Set List

[blackhawkpat]

I decided to make this a separate thread, as I think itís a great topic! Nice thought, Larry. I can remember (no pun intended) a few years ago we had a thread like this about a fantasy concert and now it seems close to reality!

As much as we all want to hear our favorite tunes like ìEcstacyî, ìIf You Change Your Mindî, ìI Can Rememberî, etc. I think we need to be realistic on what the boys can and will play. You have to remember a variety of issues that broke them up, so you want to keep those in mind, too. I think it might open some old wounds by asking Jim and Dave to learn any ìStarting Overî songs, aside from ìOvernight Sensationî, which Jim has often stated he wished he could have played on.

I think solo stuff is out (donít get me wrong, Iíd love it) because as we have read in the book, there was a lot of resentment on ìindividualismî. They wanted it to be a ìbandî where everyone contributed. Letís think, too, that with families and all, Iím sure practicing is going to be minimal, so with all those issues, I predict:

Ticket To Ride Opening

I Wanna be With You

Tonight

Last Dance

Makiní It Easy (or Hard To Get Over A Heartbreak)

Letís Pretend/Starting Over medley

Overnight Sensation

Should I Wait

Nobody Knows

Driviní Around

Go All The Way

Encores:

No Reply

All Right Now

Hereís why:

They start off with their little dig at the industry about the Beatle comparisons with the Ticket To Ride start into IWBWY. It gives them a giggle, gives the diehards a chance to hear what weíve all heard about, and also reminisces about the Carnegie Show.

Eric gets the challenge to show heís still got it (and we know he does) by going from IWBWY right into Tonight. Then, he gets a little rest and lets the other guys sing. Iím thinking Wally only wants one singing cut, but Dave probably wants two or three in the show. As a diehard, Iíd get a charge out of hearing the first three cuts in succession from Side 3, but HTGOAH is probably easier for them to play.

Next, Iím thinking the band gets a rest and leaves the stage, as Eric moves to the piano, alone. Eric cracks a joke about ìnow that Iím all by myselfÖî (ARR, ARRR!) Because itís a ìbandî, we are avoiding the solo songs, but Eric, due to his huge solo success, gets a solo piece of the show (did I just sound like George Costanza?). He does a slow piano version of Letís Pretend (the boys donít have to relearn the difficult parts) that goes into Starting Over (again, avoiding any, ummm, ìissuesî). We all get a tear in our eyes, as only Wally walks out, halfway through the song, and sings the harmony with Eric to end the song! Poignant moment, eh?

Then, while Eric is still at the piano, and we all are crying and clapping, the other members return and they go into ìOvernight Sensationî! How cool would it be if Scott and Mike came up and sang backups, too? The ultimate Raspberry Jam! (Have we even explored the possibility of any other admirers joining in? Can you say The Boss?)

Now, EC needs a little rest from singing, so they go into Should I Wait, as Dave gets some kudos. Next while the acoustic guitars are out, we get a little Nobody Knows and Driviní Around!

It just has to end with Go All the Way, doesnít it?

The encores give us a Beatle tune in No Reply and Wally gets the ultimate lengthy guitar solo in the closer, Freeís All Right Now, while Eric can let ëer rip on the vocals, knowing itís the last song of the night!

Everybody gets their due, I distributed the songs quite fairly, I thought. What do ya think?

[Steveh]

Pat,

That would be a great concert. Just a few comments: the boys have been resting their voices and fingers for a few decades now, so lets not let them off so easy - I mean that's kind of a short list of songs - I want to see them play ALL of their songs from their first 3 albums - hey! we've waited long enough! And although I love the early Beatles, I personally would only want them playing original Raspberry material. I was thinking that Eric could pick a few of his solo songs to do, if the other guys also had a chance to pick some of theirs. I know this would be kindof a long show, but...what's the rush???!!!

Steveh

[Billy K.]

Pat, I was thinking of the same thing myself today, on the way to work......I'm so shocked to see "Set List" as a topic, as I was ready to start on that myself......but it is comforting to know that someone is thinking the same thing...

I came with two concepts.....doing a slam-bang 45-50 minute hits set(like yours)....or should they stretch out a bit(two 45 minute sets with a 15-minute intermission........(Steveh was thinking that too!)

As for the opener, "Ticket to Ride" was one of the possible choices.....but the thought of opening slow(with fog machines) and doing "Overnight Sensation" as the opener. Or should we hit 'em hard by opening up with "Tonight"?

In any event "I Wanna Be With You" should be the second song. No question about it.

And you are definitely right about not having "I Can Remember" in the set----to really make that(as well as "Marathon Man") sound good, you really need a second keyboard player for the "string" parts....it wouldn't sound right otherwise......But does Wally or Dave(or Scott) do keyboards? That is the question. I doubt it, but you never know.....

So I am thinking Eric switching off between electric guitar and grand piano.

As for acoustic songs(if there will be such a thing) I would throw in "It Seemed So Easy".

And balancing the Wally and Dave vocals is a must.......so you have the right idea there, too!

You're right about the "Starting Over" tracks. We'll have to keep it to a minimum, but at least have one or two songs to represent that album.

To be realistic, we'll have to go with the shorter set. And just the two electric guitars, drums, bass and piano. My "hits" 45-minute set is slightly different than yours....but not by all that much....

But we can dream, right? I will post my proposed "stretch set" soon.

[marvin]

I think that some of the Set List is also dependent on whether there are any side musicians. I'm wondering if they will utilize a another keyboardist when Eric is on guitar. The 2nd edition of the berries used Jeff Hutton a great deal. This is not a knock on the abilities of the four-piece band, but additional musicians would certainly compliment and flesh out the sound.

Marvin

[LobsterLvr]

I know it's kinda cheezy, but how about a medley or two.

Suggestion #1: Drivin' Around, Cruisin' Music, On The Beach, and Nobody Knows

Suggestion #2: Any suggestions???

Dave

[LarryGL]

Marvin--yes--side musicians--a whole 'nother topic! They'll need at least a MIDI person to do some of the strings/fiddle/percussion stuff.

[LarryGL]

I like LobsterLvr's suggestion a lot--a beach medley--yeah! I'd give a kidney to hear them do "On The Beach." One of my all-time faves.

[Raspbernie]

Everything everybody saidÖ plus "Ecstasy" -- now that would be something :-)

Bernie

[LarryGL]

Bernie--them doing "Ecstasy" would pull my brain out of its head! WHAT an amazing song and performance that is thrilling every listen.

[gordharris]

Here is my set list of songs that the Raspberries would sing:

1) "With A Little Help From My Friends", for sure'

Because it's a Ringo song.

2)"Drivin Around

3)"I wanna Be With You"

4)"Boats Against The Current"

5)"Let's Pretend"

6)"Walk A Renee"

7)"Change Of Heart"

8)"Boats Against The Current"

9)Dave Smalley -cd-song

10)Wally Bryson- song

12)A new song, for everyone to hear.

11) standing ovation song.

[marvin]

Larry at this rate, you're not going to have any body parts left by the end of the show.

Marvin

[marvin]

Well I don't think you'll hear "On the Beach" because Eric doesn't like the song, nor "I'm A Rocker" because the rest of the band doesn't like it. Mind you that was 30 years ago.

Marvin

[bahoodore]

The Set List will depend on if there is a curtain or not...

With Curtain, they would open with I'm A Rocker...because they could change the Key to that easily and warm up ECs voice...and it has that great guitar work...

Without a Curtain, I would start with "Starting Over" or "A Cover Tune"...Locomotion?

Curtain or no curtain, they will kick into a Smalley Rocker..."Every Way I Can"....then knock our socks off with Wally's "Last Dance"...

Curtain or no curtain, they will close with "Tonight"

As for EC songs, I think it would be OK for the EC to do any of his hits solo on the piano, and I alos think they are OK to DO any EC or Wally songs from the 4th Album....As far as I'm concerned they have enuff GREAT material from the first 3 records that there is no way I could walk away feeling cheated...

Bahoo

[Billy K.]

Thanks Marvin, for mentioning that keyboard player. If we can get him, then by all means, let's do "I Can Remember" and "Marathon Man"

As for medleys, one would be OK. But keep in mind that having too damn many medleys ruined the Beach Boys' once-mighty live sets.

On "Last Dance" there is the obvious presence of a violin/fiddle.....it would not justify the expense to hire a player for just the one song. Perhaps substitute some sort of guitar part on this.....

[The NH Bushman]

On the issue of "side player" - I'm available, and already broken-in! 4 octave singing range, 35+ years playing guitar. Sign where?

[Billy K.]

Finally figured "mega set"--two sets and an intermission.....covers all four albums, pre-Raspberries, and solo stuff......and an equitable mix of

Set One: Overnight Sensation, I Wanna Be With You, Ecstasy, Last Dance, Might as Well, Should I Wait, Play On, Rock and Roll Mama, Ticket to Ride, Let's Pretend, I'm a Rocker

Set two: Come Around and See Me, Marathon Man, Goin' Nowhere tonight, It Seemed So Easy, Hungry Eyes, Hard to Get Over a Heartbreak, All By Myself, Go All the Way, It's Cold Outside, Miles Away.

Encore Option A: No Reply, All Right now(good choices Blackhawk Pat!!)

Encore Option B: Let it Be, Get it Moving

Encore Option C: I Don't Know What I Want, Starting over

Encore Option D: (Lobster Lover's choices) On the Beach, Drivin' Around, Cruisin' Music

Encore Option E: No Matter What, The Locomotion

And some venue-specific encores suited for those specific locations(should there be a tour.....)

Seattle Show Encore: Almost Paradise(with special Guest Ann Wilson)

L.A. Show Encore: Make Me Lose Control(with special guest Mike Love)

Manila Show Encore: Love is all that Matters

And if any of you have Sound Forge or Cakewalk or similar type of computer music editing, it may be worthwhile to edit songs down to 45 seconds, showcasing the start and end of songs.....and see how they actually can co-exist......some combinations of songs can work better than others.....much like how you would set up a batting order in baseball.....