Do you look at set lists prior to going to shows

elvicos01 · Post by **elvicos01** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 10:33 am

Being a long time Elvis fan, the internet has changed how we find out information about the man. The first time I saw Elvis (1979 - NY Palladium) you went to shows without having any idea of what Elvis would play. Now we (I) want to know what they played the next morning. We comment on various songs he did and did not play and how they were played.

So the question is, Do you want to know what Elvis is going to play, or would you prefer to go in blind?

Since ever the set list played is different than the printed setlists, we never know what exactly is going to be played, but for the most part 75% of the show is the same night after night.

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 11:04 am

It's a kind of genie-out-of-the-bottle thing. Ideally one should go into a show 'blind' , waiting to be surprised. But then the awareness that the info. is 'out there' is so tempting....

I remember meeting friends at the Astoria show in London in April '02. I started to take out a printout of the previous nights show in Holland and they were horrified - they were nearly covering their eyes just to avoid the data!

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 3:19 pm

I usually like to know although it can be a bit of an anti-climax if you don't get any surprises. This doesn't happen so much with EC but other artistes stick to exactly the same setlist night after night.

guidedbyvoices · Post by **guidedbyvoices** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 3:31 pm

I try and not look, but I can't. I'm like a kid peeking at his xmas gifts. Still, the beauty of that is when they pull something out of their hat that you never expected. I hadn't seen Good Year For The Roses or New Lace Sleeves on setlists before the Houston shows so that was amazing. Of course, I wouldn't do it if it was band that played the same setlist every night. It's more fun with the Pearl Jam's or Costello's of the world, where no song is sacred and doesn't get played every night.

normabuel · Post by **normabuel** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 3:07 pm

For me, it depends on the artist. For EC, he will have a core set of songs that he will play, but he will always throw in a surprise or two or three-- no two shows are really alike. So I do look at set lists before an EC show.

For someone else, like Peter Gabriel, who does substantially the same show every night, I do not.

SweetPear · Post by **SweetPear** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 12:20 am

I don't really care if I know or not because I'm always thrilled to be at a show.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 6:37 am

I do look at the setlists but what is great is looking at the previous night's setlist and then Elvis playing something he didn't play the previous night or him playing a song that he only does once on that tour.

King Hoarse · Post by **King Hoarse** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 6:46 am

I try to avoid it for a week or so before the gig.

But what's harder is not downloading any shows from the current tour before I go, so I'll be surprised at any reworked versions.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 8:47 am

I like to know what I might expect. The nice thing about seeing him perform in New York is that he'll usually throw a few curveballs. Last time I saw EC and the I's at the Beacon they had a horn section and did Chewing Gum and a neat version of Watching the Detectives. I do wish he would just shelve certain songs for a few years. I have no great desire to hear "Pump It Up", "Radio Radio" and "Alison" again any time soon, but I know that more casual fans would consider it a crime if he left all of the old warhorses off the setlist.