Re: audience requests

Posted by Andrew on March 10, 2004 at 14:27:35:

In Reply to: Re: audience requests posted by Craig on March 10, 2004 at 10:04:55:

Funny thing is...if you'd called out Fat Boys, or if we'd heard you call out Fat Boys, we probably would have done it...that's one we know. (It was actually on our pre-show "songs to be added if there's a spot" list.)

The problem isn't being tired of a song, it's deciding which song to cut so that the other can be done. We try to mix and match each show so that different favorites get played. Fat Boys, for example, has been the fifth song of every show in Ann Arbor for the past three years...we thought it was time to give it a break, along with Suzy and some others, so that we could do different older songs, like Bedroom Eyes, Don't Put It In Your Mouth, Julie Andrews, etc.

Although we say we don't do requests, we're actually pretty accommodating during a show....as long as we have an idea of how the song goes.

Andrew

PS - I don't know if/when we're coming back to Ann Arbor, but which songs would you like to hear? Perhaps we can rehearse them so that we can do some of them.

: Suzie, I never said that I expected the band to sing every single song I wanted to hear. I'm not sure where your comment on that came from. Nor did I say that they should take spontaneous requests that are called out (although Guy Clark did that in a show I saw at the Ark for most of his set). What I suggested was that some audience favorites be included, perhaps in a quick medley that would be maybe 5-10% of the show. Maybe the band is tired of "Boys Want..." or "Fat Boys" but people new to the band might love a taste of that.

:
: : I personally have always been amazed when an artist hears a request yelled out and then actually DOES it, especially if it's an older song. Heck, I can't remember what I had for breakfast, much less the words to a song I haven't sung for 10 years.

: : I don't discount the thrill to be had when your request is honored - as a fan, I've certainly done it, and I've had my request honored on occasion, too, and that's a very cool thing indeed.

: : But I really think Uncle Bonsai especially should be cut a great deal of slack when it comes to the Spontaneous Audience Request. The sheer lyrical abundance of their body of work is staggering. I was listening to 'Another Fat Song' last night and I could hardly get my tiny little brain around the fact that anybody could spit all those words out that fast, much less THREE people, much less memorize the words.

: : I know I've never walked away from a single concert by ANYBODY thinking 'wow, they did every single song I wanted to hear'. Not once. It's just the way it is.

Follow Ups:

• Re: audience requests Craig 17:26:39 03/10/04 (0)

Post a Followup

Name:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comments:
: Funny thing is...if you'd called out Fat Boys, or if we'd heard you call out Fat Boys, we probably would have done it...that's one we know. (It was actually on our pre-show "songs to be added if there's a spot" list.) : The problem isn't being tired of a song, it's deciding which song to cut so that the other can be done. We try to mix and match each show so that different favorites get played. Fat Boys, for example, has been the fifth song of every show in Ann Arbor for the past three years...we thought it was time to give it a break, along with Suzy and some others, so that we could do different older songs, like Bedroom Eyes, Don't Put It In Your Mouth, Julie Andrews, etc. : Although we say we don't do requests, we're actually pretty accommodating during a show....as long as we have an idea of how the song goes. : Andrew : PS - I don't know if/when we're coming back to Ann Arbor, but which songs would you like to hear? Perhaps we can rehearse them so that we can do some of them. : : Suzie, I never said that I expected the band to sing every single song I wanted to hear. I'm not sure where your comment on that came from. Nor did I say that they should take spontaneous requests that are called out (although Guy Clark did that in a show I saw at the Ark for most of his set). What I suggested was that some audience favorites be included, perhaps in a quick medley that would be maybe 5-10% of the show. Maybe the band is tired of "Boys Want..." or "Fat Boys" but people new to the band might love a taste of that. : : : : : I personally have always been amazed when an artist hears a request yelled out and then actually DOES it, especially if it's an older song. Heck, I can't remember what I had for breakfast, much less the words to a song I haven't sung for 10 years. : : : I don't discount the thrill to be had when your request is honored - as a fan, I've certainly done it, and I've had my request honored on occasion, too, and that's a very cool thing indeed. : : : But I really think Uncle Bonsai especially should be cut a great deal of slack when it comes to the Spontaneous Audience Request. The sheer lyrical abundance of their body of work is staggering. I was listening to 'Another Fat Song' last night and I could hardly get my tiny little brain around the fact that anybody could spit all those words out that fast, much less THREE people, much less memorize the words. : : : I know I've never walked away from a single concert by ANYBODY thinking 'wow, they did every single song I wanted to hear'. Not once. It's just the way it is.

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL: