Any Chance

Thomas_J_Foolery
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Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 11:34 am

Post by Thomas_J_Foolery »

Mark Spencer wrote:[quote="

You never know! I'm still waiting for Angel Of The Blues to hit the list myself, my favorite song from the album.
My fav song as well. Mark, have you ever appeared/ played on ACL - the TV show? This would be a great close out tune . BTW I really enjoy the music and the craftsmanship you bring to Jay's songs.

phix174
Posts: 43
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2013 3:37 pm

Set list discussion

Post by phix174 »

Greetings,

I attended three of the shows on the Honky Tonk tour (Birmingham, Knoxville and Louisville) and hope to make another show in September. I thoroughly enjoy the shows and the current set list. I was psyched in Louisville when Chickamauga was added at the encore.

As a long-time fan, I know there is a wealth of material from a long career of writing, so I really appreciate the effort in constructing an all-encompassing set list with the incorporation of some new arrangements. There is obviously much more that goes into the process of a Son Volt set list than just writing down some random song titles (in any order) on a napkin and playing a show like an amateur garage band. Mark is right: "Son Volt, particularly in it's current incarnations, is a pretty great band, and offers a lot musically and for the long time fan of Jay/SV."

As a musician, I was in a band that utilized some alternate tuning, and some of the members would switch instruments. We put a great deal of thought into the set list to make it convenient to play the songs without having songs of similar tempo strung together, make sure that "downtime" was minimized and to weave the rocking songs in with the more mellow stuff. It takes a lot of work, and it would be difficult to do for a touring band on a daily basis. By having a tight set list, the event is more enjoyable for all involved.

For Jay and Son Volt, some of these reasons may only be the "tip of the iceberg." The third show I went to was a month or two after the the first two, and it was obvious to me that the band was having a great time. Although Dave was not there, Gary, Mark and Andrew were just ripping it, and there were "approving" smiles from Jay. It is an experience to see musicians of this caliber play with so much enthusiasm! At a mere $20 a ticket, I do not feel "entitled" to anything more than what this excellent band gives us as fans. Hell, over a two-hour period we get more music from their vault than any other band who comes out and spends half of their time talking gibberish.

Cheers to all the guys for a job well done!

Aside: One of my favorite songs from the new album is "Shine On."

TinyElvis
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Location: Franklin, TN

Post by TinyElvis »

Mark Spencer wrote:You never know! I'm still waiting for Angel Of The Blues to hit the list myself, my favorite song from the album.
Mine, too.

thatbeat
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Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2003 7:44 am
Location: Asheville

Post by thatbeat »

now that the band has been playing these songs out for a few months now, any chance a live EP\album from this tour Mark? 8)

Mark Spencer
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Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2003 4:25 pm

Post by Mark Spencer »

TragicFig wrote:Thx Amzie/Mark...and just to be clear, I wasn't suggesting the band offer up a radically different set list each night a la the Dead. I'm a long time fan and know that is not Jay's style. Rather, I was simply wondering whether or not the Sep shows would be a continuation of the already completed '13 tour dates, following the Aug hiatus, or whether an updated "notional" set list would be trotted out. In any case, I'd travel to see SV if they played Tear Stained Eye and Drown over and over all night long.....

....so long as they surprise with Chaos Streams now and again... :D

Hope to catch a Sep show. Now, on to the next thread!
You never know! I'm still waiting for Angel Of The Blues to hit the list myself, my favorite song from the album.

TragicFig
Posts: 348
Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2006 2:02 pm
Location: San Diego, CA

Post by TragicFig »

Thx Amzie/Mark...and just to be clear, I wasn't suggesting the band offer up a radically different set list each night a la the Dead. I'm a long time fan and know that is not Jay's style. Rather, I was simply wondering whether or not the Sep shows would be a continuation of the already completed '13 tour dates, following the Aug hiatus, or whether an updated "notional" set list would be trotted out. In any case, I'd travel to see SV if they played Tear Stained Eye and Drown over and over all night long.....

....so long as they surprise with Chaos Streams now and again... :D

Hope to catch a Sep show. Now, on to the next thread!

Mark Spencer
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Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2003 4:25 pm

Post by Mark Spencer »

amzie wrote:Hey, Tragic Fig. You have every right to desire as much as you can get. If I were able to pursue Son Volt in a Grateful Deadish multiple tour dates frenzy, I would LOVE to hear a different set each night--and expect it, too. Just think if the aforementioned torrents were ALL DIFFERENT sets--awesome!!!!

Mark--please elaborate on the "laundry list" you mentioned. I have heard Son Volt described as a well-oiled machine, as well as a band that just churns 'em out with not enough patter by Jay, and a stable set list that is easier to recreate each show. I am just curious, really, and apparently not observant enough--what ARE the reasons for such similar setlists, especially when other bands manage to mix it up a bit more?

And thank you for your rationalization of the boy's death, but I still think it could have been prevented--it wasn't the Dark Ages.
Oh there are plenty of reasons, I'm sure you can figure it out. But Son Volt enthusiastically supports fans traveling from show to show and attending as many as they can!

amzie
Posts: 192
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2013 1:13 pm

Post by amzie »

Hey, Tragic Fig. You have every right to desire as much as you can get. If I were able to pursue Son Volt in a Grateful Deadish multiple tour dates frenzy, I would LOVE to hear a different set each night--and expect it, too. Just think if the aforementioned torrents were ALL DIFFERENT sets--awesome!!!!

Mark--please elaborate on the "laundry list" you mentioned. I have heard Son Volt described as a well-oiled machine, as well as a band that just churns 'em out with not enough patter by Jay, and a stable set list that is easier to recreate each show. I am just curious, really, and apparently not observant enough--what ARE the reasons for such similar setlists, especially when other bands manage to mix it up a bit more?

And thank you for your rationalization of the boy's death, but I still think it could have been prevented--it wasn't the Dark Ages.

TragicFig
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Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2006 2:02 pm
Location: San Diego, CA

Post by TragicFig »

Um, in answer to the question, "Why?" Because I've caught a couple of the shows on the current tour and am considering going on the road to catch some of the southeast shows. And while I love the current set list, Jay's catalogue is so varied and uniformly excellent that I was hoping to hear him play a few tunes that he has not already played during this run. Just a greedy fan Mark.

BIGfan
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Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 2:47 pm

Post by BIGfan »

So, so true, Mr. Spencer - anyone who has kids, today, knows [and clearly remembers] how different it is from the world/neighborhoods we grew up in just a few (or maybe more!) decades ago.

Mark Spencer
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Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2003 4:25 pm

Post by Mark Spencer »

amzie wrote:I may have exaggerated a little with "pithy prose," BIGfan, but I was kind of saying that I enjoyed the discussion, so we agree on that, for what it's worth. Did you happen to read Farrar's book? I am still looking for some way to justify the "portrait" of the boy from "Across the Street."
It could be that you are placing the template of today's micromanaged, over-parented, paranoid, child-on-leash helicoptering butt-in-ski parenting and social styles to a reality from a much different time, when there was far more value put on minding your own business, as well as, for better or worse, accepting and staying out of the autonomy of children, parents, and the way they're being raised, and the abuse or neglect this might reveal. I'm not saying it's better, I'm just saying times have changed, sometimes drastically, and it may be unfair to retroactively be critical of the Farrar family for not behaving as one might in 2013 America. Almost every parent and child that I knew when I was young in VT, by today's standards, would be in jail or juvenile hall or in an asylum or ostracized by their neighbors for what was considered normal, healthy parenting back then.

amzie
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Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2013 1:13 pm

Post by amzie »

I may have exaggerated a little with "pithy prose," BIGfan, but I was kind of saying that I enjoyed the discussion, so we agree on that, for what it's worth. Did you happen to read Farrar's book? I am still looking for some way to justify the "portrait" of the boy from "Across the Street."

BIGfan
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Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 2:47 pm

Post by BIGfan »

Frankly, pithy prose or not, I think its thoroughly refreshing whenever the topic IS actually about Jay/SV...afterall, isn't that what this message board forum is meant to be about?

amzie
Posts: 192
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2013 1:13 pm

Post by amzie »

In order to pick up a few songs I missed in concert, I download torrents that are generously provided on this message board. And, I was fortunate to hear a great version of Hoping Machine live--I hadn't heard it before. Personally, I think the shows are a thoughtful mix of material.

Mr. Spencer writes with barely concealed annoyance, but I enjoy reading his pithy prose. This set list topic is like a long dead horse on this forum, ain't it?

Mark Spencer
Posts: 520
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2003 4:25 pm

Re: Any Chance

Post by Mark Spencer »

TragicFig wrote:...Jay will alter the set list for the Sep southeast shows?
It's far more likely to experience Jay/SV changing set lists from tour-to-tour, as opposed to night to night. The only thing night to night on any Jay or SV tour that is likely to get changed is adding in or omitting one or two songs, or perhaps occasionally busting out some other cover, usually as a one night occurrence.

I understand this is something that fans, especially ones' likely to attend more than one show on a tour, occasionally desire or feel entitled to. Prob. not going to happen, at least to the satisfaction of those for whom set-lists changing from night to night are an important or valued part of the live music experience. We're not disrespecting you, or being lame, or trying to mess up your expectations, it's just not how it tends to roll. That simple. Those that have actually followed Jay's/SV's career should be aware of this by now, and have accepted it "just being the way it is". Anyone who actually has paid attention to the mechanics of the way Jay likes to run a show would notice a couple things that should serve, for the observant, of why the playlist is worked out and tends to only vary slightly from show to show. There is actually a laundry list of these reasons, but it will be left up to each individual fan to decide whether it is obvious that things need to run this way, or, to continue to express the desire for, (or aggravation at) the set list changing from night to night.

Son Volt, particularly in it's current incarnations, is a pretty great band, and offers a lot musically and for the long time fan of Jay/SV. Hopefully that is enough to satisfy the lions share of fans, and that the special needs people can also appreciate it as well, even if they can't have some of those special needs met to their specifications. Thanks for your continued support, and look forward to having each and every one of you at the upcoming shows!

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