The evolution of rock shows

[Dannorama]

This subject is something I’ve wondered about for a long time. Listening to the BDB concert makes me ask about the evolution of the pacing in rock shows.

It used to be that there were often pregnant pauses between songs. Often it was used to tune instruments on stage. (Hendrix even referred to it as “the tune-up blues.”) What a momentum killer! The Who did it, Zeppelin did it, and you guys used to do it too - that is until the BDB show. Suddenly, the non-stop delivery of the songs you played barely left us any room to catch our breath. (What’s remarkable is that this is still the way concerts are played to this day.)

Modesty aside, do you think that you guys helped lead that movement? Maybe a clearer way to ask: was it a cognizant decision on the band’s part to do away with the tune-up blues? Or was it something that had developed across the spectrum, and you were swept up in it? Curious about your perspective. I have to believe that it was more demanding of you, the performers.

[Dreary]

Those annoying tuning pauses plagued bands more in the years before the invention of the Strobe Tuner. But even that couldn't compensate for the variations of temperatures in the dressing rooms, then the often cold hallways to the stage, and then the heat of stage lighting. Strings expand and contract with temperature causing tuning issues. But still, plugging into a Strobe Tuner allowed you to check your tuning without the audience having to hear it.

Generally, maintaining a fast paced set was always a challenge but our goal.

[Dannorama]

For years, I had deluded myself into believing that is was some sort of seismic change that came over the concert community. Here you are with the simplest explanation - technology. Thanks again for sharing your helpful insights.

[Type-O]

I have a follow up question on the subject. Did you guys have a lot of back up instruments lined up with stage techs ready to switch if needed? And did you do any planned switches during shows to play certain songs?

[Dreary]

I have a follow up question on the subject. Did you guys have a lot of back up instruments lined up with stage techs ready to switch if needed? And did you do any planned switches during shows to play certain songs?

Pre-School's Out Tour, due to lack of funds, our backup instruments were minimal - perhaps an extra guitar in case someone broke a string. I had an extra bass. The Billion Dollar Babies Tour afforded sufficient backup equipment.
I had a bass with round wound strings and one with flat wound strings. I also had 2 Sunn Coliseum bass amps - one on my side of the stage that I controlled and one on the other side, which Michael could adjust the volume as needed.

Even then, Michael and Glen stuck with their main guitar unless a string broke, in which case, they would play another guitar until the broken string was replaced by a roadie.

[boy/man]

Greetings, Dennis.
'Follow-up question: What did you guys do about different tunings for certain songs on stage? I couldn't help but notice that the ending of "Killer" suddenly goes to drop-D mid-song, and other things like this?

[Dreary]

Greetings, Dennis.
'Follow-up question: What did you guys do about different tunings for certain songs on stage? I couldn't help but notice that the ending of "Killer" suddenly goes to drop-D mid-song, and other things like this?

In the studio, back then, we always tuned up to pitch (A-440) unless a piano was used that was tuned slightly different, in which case we tuned to the piano.

On stage, we played Killer in A-440 but we cut to the studio recording during the dirge segment in order to hang Alice without having to continue playing the song, although Neal switched to a marching drum. The studio recording was slowed down to give us more time for the hanging scene.

[boy/man]

Greetings, Dennis.
'Follow-up question: What did you guys do about different tunings for certain songs on stage? I couldn't help but notice that the ending of "Killer" suddenly goes to drop-D mid-song, and other things like this?

In the studio, back then, we always tuned up to pitch (A-440) unless a piano was used that was tuned slightly different, in which case we tuned to the piano.

On stage, we played Killer in A-440 but we cut to the studio recording during the dirge segment in order to hang Alice without having to continue playing the song, although Neal switched to a marching drum. The studio recording was slowed down to give us more time for the hanging scene.

Oh, no worse than that? Yeah, that honestly makes a lot of sense.