Originally Posted by
jdubfan
Well, my .02 isn't probably worth that much...but anyway... my thoughts are that since concerts are now the only way artists make any money, the days of playing deep cuts for the "true fan" are over. Joe's set for life, but the tour still has to make money or there won't be another one. For the legacy guys still out there trying to do it, like Mellencamp, Seger, etc. They don't get airplay, record deals or money from selling the music, so they must feel they need to play for the "average" drunk, oblivious and comparatively uncaring concert goer that makes up 95% of the audience. And to generalize Joe's crowds, that person wants to rock to the big hits, not hear pretty. I was hoping the "new and improved" Joe would have the self-confidence to keep more new stuff in the set, but apparently the response and feedback isn't what he'd hoped. Since he's the pro that's done this a few times, I defer to his expertise. New stuff just isn't accepted in a concert setting, and I don't get it, but that's how it is and what I've seen during this tour. And for Joe to cut off his jams is a bunch of crap IMO. This isn't a Eagles concert, and I don't want it to sound like the record. That's my favorite thing about seeing Joe live. It's a pure expression of how he's feeling, how he wants to tell it and why he's bothering to come out and play for me that night. And in all the shows I've seen, they are never exactly the same, even if it's the same set list. As I've stated before, I'm just grateful that at nearly 65, he's still interested in exploring his craft, stretching his boundaries, and coming out to play. I keep that in mind, because the years to go are a lot less than the years that have been. That's my take on the concert-going reality in the 21st century. It's not great, but it is what it is. You can quityerbitchin', accept it, enjoy it as much as you can and be glad your favorite is still out there doing it, or you can stay home.