Went to ZZ Top at Starlight Theater in KC last night, got the cheap seats, $35 plus $12 fees. Uncle Kracker was the opening act, at least 15 minutes late when the stage was set up and ready well before listed start time. He played about 45 minutes. Then the headliner ZZ Top plays for 70-75 minutes total not including the break for the teaser encore set.

Good performance but a little suprised none of the musicians did any prolonged solos. I thought 70-75 minutes of playing was a little short. Disappointed I didn't get to hear "Rough Boy" but I suppose you can't expect hear everything you want.

Think this is a little short? Do certain performers have a reputation for short shows?

Also don't understand when the show is apparently over and the PA goes to some unknown music, they tease the audience by not turning the house lights on when obviously they aren't coming back out.

Seems short(ish), since it's an amphitheater, do they have a cutoff time?

I think 70-75 minutes is about average, as is about 45 minutes for an opening act. Of course, some bands are known for extended sets, e.g. the Dead who would often play for four days (or maybe it just felt like that). Most of my band watching these days in in clubs where the headliner will play multiple sets, usually about 50-60 minutes each.

WRT the end-of-the-performance routine, one "encore" is automatic these days, but crowd enthusiasm can encourage/convince the band and promoter to allow another, or even two. Some venues are more encouraging of this than others, as are certain bands. There are plenty where the staff just wants to go home.

These guys are old and they were probably playing past their bedtime.

I would have hoped for 90 minutes+, though I've never seen ZZ Top. Now that Dusty is gone, I think I'd pass anyway.

saw ZZ twice back in the 90's ,but do not remember how long they played,

excellent shows tho,



may have been an event deadline, or not,


I've seen The English Beat 7 or 8 times, and the last concert a few months ago was just shy of 90 minutes (opener was the usual 40-45)

which is typical, but there is usually at least one encore of a couple songs,

nope, last song played maybe 15 songs, last song , said good night and exited stage left,

I just saw the Smashing Pumpkins in Albuquerque on Sunday. The TWO opening bands played for over 2 1/2 hours before they took the stage. I wasn’t happy. I had to get up to go to work the next morning.

I always thought an hour was reasonable. The length of many albums. Of course that was back in the days of $12 concerts. Some people paying several hundred might feel a little differently.

Willie Nelson used to play until his audience collapses, if he’s having a good night.

I grew up going to punk concerts in shitty run down clubs at the oceanfront that are now razed.

About 35-45 minutes in the pit was good for me when it came to the headliner. Punk songs are pretty fast and short though… and most of us had been having a blast and enjoying the opening acts.

Man I miss the Abyss at VA Beach and the Boathouse in Norfolk VA (one of the most violent venues/concerts I’ve ever attended where I saw someone get the everlasting shit kicked out of them for being an asshole on the “dance floor”/ mosh pit, Relative Ash, Glass Jaw, Powerman 5000, Static X, Disturbed and Chevelle were quite memorable) and the insane punk concerts that occurred there. It’s an era that’s probably not gonna come back soon given the shittastic state of current punk rock. And the PC woke mind virus fucking up punk rock (NOFX is a great example of cognitive dissonance and drugs rotting the brain).

Best show I ever saw at Va Beach was Goldfinger. Man that was fun. We all had fun trolling the band personally when they came back and became huge PETA fans.

I don’t really care for large arena concerts as they are too impersonal and never get crazy enough or as fun as a small venue.

I want to be a able to yell at the band and have them respond to me.

Hate Bruce or not, when I saw him in '77 he played more than 3 hours. It was just before he got full of himself and got really preachy and after that, IMHO, his music went downhill.

It was quite a while ago but when I saw ZZ Top I think they played over 90 minutes with encores.

I saw Bob Dylan back around 1980 in college. He only played 3 songs. He was high and an asshole.

I thought 120 minutes was the norm. Anything less and I'd feel cheated.

Dave Matthews Band has been my primary show for a number of years and they play a 2 1/2 hour set.

Not at all for Z Z.
They are 180 years old
Did you have to use binoculars?
How loud was it ?

Anything under 90 minutes I feel cheated a bit. If you can’t give more than hour you are definitely cheating the fans.

quote:

Originally posted by ugeesta:
I thought 120 minutes was the norm. Anything less and I'd feel cheated.

Dave Matthews Band has been my primary show for a number of years and they play a 2 1/2 hour set.

and that was just one song!!!


(I have not seen DMB but heard they play long, )



the shortest set I saw was Alison Krause, maybe 40 minutes, with a couple of breaks,

but not her fault, she was at the Mosque in RVA, and apparently had a bad lunch\dinner and gastric distress ended the show early,



most, in all honestly, of the shows I see, and I have seen quite a few , are 90+ minutes and an encore for the main act,

2 openers,, and they may get 30-45 minutes each,

some are just the headliner, no opening, and they are almost always 2+ hrs

Jesus, 75 minutes for an old headliner seems like plenty. Hopefully they'd fill that with some others before which it sounds like they did.

Taylor Swift or TSO, more for sure, but I'd not expect that out of older bands.

I saw Def Leppard and Motley Crue last Sunday in Omaha, Alice Cooper opened but we didn't get there until the end of his set, which I gathered was an hour long. 30 mins between each group and Def Leppard and Motley Crue each played for 90 mins. Both started exactly on time. Def Leppard sounded good. Motley Crue was Motley Crue, you couldn't hear Vince that much because they were blaring everything else other than his vocals more. Alice Cooper was about the same.

quote:

Originally posted by Blackmore:
Hate Bruce or not, when I saw him in '77 he played more than 3 hours.

Beat me to it.

Can't stand him or his music now, but was a fan back in the late 70s. Saw him a couple of times and he played over 3 hours each time. You definitely got your monies worth.

I was at a Ramones club show, it was a little less than an hour. I had no problem with it.

Elvis Costello in his early tours would play for 45 minutes at times.