"We should just be happy they're playing in general, regardless of what they play"

[zappafrank]

So I made a post (in a pissy mood for other reasons; I take ownership) lamenting that when the boys decide not to follow a pattern of A/B/C set lists, and instead do an A set when it was anticipated based on the pattern to be a C set, it could throw off people who might be travelling to the show just to see the songs that are specific to the set that ended up not getting played.

 

A lot of people responded - and we've all seen it in other threads - that we shouldn't care what they play, that we should be happy they're playing at all, etc etc.

 

So for the sake of discussion: when they throw in the curveball rotation and someone ends up seeing stuff they're already seen before instead of seeing "new" stuff, do you think it's silly for them to be disappointed?

 

I guess what kinda rubs me the wrong way is this notion that "you'll take what you get and like it." If you've never seen Rush (or any band, obviously), yeah, you're gonna be happy to see them. But if you've been fortunate enough to see a good chunk of material and are really hoping to catch those few elusive songs and make plans to do so, only to get the same ol' same ol' b/c the pattern deviated, is it really silly not to feel let down? Is it really whiny to vent a little?

 

Look, we can all make the argument "as long as you have all your arms and legs and blah blah blah you should be perfectly content with everything in the world" and it's all a matter of perspective, but that's not my point here. I'm admitting we're getting trivial :) so c'mon, just go with it.

Edited May 8, 2013 by zappafrank

[Lerxster]

It took me like four tries before I got Distant Early Warning on the S&A tour. Oh the hardships I endured on those first three shows...

 

:P

 

With your FZ handle, you must be a good guy :cheers:

[Wingmaster]

As long as they don't take my stapler and render me to a cubicle in the basement, I'm fine.

 

I for one am quite content w/ little surprises in the set-list, it breaks up the seeming certainty of going into the show thinking you know every song that's coming and in order too.

[Lost In Xanadu]

Telling people what to think, what to feel is too much. Too many people on here try and classify people.

 

"You don't like <song>?? You're not a true Rush fan"

"You wouldn't drive 200 miles to see Rush?? You're not a true Rush fan"

 

Too much of this bullshit by the same handful of posters gets annoying really fast.

[Tarkus406]

I can see being grateful that they're even playing. And I am. But with the internet and setlist.fm and all, most people at the show are going to know that they played some of their might-be favorite songs at the previous show and that they're getting shelved for more common material that they've already seen several times. How can one not feel left out when that happens?

 

First show I saw on the CA tour...it was amazing....yet, I still knew that I missed out on the Manhattan Project in order to hear Dreamline for the 9th time. Last week in Nashville, I stood through Limelight (again), knowing I missed out on The Body Electric. Normally I enjoy Limelight, but during that time it was disappointing JUST because I knew that so many other people got to hear a song I'd LOVE to hear live.

 

It is all a matter of perspective...Hell, people were probably more pissed that they had to hear Middletown Dreams instead of their favorite radio hit. It goes both ways. I do wish that I had never looked at setlists before the shows. Then I would have been 100% thrilled with each and every song at each show, not thinking about what was 'missed'.

[Lost In Xanadu]

I can see being grateful that they're even playing. And I am. But with the internet and setlist.fm and all, most people at the show are going to know that they played some of their might-be favorite songs at the previous show and that they're getting shelved for more common material that they've already seen several times. How can one not feel left out when that happens?

 

First show I saw on the CA tour...it was amazing....yet, I still knew that I missed out on the Manhattan Project in order to hear Dreamline for the 9th time. Last week in Nashville, I stood through Limelight (again), knowing I missed out on The Body Electric. Normally I enjoy Limelight, but during that time it was disappointing JUST because I knew that so many other people got to hear a song I'd LOVE to hear live.

 

It is all a matter of perspective...Hell, people were probably more pissed that they had to hear Middletown Dreams instead of their favorite radio hit. It goes both ways. I do wish that I had never looked at setlists before the shows. Then I would have been 100% thrilled with each and every song at each show, not thinking about what was 'missed'.

Like usual, the pornstar nailed it.

[Wingmaster]

Telling people what to think, what to feel is too much. Too many people on here try and classify people.

 

"You don't like <song>?? You're not a true Rush fan"

"You wouldn't drive 200 miles to see Rush?? You're not a true Rush fan"

 

Too much of this bullshit by the same handful of posters gets annoying really fast.

 

LOL ... what are you, new to forums.

 

; )

 

It does get annoying, but honestly, why do you let it be annoying? I get a hoot out of these threads, just reading 'em for the very reasons that you cite.

 

Forums are a psychoanalysts dream come true in their spare time!

 

Anyway, that's the hallmark of just about every forum, sports, politics, music, etc. You name it and they're exactly what you said.

 

Hehehe ... just learn to laugh at it all.

 

Funny, I'd love to do a tailgate before a show sometime.

[Wingmaster]

I can see being grateful that they're even playing. And I am. But with the internet and setlist.fm and all, most people at the show are going to know that they played some of their might-be favorite songs at the previous show and that they're getting shelved for more common material that they've already seen several times. How can one not feel left out when that happens?

 

First show I saw on the CA tour...it was amazing....yet, I still knew that I missed out on the Manhattan Project in order to hear Dreamline for the 9th time. Last week in Nashville, I stood through Limelight (again), knowing I missed out on The Body Electric. Normally I enjoy Limelight, but during that time it was disappointing JUST because I knew that so many other people got to hear a song I'd LOVE to hear live.

 

It is all a matter of perspective...Hell, people were probably more pissed that they had to hear Middletown Dreams instead of their favorite radio hit. It goes both ways. I do wish that I had never looked at setlists before the shows. Then I would have been 100% thrilled with each and every song at each show, not thinking about what was 'missed'.

 

Funny, yesterday I missed out on Dreamline to hear Manhattan Project again. LOL

 

Here's part of the "problem," and "good problem" it is for both the band and fans alike, but as I've mentioned in the past, Rush could play for 12 hours and there would still be people pissin' over missed songs.

 

Now, how many bands do you know that can say that or have that said about them? Even many of the classic greats, Zeppelin, Van Halen, and many others couldn't even approach that.

 

The quality of Rush's tunes, given the volume of what they've produced over the years, I dare say, is unprecedented. When your "worst" albums still have two, three or four great tunes, man, ...

Edited May 8, 2013 by Wingmaster

[Snaked]

Blah. Blah blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah. Blah blah blah blah blah!

Blah blah bah. Blah, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah?

Blah blah blah blah.

 

Blah blah!

[Jaminbenb]

Here's my deal on this subject... Rush has been around since 1974...This is 2013 and they are STILL touring, they are changing setlists almost every other tour...occasionally they swap a few songs out here and there during the course of the tour...they have like 20 albums to choose from. I know people that are planning on seeing them five or six times on this tour and don't really care if every time they see them they play the same setlist..heck on other tours they DIDN'T change the setlist over the course of several shows, and no one cared!

 

It just so happens that they are playing a LOT of songs from an era that I'm not overly fond of, but I'm NOT compliaining about it...I'm happy it's the original band, they don't have supplemental musicians on stage (i.e. another guitar player, bass player, key player, percussionist etc.) they are still touring, and they are still playing THEIR music!...new, old, whatever! In two to five years, they may just say "We're done" and all we have are memories of what once was!

 

I just laugh at people with their "I wish they'd play _______ , but they aren't so I'm not going" attitude...If you don't like it, then just go to a Justin Bieber concert or something and quit yer bitchin!

 

But my GOD just be glad they are still going strong!!

[Lost In Xanadu]

Here's my deal on this subject... Rush has been around since 1974...This is 2013 and they are STILL touring, they are changing setlists almost every other tour...occasionally they swap a few songs out here and there during the course of the tour...they have like 20 albums to choose from. I know people that are planning on seeing them five or six times on this tour and don't really care if every time they see them they play the same setlist..heck on other tours they DIDN'T change the setlist over the course of several shows, and no one cared!

 

It just so happens that they are playing a LOT of songs from an era that I'm not overly fond of, but I'm NOT compliaining about it...I'm happy it's the original band, they don't have supplemental musicians on stage (i.e. another guitar player, bass player, key player, percussionist etc.) they are still touring, and they are still playing THEIR music!...new, old, whatever! In two to five years, they may just say "We're done" and all we have are memories of what once was!

 

I just laugh at people with their "I wish they'd play _______ , but they aren't so I'm not going" attitude...If you don't like it, then just go to a Justin Bieber concert or something and quit yer bitchin!

 

But my GOD just be glad they are still going strong!!

 

Great post except for this chunk:

I just laugh at people with their "I wish they'd play _______ , but they aren't so I'm not going" attitude...If you don't like it, then just go to a Justin Bieber concert or something and quit yer bitchin!

 

Why would going to a Bieber concert make anything better? Plus - not everyone is fortunate to see them multiple times, or even once. If knowing what they were going to play swayed your decision one way or the other, then you have to respect people's desire to make that decision for themselves.

 

If you saved up, and were going to see them before the age of knowing the setlist in advance - odds are you would go. Now, people can choose to save that money and take the chance that they come around again. I for one would sure hope they don't end with an 80's heavy setlist :)

[zappafrank]

Here's my deal on this subject... Rush has been around since 1974...This is 2013 and they are STILL touring, they are changing setlists almost every other tour...occasionally they swap a few songs out here and there during the course of the tour...they have like 20 albums to choose from. I know people that are planning on seeing them five or six times on this tour and don't really care if every time they see them they play the same setlist..heck on other tours they DIDN'T change the setlist over the course of several shows, and no one cared!

 

It just so happens that they are playing a LOT of songs from an era that I'm not overly fond of, but I'm NOT compliaining about it...I'm happy it's the original band, they don't have supplemental musicians on stage (i.e. another guitar player, bass player, key player, percussionist etc.) they are still touring, and they are still playing THEIR music!...new, old, whatever! In two to five years, they may just say "We're done" and all we have are memories of what once was!

 

I just laugh at people with their "I wish they'd play _______ , but they aren't so I'm not going" attitude...If you don't like it, then just go to a Justin Bieber concert or something and quit yer bitchin!

 

But my GOD just be glad they are still going strong!!

 

The point of my post wasn't about wanting to see a song and not getting to see it in general, it's when you've already seen the tour with one set list and are banking on getting a variation at another show and they decide to deviate from the presumable pattern. In such a case, I think it's only natural that you feel let down and maybe even a little miffed, especially if you had to go out of your way to see that other set list (the one you ended up not getting).

 

It's like "I could have stayed local and seen this set list. In fact, I did! Which is why I'm bummed I made the trek for the other set list only to find they decided not to do it when the pattern indicated they would."

 

But for some reason a lot of people tend to think that people in that position don't have a right to feel anything less than "I GOT TO SEE THEM, YAY!!!"

Edited May 8, 2013 by zappafrank

[Lost In Xanadu]

Here's my deal on this subject... Rush has been around since 1974...This is 2013 and they are STILL touring, they are changing setlists almost every other tour...occasionally they swap a few songs out here and there during the course of the tour...they have like 20 albums to choose from. I know people that are planning on seeing them five or six times on this tour and don't really care if every time they see them they play the same setlist..heck on other tours they DIDN'T change the setlist over the course of several shows, and no one cared!

 

It just so happens that they are playing a LOT of songs from an era that I'm not overly fond of, but I'm NOT compliaining about it...I'm happy it's the original band, they don't have supplemental musicians on stage (i.e. another guitar player, bass player, key player, percussionist etc.) they are still touring, and they are still playing THEIR music!...new, old, whatever! In two to five years, they may just say "We're done" and all we have are memories of what once was!

 

I just laugh at people with their "I wish they'd play _______ , but they aren't so I'm not going" attitude...If you don't like it, then just go to a Justin Bieber concert or something and quit yer bitchin!

 

But my GOD just be glad they are still going strong!!

 

The point of my post wasn't about wanting to see a song and not getting to see it in general, it's when you've already seen the tour with one set list and are banking on getting a variation at another show and they decide to deviate from the presumable pattern. In such a case, I think it's only natural that you feel let down and maybe even a little miffed, especially if you had to go out of your way to see that other set list (the one you ended up not getting).

 

It's like "I could have stayed local and seen this set list. In fact, I did! Which is why I'm bummed I made the trek for the other set list only to find they decided not to do it when the pattern indicated they would."

 

But for some reason a lot of people tend to think that people in that position don't have a right to feel anything less than "I GOT TO SEE THEM, YAY!!!"

 

In years past have you gone to multiple shows? I saw them in Chicago the first leg, and am seeing them in Milwaukee the second. If it happens to be the same set I saw in Chicago, no big deal to me... I would like to see some other songs, but I would have seen both shows either way.

 

Pretty sure most Rush fans love Rush because of their predictable nature.

[zappafrank]

In years past have you gone to multiple shows? I saw them in Chicago the first leg, and am seeing them in Milwaukee the second. If it happens to be the same set I saw in Chicago, no big deal to me... I would like to see some other songs, but I would have seen both shows either way.

 

Pretty sure most Rush fans love Rush because of their predictable nature.

 

But not everyone can afford to go to multiple shows, so if they're able to make it work that they can with the specific intent of doing so b/c the pattern suggests they'd be getting the other set list,* is it really wrong,whiny, etc for them to feel disappointed when they get there only to find they're paying for the something they've already seen? I think too many people say, "Yes, it's stupid to feel let down. You got to see them (again), that should be good enough."

 

* This aspect of my question really seems to be getting lost in translation somewhere.

[Wingmaster]

Why would going to a Bieber concert make anything better?

 

Oh, come on now, use your imagination!

 

LOL

 

I can't name one Bieber tune, and for the life of me I cannot understand why his only fans aren't young girls w/ no goals and aspirations in life and that temporarily lose their minds when they see him or a picture of him or hear his music.

 

The fact that he can become popular is a sore indictment of the more superficial elements of our society that plague good morals and intellectual pursuits.

[Apollo]

I agree with the OP. I wanted to hear Middletown Dreams live forever and never thought I would have the chance. I was lucky enough the rotation worked out for me and I got to see it in Seattle last year. If I had got Limelight instead, I would have been pissed. I am still wondering what the rotation will be for the rest of this year and since it seems Rush will never visit my town again, I have to travel to shows anyway so it would be nice to know what setlists are in which towns so I could plan my travel accordingly.

[Jaminbenb]

Why would going to a Bieber concert make anything better?

 

Oh, come on now, use your imagination!

 

LOL

 

I can't name one Bieber tune, and for the life of me I cannot understand why his only fans aren't young girls w/ no goals and aspirations in life and that temporarily lose their minds when they see him or a picture of him or hear his music.

 

The fact that he can become popular is a sore indictment of the more superficial elements of our society that plague good morals and intellectual pursuits.

 

Exactly! If anyone in this forum can even name ONE Bieber tune I'd be surprised! (thanks for getting my meaning)

[Khan]

Here's my deal on this subject... Rush has been around since 1974...This is 2013 and they are STILL touring, they are changing setlists almost every other tour...occasionally they swap a few songs out here and there during the course of the tour...they have like 20 albums to choose from. I know people that are planning on seeing them five or six times on this tour and don't really care if every time they see them they play the same setlist..heck on other tours they DIDN'T change the setlist over the course of several shows, and no one cared!

 

It just so happens that they are playing a LOT of songs from an era that I'm not overly fond of, but I'm NOT compliaining about it...I'm happy it's the original band, they don't have supplemental musicians on stage (i.e. another guitar player, bass player, key player, percussionist etc.) they are still touring, and they are still playing THEIR music!...new, old, whatever! In two to five years, they may just say "We're done" and all we have are memories of what once was!

 

I just laugh at people with their "I wish they'd play _______ , but they aren't so I'm not going" attitude...If you don't like it, then just go to a Justin Bieber concert or something and quit yer bitchin!

 

But my GOD just be glad they are still going strong!!

 

I have to agree 100%. People who bitch and moan about every friggin' song being played ad nauseum are just whiney asses with nothing better to worry about.

I am just glad they are still vertical and out there for us to all see...I couldn't really care less what they play, I just love seeing them.

Get over it for Christ sakes, and just be glad they are still all together and playing at all.

Make no mistake....the end IS near... and THEN you will truly have NOTHING to bitch about.

[Jaminbenb]

Just to add fuel to the fire...Ok, imagine if they DID change it up like a lot of Jam Bands, or bands that mix it up from day to day...case in point, I'm also a Dave Matthews fan, (Carter Beauford is another amazing drummer I follow) I've seen setlists for shows (and they change almost entirely from day to day) that I WISH I would have been able to see vs. what we got where I saw them! In fact there were a few times I thought the setlist we got sucked compared to the setlist the night before, or night after! (I had a friend who was a major Dead Head who never got to hear them play a song he wanted to hear in 20-30 shows...but it was either a night before night after kind of thing)

 

If Rush did dig into their catalog and played say 75% of the entire catalog during the course of a tour (with no pattern) you'd never hear the end of some people ranting and raving about it!

 

My luck would be never getting to hear something as common as Spirit of Radio...but it would be played the night AFTER I saw them!

[hobo73]

You know what, I've seen Cheap Trick 7 times and 5 of those times were the exact same setlist. I flat out do not care.

[Pale Facsimile]

Of course we have the right to be disappointed. It's not like we're those annoying guys who want to hear side 1 of Hemispheres. Before the tour started last year, I was really hoping for Middletown Dreams. I stayed away from spoilers before my first show of the tour (Bridgeport), and obviously they didn't play it (the show was still fantastic though, of course). When I found out there was an alternate Night B set, and that it was getting played every 2nd show, I was hoping I'd see it at my second show of the tour (Buffalo), which also was a Night A (it also happened to be the first time they swapped out TBE for LL, which was a complete surprise). I sort of knew going in that I wasn't hearing MD, because they were using the easy-to-follow pattern of A/B/A/B/A/B (in which TBE/LL was the only possible Night A change, which I didn't especially mind either way) and you could tell by counting the shows, whether you'd get A or B. There's still a chance my 3rd and final show of the CA tour (Saratoga) will be a Night B, but it probably won't.

 

I personally think that instead of worrying about which set they played the show before, they should take into account which markets saw which Night. For example, I'm in Syracuse. I went to what essentially were the two closest gigs to me on the first leg (Buffalo and Bridgeport...I know Toronto and Montreal are a HAIR closer than Bridgeport, but you get the idea). I'm going to the closest one to me on this leg (Saratoga). They will have then hit both sides of the state: the Western NY market (Buffalo) and eastern-Upstate NY market (Saratoga just north of the greater Albany area). For the MANY central/Upstate NYers who have done Buffalo and are doing SPAC, we should get at least one A and one B. It wouldn't be a perfect system, but for the most part, could be done. I'm sure one of their smart manager-types could take an hour and make a spreadsheet of what Nights they did where.

[zappafrank]

It's not like we're those annoying guys who want to hear side 1 of Hemispheres.

 

Speak for yourself! :P

 

Mmm, Hemispheres... :drool: :haz:

Edited May 8, 2013 by zappafrank

[Principled Man]

Is it really whiny to vent a little?

 

 

Yes, it is.

[Pale Facsimile]

It's not like we're those annoying guys who want to hear side 1 of Hemispheres.

 

Speak for yourself! :P

 

Mmm, Hemispheres... :drool: :haz:

 

Haha :) . You know what I mean by that, though. The people who EXPECT unrealistic songs and haven't been happy since PeW. I'm always quick to defend Rush, but the level it's taken to by some other members here is kinda bonkers. I'd heard on another board that if you come to TRF and say anything that isn't 100% in favor of something, all the fanbois will come out like the guys from WItch Hunt and come after you.

 

It is possible to be grateful that they're still touring at all, and at the same time, be a little sad if you don't get whichever night you haven't seen yet, especially if you've attended 3 or more shows.

[zappafrank]

It's not like we're those annoying guys who want to hear side 1 of Hemispheres.

 

Speak for yourself! :P

 

Mmm, Hemispheres... :drool: :haz:

 

Haha :) . You know what I mean by that, though. The people who EXPECT unrealistic songs and haven't been happy since PeW. I'm always quick to defend Rush, but the level it's taken to by some other members here is kinda bonkers. I'd heard on another board that if you come to TRF and say anything that isn't 100% in favor of something, all the fanbois will come out like the guys from WItch Hunt and come after you.

 

It is possible to be grateful that they're still touring at all, and at the same time, be a little sad if you don't get whichever night you haven't seen yet, especially if you've attended 3 or more shows.

 

The way I see it, it's like you had burgers for lunch at school from the cafeteria, and you enjoyed it, but enough to get your fill. Every Mon is burgers, every Thur is tacos. A Thur rolls around and you decide you want tacos, so you decide to set aside some allowance money to get the tacos and don't pack a lunch. But when you get to school, they decided to serve burgers again even though it's taco day. You just had burgers a few weeks ago but b/c you didn't bring a lunch and you're hungry, you have to spend the money you saved and settle for burgers. And then all of a sudden they serve tacos on Friday which is supposed to be pizza day, but you didn't bring any money b/c you'd spent what you saved, and have to miss out. And you're just all around "Phooey!!!"

 

TRY and poke holes in that analogy, people! :burger: :P

 

(Notice there's no tacos in the above emoticons :()

Edited May 8, 2013 by zappafrank