Encores

[jrnyman28]

I was thinking about this on the way into work this morning.

Do you remember when "encores" were more or less sponteaneous? Journey has been playing almost the same encore for years now. Sometimes it is "Faithfully" but most of the time it is "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'". When did encores become "scripted"? When did bands start to save one of their hits (that get one of the biggest responses) for an encore. When I go to concerts nowadays, I can usually guess what the encore will be because I can pick out the biggest hit that is missing from the set! Encores used to be a unique experience filled with some magical performances due to their "jam" nature! An encore used to show off 'influences" of the band, or what members of the band were listening to at the time. They gave a little more insight into the band. Now they are merely calculated ends to the shows. And many times, it takes away from the rest of the concert experience.

Last year I read a review of a Duran Duran Reunion show. Apparantly the band was not in "return to form" shape yet so the show was pretty lackluster. As the band left the stage at the end of their regular set the audience was apparntly completely willing to let them go. There was reportedly little 'fanfare'. But the band returned to the stage shortly after, made comments like 'Thank you so much' 'So you want some more?' or some such cliche crap. And then they proceeded to play one of their biggest hits. The audience didn't care and it was painfully obvious that the band had 'choreographed' their encore.

I would like encores to be real again. If the crowd cheers, the band comes back out and plays something "off the cuff". Play all your songs during the set! I am not a fan of cover songs, but in concert, as a part of an encore, they could be magical!

Bring back the real encore.







(Angie, if this were the case, would it have been acceptable at "your" show? The band played, were not happy with the actions of the crowd or did not feel the crowd 'wanted' an enore, so they left? Just hypothetical...since they did play LTS, which is almost always their encore)

[Red13JoePa]

I refuse to believe that Andy Taylor was not on top of his game. My man is a dynamo. I'll take your word on the rest of DD though.

As a diehard, i agree with Dave28...I'd like to see L,T,S moved from the encore to the first set now and then. The tedium of it HAS to bug the band a LITTLE....

But the shows are geared towards the casual GH/EssJrny fans so......I guess they save that 1 huge hit for the encore to ensure satisfaction to the soccer mom suv cell phone yakking Higher Place? WHat's Higher Place crowd.

[Rockindeano]

13, I have lost a lot of respect for you.
DD? they blow.

[Red13JoePa]

More of an Andy Taylor fan the DD, but still like the band. The Powerstation is where Andy was allowed to stretch out more and rock. Look at the Rod Stewart albums where played lead like Out Of ORder....far rockier than other rod stuff...

[NoMoreTails]

(Angie, if this were the case, would it have been acceptable at "your" show? The band played, were not happy with the actions of the crowd or did not feel the crowd 'wanted' an enore, so they left? Just hypothetical...since they did play LTS, which is almost always their encore)

I saw Journey at a Fair a few years ago, the "encore" was LTS as usual but it wasn't preceeded by the band walking off then back on stage. Knowing that they usually end wtih that song it was obvious this was really the encore. The walking off and back on may have been omiited because of the rain that night or because of time constaints at that show.

[The_Noble_Cause]

Great topic, Dave.
You're right. It's time to place LTS somewhere else in the set list.
In the beggining of the Detour tour in '04, they were using LTS as the penultimate song and then Party's Over as the encore. That's what I'd like to see. However, understandably, the band wants to leave the crowd singing on their way out to the parking lot. Both Faithfully, and LTS accomplish precisely that.

[Abitaman]

i have a journey show with augeri can't rmeber which one right now0 but faithfully and lts were in the middle along with don't stop. can't rmemrnbeer what the encore was either. but i do know i had /have this shoe.-eric

[Angiekay]

(Angie, if this were the case, would it have been acceptable at "your" show? The band played, were not happy with the actions of the crowd or did not feel the crowd 'wanted' an enore, so they left? Just hypothetical...since they did play LTS, which is almost always their encore)

An encore, PERIOD would have been nice, but you know....

I agree with you for the most part and it's really a double edge sword. Saving the biggest hit for the end is a ploy to keep the audience in their seats instead of leaving early, but it's also become, "well I know what the last song is going to be, let's leave" ESPECIALLY if you're like me and the hits are just boring anyway. (I'm talking about bands in general, not Journey)

Two examples of encore situations:

1. You would think Pat Benatar saves Hit Me for her encores(it's All Fired Up) . The first time I ever saw her, the crowd waited the entire show and she never played it. I myself can't stand that song(as well as Pat can't either which is why she didn't play it on that tour)but I thought there was going to be anarchy after she left the stage for good without playing it. It's the ONLY time I've seen her that she hasn't played it.


2. Styx ALWAYS plays Renegade for their encore. About two or three years ago, they put it earlier in the set and switch the encore song to Blue Collar Man. O. M. G. you would have thought that they put Jesus back up on the cross again. The Styx boards were aflame and it didn't take long before Renegade was back in the encore position!

As far as Journey goes, I remember when I first saw them, I guess I found it odd that LTS was the encore. For me, there are a number of hits Journey could use. One doesn't stand out head and shoulders above the rest to use. Separate Ways works, Lights works. I just think LTS is a good crowd sing along so it works to leave the crowd with a really good final concert experience. I've always thought it was cool when they quit playing one by one and let the crowd sing and just fade into the backgroud.

[Angiekay]

I want to add that I have seen bands that move away from the norm of playing hits in their encore. REO Speedwagon is one of them. They use 157 Riverside Blues, which I don't think I ever remember hearing until they started playing it as their encore. Aerosmith usually mixes it up, as well as the Stones, etc, but those bands have such HUGE hit libraries that they can do that and it's all good.

[NealIsGod]

I guess Journey feels LTS and Faithfully lend themselves to the encore position well. The Party's Over is the perfect encore song, IMO.

What songs off Arrival or Gens would you choose as a good encore song? The obvious one is We Will Meet Again off Arrival.

[jrnyman28]

1. You would think Pat Benatar saves Hit Me for her encores(it's All Fired Up) . The first time I ever saw her, the crowd waited the entire show and she never played it. I myself can't stand that song(as well as Pat can't either which is why she didn't play it on that tour)but I thought there was going to be anarchy after she left the stage for good without playing it. It's the ONLY time I've seen her that she hasn't played it.

Are you saying Pat can't stand "Hit me With Your Best Shot"? (I have a massive headache so I did not follow...)

Journey went through something similar during Arrival when they didn't play Open Arms. I was definately fine with it, but most of the crowd leaving was saying "I can't believe they didn't play Open Arms"! It came back...

I've always thought it was cool when they quit playing one by one and let the crowd sing and just fade into the backgroud.

Faithfully does work well for that. LTS isn't really a "sing along" it is a "Na Na" along!

[jrnyman28]

I want to add that I have seen bands that move away from the norm of playing hits in their encore. REO Speedwagon is one of them. They use 157 Riverside Blues, which I don't think I ever remember hearing until they started playing it as their encore. Aerosmith usually mixes it up, as well as the Stones, etc, but those bands have such HUGE hit libraries that they can do that and it's all good.

I LOVED 157 Riverside Ave, except that REO is playing a more PC version now. That seems to be one of the only songs from their early catalog that they still play at all!

But you all seem to be stuck on one part of my point: the same ole encore song. But instead of any song from their hit catalog, I would rather a band throw something out there. A cover song that EVERYONE knows the words to is a cool idea. It is something they play off-the-cuff and still gets the crowd riled up!

[jrnyman28]

I guess Journey feels LTS and Faithfully lend themselves to the encore position well. The Party's Over is the perfect encore song, IMO.

What songs off Arrival or Gens would you choose as a good encore song? The obvious one is We Will Meet Again off Arrival.

Personally, I think "Beyond The Clouds" has a great "ending/closing" sound (which is why it sounded so good at the end of Generations), but it is not the type of song you want to end a concert with. Honestly, I think "Gone Crazy" could bring the house down!

But still, I would rather see an impromptu encore...

[NealIsGod]

Bring back Dixie Highway!!!

[The_Noble_Cause]

Personally, I think "Beyond The Clouds" has a great "ending/closing" sound (which is why it sounded so good at the end of Generations)

Too bad they fucked that up by slapping "It's Never Too Late" on at the end. If anywhere, that song needed to be inserted in the middle.

Honestly, I think "Gone Crazy" could bring the house down!

Yeah, literally. People would revolt and burn shit. They need to stop playing that abomination asap. I like it on the record, but it does not translate live.

[Angiekay]

Are you saying Pat can't stand "Hit me With Your Best Shot"? (I have a massive headache so I did not follow...)

OMG...she can't STAND that song and makes no attempt to hide that fact. She even mentions it in concert and makes the audience sing certain parts that she just can't bring herself to sing anymore(before I put another notch in my lipstick case)

Faithfully does work well for that. LTS isn't really a "sing along" it is a "Na Na" along!

Hey, now that you say that, maybe that was the song I was thinking of that they did that one. I can't bear to hear Faithfully anymore, but that is a cool ending.

[Angiekay]

But you all seem to be stuck on one part of my point: the same ole encore song. But instead of any song from their hit catalog, I would rather a band throw something out there. A cover song that EVERYONE knows the words to is a cool idea. It is something they play off-the-cuff and still gets the crowd riled up!

Hmmm, well, I don't know. People seem upset when bands do cover songs in general in concert(didn't hear a lot of positive about Neal's Jimi this summer...I think partially because it was too long). I don't think using one as an encore would fare any better. Styx used to do part of Tush before going into Renegade, but I have learned that is Tommy's way of getting his voice ready for that beginning music-less line. I can't see going to a show of a certain band I want to see and them *ending* with a song that isn't their own. Might leave some people scratching their heads and wondering why they didn't end with an original kick ass song.

[Marabelle]

Open Arms is a song I'd like laid to rest for awhile. It's always seems a tad bit over song and dramatic and dated. I think of waves crashing to the shore and a couple wrestling in the water as the song plays in the background.

[Abitaman]

[b][color=purple][size=15]



I LOVED 157 Riverside Ave, except that REO is playing a more PC version now.

Talk about a song that has changed over the years, got about 3 - 5 different versions of that song-ERIC

[A Fire Inside]

I always secretly wish they would play We Will Meet Again as an encore.

[jrnyman28]

Hmmm, well, I don't know. People seem upset when bands do cover songs in general in concert(didn't hear a lot of positive about Neal's Jimi this summer...I think partially because it was too long). I don't think using one as an encore would fare any better. Styx used to do part of Tush before going into Renegade, but I have learned that is Tommy's way of getting his voice ready for that beginning music-less line. I can't see going to a show of a certain band I want to see and them *ending* with a song that isn't their own. Might leave some people scratching their heads and wondering why they didn't end with an original kick ass song.

I see your point.

I just like the idea of "impromptu". As I said in another post, I don't like covers either. But it seems kind of cool as an ending, something sponteaneous, just a jam on a song that everyone knows how to play and the audience knows the words to.

[jrnyman28]

I always secretly wish they would play We Will Meet Again as an encore.

That definately would have been the pefect encore for the Arrival Tour.

[jrnyman28]

Open Arms is a song I'd like laid to rest for awhile. It's always seems a tad bit over song and dramatic and dated. I think of waves crashing to the shore and a couple wrestling in the water as the song plays in the background.

I agree completely!!

[A Fire Inside]

I always secretly wish they would play We Will Meet Again as an encore.

That definately would have been the pefect encore for the Arrival Tour.

Even now. Man, screw the drunk people who want to hear a hit like LTS. Play LTS and then WWMA, Journey.

[Jeremey]

Personally, I think "Beyond The Clouds" has a great "ending/closing" sound (which is why it sounded so good at the end of Generations)

Too bad they fucked that up by slapping "It's Never Too Late" on at the end. If anywhere, that song needed to be inserted in the middle.

Honestly, I think "Gone Crazy" could bring the house down!

Yeah, literally. People would revolt and burn shit. They need to stop playing that abomination asap. I like it on the record, but it does not translate live.

I haven't heard "It's Never Too Late," only have the US release given at concerts. Is that one on the Japanese version? Also, on the Japanese version I thought they changed the name of the song to "Beyond the Crowds?" Am I completely nuts on that? Gone Crazy live was pretty much a chance for everyone to grab a beer.

As a lowly tribute band, we always plan on doing "Any Way You Want It" as our encore closer, but we always throw an obscure song in there as the first song of the encore. A couple weeks ago I got clever and thought we'd do "Troubled Child" right before we went back out on stage. Got to the first verse and realized I completely forgot ALL the words. Nuts.

[junky]

Yeah, what ever happened to the two or three song encore?

LTS is problably the smart way to end the show, but they could throw in a song or two beforehand.

My picks would be Dixie Highway, Precious Time, World Gone Wild or maybe a new version of On A Saturday Night with vocals shared by Jon and Steve. I heard a great version back in 78 with Gregg and Steve P.

[jrnyman28]

I haven't heard "It's Never Too Late," only have the US release given at concerts. Is that one on the Japanese version?

It is on the UK Version and remixed for the US Version. It is also on the Japan version with Pride In The Family. Good song, but Beyond The Clouds was the perfect ending to the CD.

Also, on the Japanese version I thought they changed the name of the song to "Beyond the Crowds?" Am I completely nuts on that?

Gone Crazy live was pretty much a chance for everyone to grab a beer.

I enjoyed the song and it is a raucous ball-buster of a song. With the energy and the bluesy vibe it could IMO close a show well (if more people knew the song).

[jrnyman28]

My picks would be Dixie Highway, Precious Time, World Gone Wild or maybe a new version of On A Saturday Night with vocals shared by Jon and Steve. I heard a great version back in 78 with Gregg and Steve P.

I like the way you think!

[The_Noble_Cause]

I haven't heard "It's Never Too Late," only have the US release given at concerts.

This site used to stream it. Click on the song and it will play without downloading.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu ... 1424344984

[brandonx76]

More of an Andy Taylor fan the DD, but still like the band. The Powerstation is where Andy was allowed to stretch out more and rock. Look at the Rod Stewart albums where played lead like Out Of ORder....far rockier than other rod stuff...

I remember the Powerstation record....good stuff - right around the time of "Live Aid"....Ohh yeah, and Phil Collins playing drums with Led Zepplin....yeah...and later hearing Phil was disappointed in his playing because he'd been out of practice....yeah..woah...rambling....ok...back to Andy Taylor - wasn't he in Missing Persons? Anyone catch the "Hit me 1 more time"? No Terry Bozio and no Andy Taylor....lame!