Do Any Other Bands "Play What They Want" & Not What the Fans Want?

[LookingAtYou]

Is DMB the first band to take the approach of playing what they want to hear rather than what the paying audience wants to hear? Now I know that it can't be expected for any band to just cater to their fanbase and take requests from the audience during the show, but the vast majority of bands try to make their setlists based upon what the fanbase ultimately likes the best right?

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by LookingAtYou

Is DMB the first band to take the approach of playing what they want to hear rather than what the paying audience wants to hear? Now I know that it can't be expected for any band to just cater to their fanbase and take requests from the audience during the show, but the vast majority of bands try to make their setlists based upon what the fanbase ultimately likes the best right?

Are fanbases uniform in what songs they like?

If not, which part of the fanbase are you asking about? The "majority" whatever that means? The casual fans? The hardcore fans? The message board fans?

[LookingAtYou]

Originally Posted by MistreatedLewis

Are fanbases uniform in what songs they like?

If not, which part of the fanbase are you asking about? The "majority" whatever that means? The casual fans? The hardcore fans? The message board fans?

The hardcore/10 years plus / follow band around the country / buy the majority of DMB merchandise fans

[onesweetworld41]

Eric Clapton didn't play Layla for a really long stretch of time even though people would literally chant it during the main set, 1st encore and 2nd encore..

[dantefab]

There is too much criticism on these boards about what the band plays thus making it seem like the band is not playing what "we" want.

They are playing what we want, minus 1 song that these boards will get hung up on....2009 ex. Last Stop.

[SpotlightEyes]

Originally Posted by LookingAtYou

The hardcore/10 years plus / follow band around the country / buy the majority of DMB merchandise fans

Maybe you should realize that this is less than 1% of the concert going people?

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by dantefab

There is too much criticism on these boards about what the band plays thus making it seem like the band is not playing what "we" want.

They are playing what we want, minus 1 song that these boards will get hung up on....2009 ex. Last Stop.

This is false. About 50-75% of the stuff they play is what we would really want to hear. The rest is most definitely not.

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by SpotlightEyes

Maybe you should realize that this is less than 1% of the concert going people?

Proof?

[Zachman285]

Yup... I think DMB is the first band EVER not to ask their fans to pick the setlists. They must be the first band EVER to ignore a chant. Thay are probably the first band EVER to vary their setlists but not ensure that each venue gets certain songs that hardcore fans might want. They're probably the first band EVER to promote an album instead of playing a tour of the classics. We are SO unfortunate

[274041]

Listen, DMB has a huge fan base ranging from dumbass drunk high school chicks to well educated graduate students. Therefore they have to cater to a lot of tastes. Which is what there music does. So their set list reflect that diversity . They cant please everybody. As a matter of fact i think the band and the powers that be, who choose the set list do a remarkable job. Getting the same songs at a lot of concerts ? then don't go to 12 shows a year.

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by 274041

Listen, DMB has a huge fan base ranging from dumbass drunk high school chicks to well educated graduate students. Therefore they have to cater to a lot of tastes. Which is what there music does. So their set list reflect that diversity . They cant please everybody. As a matter of fact i think the band and the powers that be, who choose the set list do a remarkable job. Getting the same songs at a lot of concerts ? then don't go to 12 shows a year.

That's false. They choose to cater to a lot of tastes. And to their own. They most certainly do not have to.

[dantefab]

Originally Posted by MistreatedLewis

This is false. About 50-75% of the stuff they play is what we would really want to hear. The rest is most definitely not.

Again...who is "we"? This is not a statistical argument. 50-75% of the stuff they play is what "you" want hear? Sorry to hear that.

[americanemu25]

box of rain by grateful dead wasn't played for like 10+ years and from my understadning that was a fan favorite...so im pretty sure other bands don't play what the fans want all the time...

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by dantefab

Again...who is "we"? This is not a statistical argument. 50-75% of the stuff they play is what "you" want hear? Sorry to hear that.

I was referring to the message board crowd, and judging by every poll ever made on here and reading many posts, IMO that's pretty accurate.

[dantefab]

Originally Posted by MistreatedLewis

I was referring to the message board crowd, and judging by every poll ever made on here and reading many posts, IMO that's pretty accurate.

Ok that makes sense. With that being said tho, I still think the boards in general wine and wine way too much about setlists and what could have been instead of appreciating them!

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by dantefab

Ok that makes sense. With that being said tho, I still think the boards in general wine and wine way too much about setlists and what could have been instead of appreciating them!

Why should people appreciate subpar setlists when the band could easily play great ones every night?

[hushguppie]

A lot of bands play the exact same set EVERY NIGHT....some for the whole tour, some even longer, We should be greatful!

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by hushguppie

A lot of bands play the exact same set EVERY NIGHT....some for the whole tour, some even longer, We should be greatful!

Radiohead plays very similar sets night to night and they are still better than DMB. It's not always about variety.

[Corduroy Boy]

I'd say the people here on this message board are in the minority at a show regarding there opinion on this, and I think we still make out alright. You'll get a good show with good songs. People forget that ten years ago, the catalog was much smaller. And the new songs they were promoting (btcs) were some of there best songs. That's why every show looks pleasing to your eye as it stands today. But now the catalog is much bigger and infaltrated with lesser quality songs, but you can't expect them to not play them at least for a year or so.

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by Corduroy Boy

I'd say the people here on this message board are in the minority at a show regarding there opinion on this, and I think we still make out alright. You'll get a good show with good songs. People forget that ten years ago, the catalog was much smaller. And the new songs they were promoting (btcs) were some of there best songs. That's why every show looks pleasing to your eye as it stands today. But now the catalog is much bigger and infaltrated with lesser quality songs, but you can't expect them to not play them at least for a year or so.

I think the majority of the crowd at most shows wishes the band played more singles.

[Corduroy Boy]

Originally Posted by MistreatedLewis

I think the majority of the crowd at most shows wishes the band played more singles.

I'd agree. So obviously the people on this message board at the show might come up empty handed. But they are going to please the majority and not the minority. That's just how it goes. It's simple.

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by Corduroy Boy

I'd agree. So obviously the people on this message board at the show might come up empty handed. But they are going to please the majority and not the minority. That's just how it goes. It's simple.

But they don't please the majority because they don't play more singles. At least, not as much as they want to be pleased.

[dantefab]

Originally Posted by MistreatedLewis

Why should people appreciate subpar setlists when the band could easily play great ones every night?

Because a great setlist would not be that great if they played it or a variation of it every night. It would be the norm and people would complain that there is not enough rotation.

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by dantefab

Because a great setlist would not be that great if they played it or a variation of it every night. It would be the norm and people would complain that there is not enough rotation.

I could not disagree more. A great setlist is not made great by its rarity.

[vtpettit]

Originally Posted by dantefab

Ok that makes sense. With that being said tho, I still think the boards in general wine and wine way too much about setlists and what could have been instead of appreciating them!

i like wine! agreed, we definitely complain about setlists way too much... mostly because we go to too many shows and look at every setlist. i used to go to 5-10 shows a year, but have reduced to 1-2 and am happy to see whatever they want to play!

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by vtpettit

i like wine! agreed, we definitely complain about setlists way too much... mostly because we go to too many shows and look at every setlist. i used to go to 5-10 shows a year, but have reduced to 1-2 and am happy to see whatever they want to play!

If I went to one show in my entire life, there are plenty of DMB songs I would not be happy to hear.

[Corduroy Boy]

Originally Posted by MistreatedLewis

But they don't please the majority because they don't play more singles. At least, not as much as they want to be pleased.

Sure they do, and on top of that they cut out most of the Everyday and Stand Up songs. But sure they play the singles...Funny, Why I Am, You and Me, Two Step, Ants Marching, Crush, Don't Drink The Water, Rapunzel, Crash, Stay..I could go on..what are you talking about you're making no sense?

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by Corduroy Boy

Sure they do, and on top of that they cut out most of the Everyday and Stand Up songs. But sure they play the singles...Funny, Why I Am, You and Me, Two Step, Ants Marching, Crush, Don't Drink The Water, Rapunzel, Crash, Stay..I could go on..what are you talking about you're making no sense?

you misread me. I didn't say they don't play singles. I said at any given show they don't play enough of their singles to fully please the casual fanbase. Which doesn't mean they aren't pleased. Just that they could be more pleased. Like the hardcores.

(Two Step was not a single by the way)

[Corduroy Boy]

Originally Posted by MistreatedLewis

you misread me. I didn't say they don't play singles. I said at any given show they don't play enough of their singles to fully please the casual fanbase. Which doesn't mean they aren't pleased. Just that they could be more pleased. Like the hardcores.

(Two Step was not a single by the way)

You'd say the casual fan comes out displeased after a show? No. That's the whole argument here, that the opinions on here don't have enough representation at a show. Even still without that voice, we have seen killer songs this tour. I can't speak for every tour, especially 2005-2007..but DMB isn't the type of band to break out crazy setlists. They coud and they should, but how many times is that worth discussing? It's not going to happen and hasn't. And they never have btw, the setlists have always followed the same mold.

[LastHallowStop9]

Am I the only person in here that thinks Radiohead BLOWS? I can't stand that fucking band.