General Discussion on Setlists as a Whole This Year

[TimHonks]

No, I hate DMB the most!

[btpeters]

Originally Posted by TimHonks

No, I hate DMB the most!

[TheLastPig]

didnt backread in here fully but I see the vibe.

I am normally very critical of sets, but saturday was completely fine. Truly. People complaining wouldnt be doing anywhere near the same if they were there for that show.

All the songs they brought back sounded fresh and as long as they are trying to play different stuff at this point in their career we should be able to accept that as a collective IMO.

WTWE is normally a -1 for me but it was a +1 saturday, same with Smooth Rider. The new arrangements sound fresh and the band is playing tight. Seriously, go listen to that WTWE.

I will say thats by far the most electric ive ever seen dave play in one show, but that doesnt really bother me after seeing this band as many times as I have.

They are doing a really really good job avoiding bad runs in shows and while the classics they are playing arent really changing, at least theyre classic good songs. My only true complaint about Saturday was Jimi still being too long. Take out some of the solos, hell even keep SMF, but that song needs a good 5 mins lopped off of it, and Im one who normally is fine with Jimi being played as long as its not a power slot.


Ill also add I dont understand why Stay is considered a bad closer or encore closer. It fits right in those slots IMO, what hurt saturday's encore was Y&M before it.


Friday was a better show, but I still really enjoyed the first half of Saturday at minimum.

[rickyh24]

Originally Posted by ebrread003

It boggles my mind that things like this are said here. But I guess it boggles yours and many others why they continue to play worse and worse sets...

It doesn’t boggle my mind at all. The catalog becomes more watered down by the year and they lost a key member and took on a brand new member. Which makes it difficult to play a lot of songs for a couple reasons. The more music that comes out the worse shows get. Then you factor in batson being back in the picture which results in their worst album getting even more attention.....woof.

[berman1125]

Originally Posted by ToySoldier#34

I'm going to The Gorge for the first time this year, usually just go to SPAC N2

I used to do 10+ shows now I am doing 3 and 2 of those are because of the people i am going with

[berman1125]

Originally Posted by garagebrothers

Can someone explain to me what the excitement is about meeting him? I honestly don't understand it. He was standing 5 feet from me at the Gorge and I had zero interest in talking to him.

Mostly that people crave any contact with anyone associated with the band

[garagebrothers]

Originally Posted by berman1125

Mostly that people crave any contact with anyone associated with the band

Dammit, and here I had the opportunity once to talk to the guy that used to hem Dave's pants and I passed it up.

[rickyh24]

Originally Posted by TheLastPig

People complaining wouldnt be doing anywhere near the same if they were there for that show.

Nope. I’ve left dmb shows before thinking the set was shitty. Many times. Not sure how it would be any different for that setlist Saturday. Would easily be a bottom 5 show I’ve seen in person.

[TheLastPig]

Originally Posted by berman1125

Mostly that people crave any contact with anyone associated with the band

Originally Posted by garagebrothers

Dammit, and here I had the opportunity once to talk to the guy that used to hem Dave's pants and I passed it up.

Some people thats the case but for most they know if you BS with him he will end up bringing you a setlist or pick etc.

[TheLastPig]

Originally Posted by rickyh24

Nope. I’ve left dmb shows before thinking the set was shitty. Many times. Not sure how it would be any different for that setlist Saturday. Would easily be a bottom 5 show I’ve seen in person.

Cool, so have most of us here, myself included. You werent there nor have you seen then this year so you cant say that definitively.


The band is having lots of fun and the playing is tight, new arrangements and Tim has very very very noticeably taken a big step back and been turned down. Rashawn and Jeff dominated the stage saturday.

Noone should be going into shows this summer with any expectations. Do that and youll enjoy yourself.

[rickyh24]

Originally Posted by TheLastPig

Cool, so have most of us here, myself included. You werent there nor have you seen then this year so you cant say that definitively.


The band is having lots of fun and the playing is tight, new arrangements and Tim has very very very noticeably taken a big step back and been turned down. Rashawn and Jeff dominated the stage saturday.

Noone should be going into shows this summer with any expectations. Do that and youll enjoy yourself.

LoVe this outlook. It’s a shit set on paper. Me thinking this doesn’t need to offend you because you were there. I’ve seen enough shows to know what a shit set on paper translates to live. I’m glad the band is happy playing their music though. They should be.

[KconleyK]

Saturday's set list was one of the worst I've ever seen, if you defend that set list you need to look in the mirror and try and find reality; bands are welcome to play whatever songs they want and not cater to fans and I am all about that, it's their music and they are up there playing what they want, however in the same realm fans are allowed to hate set lists and criticize the band.

You can be a hardcore fan and hate a set list. If I get saturday's set list this week at Jiffy Lube I will be severely upset.

[rickyh24]

Originally Posted by KconleyK

Saturday's set list was one of the worst I've ever seen, if you defend that set list you need to look in the mirror and try and find reality; bands are welcome to play whatever songs they want and not cater to fans and I am all about that, it's their music and they are up there playing what they want, however in the same realm fans are allowed to hate set lists and criticize the band.

You can be a hardcore fan and hate a set list. If I get saturday's set list this week at Jiffy Lube I will be severely upset.

we are going to VA beach for a week and catching dmb there. I’m totally expecting a shit fest like Saturday at a one off show. It is what it is. Hopefully we get crash/typical in the middle of it as well at least.

[jrkarger]

I was at both Star Lake and Blossom. The band was really tight both nights and the performances were outstanding.

With that said, I enjoyed Star Lake much better. Blossom never really got going. Or, I should say that the SM through Jimi run was such a lull in the middle that the She through Stay never really got me back into the show. I just kept waiting for them to turn it up a notch and it never happened.

Don’t get me wrong, Crash, Typical, Ants, and even Bayou had me out of my seat singing along. But, it was just a “meh” kind of show.

[KconleyK]

Originally Posted by rickyh24

we are going to VA beach for a week and catching dmb there. I’m totally expecting a shit fest like Saturday at a one off show. It is what it is. Hopefully we get crash/typical in the middle of it as well at least.

The only saving grace at Jiffy Lube and Va Beach is the home state thing, it's a one off show but maybe because it's a home state show something special. One can hope.

DMB for me is that time of summer when all my buddies I've been going to shows with for 20 years get together have beers and joke and laugh with. Some of us have kids now and mortgages, etc, so it's nice to catch up, so on my one show a year at this point in my life I take what I get, but enjoy every second because of the memories of seeing shows with those guys for 20 years.

With Jiffy Lube they don't play friday or sunday so maybe play a little longer and jam out a little more for the home town crowd.

[TheLastPig]

Originally Posted by KconleyK

Saturday's set list was one of the worst I've ever seen, if you defend that set list you need to look in the mirror and try and find reality; bands are welcome to play whatever songs they want and not cater to fans and I am all about that, it's their music and they are up there playing what they want, however in the same realm fans are allowed to hate set lists and criticize the band.

You can be a hardcore fan and hate a set list. If I get saturday's set list this week at Jiffy Lube I will be severely upset.

No shit, thats not what im saying. Im trying to highlight this isnt the band that youre thinking youre seeing from the past. The lack of boyd but joyful and energized playing brings a very different vibe than any shows Ive ever seen. Im not trying to claim that set was great or defend it. And if thats the only show someone saw this year I would fully be on board with being a bit letdown.

Im trying to say, because things are so different, try to temper your expectations more than you ever have before. If you go in expecting nothing the way I did, youll come away having enjoyed the show to some degree no matter what was played, even if its a sub par set.

Originally Posted by jrkarger

I was at both Star Lake and Blossom. The band was really tight both nights and the performances were outstanding.

With that said, I enjoyed Star Lake much better. Blossom never really got going. Or, I should say that the SM through Jimi run was such a lull in the middle that the She through Stay never really got me back into the show. I just kept waiting for them to turn it up a notch and it never happened.

Don’t get me wrong, Crash, Typical, Ants, and even Bayou had me out of my seat singing along. But, it was just a “meh” kind of show.

Blossom just felt like a very laid back vibe after Friday was very rocking in your face, I was fine with it. Im in no way claiming saturday was anything above average, but the new arrangements were very welcome to me so I was able to enjoy both shows because stuff felt fresh.

[rickyh24]

Originally Posted by TheLastPig

If you go in expecting nothing the way I did, youll come away having enjoyed the show to some degree no matter what was played, even if its a sub par set.

I am absolutely going in expecting nothing as I’ve stated above. That doesn’t mean I’m going to leave a show like Saturday’s thinking it was good though.

[ToySoldier#34]

LastPig - I usually go off of the show reviews from people who were actually there, the set list doesn't look like anything amazing but your takeaway is interesting, especially from someone who isn't a ballwasher

[Antiramie]

Originally Posted by rickyh24

It doesn’t boggle my mind at all. The catalog becomes more watered down by the year and they lost a key member and took on a brand new member. Which makes it difficult to play a lot of songs for a couple reasons. The more music that comes out the worse shows get. Then you factor in batson being back in the picture which results in their worst album getting even more attention.....woof.

Agree completely. The more material in their catalog the more diluted the shows become...unless you think the last 3 albums are as good as the first three, which no one in their right mind does. It is what it is.

I wouldn’t care as much if the sets were more randomized amongst their whole catalog of songs (which I know is close to impossible with a new member in the band), but at this point you know going into a show that you’re going to get the same stuff from the first 5 albums, a lot of Stand Up and BW, and some new songs. And not having a violin is still a big blow.

And I don’t have to be at a show either to know a setlist is bad and that there’s a 99% chance I would have left not satisfied. At this point, having seen the band 25+ times, I’d be shocked if a bland setlist blew me away. But hey if it keeps the dudes in the sunglasses spilling beers on people and screaming Satellite all night happy...

[Lee3691]

I was at the first 3 shows of the year, and I can confirm that Dave seems happy that Boyd isn't on stage. I wish someone close to him could explain to him that he can still be happy that Boyd isn't on stage with him, while still employing another person to play the fiddle. I did enjoy the Woodlands and Dallas quite a bit, but doing the same setlists with a violinist would have been even better shows.

[TheLastPig]

Originally Posted by ToySoldier#34

LastPig - I usually go off of the show reviews from people who were actually there, the set list doesn't look like anything amazing but your takeaway is interesting, especially from someone who isn't a ballwasher

Im sure my enjoyment was up a touch more because I was in the pit both nights this weekend, but ive had many pit experiences in the past as well so this wasnt new.

Im not sure if ive ever seen this band smiling on stage as much as they were this weekend. I cant tell you how many times in the middle of songs Friday Dave would just look over at Buddy like "how fucking cool is this?" and buddy would just laugh and smile, he was cheesing all night long.

Saturday I was glad I was in front of Jeff & Rashawn because they were just going nuts. I think I enjoyed that show more because they were fucking nailing the classic songs. Crush was really, really good and had a sweet back and forth battle between the two of them. Jeff kept pushing rashawn and they were cracking up by the end of it.

I know this may come off like a "well you were in the pit so you saw all that" but thats not it. Other friends farther back said the same thing. Theres just this different vibe, its good, but just very hard to put into words.

[lockman21]

"You weren't there so you can't speak to this set" is one of the dumbest, most tired arguments on these boards.

[TheLastPig]

Originally Posted by lockman21

"You weren't there so you can't speak to this set" is one of the dumbest, most tired arguments on these boards.

yeah thats not really the argument im making at all.

[Musicology200]

These sets are weak. Double your song rotation with at least 50% of the tracks coming from the Big 3 and 3-5 rarities (SUAD, JTR, Help Myself, etc) and the problem goes away.

[ToySoldier#34]

Originally Posted by lockman21

"You weren't there so you can't speak to this set" is one of the dumbest, most tired arguments on these boards.

There isn't one DMB show ever played that each of us couldn't make improvements to, the show we are discussing was far from perfect, I just usually tend to listen to people who were there before listening to people who weren't regardless of how good or bad it is perceived to be.

[lockman21]

Originally Posted by TheLastPig

yeah thats not really the argument im making at all.

Wasn't speak to or about you.

[rickyh24]

Originally Posted by lockman21

"You weren't there so you can't speak to this set" is one of the dumbest, most tired arguments on these boards.

“Go in expecting a crap setlist so it seems less crappy when you are at the show”

Is right up there with it.

[lockman21]

Originally Posted by ToySoldier#34

There isn't one DMB show ever played that each of us couldn't make improvements to, the show we are discussing was far from perfect, I just usually tend to listen to people who were there before listening to people who weren't regardless of how good or bad it is perceived to be.

Eh, a lot of times people that were there are skewed as well because of "the energiez" or it's their hometown venue so they're biased or whatever.

I think a balance of both is the best way. You can listen to tapes, look at sets, etc. Most of us have been around long enough to understand what was a good and what was a bad show for this band.

[snow1868]

The band can be enjoying themselves on stage and playing songs well, that's what they should be doing. But that doesn't stop the fact they're playing a lot of mediocre to crappy songs.

[TheLastPig]

Originally Posted by Musicology200

These sets are weak. Double your song rotation with at least 50% of the tracks coming from the Big 3 and 3-5 rarities (SUAD, JTR, Help Myself, etc) and the problem goes away.

This really is the issue right now but I think especially after seeing two shows that buddy is still REALLY trying to be eased in. I didnt think he was used a ton on Friday at all, or was at least turned down.

Also ill add I think theyre trying to put new arrangements on most songs and that is keeping the variety of songs played down.

Im hoping (and expecting) by Gorge things will be very different.