Gigs, Concerts, Festivals etc.

[Wayno]

Placebo have announced a 30th anniversary tour for their debut album. I'm considering it but 1. I don't think they're going to sell out the Co-Op Arena and the prices will be steep and 2. When I saw them back in 2022 it was genuinely the worst gig I've ever been to. They banned phones (yay!) for a more "intimate experience" then proceeded to not engage with the audience at all. Really poor.

My unhinged whinge about a setlist:

When a band tours a new album, how much new material is acceptable for a band with 25 years catalogue to play? 4? 5? Out of 21 songs they played 11 new songs from a 13 song album, which was ridiculous. The first 14 songs was a lacklustre affair.

But towards the end of the set it picked up. 'For What It's Worth' is a good song from an underrated album. Not my first choice but I'll take it. Next was 'Slave to the Wage'. Same as the song before, it's good so I'll take it even if there's better on the album. Next is Song to Say Goodbye, FINALLY! A HIT!! The room comes alive and they're turning it round! Next up, The Bitter End. My favourite song of theirs and the crowd goes berserk at the opening guitar tone! They close the main set with Infra Red. An exquisite choice and we're delighted.

They go off for the encore having turned it around. Anticipation is growing. They're going to close with a cover of "Running Up That Hill" so there's only two songs to go. I don't care for that cover but I acknowledge I'm in the minority.
They hit the stage, first song of the encore is a cover of "Shout" by Tears for Fears and it's the best song of the night. Unreal choice. So now the penultimate song. Surely they're going to play Nancy Boy? That's the show stopper, this is the moment! I'd take Every Me Every You. Teenage Angst, Bruise Pristine, any one of the immense singles they have. Preferably off self-titled as it's had no love..but .... no. They played a new song!

I'd never seen a room die like that before. It went from electric to flatter than a plate of piss faster than you could say "Meds." I still think about that setlist often and how Brian couldn't see how bad it was. Like even moving Infra Red to the encore still saves the show. That penultimate song snatched defeat from the jaws of victory after a poor opening hour. How do you not put down your big boy hit for the penultimate track? How? Pure Morning? More like Pure Mourning.