- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Coaching Changes
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Who Started The Trend Of Playing Long Shows Live?
Posted on 9/24/25 at 2:25 pm
Posted on 9/24/25 at 2:25 pm
A friend and I were talking about how The Beatles played 25-30 minute shows when they hit America and how easy it would be to feel ripped off. And even the older generation of rockers I saw live (Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard) played for an hour or less.
When I started attending concerts in the 70's and 80's a headliner would play for an hour and a half or so. Now Paul McCartney will play for 3 hours. I know Bruce has famously played long shows for years. And I assume the Dead did and do.
Who set the trend of long shows? And how many minutes have the headliners played recent shows you've been to?
When I started attending concerts in the 70's and 80's a headliner would play for an hour and a half or so. Now Paul McCartney will play for 3 hours. I know Bruce has famously played long shows for years. And I assume the Dead did and do.
Who set the trend of long shows? And how many minutes have the headliners played recent shows you've been to?
14
Posted on 9/24/25 at 2:29 pm to Mizz-SEC
quote:
And how many minutes have the headliners played recent shows you've been to?
Jambands like Phish and the Dead play for 3+ hours. I saw Taylor Swift a couple of years ago and she was onstage nonstop for 3 1/2 hours
Posted on 9/24/25 at 2:32 pm to Mizz-SEC
Club headliners are only playing for an hour now. Arena/amphitheater/stadium headliners are going 2 hours+. It seems like the bigger venue you play, the longer you go for.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 2:51 pm to Mizz-SEC
Music evolves. But it seems like most bands play for about 1 to 1.5 hours these days if the show is at a club, and that's been the norm for at least 20 years of shows that I've been to. I see longer shows when at an arena and there's a big production.
ETA: I didn't even read Brosef's reply before posting, and it's the exact same post.
ETA: I didn't even read Brosef's reply before posting, and it's the exact same post.
This post was edited on 9/24/25 at 2:53 pm
Posted on 9/24/25 at 3:20 pm to Mizz-SEC
Probably had a lot to do with the shift from singles to albums and longer songs in the sixties. Doors Live at the Hollywood Bowl in '68 went for about an hour and fifteen and included When the Music's Over (12:52) and The End (17:31). Live at the Hollywood Bowl Wiki.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 3:25 pm to redneck hippie
quote:The DeadCo show at the Sphere on Jerry's birthday was exactly 4:20 hours long.
Dead play for 3+ hours.
It was was too short!
Posted on 9/24/25 at 3:26 pm to Mizz-SEC
like many aspects of touring rock music taken for granted today, the 3-5 hour or more show (particularly, 2 sets and an encore) was popularized by the Grateful Dead. Among the other things they brought were band-provided sound and lighting systems, delay towers, audience taping, band-directed ticket sales, and never playing the same show twice
Posted on 9/24/25 at 3:36 pm to Mizz-SEC
quote:A couple of qualifiers:
The Beatles played 25-30 minute shows when they hit America and how easy it would be to feel ripped o
They played on bills that featured 3 or 4 other artists.
Their early songs were short, so audiences still got 12 or so tunes.
So, an attendee in 1965 would have gotten a multi-hour concert with a full slate of artists and 12 songs from the marquee performers. That wasn't a rip off.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 6:59 pm to Mizz-SEC
quote:
And how many minutes have the headliners played recent shows you've been to?
The last three shows I've been to were Dream Theater, The Weeknd, and The Weeknd. The Dream Theater show was An Evening With format, no opening act, right at 3 hours. With The Weeknd, his shows are 2 hours, but you also had about two hours from Mike Dean and Playboi Carti beforehand.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 7:17 pm to Mizz-SEC
Steven Wilson played 2.5 hours last week in Denver. That’s like 5% of his catalog. Catch that tour if you can. One of the best concerts I’ve seen.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 7:55 pm to Mizz-SEC
The Beatles toured with 3 or 4 other acts when they played. I have read that the Beatles were limited to 30 mins because that was when girls started fainting in mass and it was a safety issue.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 8:15 pm to Mobile Patriot
1980 Foghat
Warm up band, Starz, lead singer falls off stage and breaks arm just prior to their performance.
Announcer comes out and says if you want a refund go to ticket window now. Otherwise, Foghat has agreed to play an extended show.
They played 2 1/2 hours.
It was pretty awesome
Warm up band, Starz, lead singer falls off stage and breaks arm just prior to their performance.
Announcer comes out and says if you want a refund go to ticket window now. Otherwise, Foghat has agreed to play an extended show.
They played 2 1/2 hours.
It was pretty awesome
Posted on 9/24/25 at 8:21 pm to Mizz-SEC
Bruce Springsteen always did long shows.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 9:30 pm to auggie
Yeah, the four hour show was a Springsteen staple for a long time.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 10:23 pm to Mizz-SEC
Funny because I think about this too. The Beatles played for 30-45 minutes in the 60s then Paul came back in the 70s and played 30 songs for 2 and a half hours.
Wings Over America were long modern day shows. 70s once technology got better was the birth of the modern day 2-3 hour arena show. All those guys from back then play the same type of show. Paul still cranks it out for 3 hours. Elton John would play for 2.5-3 hours. Billy Joel would do 2.5 hour shows. Younger bands play shorter shows. But a lot of them don’t have the catalog to draw shows out.
Wings Over America were long modern day shows. 70s once technology got better was the birth of the modern day 2-3 hour arena show. All those guys from back then play the same type of show. Paul still cranks it out for 3 hours. Elton John would play for 2.5-3 hours. Billy Joel would do 2.5 hour shows. Younger bands play shorter shows. But a lot of them don’t have the catalog to draw shows out.
Posted on 9/25/25 at 11:15 am to Mizz-SEC
quote:Burying the lede a bit there
And I assume the Dead did and do.
Posted on 9/25/25 at 1:29 pm to Mizz-SEC
The Cure always plays long sets, close to three hours. I never miss a tour and in fact saw them twice this past run.
I did feel absolutely ripped off when I saw The Cars and they only played 45 minutes. It was that horrible Door to Door tour.
I did feel absolutely ripped off when I saw The Cars and they only played 45 minutes. It was that horrible Door to Door tour.
Posted on 9/25/25 at 5:24 pm to Mizz-SEC
Speaking of bands playing too long.
I once saw Skynyrd open for Tower of Power....I know crazy. Anyway, Skynyrd played so long that the TOP roadies began coming out and moving their bands equipment on stage while Skynyrd was still playing. It devolved into a fight between road crews and the show was eventually canceled.
I once saw Skynyrd open for Tower of Power....I know crazy. Anyway, Skynyrd played so long that the TOP roadies began coming out and moving their bands equipment on stage while Skynyrd was still playing. It devolved into a fight between road crews and the show was eventually canceled.
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News