member of arguably the best band of all. I (and many others) fail to see how ignoring all their first album, all of their second album, only playing one song off their third album and ignoring all their B-Sides album as well as continuing to promote TSSK songs as if it has just been released when they have been pretty much played constantly for the last 6 years makes it a sufficient set list. I've been going to see countless bands over 20 years or more and i cannot think of any that have ignored their back catalogue in this way. Of course you get the odd gig by a band where they state they are going to play the whole of one album etc, usually when it's the album's anniversary, but at least that band would announce their intention before the gig anyway. If time is an issue, then simply play for an extra 20 min or so, hardly an exhausting night.

You may find it laughable, but I made the McCartney comparison because Macca fandom makes the exact same arguments/complaints about his setlist that you're making here.

I think, by and large, Jason, we're going to have to agree to disagree on this.  Given the history, I can see some some reason behind what you call "ingor[ing] their back catalogue."  Asleep was nearly fifteen years ago.  Cast is, by their own admission, their difficult second album and one they don't rate highly.  Leaders was the album they abandoned after release because of label problems.  Then, TSSK was their last roll of the dice -- and also the album that finally broke through out of the cult band ghetto.  I can see the logic behind focusing on TSSK forward, with a nod or two to the past that have deep, personal meaning for the band.

Maybe they will blow up the setlist and start anew in a year or two.  Maybe they won't.  Maybe they think their current setlist formula works.  And, because it's their setlist and they have to perform it night after night, I'm not inclined to disagree with them that it works.

Virtually every concert going fan of virtually every band or artist that’s existed will have a debate on what songs should be in a set list, the big difference here and the reason why I said your comparison is laughable is that Elbow have done 6 albums plus a B-Sides album, which in no way compares with a legend of music that has been making music for 52 years and released endless amounts of material, it really is not comparing like for like lol. Also whereas most discussions about set lists are based around what songs to play off each album, what we are talking about here is whole albums being ignored, virtually half of the 6 they have made. It is “ignoring”, there isn’t another word for it. Asleep may well have been 15 years ago but that isn’t a great deal in music terms and it was their debut album, critically acclaimed by all that reviewed it, to be honest all of their albums have been well reviewed, I’m sure if you ask the band for a highlight of their career one of them will be the performance of Grace…. off the COT album at Glastonbury. All bands cast a critical eye over older work but they don’t stop playing it live. Leaders was never “abandoned” after release, they played plenty off that album during the TSSK tour and the following tour. TSSK was never going to be their last roll of the dice or attempt at fame or whatever you want to call it, some of these statements of yours are simply untrue. I would never begrudge the band making good money out of their music but that wasn’t their sole reason for being a band and I have no doubt they would still be continuing as a band no matter how well or not so well TSSK did. Of course it is entirely upto them what they play etc and they always do a good gig, I went to the Nottingham gig in April, the 11th time I have seen them, it was fine, when all is taken into account though I and many other long time fans find it unbelievable that they should ignore nearly half of their 6 albums when touring.

Jason, your keyboard has a Return or Enter key.  Please learn to use it.  Thanks!

As for your response, I'm not spending my time digging through that morass of words to argue with you.  Life is too short to waste it.

Instead, I'll point you to this article where Guy Garvey talks about the very things you say were "untrue" about Leaders and The Seldom Seen Kid.

Lol. I don't need to take advice on how to use a return key, this is an internet message board not a letter applying for a job! Thanks for the tip though, you should maybe consider spelling lessons as you spelt "ignoring" I n g o r in a previous message!
You clearly aren't that bright when it comes to reading either because throughout my thread the point I make is about the bands set list since TSSK. Your point about this article by the band re COT and LOTFW, problems with record companies, critical of one of their albums etc are really veering off the subject to be honest. I've read many other interviews where they talk up these albums. On the last few tours they have played a few tracks off LOTFW, only one on this tour though. Many bands have problems with record companies but still play tracks from most their back catalogue.
I'll go back to the valid point, agreed by most on here, I made at the start, with a back catalogue of 6 albums, a fair mix of songs from previous albums and promotion of the latest album is the very least one would expect from a band live and is hardly unreasonable, over 20 years of gig going has shown me that. Given the fact that the last 6 years have seen minimal change in their live set I don't think it's asking too much to shake it up a bit now and maybe even introduce newer fans to their fantastic, critically acclaimed back catalogue consisting of 6 albums and a B-sides album, not 52 years worth of songs as with your example!

Jason, I would like to throw in my 2 cents although nobody asked me to. Because I'm obnoxious like that, that's why. Also, I would be remiss if I didn't mention how your recent posts are also a bit obnoxious. They do stick out like a sore thumb on a forum where most members tend to get along, and where, even when they disagree, they can do it without being insulting. When you suggested to Allyn "you clearly aren't too bright when it comes to reading", I had to roll my eyes because: #1 - this isn't the Yahoo! comments page, and #2 - Allyn writes for a living. He's not someone who was being obnoxious to you, he tried to say maybe agreeing to disagree is the best idea, and you replied with what honestly came off as very juvenile replies. And I know Allyn doesn't need me to defend him, but honestly, your posts irritated me enough to make me want to reply to you myself.

You're entitled to your opinion. I'm even inclined to agree with much of what you had to say, but not with the way you're saying it. Mostly, when I notice that the vast majority of your posts on this site are complaints about the staleness of Elbow's live set list, I can only say that you maybe need to recognize that there's no more life for you to beat out of this particular horse. Yes, it would be wonderful if the band made more time for older or rarer material. Yes, the fans who have been there with them from the beginning (myself included) have a right to voice their thoughts, and yes, a band fansite is the ideal place to do so. But if that is the only substantive thing you have to contribute here, and you can't do so without being snarky to someone who has a differing point of view, you are not doing yourself or anyone else any favors. You are simply coming off as having a bit of a tantrum, even to people like me who would also like to see their setlists being more varied. They are the band that they are, and you're either getting something out of seeing that band live or you're not. Those of us who still have positive experiences with the live shows are entitled to voice our opinions as well without being condescended to.

I have never had words with ANYONE on this site, and it's not in my nature to do so in general. But I love the folks on here, I love coming here to discuss (DISCUSS - not argue) with fellow fans, and I love the vibe here. Constructive criticism is fine and dandy but belaboring a point for the sake of it, and doing so rudely, is not useful.  I assure you I have no interest in getting into it with you, but I felt one reply would be appropriate after reading your posts here.  So feel free to ignore this as you see fit, or if you'd prefer you can also feel free to tell me I don't know how to read or some other such thing. Whatever works for you, dude.

You are being very selective and patronising with your criticism. It was obnoxious and immature to have a go at me for not pressing the return key which is what led to my snarky response as you put it, don't let that stop you from taking the morale high ground though lol. I suggest you go through my messages properly as I don't insult people as a rule and haven't done until I get that childish attempt to undermine me. I have posted on other issues and I get on fine with others, this subject is one I feel strongly about and whilst agreeing to disagree is fine by me your friend over there started the insults and patronising to which I'm entitled to respond to. I'm guessing you didn't roll your eyes to that but I didn't expect anything less. Being a writer means high intelligence obviously lol. There is no tantrum, rudeness, condescending etc in any previous posts of mine, only a genuine issue about the bands live set that many agree with, which I was happy to debate with people about and see who felt the same. Insulting my intelligence with remarks so trivial like the spacing of my messages deserved my response. I have never made comments on things like the yahoo comments page or any other comments page for that matter. I don't use things like Facebook, I've only ever contributed to one other band's message board. So please don't put me in that category as I'm not the type of person who does that as you are trying to imply. If you think this horse has no more life to beat out of it as you put it, then don't post on it. As the one who started this topic, which judging by previous posts was a topic many hoped would be brought up, I'm entitled to continue adding to it especially after someone else has posted a reply. I've posted on here before on subjects such as fave tracks, top 10s etc and never criticised anyone who had different views, so maybe, just maybe, it was someone else's rude, snarky, obnoxious, patronising comments that led me to say what I did, dude.

I guess I just don't understand the problem. The setlist they're playing (the one from the 9:30 club, at least) includes tracks from 5/6th of the studio albums - I didn't think "Scattered Black and Whites" and "Great Expectations" have seen a lot live shows recently.

And the boys didn't have to play anything from that far back at all. We could well have expected a set primarily consisting of Build a Rocket Boys! and the new album with a dash of "One Day Like This" and "Grounds for Divorce", and in fact, I know a number of people who did. Oh, sure, they're not spontaneously playing Cast of Thousands, but in terms of variety, it could be a hell of a lot worse.

Anyways, I personally hope they throw "Starlings" into the mix - I've been dying to catch that one live.

Jason, I don't feel like going way off topic here. I already said myself that you have every right to post whatever opinions you want here, as does every fan. I stand by that statement. I also observed that the majority of your posts on this site were complaints on this same subject, and that I believe you came off as unnecessarily rude in this specific exchange, and I stand by those statements too. Last but not least, I said I have no real interest in getting into a big thing with you, and I stand by that statement as well. If you are fine with agreeing to disagree, as you've said you are, then I suggest we do just that and leave the matter here.

Jason, it's clear from your 30 posts on this board that you love the early stuff. I see you make the same points in your posts going back: Even those reviewing the 2011 gigs.

However, as one of the forum Moderators, I have to say you're out of order mate. You might like to check through these rules (from this thread here http://elbow.heavenforum.org/t845-new-forum-rules-read-before-posting):

"Flaming - "Making pointless/hurtful mesages or starting an online argument that becomes nasty or derisive, where insulting a party to the discussion takes precedence over the objective merits of one side or another"- is not allowed.

Trolling - "One who posts a deliberately provocative message to a message board with the intention of causing maximum disruption and argument" is also not tolerated.

Posts which ignore these rules will be deleted and/or their threads locked. Repeated rule-breakers will receive a warning. Should rule breaches continue, post counts will be reset to zero, posting will be blocked from known IP addresses and repeat offenders ultimately banned entirely. "

Passionate, appropriate debate on a forum is one thing. Being rude & disrespectful of other members is another.

If you want to carry on posting here, you need to consider what and how you're going to say it.