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Post by highroyds on Nov 25, 2017 11:25:34 GMT
I'm having a lot of mixed feelings about this article in which Serge talks a bit about the setlist. At first I was kind of surprised that he said it at all, I always had the impression that they still enjoy playing the old material. And for someone whose favourite song might be LSF it must be a bit annoying to hear. On the other hand I get it, of course it gets boring, and we're the first ones to complain about boring setlists. But then he says they play the rarities at the smaller shows, which they don't really. They used to add some surprises during the European gigs that usually precede the UK tour but they didn't this time. Again this is probably because they know that people at those gigs also want to hear the hits. I've been with people at their first Kasabian gig, their favourites might be Fire or Empire and they were perfectly happy with what they got. We all know that the hardcore fans who want to hear the b-sides are a very small minority and they're never going to cater to us. I think by not really changing the set for so long they kind of got themselves stuck in a place where they just... can't? And by that I don't mean they weren't changing it, but they would stick to the same structure for months, maybe only changing a song or two. If they had started switching it around a lot more during West Ryder, people would be used to it by now and know what to expect. Or rather... not know. But the way it is, we know at least two thirds of the set at any given time. Of course it must get more difficult the more albums they release, it's all big songs now they feel obliged to play, with literally no wiggle room. Having GK in and out of the set as the only slow song and bringing back Take Aim as the only Sergesong is playing it very safe. Meanwhile they have never played Acid Turkish Bath, never played Explodes... the more time passes the less likely it gets. Early this year Serge told a German magazine that because he wrote all the new songs on acoustic instruments, they will be very easy to translate into a live context and he can't wait to play them all. Then they didn't play anything new for five months, presumably because they didn't know how to fit it in? If he says they're easy to play I can't think of any other reason. Anyway, enough rambling. What do you think of the current setlist situation? Do you think they're right in not changing it much? Do you think they'll ever change it? How do you think they're going to handle having 18-20 big hits in a few years with no space for anything else? |
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Post by Ang1 on Nov 25, 2017 12:00:57 GMT
Totally agree with you.As you know I've been shot down so many times on here moaning about it and I'm very disappointed to see that again it hasn't changed,that's why I took time out from them in seeing them live.We are paying more money now and not getting anything different by now they should be playing at least 25 songs ,playing at least 2 hrs ,it's not like there is only one singer.Biffy and Foos play for over 2hrs and it's more full on for them.Im seeing them at both o2 dates and again will rest from them after.
Just play 3 lesser played ones then everyone will be happy but it's very stale.
I am going to expect another backlash but everyone is entitled to an opinion.
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Post by highroyds on Nov 25, 2017 12:29:34 GMT
The thing is, people complain immediately when they drop a song. Not you specifically Ang1, I'm talking more generally, but I remember they didn't play Switchblade Smiles at one single gig and there was an outrage. Everyone wants them to change things but the moment they do it's the end of the world. It must be a difficult situation for the band because they know they can never make everyone happy. Every song must be someone's favourite. I can honestly say I've never walked out of a gig feeling disappointed with the set, not this year, not ever. I love them, I love the songs, I love the live atmosphere, it's a very different headspace than sitting at home and looking at a list of song titles. It can be annoying when you come home from a gig you thoroughly enjoyed and there's someone at the other end of the world deciding it's not good enough for them, that's the only thing that ever personally bothered me about the "setlist complaints" discussion. But I don't want anyone to feel attacked. I was just interested in hearing people's thoughts based on Serge's comments, and also because I feel like things in general have been a bit uninspired recently, and I wonder what's going to happen over the next couple of years. |
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Post by Ang1 on Nov 25, 2017 12:40:32 GMT
I know we are lucky to see them as often as we do but it's not even taking out a song ,even with the current setlist just add a few more in.
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Post by highroyds on Nov 25, 2017 12:50:35 GMT
Ideally yes. Their gigs as they are are quite high energy and playing like that over 2 hours might be too demanding for everyone, but I guess that could be helped by adding some songs that are not necessarily Vlad-level. They don't have to be all sad ballads, but something in between. There needs to be a happy medium that means people still get the hits but there's also a greater chance of hearing something special. And there won't be so many songs off each album that are just forgotten.
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Post by stepstr on Nov 25, 2017 12:54:06 GMT
That's a 100% topic that has two sides and both these sides are agreeable and disputable in its own way.
But you can't satisfy everyone. I'm grateful that this band tries to do so, though. So I'm going to go with the way Metallica goes. I was really into that band 7-8 years ago, when was in my teens. And I've learned they divide the setlists into two halves: 50% songs they obliged to play for the people (big tunes and singles and etc.) and 50% songs the band members want to do. I find it very great and just.
What do you think of this?
And also could it be that Kasabian are under pressure of their major label? That tells them 'You'd better guys play this, this and that singles instead of that b-side'.
And there's the phenomenon called 'a tour by request'. What do you think of it? Should Kasabian ever try it?
Anyway, there are a good bunch of songs that I'd like to give a rest to, like StR or Eez-eh or Re-Wired and Empire
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Post by vinylmojo on Nov 25, 2017 19:38:30 GMT
From reading the article it come across to me as if they were trying to distance themselves a little bit from their early stuf, definitely felt like it was more of a token gesture to play a handful of old songs because they feld obliged to.
This bit also from stepstr I agree with:
"And also could it be that Kasabian are under pressure of their major label? That tells them 'You'd better guys play this, this and that singles instead of that b-side'."
I'm sure I read something around that many years ago and that was the reason for Doberbman getting dropped from the set as it was suggested it was more marketable to play 2 shorter songs instead of just the one.
I'll also add that whenever I've seen them live, I've never come away dissapointed, despite having preferences over other songs I'd of rather heard instead, but I have chosen to miss out this tour as I genuinely believe it's starting to get a bit stale now, and the new album doesn't agree with me at all.
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Post by highroyds on Nov 25, 2017 20:39:54 GMT
I'm sure I read something around that many years ago and that was the reason for Doberbman getting dropped from the set as it was suggested it was more marketable to play 2 shorter songs instead of just the one. How does that make any sense? I always try to see things from a marketing point of view, but... we have already bought the ticket. Who are they advertising to in that moment? Doberman is a massive fan favourite. What even. They've been playing Treat for years and there was already talk of AYLFA, both of which are going to take up half of the gig. |
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Post by flipflop on Nov 25, 2017 20:40:33 GMT
highroyds, your original post on this thread more or less sums up how I feel, but with a bit more analysis and a bit more bafflement. I'm looking forward to the O2, but I don't have my usual guttedness that I can't travel to further away gigs. I don't need to keep seeing them play those same songs. I like most of those songs, but they have so many other great songs, it's a real shame not to hear more of them. It does feel like they're in some sort of rut. Serge's comment about it being 'almost painful' to play the old songs again and again upset me a bit - I understand why they don't want to keep playing them. But I think it's a huge underestimation of the audience that we won't cope with a few songs being switched around. It feels like a loss of confidence to me - that if they deviate from Radio X's version of them, the audience will desert them. But whenever you hear people talking about Kasabian gigs - in the queue for the loos, on the tube etc, it's always the surprises they remember. Not the 5th time they heard Vlad or Club Foot. I don't really buy the 'record company is making them' argument tbh. Because if so, why is Treat plonked in the middle of the set when two other songs could replace it (with a bit of rejigging/outro cutting). I feel bad being critical. They're still the most amazing band. It just feels like they've lost some sort of confidence, either in themselves, or more likely, in us. And that makes me sad :/
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Post by highroyds on Nov 25, 2017 21:23:46 GMT
And there's the phenomenon called 'a tour by request'. What do you think of it? Should Kasabian ever try it? Anyway, there are a good bunch of songs that I'd like to give a rest to, like StR or Eez-eh or Re-Wired and Empire They probably can't be bothered to set something like that up, to be honest. It would require effort. They can barely post a link without breaking their website. I'd also be worried that people would just vote for Underdog and Fire and we'd have the same situation. I completely agree that they should give certain songs a rest. Not drop them forever, but even the bigger songs like Processed Beats excite me much more when they don't play them at every gig. What Metallica do sounds like a great concept. |
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Post by highroyds on Nov 25, 2017 21:47:24 GMT
I feel bad being critical. They're still the most amazing band. It just feels like they've lost some sort of confidence, either in themselves, or more likely, in us. And that makes me sad :/ I feel the same. And I've heard from several people this year that they feel like something is different. I could make a whole thread about that, but idk. I think the key moment for me was when they announced that the album would come out in 2016, then changed their minds but didn't bother telling us. And then right afterwards the fact that they knew NME was spreading false information about the (non)release of Comeback Kid, and they didn't bother correcting it. They're not very in touch with their fans, and that kind of ties in with this topic. Apart from not knowing what we have been told, or how we feel about it, they also don't really know what kind of songs we want to hear? I'm always very aware that not everyone goes to 20 gigs a year, not everyone follows them this closely, I meet people all the time who are like "omg I hope they play Empire" it feels almost selfish to complain that they play what seemingly the majority of fans want, you know? It surprised me that he's not happy with it either because he's the one who makes the setlists. |
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Post by flipflop on Nov 25, 2017 22:20:48 GMT
[] I've heard from several people this year that they feel like something is different. [] I'm always very aware that not everyone goes to 20 gigs a year, not everyone follows them this closely, I meet people all the time who are like "omg I hope they play Empire" it feels almost selfish to complain that they play what seemingly the majority of fans want, you know? It surprised me that he's not happy with it either because he's the one who makes the setlists. These two bits really stood out. I've had the feeling that something is different too. It feels almost like they want this over with so they can move to the next phase. At least, I hope that's what it is. I'm also aware that there are people that see them fewer times than me, but (as you know) I only really do the London gigs and can't even manage all of them for health reasons, so it's not just those of you who rack up over 10 gigs a year that are feeling it. Because of the disabled access thing and not always getting to choose where I am (also, being a nosey gobshite), I often get talking to more general fans. Tbh, you don't meet many on their first Kasabian gig these days. Everyone I come across seems to have seen them at least 5 times. The crowd is getting older, a lot are the same people. One last thing - I remember WRPLA tour and just getting this HUGE rush when they played Stuntman, and suddenly this album track that I'd never thought much of on Empire was live and loud and just bloody incredible and I GOT that song properly for the first time. Maybe I'm just greedy for wanting something like that to happen again. IDK. |
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Post by stepstr on Nov 25, 2017 22:36:11 GMT
Well, they do some special things for Russia and heavy Velociraptor! sets in Italy, I think they are capable of doing something special for their home crowd.
Stuntman would be very welcomed I'm sure. And Julie & the Mothman.
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Post by flipflop on Nov 25, 2017 23:43:36 GMT
That said, they played British Legion tonight (which just so happens to be one of my least favourite Kas songs, haha, though tbh I wouldn't mind hearing that just for a change).
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Post by flipflop on Nov 25, 2017 23:45:29 GMT
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