Aural Notes™

BACK CATALOG: THE NEW CONCERT MODEL

Last week, I wrote about the great Steely Dan show that I caught at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre.  Fantastic show.  The Steely Dan ‘Rent Party ’09 Tour’ is one of those genius concepts that die-hard fans dream of.  In select cities, Steely Dan has planned album ‘Plus’ shows, where the duo takes one of their classic albums (Aja, Gaucho, The Royal Scam) and performs it ins its entirety, along with other hits.  I remember thinking to myself “It would be great if other established artists followed a similar path.”  And then it hit me…some have. 

Paul Weller did something similar in 2008 in support of the release of his Hit Parade box set.  Weller played three nights at New York’s Irving Plaza and each night represented a different phase of his career.  The first night featured songs by The Jam, second night featured the music of The Style Council, and the third night featured Weller’s solo work.  I am still kicking myself for not being able to rearrange my schedule and fly to NYC for such a treat. (can’t dwell on the past)

Veteran artists, take note.  I think that your music brethren may be on to something.

Many veteran artists will generally draw a decent crowd to a show, whether they are touring to support a new release or not.  However, While the shows are enjoyable, many of the older, deep cuts are left off of the set list.  This is understandable, given that the average show is about 2.5 hours.  Yet, as a music fan, I’m often left wanting more…recounting my favorites that weren’t performed.  I even find myself opting out of some shows because I am sure that the artist won’t go back as far or as deep as I’d like.  It is for this reason that artists should take note of the Steely Dan/Paul Weller model. Think about it.  A standard 20-city tour could be transformed into the must see event of the year by promoting a specific theme, era, or album.  I would happily pay to see David Bowie perform a show of pre-1980 songs.  Or, how great would it be to catch an Innervisions or a Talking Book “Plus” show from Stevie Wonder?  What about a Juju/Hyaena Extravaganza from Siouxsie and the Banshees.  The prospects are endless.  The win for the fans is that they’ll get an opportunity to see some of their favorite tracks performed live. (In some instances, for the first time ever, I’m sure.)  But there is also a win for the artist.  If marketed and executed properly, each night’s show could very well sell out in each city.  Selling out multiple shows in each location sounds like a lucrative day at the office.  For what might be deemed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, fans would make a concerted effort to secure tickets.  Case in point, I don’t live in Seattle.  I specifically flew there to catch Steely Dan.  If my schedule had permitted, I would have attended the Aja “Plus” show too.  The duo could have easily made a couple hundred bucks off of me alone.  As hard as life on the road can be, I would imagine that being able to set up in one location for several days is much more palatable than bouncing from city to city, night after night.  Another win.  Now, at the risk of sounding…critical, this concept won’t work for all artists.  If a singer can’t hold notes like they used to, this might not work.  If the artist has no stage presence, this might not work.  If there have been considerable line-up changes, this might not work.  And, if the original music was bad to begin, this WILL not work.

Granted, I’m looking at the situation from the vantage point of an adoring fan.  Of course, I see nothing but upside.  However, for the savvy artist, I think that this is one idea to take into consideration.  In the meantime, can someone contact Sade so that planning for the Diamond Life/Promise series can get underway?  If we plant the seed, it just may happen.

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