How many encores does your favorite band play live?
My favorite band, the Grateful Dead, would usually play one encore. Two, if you were lucky, back-to-back (and usually short tunes.) Well, I’m listening to a bootleg from 1978 when they played three, and one of them was an epic/long song. The crowd went wild, and it’s exhilarating to listen to.
However, I’ve been to shows (most recently selling t-shirts at a Celtic Woman concert) and the bands would just keep going off-stage, returning and repeat once or twice. It was almost like a third-set; the crowd went wild Well, as wild as a Celtic Woman audience can go.
So, how many encores for your favorite band?
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7 Answers
Usually one or two songs.
@janbb – Any particular band, if you don’t mind me asking?
Trying to think. Recently, it was Janis Ian who had omitted my favorite song but sang it as a (single) encore.
I’ve also seen Bruce recently who usually plays for three hours, including a one or two song encore.
I’m thinking that I remember three.
I haven’t taken a lot of notice but one encore usually with two or three songs. I have seen bands where they’ve been back on for half an hour more. I recall someone doing two encores but I can’t remember who it was (which is pretty rude of me!)
None!
When rock-and-roll encores began, they were spontaneous and very real. A band would finish performing and leave the stage. Sometimes, but not always, the crowd stayed, cheered for more, and got the band to return.
Over the years, encores became hackneyed and built-in to the program. Bands started saving their biggest hit songs for an encore, fully intending to come back and play again.
Some musicians are tired of the whole routine and refuse to play the encore game. They perform their hearts out, say goodbye and thank you, leave, and don’t come back. Personally, I prefer that approach. An encore, like a standing ovation, should be genuine rather than formulaic.
@SadieMartinPaul – I was thinking when you said “none” meaning you never stuck around for it. (It is a good way to avoid some of the traffic.) You’re right about some bands being formulaic, and it’s tiresome. Still, though, if it is spontaneous that rocks. Everyone starts to leave, the lights go back down and suddenly, it’s like one of those “holy-sh@t” moments. Hopefully I’ll see a lot of shows this summer – there’s a kick-ass amphitheater near me, and Phish, the Allmans, John Mayer, amongst others are playing.
Yay!
No Bob Weir and Phil Lesh though.
Boo-hoo
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