"After the 3rd number, a band has shown you all that it is going to show you..."

CaseOfAce Frets: 1578
20 Dec, 2024
from The Ten Rules of Rock And Roll by Robert Forster

True or false?
Comments
DesVegas Frets: 4748
20 Dec, 2024
i would say that's true for a few bands .. strong opener, strong 2nd song, nice slow one .. repeat but i wouldn't say that rings true for when i saw the Beastie Boys .. they had like three different sets .. 1st rap, 2nd jazz, 3rd rock so the first 3 songs would all have been their rap mode
stickyfiddle Frets: 29583
20 Dec, 2024
It’s obviously complete bollocks by someone who has only been to gigs by boring bands
snowblind Frets: 900
20 Dec, 2024
Is this not in fact what you want from a band? Some level of predictability is a key part of fandom. 
For example, would Metallica's fan base be as dedicated if they were prone to interrupting their metallic goodness with 15 minute free form experimental jazz improvs? Take That! plays Motorhead? Not sure it will catch on.

roberty Frets: 11014
20 Dec, 2024
Not true, sometimes a singer takes his shirt off 
3rd???
FFS my band really needs to up our game then. 
BillDL Frets: 9939
20 Dec, 2024
The phrase "all it is going to show you" is ambiguous, and I wonder what context it was extracted from.  Even a very predictable band like Status Quo could keep giving the audience more after the first three songs, but their audiences weren't there simply to be "given" or "shown" anything.  It's always good to go and see a band for the first time and hear a wide range of styles so you have an idea whether to buy their album, but for the followers of some bands it's actually the predictability to a large extent that they enjoy.  If people only go to see a band and stand or sit there saying "Right show me what you've got", they are generally aren't there to enjoy the music but to judge it critically (as Robert Forster's forté appears to be), and that's not a recipe for having a good night.  It's a bit like going to a party with the expectation that you are there to be entertained rather than already being receptive to a party atmosphere and ready to enjoy yourself, or going to a restaurant as a food critic.  Musicians may well be the most judgemental of all audience members because they are scrutinising and judging the playing rather than just hearing everything the way non-musicians in the audience are, and Robert Forster seems to have made as much of a name for himself through music critique and journalism than actually writing, playing and recording.  For what it's worth I've just listened to a bunch of his stuff and I think it's boring and bland, but what do I know?
EricTheWeary Frets: 17041
20 Dec, 2024
MrsTheWeary would probably agree with this. Actually I’d agree with it at times but mostly not. 
JezWynd Frets: 6478
20 Dec, 2024
Some bands are just getting warmed up by the third number. 
snowblind said:
Is this not in fact what you want from a band? Some level of predictability is a key part of fandom. 
It’s what “I” want from a band but my older brother who subjected me to years of Frank Zappa at concert-level volume from the room below mine would disagree 
topdog91 Frets: 649
20 Dec, 2024
It’s obviously complete bollocks by someone who was inexplicably given an advance to write a book with a readbait(?) title
FTFY.

Like rock and roll has rules.
Funkfingers Frets: 15568
20 Dec, 2024
CaseOfAce said:
"After the 3rd chord, a band has shown you all that it is going to show you…"

FTFY, Mr. Rossi. ;)
snowblind Frets: 900
20 Dec, 2024
snowblind said:
Is this not in fact what you want from a band? Some level of predictability is a key part of fandom. 
It’s what “I” want from a band but my older brother who subjected me to years of Frank Zappa at concert-level volume from the room below mine would disagree 
FZ was something of a special case.