STyx needs to use a page out of Maiden's tour diary

[FormerDJMike]

The first part of their current tour, Maiden is playing EVERY song from "A Matter Of Life & Death" with 4-5 classics thrown in. Imagine if Styx did this. It might make me want to see them again.

To promote the "Early Years" DVD Maiden played only songs from the first 4 albums. Imagine if Styx decided to promote the Wooden Nickel COllection by only playing somngs from the first 4 albums! That would be awesome!

Keep in mind, Maiden is not doing this the whole tour, just parts of it, but it adds VARIETY which is why I no longer choose to see this Styx line-up.

Next, Maiden will play songs from Powerslave, Somewhere In Time, 7th Son & Fear of The Dark. This would be like Styx playing only songs from Equinox - PO8.

I know I would be interested in seeing them again...

Maybe some Iron Maiden fans do not like this, but I for one would find it refreshing -- and I am not a die hard Maiden fan but I would love to go and hear all the new songs instead of the same old set list.

[Jodes]

Mike I talked to someone who saw one of those Maiden shows.. A HUGE number of people left after Bruce Said "We'll play the old stuff later, but right now here's the whole new album" we're talking like nearly a quarter of the audience left.

Now if they tell two friends...

[sadie65]

And if you are the casual fan (who, let's face it, are the ones going for the most part...to relive their youth)....how do know which night they would do these special shows? And if they are only in your area one night...and you don't want to hear the special stuff...then what?

I think Styx...is plainly put....stuck.

Peace

[Blue Falcon]

I can't imagine Madden's tour diary is all that interesting. I mean, we all know he has to take a bus to football games because he's scared of flying, and I'm sure his diary is full of descriptions of all the food he's sampled with words like POW and BAM scattered throughout.

Oh, sorry. I thought you said "Madden's Tour Diary."

[Blue Falcon]

Sorta makes me think that a bunch of Rush fans left the building whenever Geddy would announce: "And now we'd like to do Side One of our new album."

Can you imagine if Yes did that with Tales From Topographic Oceans?? It's four songs on four LP sides...the entire auditorium would get up and head for the beer stand.

[NealIsGod]

I can't imagine Madden's tour diary is all that interesting. I mean, we all know he has to take a bus to football games because he's scared of flying, and I'm sure his diary is full of descriptions of all the food he's sampled with words like POW and BAM scattered throughout.

Oh, sorry. I thought you said "Madden's Tour Diary."

My kind of humor.

[FormerDJMike]

well, until Styx varies it up, I choose to save my money for something else. And RUSH fans don't leave!

[Angiekay]

well, until Styx varies it up, I choose to save my money for something else. And RUSH fans don't leave!

No kidding. Every other band's fans hear, "PEE BREAK" when a drum solo comes up. Rush fans raced BACK from the toilet! I would love to hear a whole Rush album in concert. Problem is....which one would you choose?!

[styxfanNH]

Brian Wilson did it right with the Smile Tour.

Opened with an hour of Beach Boys and older stuff. Took a break, and came back and did all of Smile. If you wanted the oldies, you got em blocked together and then you could stay for the entire album of the new stuff.

if you are going to do really highlight the new stuff like that, that is the way to do it.

[bugsymalone]

Brian Wilson did it right with the Smile Tour.

Opened with an hour of Beach Boys and older stuff. Took a break, and came back and did all of Smile. If you wanted the oldies, you got em blocked together and then you could stay for the entire album of the new stuff.

if you are going to do really highlight the new stuff like that, that is the way to do it.

That does sound like the best way to do a concert with your old/new material.

Bugsy

[StyxCollector]

Look, all bands who have a history have that problem now. I saw on another board I frequent someone complaining that the Who didn't play enough hits but did material from their new album.

It's a no-win/no-win situation: die hards are sick of paying $50+ for the same hits and maybe if you're lucky one nugget, and the casual fans just want the hits. What do you do?

Longer term, they need to realize they need to cater to the die hard. Styx has lost a lot of folks because of the fact since they stopped the Evening With shows, it's largely been the same setlist that it has been since 1978. That's when Styx really cemented the core of their sets.

I'm not saying they need to pull out all of the Wooden Nickel stuff, but as I've said in other threads, there are ways of doing a better job than they are doing now. I know and am OK with them having to do hits. No issues. Just give the folks who have supported you for 10, 20, 30 years something, too.

DDY tries harder in that arena, moreso when he does the Lost Treasures shows, but he has varied his sets a bit (with the same core).

On the one hand, I feel bad for all of these bands - they can't really go forward. On the other hand, they've made a lot of money over the years - some even from me lol, so I don't feel that bad.

[SuiteMadameBlue]

Dennis will be changing up his setlist coming up early 2007. Not a whole haul, but die-hard Styx fans will love it IMO!

You'll see a few "golden nuggets" added, I'm sure!

[StyxCollector]

Dennis will be changing up his setlist coming up early 2007. Not a whole haul, but die-hard Styx fans will love it IMO!

You'll see a few "golden nuggets" added, I'm sure!

Well, as I said, DDY has tried harder to reach out to the die hard IMHO. Without Todd and Glen (now just Todd), I think Styx wouldn't do even some of what they do. I know both of those guys pushed for things like the medley or sticking the bit of ROboto in, and kudos to them.

What Styx also needs to do is find better pacing in their set. I think that would help as well ...

[mr.v]

well, until Styx varies it up, I choose to save my money for something else. And RUSH fans don't leave!

No kidding. Every other band's fans hear, "PEE BREAK" when a drum solo comes up. Rush fans raced BACK from the toilet! I would love to hear a whole Rush album in concert. Problem is....which one would you choose?!

I've seen RUSH many time since 1981 (Moving Pictures Tour) and at a couple of the shows they have done the first side of 2112 in its complete form. You just can't beat RUSH for putting on a great diverse show. They are probably the most visually exciting band I've ever seen. And they never seem to have a problem playing to both the casual and die-hard fans. I guess unlike STYX with RUSH you love everything they do or you hate it all, there seems to be few people that fall in betwen.

[stabbim]

well, until Styx varies it up, I choose to save my money for something else. And RUSH fans don't leave!

No kidding. Every other band's fans hear, "PEE BREAK" when a drum solo comes up. Rush fans raced BACK from the toilet! I would love to hear a whole Rush album in concert. Problem is....which one would you choose?!

I've seen RUSH many time since 1981 (Moving Pictures Tour) and at a couple of the shows they have done the first side of 2112 in its complete form. You just can't beat RUSH for putting on a great diverse show. They are probably the most visually exciting band I've ever seen. And they never seem to have a problem playing to both the casual and die-hard fans. I guess unlike STYX with RUSH you love everything they do or you hate it all, there seems to be few people that fall in betwen.

I'd say the main thing that separates Rush from most classic rock bands and keeps them from falling too deeply into the trap that this thread is discussing (other than never having all that much mainstream exposure in the first place) is that they have never "broken up," as it were. Other than a few years off in the late 90's while Peart was dealing with the loss of his family, they have never stopped working. Despite classic rock radio's attempt to freeze them in time around 1981, they have contined to churn out album after album and tour after tour, and the majority of their fans have been right there with them for all of it, so there's less of a nostalgic pop-culture factor to their general appeal. They just do what they do...and they're bloody fantastic at it.

[FormerDJMike]

I have never had the chance to see Rush, only on DVD or video. I love all eras of RUSH and if they ever come in this area I would pay to see them. I have the Rush In Rio DVD and that is a nice, varied set-list of the songs I would want to hear.

Like Allan said before, Styx is pretty much playing the same set-list since 1978.

I saw them in May of this year, and while it was a good show and I did get to hear the medley and "OWE", it was basically the same thing...

It had me thinking back to 1999 when I saw them on an "Evening" show. I enjoyed that more because they played "Queen Of Spades", "Half Penny", "Number One", "Witness", "Everything Is Cool" & "Heavy Water". That is a pretty good selection of "new" tunes and a few classics that haven't been played in a while. I enjoyed that one more bcause of all of the songs I hadn't heard before.

As for Iron Maiden's setlist being hit or miss, meaning you don't know if they are going to play the new one or classics tunes, I believe their website tells you what shows will feature the new album, as does the LINER NOTES of the new CD.

As with Rush, I don't care what Maiden plays, if I had the chance to see them I would go!