We’re all aware that Bruce is the acknowledged master of the stadium show, making such a vast space somehow intimate and personal, but he’s gonna have to go some this year to match the standard already set by Taylor Swift as she has begun her mammoth Eras Tour this weekend. Her show is a colossal, Springsteenesque three hours and (very important, very Taylor) 13 minutes long and incorporates forty-four songs, almost all being full versions. As reported, there are dazzling, dizzying changes of set and costume to complement each distinct section of the performance and unsurprisingly the production values are absolutely top-drawer. But the most special aspect to me is how Taylor connects at a profoundly emotional and inclusive way at an individual level at the same time as leading such a mass communal catharsis. Her live performances have always boasted these elements, but not at this immense scale. I know I’m in the minority round these parts, but I feel that these shows will demonstrate beyond any residual doubt or prejudice that she is an artist of real substance who will be recognised as one of the greats.
Roll on next year and the UK Eras Tour…
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Three hours and 13 minutes long! With no intermission?
That is a show and a half. No one can accuse her of slothfulness! I’m impressed.
She makes the Dead look like a bunch of slackers. But then again in that time, they’d only play four or five songs.
What BT said
Ken Dodd was apparently still doing marathon three- and four-hour shows almost right up until his death
A friend saw a typical four-hour Doddy show. By the end (well past midnight), only a few people were left, the rest having gone home, exhausted. KD says to these hardy few, “Come to my dressing room, we’ll have a drink.” There, he does another hour-plus of great gags, and is only stopped by the caretakers asking him to call it a night so they can lock up. My friend had real stomach pains from laughing so hard for so long.
Copy *that*, Ms Swift!
You were there? 44 songs is incredible. I have seen Brian Wilson do 42 (Pet Sounds tour) McCartney does 3 hour shows too at 80 pretty much. Good to see the youngsters having a go
No I wasn’t, but the critical and fandom (obvs) reaction has been rapturous, and the posted footage reinforces that perspective.
3 hours 13 minutes? I hope there are plenty of loo breaks. “Here’s one our bass player wrote.”
If they have Colin Moulding on bass you will hear some of the best tunes.
Or Mr Sting.
Or not, according to taste.
One thing for sure, though: 3 hours 13 minutes ain’t nothing to the IYLSSTFH – if ya knowwarrImean 😉
Or Macca
Or Pino…erm.
Berdoiiinnng..
Is that a reference to Pino’s fretless bass or Mr Sumner’s ..er.. “instrument”?
Lute. It’s a lute, Professor 😏
Event scale gigs don’t do anything for me, I’m afraid, Bruce or Taylor or whoever. There are a lot of her albums to choose from, so tell me where I can best hear evidence that “she is an artist of real substance” and I’ll make my own mind up.
I’m with you, Foxy. I love gigs where the audience can see the whites of the performers’ eyes, and those on stage can sense the atmosphere in the room.
Since the Cambridge Junction was expanded from 600 to 1000, I have to be dragged in there, and I long ago gave up on the 1,600-capacity Corn Exchange.
If Ms Swift fancies playing the back room of the Portland Arms, I promise I will be there.
I reckon that, from what I’ve seen of her, she would be up for the Portland Arms gig. I somehow think it would need to be under a pseudenym!
She could be a last-minute replacement for Adele who’ll cancel at short notice like she always does
Perhaps one can support the other? I’ll chuck a couple of pints and some pork scratchings into the backtstage rider. If Ms Swift is a vegan, she can have peanuts instead.
I think Folkore is probably the most AW-friendly of her albums. Recorded in lockdown, folky, low-key Americana with some excellent songwriting that belies her pop moppet reputation. My favourite song changes all the time, but this morning it’s
and this, from the rerecorded version of Red, is incredible. As far as bitter vindictive break up songs go, it’s at least, ooooh, 427 times better than Idiot Wind
Yeah…fuck the patriarchy, right? 😉
*The live performance of ATW is in the OP, incidentally.*
Also include Evermore, which is folklore’s surprise little sister from the same year. It’s generally overlooked in the huge shadow cast by its predecessor, but is almost – almost – as good.
I’m afraid All Too Well isn’t my cuppa at all – it’s the same dull circular chord sequence over and over and over again with no let up, and after the 19th time round I’ve lost any desire to hear more. 10 minute version? Is that supposed to be a good thing? Maybe if I were a 15 year old who’s been recently chucked it might be my thing. But I’m not.
I’ll give that Folklore set a go, though.
Agreed. It knocks spots off Idiot Wind; far fewer clunking lyrics, far more subtlety in the utter evisceration of its target, and a lot less sixth form poetry.
1989 for a pop bangerthon, but Midnights is the pick, not a bad song on it and with a more interesting soundscape.
I think 3+ hours is too long for a live show. Even with bands I really love, I’m looking at my watch about 90 mins in.
Depends on the show. I’m no huge Springsteen fan but you don’t notice the length at one of his shows. It’s just what he does, powering through with no let up in energy, and before you know it, it’s over. I can believe TS would be more than capable of similar. And unlike a latter-day Martin Scorsese film, say, it’ll actually be an enjoyable three hours.
(I find most live shows dull, but several of my all-timers have been long, so I don’t think the dullness and the length have any relation to one another.)
Prefer the standard UK two one-hour sets show format, myself.
Preferably starting at 8pm sharp and finishing at 10:30.
Home for a cup of cocoa and bed by 11:30.
Tonight’s Jazz Manouche (look it up if you’re unfamiliar) gig will start at 7pm and finish at about 9:30. A bit of chat afterwards and relaxing at home by 10:30.
I doubt the Swifties are complaining. When Bruce first started doing really long shows it was because he wanted to give a good overview of everything he had done. Seems to be a similar thing here
Both times I saw Pink Floyd, it was the best part of three hours long, and really felt like you’d seen a SHOW. A turn of 90 minutes including encore, which seems to be about the norm, always feels too short to me.
Bravo to Taylor Swift for (a) lasting long enough to produce enough solid material for such a long show, and (b) providing such value for money.
For some reason, Beyonce is regarded as the music queen, but from what I gather her songs are often written, produced, and performed by many others (mostly men). Taylor S is a lot more self-sufficient, and seems like a decent sort. Long may she reign.
I think Taylor is no. 1 by a distance in terms of popularity
Not too bothered if a show is long if the music is good. I once saw Steve Gibbons band at the Birmingham Odeon in the week running up to Christmas. He played his normal set of about 90 minutes. Left stage at around 9.45 – came back on and played to gone 11.30 A mix of old rock and roll, Beatles etc. There was no one sitting down in the audience for all that time. The whole place was rocking and still ranks atmosphere wise as one of the best gigs I have seen.
This Guardian review provides an excellent description of the atmosphere, not least her phenomenally loyal fans.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/mar/18/taylor-swift-eras-tour-review-arizona?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Good luck to her. She’s worked very hard to get where she is.
Personally though, at the end of the day, you are more likely to find me lurking in the shadows with Foxy, in some questionable but very intimate dive, watching an act who has a fan base of ten men and a dog, rather than getting enthusiastic at an enormous stadium.
It’s not you Taylor, it’s me!
For me somehow, it will always be Drimble Wedge and the Vegetation.
I don’t really know her stuff but mainly as she’s not on Spotty which is where I try out new artists (to me). But honestly, I don’t want to go to a 3 hour gig by anyone. It’s just too long. That includes you, Bruce. I remember going to see the Flaming Lips tour Yoshimi Vs the Robots – brilliant show, loads going on, quirky, giant ballons bounced out to the audience – fantastic, and over in about 75 minutes. I didn’t feel shirt changed.
Now, to be fair, I used to love, say, Rory Gallagher gigs where the band would go off and he would do a solo acoustic mini set…but now a tidy hour 45 will do me nicely.
She is on Spotify.
I didn’t feel shirt changed
Not a long enough gig to get sweaty?
Like a few others on this thread, I’m open and receptive to liking Taylor but just haven’t heard anything that connects. She seems like a good egg, but even the examples above seem anodyne and safe. You lot made me realise that Norman Fucking Rockwell by Lana Del Ray was one of the albums of the decade (and Venice Bitch one of the greatest prog songs of all time), but then again I never listened to another note she recorded.
I struggle a bit with the over-the-top costume changes and the millions of young people singing every word of every song but there is no doubt Taylor is a major talent if not THE major talent around today.
As said above, Folklore and Evermore are the two most AW- friendly albums. Stunning they is
I’ll try them and report back.
Three hours of unbelievable music, across a ridiculous range of styles, performed by one of the greatest musicians of her generation – what’s not to like?
It’s a long time to spend at a gig, but if anyone has the song catalogue to make it pass in the blink of an eye, it’s Swift.
I was interested to see what the Eras tour would look like and it seems like she’s cracked it. Since her last big tour ended in 2018 she has put out a phenomenal amount of material: Four brand new albums, three of them over an hour long; two “Taylor’s Version” re-recordings each with a second CD of songs not finished at the time; plus other bits and pieces (the live-at-home Folklore, etc). How do you tour six albums?!?
The layout of the show is that instead of one big playlist of songs, she does a series of songs from one album, then moves onto another album. This isn’t chronological. If anyone’s interested it goes:
Lover (6 songs); Fearless (3 songs); Evermore (5 songs); Reputation (4 songs); Speak Now (1 song); Red (5 songs); Folklore (8 songs); 1989 (5 songs); a surprise song (changes with each gig); Taylor Swift, the debut (1 song); Midnights (7 songs). It’s a very clever way of breaking up the show into 10 bite-sized Taylor shows – hence “Eras”. I’m sure the three hours flies by. It’s pretty audacious that the new album is strong enough to close the show – people usually don’t want to “hear some new” when it’s encore time.
I saw TS in 2018 in Croke Park stadium in Dublin – she was doing two nights and it was not a sell out, tickets for the second night were drastically discounted and were being given away. I cannot see any 2024 European dates having any trouble selling out.
It’s not a bad idea for others to follow. The closest thing I can compare it to was seeing Take That in 2011 when on the Robbie reunion tour. That was like four back-to-back 30+ minute shows: The four-man TT; Robbie solo set; the new reunion 5 man TT music then the classic 90s hits. That was a fun night out.
As a side point, it would be great to get a full Taylor-St Vincent collaboration.
Tom Jones, saw him about 12 years ago. Basically 2as in 3 parts. One part was based on his latest album at the time, the superb gospelly Praise and Blame, then there were his 60s/70s hits and the final part concentrated on his 90s reinvention as a hitmaking force. I may have the order wrong though ….
*was in 3 parts
The best “long concert” I ever saw was by King Sunny Ade at the Concert Hall, Toronto in the mid eighties, superb non stop playing by his magnificent band. We left as it tipped into the four hour mark, exhausted and danced out TBH. And the audience climbed on stage to stick 20 and 10 dollar bills on his forehead. Magnificent! If I had to attend the TS concert, I think I’d be well asleep by the 60 minute mark. i just listened to the 10 minute song and was drifting off by the 6 minute mark. Each to their own I guess.
Cool.
Think longest for me was Bruce in Philadelphia 2016 at 3hrs 48. The previous night at same venue he had done 4hrs 4mins, his longest ever recorded show in US, but it was crazy hot the night I went so it was shorter.
Other long shows I have seen other than plenty of Bruce shows around 3hr 30 are Elvis Costello, CSNY, Manic St Preachers (when they played all 38 of their singles at the O2) and several McCartney shows, these were all about 3 hrs. Never got bored….
Mine thus far are Kate Bush’s legendary Before The Dawn performance/show/happening/religious experience in 2014, and Macca at the O2 5(?) years later.
Will be seeing Bruce in May, but am not expecting him to be swimming under the gangway…
Oh yeah, add Before the Dawn to my list!
Extreme Noise Terror could probably perform 44 songs in less than an hour and a half. The longest track on their first album was just over 3 minutes, shortest less than a minute.
The Residents “Commercial Album” has 40 tracks and lasts just a tiny bit over 40 minutes.
For his last-ever tour in 1988, Frank Zappa required his band to rehearse over a hundred songs/pieces so that the shows could be different every time. Quite often when doing a matinee show followed by an evening show, there would be quite significant changes of material.
The Brian Wilson show I mentioned above with 42 songs was probably around 2 hours. Many early Beach Boys tracks clock in at about the 2 minute mark.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/mar/23/taylor-swift-beyonce-king-gizzard-bruce-springsteen-three-hour-concert
Me, on here, in March:
“But the most special aspect to me is how Taylor connects at a profoundly emotional and inclusive way at an individual level at the same time as leading such a mass communal catharsis. I know I’m in the minority round these parts, but I feel that these shows will demonstrate beyond any residual doubt or prejudice that she is an artist of real substance who will be recognised as one of the greats”.
Neil McCormick in The Telegraph, today (June 14):
“What people might not get who haven’t seen Taylor Swift live is that she really has the talent to lead from the front, a Bruce Springsteen-like ability to make everyone in a vast stadium feel like she is singing just for them, building a community from her own deepest feelings. Swift is one of the all-time greats.”
I feel seen.