#14:2012.10.24 San Diego, CA - Valley View Center, USA # SPOILER AHEAD

[nababo]

...competition too many other places...
 

[Jules]

You really don't want to see my face, believe me. As for tone of voice, it was pretty straight.

Humour - "The hotel minibar is a wonderful invention. It tells you the future. You know what the price of a can of Pepsi will be in 2020" - low-keyed, wry and with a slight edge.

 

 

[superval99]

Sorry, twm - I took it that you wanted to make a comparison between the two as well, so I apologise for misinterpreting your post.   

[vgonis]

Maybe I should use the mini bar once in a while. Trouble is that if I use it once I will not be able to afford a Pepsi in 2020.

[Rail King]

I am not a fan of Marks current set at all and think he plays too many new songs!

Ha, I NEVER thought the day would come on which someone complains about Mark playing too many new songs! For me, that's the best thing that could happen. My dream concert would be one where he plays only songs that aren't even recorded yet. Actually, I'd like to see him write them on stage! 

[Jules]

I am not a fan of Marks current set at all and think he plays too many new songs!

Ha, I NEVER thought the day would come on which someone complains about Mark playing too many new songs! For me, that's the best thing that could happen. My dream concert would be one where he plays only songs that aren't even recorded yet. Actually, I'd like to see him write them on stage! 

I'm speechless as well...

My only complain is the selection of songs, well, not the selection, but the songs not selected, but I think that from Golden Heart, MK never played so many songs from a new album live... Or maybe from the STP tour?

[dmg]

I think when you consider this is only a half concert and he's playing about 6 (?) new ones it is a lot.  Imagine a full length concert where he plays 12 new songs!  It's just too many I think for the length of time he's on the stage.  Don't get me wrong, I like to hear the new ones played live too but I think this is just getting used as a trial run to see which ones work for next year;  already we've seen ones like RT dropped.

[superval99]

I think when you consider this is only a half concert and he's playing about 6 (?) new ones it is a lot.  Imagine a full length concert where he plays 12 new songs!  It's just too many I think for the length of time he's on the stage.  Don't get me wrong, I like to hear the new ones played live too but I think this is just getting used as a trial run to see which ones work for next year;  already we've seen ones like RT dropped.

Seems he can't win!   He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't!         

[Love Expresso]

I think Mark earns every respect and kudos for this set list: No (or only one - "bouncer" last song) Dire Straits hit, only solo material and a lot from the new album - this is really remarkable. One thing that I had very high confidence in the last 27 years being a fan (ouch) was his ability to build great and perfectly well working set lists.

Static or not, more changes, less changes - that's a problem of us fannish multiple-show-goers, but I still love to listen to a lot of old recordings (Hamburg 2001, Vaison, Lyon 2005, and so on) just because of the great flow.

READING this new set list could bring me to the conclusion that it could sound somewhat boring with a lot of acoustic songs in the second half.  But to be honest: I did not listen to a complete show from 2012 as yet - only some songs that I picked up and listened, not too much ...

Reason is that I don't want to know too much about it because I see this as a possible spoiler for 2013.... But as the reactions of the attendees are all so great (in fact there was not one single bad review so far from anyone who was there) makes me very optimistic and looking forward to 2013!!

LE

[superval99]

....but I think this is just getting used as a trial run to see which ones work for next year

I don't see anything wrong with that at all!    In this way, MK will know which songs work well live and which ones are not so good live.   I think it bodes well for great concerts in 2013!   

[dmg]

....but I think this is just getting used as a trial run to see which ones work for next year

I don't see anything wrong with that at all!    In this way, MK will know which songs work well live and which ones are not so good live.   I think it bodes well for great concerts in 2013!   

I don't think that's very fair for those attending this years shows.

Also I think there is a happy medium as to the number of new versus old songs he can play.  He can win!

[superval99]

If the reviews are anything to go by, the audiences seem to be enjoying the shows.  The setlists will be more evenly balanced in a full show.

[Jules]

....but I think this is just getting used as a trial run to see which ones work for next year

I don't see anything wrong with that at all!    In this way, MK will know which songs work well live and which ones are not so good live.   I think it bodes well for great concerts in 2013!   

I think LE is right but in the other hand it makes me thing that It will left room for unexpected songs in the set, as happened with "Coyote" or "Prairie wedding" during last tour, or with "Cannibals", "Hill farmer blues" and "Marbletown" during the KTGC tour, nobody expected that songs to be played , and we were surprised, positive or negative, but surprised.

Nowadays I think there is a pretty much fixed setlist with songs like What it is / Stp / Hill farmer / Romeo / Sultans / Bonaparte / Speedway / Marbletown / So far away / Brothers, and I

[vgonis]

It has always been a question of balance. The only thing we can do is nag and complain amongst friends. We can not change the balance, because MK decides what it is. Now let's see. We have more than 150-200 songs that he can choose from and 25 come from his latest album. The odds of playing even at random a new song are greater than any other. Then the fact that this is his latest album adds extra weight. I don't want to play the 12 guesses, but I believe that the disappointment for playing these songs, comes from the misrepresentation on previous tours, of great songs and at the same time the slight uneasiness (putting it gently, take it any way you want it) for the new material.
And most important, the need to discuss with people that share the same interests the things we love.  In this faceless internet world it is the closest to human communication.