How long for a gig that you don't feel let down? (1 Viewer)

[IFF]

So question, how long do you think a gig should be in length before you get the feeling that you feel let down that the band didn't play long enough

I was at a gig recently of a certain American band who had no support at the gig. came on at 9:20 and finished at 10:35. (they initially went off stage at 10:15 before returning for the encore 3 minutes later) I felt annoyed that I did all the travelling for a short gig. it was frustrating.

sure they were proficient at playing but time wise, it was dissapointing

right, off to the football betting part of this forum

 

[pete]

it depends. how many albums have they?

I saw The XX in Tripod and they couldn't have played much longer than an hour, but if that's all of their recorded material you can't really complain, can you?


also: encores suck. just play the fucking songs you planned to play anyway, then fuck off.

 

[Flux]

I have the guilts from playing in a band in 2006/7 that charged people a tenner on occasion for a 40 minute set.

Jesus Christ. We all partied.

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

It's better to leave wanting more than to have had enough. I get a pain in me back at standing gigs so I'm generally happy enough for them to be not too long. If it's a seated one then happy for it to go on a bit longer. When Mayhem played in the button factory a few years ago the stage was all set up and ready but they didn't come on for ages and then played a short set. They could have come on half an hour earlier and let us all home sooner or played a longer set. that was a load of bollix.

 

[IFF]

it depends. how many albums have they?

3 albums.

I saw The XX in Tripod and they couldn't have played much longer than an hour, but if that's all of their recorded material you can't really complain, can you?

I did see Django Django in October and played for over an hour but they only have one album so i felt that was ok.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

As others have said, if it's a new band touring a first record, you can't really expect more than an hour.

Went to see Grimes and Alt-J recently (cos I'm such a fucking hipster) and that was the case. Both apologised as it happens.

3 albums and you should be getting a fair bit more than an hour though, I'd have thought.

 

[GO]

If its a sit down gig with an act that has the repetoire to carry it..2hrs is a pleasure.
If its a standing show...80 mins MAX.My back does be aching if I stand still much longer..and besides..the auld attention can waiver.

I'd much rather a nice blast and leave on a high..than a prolonged endurance test.

 

[worthit]

An hour an a half is fine (if not a little too long) for any band no matter how much I like them and how many albums they have. I don't want to stand for any longer than 2 hours.

 

[washingcattle]

90 minutes for any band if they play the right set.

2 hours if it's a greatest hits show.

2 and a half if it's great band with a huge back cat who announce "this is a new song" which gives you time to take a piss or go to the bar.

40 minutes with no encore if the band play anything mental, repetitive or have short songs. Nothing over 140 BPM should be listened to for more than 50 minutes in one go.

That's my rule of thumb. The last one being the most important. Have you ever seen that Hella DVD were they play for 90 minutes ? after the first 40 I was worn out and I wasn't even at the fucking show.

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

Bands with one album could improvise for another 45 minutes

 

[washingcattle]

Bands with one album could improvise for another 45 minutes

Depends on the band.


Play a B side or two (if you have any) or do a cover ( a good cover, not a punk version of a folk tune or some such bullshit ) but there's no point labouring either of those things.


If not just play the absolute balls out of what you have. My sister got me a ticket to the Strokes when they played in the olympia I wasn't into them at all and their set was 5 minutes shorter than the support band but they were fucking incredible. I say that of my own volition and without hyperbole. Saw Interpol then afterwards, they were fucking muck turned me off the record for ever and I never listened to them again. Which is for the best I think.

 

[east hastings]

As others have said, if it's a new band touring a first record, you can't really expect more than an hour.

Went to see Grimes and Alt-J recently (cos I'm such a fucking hipster) and that was the case. Both apologised as it happens.

3 albums and you should be getting a fair bit more than an hour though, I'd have thought.

grimes has 3 albums

 

[worthit]

Yeasayer played for just over an hour on Saturday. They have three albums. I was happy with that.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

grimes has 3 albums

What a gyp

 

[nutmeg81]

sure wasnt that the main issue with with the first night of the pixies dublin doolittle gigs....first night no support and over in an hour. then they got that drummer chap from kilkenny (drawn a blank on the name) for the next 2 nights which wasn't a bad idea, bar my brothers and i drinking in a pub and missing the support anyway!!

 

[rettucs]

Yeasayer played for just over an hour on Saturday. They have three albums. I was happy with that.

I saw them first time they played here and they were utter bollox.

which would be grand and all. Some bands just don't cut it live but can still make decent records, but this gig was so bad it ruined that first album for me which, at the time, was one of the best things I've ever heard.

 

[rettucs]

anyway 40 minutes to an hour is about right. But I agree with the cattle, 2 to 2.5 hours for a greatest hits show or any show you have to pay more than 50 quid for a ticket for.

the Cure's 3 hour set, as great and all as it was, was just too fucking long. Trim it by 30 mins and it would be perfect (in the sense that you could enjoy it more because you wouldn't be as wrecked from standing up for as long)

 

[rettucs]

grimes has 3 albums

Ashley Grimes has no albums

 

[pete]

Ashley Grimes has no albums

Do Panini compilations not count?

 

[The septic]

Saw Madness there last week. I don't know how long they played (which is a good sign). They played all the songs I wanted to hear and enough new songs that I didn't I didn't feel like I was missing anything while I was out grabbing a couple of pints for the wife and I or having a sneaky shmoke.

In general bored after an hour, pissed off under a half hour.

(Although I would kill to have seen one of Jay Reatard's 15 minute sets from when he just had 20 minutes of music and he played it all back to back at double speed. )