Should a Band Always Play Their Biggest Hit in Concert?

The other factor is how often a band plays live. If you can see them with some regularity, they can play whatever they want, as far as I'm concerned. If it's a one in a lifetime type deal, then fine, they need to play what made them famous.

When I finally got to see the Sonics last year, I fully expected them to play Psycho and the Witch because I, like many others in the crowd, had been waiting decades for the chance to hear those songs played. They didn't disappoint, of course (in fact, they were among the best live bands I've seen in the last decade)

If they played my town every year, then they could have done whatever the hell they wanted to.

 

Can't find the quote, but he's mentioned in the past every time he plays he has to play certain things as there will always be someone seeing him for the first time and he wants to ensure they see what they expect of him.

 

I think it's up to the band what they play, period.

I think "The Flame" is Cheap Trick's biggest hit, but I think very few fans care if they play that song. Many would prefer they didn't.

 

I would rather hear a song the band wanted to play then watch them go through the motions playing something they felt obliged to.

 

I saw the Mavericks last night. They were so good, no one cared that they didn't play "Cryin' Shame" or "There Goes My Heart".

 

No

 

not necessarily their biggest hit, but definitely a lot of hits. hits are usually hits because they are the better songs.
saw feist perform a few years back, and she made a point to complain about how her fans expected her to play "1,2,3,4" in concert.
it was the biggest crock of hipster-angst-******** i've ever heard. that song introduced a lot of people to her.

 

I despise that attitude amongst musicians and bands. It reminds me of that clip of the Byrds at Monterey Pop, where annoying loudmouth David Crosby shot down requests for their old material, man (that was 2 years old tops, at the time), in favor of pap like "Lady Friend".

 

NRBQ has not played "Get That Gasoline" in many decades. And no one has ever complained about that.

 

"Lady Friend" pap?

 

Compared to Tambourine Man or Turn Turn Turn or Eight Miles High, yes.

 

I like it. I have seen bands save it to the end, though.

 

Here's the thing, if you have a hit, and you are not going to play it, don't ******ing tell the audience ahead of time that you arent playing it or WHY... sheesh... what you do is play the songs you ARE going to play as well and as enthusiastically and professionally as you can. Wow them, make them forget they missed anything.

 

Back when rock was art.

 

Simple solution : if a band is seriously tired of a song or have left that sound behind ... Just play a new version. Robbie williams used to play the ballad "back for good" as a rocker, all speeded up ...

If its a bluesy number then do a reggae / edm / accoustic ... Calypso, whatever version ... .. Mix it up and refrsh it. Not hard surely.

Everyone wins then ...

 

No, it's "Kokomo."

 

Should a Band Always Play Their Biggest Hit in Concert?

No, they should play 4'33" by John Cage instead.

 

I went and saw C.W. McCall perform live and he didn't play........oh never mind.

 

I've never thrown anything, at an artist or a stage. It's never even occurred to me, to do so.

 

Absolutely!

 

If I went to see a band who only had a few hits, like, I dunno, Asia? Then yeah, I'd expect them to play "Heat Of The Moment."

I saw the Cult on the Electric anniversary tour a few years ago, and they'd dropped "Fire Woman," which kinda bummed me out. I mean, I love the Cult and the show was great, but they're not a band who plays Nashville often (I think they'd only headlined their own gig in Nashville once, in 2001), so it was probably my only shot. Oh well.

If I went to see U2 and they dropped "With Or Without You" or "I still Haven't Found" or "One" or something (which they've done at various points), it doesn't matter, because they inevitably played a dozen other huge hits that everyone loves. Same with the Stones not playing "Satisfaction" or Aerosmith not playing "Walk This Way" or whatnot.

Bands who largely play to their core audience can totally do this. No idea why Rush never gave "Tom Sawyer" a rest for awhile, or why Yes keeps playing "Owner Of a Lonely Heart" without Trevor Rabin in the band...the fans that go see those bands aren't really there for those songs.

 

Spinal Tap famously never include "Listen (to the flower people)" in their sets. With no complaints i believe.

 

There's a lot of folks in this thread that have obviously never been in a band or never had people constantly requesting the same s*** night after night. Years ago, I wrote a silly little song that had quite a bit of Marc Bolan in it. Each evening when friends sat around playing music, some of them would ask me to sing it, and then sing it again, and then yet again. I became real sorry I ever wrote it. Yes, I appreciated the praise for a while, but it just got old, cuz like I said, it was a silly thing to begin with.

 

While I agree that The Flame would not be missed by most fans, I'd argue that Surrender, Dream Police, and I Want You to Want Me are more associated with their hit-making days. And I believe that at least one of these are usually in their set lists, not that I ever need to hear them live again. I much prefer to hear deeper catalog stuff.