BOC/Covers debate - Name some changes

[BREVARD Adrian R.]

>        Well, I whole-heartedly agree.  I mean, I don't mind seeing
>the same, or nearly the same, set once or twice--even though my mind
>naturally gravitates towards a Grateful Dead sort of "we'll play what
>we like and figure it out as we go ethic".  But I must confess I've
>skipped a BOC show at least once because I knew it'd be basically the
>same thing I'd seen before.  Now, if they were going to play Great
>Sun Jester I might try to go just for that (not that I have much
>opportunity to pick and choose in the UK!).
  >      But if I knew they were going to play a couple of well-hewn
>classics, along with some gems from the closet and a major dose of
>new material ... well, _that_ would be worth seeing!  Even the lamer of
>the new numbers don't suck!

>Cheers,
>Carl

Though I am planning on seeing them this friday and could probably name 90%
of the setlist its an experience.  I would agree with you Carl that
essentially the same set list does put a damper on enthusiasm, a bit
difficult to attend a concert you can envision without the aid of a radio.
 In the bands defense and this probably works for all the bands that are
similar to BOC status at this stage of their careers is that without a new
record to sell whats the point of playing five or six new songs that you can
only hear if you see them live.  It doesn't do a thing for new or casual
fans; even if they like the songs they can't get their hands on them unless
they get a boot.  No record no real promotion.  The other thing is that
bands will usually stick to a couple of numbers where they have the greatest
name recognition (ie. Reaper and Godzilla), not everyone attending the show
may know your music.

In addition the setlist while not changing dramatically has undergone some
modest changes such as the acoustic version of In Thee.  The changes they
have made are more than likely due to audience reaction at various points in
the tour.  I do believe that they could do a better job with the setlist by
1) including a brief medely of five or six of the classic numbers from the
first three or perhaps Specters, AOF and CE 2) they could also experiment
with different (i.e., accoustic) versions of some of the classics; Buck
doing a solo version of Reaper, Alan and Eric with keys only doing Joan
Crawford, an extended instrumental version of Astronomy or Magna from
Imaginos 3) how about some covers other than BTBW or somethings blues based.
 Maybe some hard edge Sabbath (Meglomainia, yeah) or Deep Purple (Smoke on
the Water).  One of my main desires is to see them provide Alan a lot more
freedom on keys; I have always felt that his contributions have been
featured the least over the years.  I'm sure the ever changing roster has a
way of postponing if not canceling set changes but I am waiting to see what
about the current set I would change or leave the same after friday.

A(I would love to be the bands set director)B