What's the shortest (non-interrupted) concert set you've seen?

Morrisey, in "Teatro de Verano", Montevideo, barely 1 hour, and it was summer !!!

 

I'm still mad at Elvis Costello. First US tour, some college in PA. Was an hour and half late, played a 25 minute set and split!

To quote "Ghostworld" (the movie) "Oh, how punk!"

 

There's a live release from that tour and Jack sounds very, very weak and old. He may not have had the stamina for more than 80 minutes.

 

Maybe he was busy with Geraldo Rivera. This is a snippet of a little doc Geraldo filmed then. There used to be a much longer one online, I cant find it, I wish Id recorded it. Geraldo probably had it taken down becaause he looks like a horse's ass throughout, chomping on his bubble gum wearing jeans 3 sizes too small and trying to be cool. If anybody has the full footage let me know.


edit, especially the scene at the checkout, Geraldo made an absolute fool of himself then, asking the cashiers what they think of "punk rock". God Id love to see that again, somebody needs to repost that

 

Hahhaha "Oh, my son's a musician, too. He plays bass." hhahahah

 

Julian Lennon, 'Valotte' tour - clocked in at just under an hour, played the album, 1 x b side ('Big Mama'), 'Stand By Me' and 'Slippin' and Slidin' '

 

The last time I saw The Specials was around 5 years ago. I was amazed at the really young kids decked out in their two-tone gladrags and dancing, they knew every song.

Terry Hall was a suckhole. He was having some issues with the sound guy, it happens and I am sure it is frustrating. It could be frustrating for the audience too, but I didnt see any of them sulking. The guy did the last few songs with his back turned or glaring at the techs, the last song he sang right from the back of the stage, right at the exit, and he walked out the second it was over. A pathetic display and I felt bad for all those kids who were probably seeing them for the first time.Wasn't their fault, all they did was pay their money and dance and support him, he owed them better than that.

 

Mike Oldfield, tubular bells 2 tour in the Hague. The new album plus half the 1973 version. Bit more than 60 minutes

 

I can’t recal having any isssues with his voice on the night. He still sounded like Jack and his instrumental skills were definitely up to the mark.

 

Van Morrison, 2006, in Grand Prairie (near Dallas)

I drove five hours to see what turned out to be a very rote and rather dull 1-hour performance.

 

The Strokes at Bill Graham Civic on Halloween in 2002. They only had their first album out at the time, and they only played about 45 minutes including the encore. By far the shortest show I've ever seen by a headliner.

 

Sounds like he played his entire catalog plus two songs as a bonus. Not too bad compared to the other stories here.

 

The Breeders in Amsterdam. Last Splash tour. A little less than 20 songs in a little more than 45 minutes. And enough time for Kim tot drink a bottle of whisky and smoke a packet of cigarettes in between.

 

Concert sets could routinely be a lot shorter in the past anyway. I've seen no end of short sets over the years. In the first half of the 70s when people jammed a lot, you still often only got an hour to an hour and a half plus encore (I did see the Allman Bros in 1974 though and they went on for about three and a half hours! You couldn't drag them off stage - that was unusual though). After punk had happened, it brought back the concept of focussed short, sharp sets for both main acts and supports (leave 'em wanting more, rather than outstay their welcome), which I sort of liked the idea of. That ethic lasted for some years. These days, everyone seems to play for two to three hours as standard, but it's a bit much for me and only the very best acts can sustain that without a slump in energy. Mind you, with ticket prices as they are these days, you would want your money's worth. So it's a bit of a vicious circle there.

 

My first Dylan show Birmingham NEC 10th October 1987, aged 16. Just over an hour. In fact I have just dug out the CD of the show and it clocks in at 67 minutes and 20 seconds! I remember at the time (pre internet and all that) having read reviews of the 1986 US tour and seen Hard To Handle, I was expecting a much longer show with an acoustic set. What I witnessed was the exact opposite of 1986! Wouldn't say I was massively disappointed but a bit underwhelmed. Just playing the CD now. Not a bad show actually. Happy days!

 

Poor old GG. Ain't gonna see the likes of him again.

 

The Fall often played some pretty short shows. I remember when they played a 4 night residency at the Cartoon Club in Croydon is 2006 some of the shows were around 35/40 minutes.

The Fall gigography | 2006

 

He plays for about 90 minutes in case of solo shows. Festival appearances often last only 60 mins due to slot lengths.

 

I think A Girl Called Eddy at Paradiso in Amsterdam in 2004 just after her self titled album was released. Only 45 minutes, she didn't have a lot more material and decided not to do covers.

 

thanks.

 

I’ve seen a couple recently where the gig is billed as “Plays ... album in its entirety!”, and normally if that’s the case, I assume they’re doing that and then a second set of other mixed stuff.

But like I say, I’ve seen a couple recently where they really did just play that album and that was it. Like 50-60 minutes. A teeny bit disapponting!

 

Way back in 1978 I saw the Stones in Philly at the old RFK Stadium at the beginning of the Some Girls tour. They only played for about 70 minutes...it sucked.

That concert is more memorable for what the crowd did to Peter Tosh when he opened up the proceedings. After blasting nothing but Reggae music through the PA for at least 2 hours before Tosh hit the stage, the moment he came on and started playing more Reggae music, he was greeted with a barrage of bottles and garbage. I think he lasted about 15 minutes.

 

no dude. I saw him in Phoenix and again at the LA Greek. Phoenix was 1 hour and 5 minutes. I timed it.

 

Alan Jackson, in his prime, about 45 minutes. At the old Polaris Amphitheater in Columbus, Ohio. And no encore.

 

Bad luck. Doesn't mean this was always the case on his current tour
He even cancelled a few gigs and left the stage at Lollapalooza Chicago after about 15 minutes - Does that mean this is always the case?