Knowing or Not Knowing the setlistS

[dtpoet]

So I was all about the setlists.  I had dozens of mock setlists.  I entered contests.  I stayed up until 2am on the east coast for the first 4 shows just so I could learn the setlists.  I was really interested in night 3 since I will be going to night 3 at MSG.  So after those 4 nights, I had those sets down.

 

I know it’s a great debate; some want to know, some don’t.  Some don’t but have resigned themselves that it’s impossible to avoid it so one might as well give in.

Funny thing though…despite all the attention I paid to the sets and all the times I have read them online, as I sit here typing two weeks out from my show at MSG, I have little clue what is in set 3.  I think it’s the full MP.  I know it opens with Xanadu and ends with Working Man, but I have no idea what is going to played inbetween. 

 

I thought I would be going to the show on the 1st knowing every song in order.  Yet, if I can hold on for 14 more days, I might just end up being as surprised as anyone.  I think because they have tweaked each show enough, that I’ve almost given up thinking that the set is set in stone.
 

 Ironically, instead of not wanting to know and resigning myself that it’s inevitable in today’s social media age so I might as well give in…the opposite happened.  I wanted to know. I learned the sets, and yet there’s so

many variations, that I have no idea what they are going to play.

 

Im excited about that. Im here for it.  

[JCW555VT]

Yeah, the setlist variations on this tour are incredible. One thing I've always liked about Rush is that their setlists almost always had variations which is why Time Machine not changing up any songs was surprising to me. 

My only big complaint with the setlist is the lack of Power Windows songs (and selfishly any Vapor Trails songs, but I get why they're not touching that album for this tour). 

[rugen]

I didn't think there were a lot of surprises in the setlist for this tour. The band didn't want to impose more obscure Rush songs from the Rush catalogue on Anika when she already has to learn the most played songs of the band, which is a difficult task. The only surprise to me is that the band decided to start with Xanadu and play "A Farewell to Kings".

[HemiBeers]

The setlist emphasizes the older tracks partially because Neil didn't prefer much prior to Moving Pictures. The older tracks are less synth or tech heavy so that frees up Geddy quite a bit (and Al gets to get his guitar heavy tracks). After seeing all the setlists, I'm not really concerned with which one I'll catch at my concert so I can just go and enjoy. 

[Todem]

My son and I went in blind for our first show. 
 

We were so happy we did. 
 

Then we got the superb surprise at the July 13th reschedule of the rescheduled June 24th Fort Worth show.

Edited July 19 by Todem

[Laurabw]

I’m trying to stay spoiler free, despite certain people’s efforts to spill the beans. Unfortunately I have seen a few things that I wish I didn’t see because I would’ve rather have been surprised but I am still going to attempt to do what I can between now and when they get to the garden.

[James Bond]

59 minutes ago, Todem said:

My son and I went in blind for our first show. 
 

We were so happy we did. 
 

Then we got the superb surprise at the July 13th reschedule of the rescheduled June 24th Fort Worth show.

 

Truly the silver lining after the headache of the rescheduling. Amazing that you and your son got to experience that set list... from the second row!

[thizzellewashington]

I've taken a break from here since the week the tour started and also blocked/muted/unfollowed all Rush-related social media because I wanted to stay completely spoiler-free until I went all four nights in Chicago. A couple of things got through the cracks, mainly Xanadu as the opener (which I wish I hadn't had spoiled because that's an absolutely incredible choice for an opener) and Time Stand Still being in the set, because a lot of people were talking about Aimee Mann coming out. But other than that, I knew nothing.

 

That was absolutely the right call because I was losing my mind on night 2 when Temples ended and I realized Alex had started playing Discovery and they were going to do the entire 2112 after only doing Overture/Temples/Grand Finale on night 1. And last night A Farewell to Kings was NOT at all on my radar.

 

Definitely recommend going multiple nights if you can, because they change up almost half the set every night. All four nights had at least a few songs I would have been mad if I missed.

[Lurkst]

I've a rough idea what's getting played but am trying my hardest to ignore photos and video clips, plus not analysing the setlists in too much detail so that I'm not totally sure what's coming next each night.

[bscsmkr]

I do miss the days pre internet when going into a show not having any idea and enjoying the show as it plays out and getting surprised and excited about possibilities 
of course it is more difficult than ever to avoid spoilers and I give props to the ones who hold out
I of course give in. Damn weakness
But the setlists have been really good
Of course there are already people complaining about the setlists becoming too stale and predictable and are holding out for more surprises
Maybe that will happen and there will be switch outs, but most likely not considering all that goes into the production 

[TheHonestMan]

I tried to avoid spoilers until Chicago, but most of the surprises were openly discussed without spoiler tags here and especially on reddit. But it is what it is.

 

The only time I've been truly able to avoid spoilers were Time Machine and Clockwork Angles bc I saw the 2nd and 1st nights, respectively. Those setlists were great and I remember gasping out loud at hearing the first 2 notes of Presto on TM.

 

Even if I had seen the Clockwork Angels set 1 list beforehand, I probably wouldn't have believed it. That was a really special night to here all those synth heavy 80s songs, one after another. I was too young to have seen them in concert in the 80s and figured the band had moved on would never revisit them again.