Play It By Ear #003: Setlist Appreciation Post

Written by Parisa Eshrati

Play It By Ear is an ongoing series by T&E writer Parisa where she shares musical discoveries along with informational tidbits, casual musings, and whatever other related knowledge she can pull from her rotten quarantined brain. In this special themed edition, she shares live music memories via her small (but cherished) setlist collection.

The band finishes their encore. The lights go on. The strategy is in place. 

You visually map out a way to push through the people leaving the crowd to find your way up front. You squeeze your way up to the barricade, standing there with the ten or fifteen other people left waiting. A few moments pass, and the roadies comes out. You wait patiently for them to start clearing the stage, because you’ve been around long enough that trying to obnoxiously yell for their attention is not going to work in your favor. 

And then, the moment you’ve been waiting for...the roadie is ready to hand out the most prized possession for any show-goer, the ultimate token of a concert experience, the supreme music nerd souvenir...THE SET LIST!

For most, there’s probably no rhyme or reason to it; for me, trying to snag a setlist has become an essential part of the show-going experience. It almost feels like a skill. Through trial and error, you learn the ways to become one of the lucky people to get handed a setlist after the show (I’ve found it’s all about making eye contact and being assertive, but not pushy). It’s sort of a ritual in its own right.

Obviously, live music is all about the experience and community, and not about any material object or show-offy prize. There's just something, though, about having a tangible artifact to preserve the music you love. For many, it's a vinyl collection, a drawer full of concert tees, or a wall plastered in band posters, but for me, it's the setlist. It’s the ultimate show-goers ephemera. It's a single sheet of paper, framed in tape, rips, folds and stains, that can instantly bring back specific memories that you may have otherwise forgotten. This seemingly bare-bones set of words can make you recall the specifics of a tour, how deeply the band delved into their discography, how the songs transitioned into one another, and so much other information that a shitty cell phone picture could never capture. 

So as I sit here, now having not seen a show in well over a year, I’m looking back on some of the setlists in my collection and reminiscing about all these incredible experiences (and also wondering where all my other setlists have gone...? Damn.) It’s bittersweet knowing that we’ve all missed out on so much music this past year, but feeling hopeful that things will return in a not-so-distant future. So here’s to being able to see shows and reconnect with each other again soon. 

If you have a setlist collection, please join me in the conversation by e-mailing me some photos at parisa[at]trialanderrorcollective.com or through the contact form here. I’ll be posting a reader submission blog with all your setlists, and feel free to share any info or memories about the show as well.

Xoxo,
Parisa

​​

José González

2014 or 2015, live at Rialto Theater

I’ve always loved José González’ music, but I wasn’t initially dying to see his live show. I generally don't want to see an acoustic singer-songwriter unless it’s in a more intimate venue or perhaps outdoors, where the environment more naturally suits the music, you know? This show, however, proved to be a total exception to that rule. The sound of his nylon string guitar and earthy vocals filled the venue in warmth, and if you closed your eyes, you could easily imagine yourself in a the thick of the woods, as his music usually makes me feel. His performance showed me how music can completely transform a space, both physically and mentally, and allow you to be anywhere you want to be if you let it carry you away. Easily one of the best shows I had seen that year, and gave me a whole new appreciation for his music. I recommend checking out his performance on KEXP to get an idea of his phenomenal live presence. 

I also have really fond memories of this day ‘cause I got to interview Jose Gonzales before the show. It was the first interview I ever did for T&E (the website hadn’t even been launched yet). You can read it here.

​Favorite song on the setlist: "What Will"
​

Idles

May 2019, live at Valley Bar

This was on the Joy as an Act of Resistance tour, and was one of those shows that I was literally counting down the days to see. That was my favorite album of 2018, and still one of my favorite records of the last five years. Fontaines D.C. was opening for them on that leg of the tour for Dogrel, another favorite LP of that year. A killer post-punk lineup right there (though Idles will be the first one to tell you that they're not "punk").

This show was at Valley Bar, a teeny basement venue in Phoenix. The ceilings are so low that stage divers and crowd surfers were grazing the roof, and the sold out crowd was packed in like sardines. The energy, as expected, was INSANE, and I think being in a small little venue like that built on to that energy, 'cause it traps all that motion in and recirculates within the crowd. I consider myself lucky to have caught them on this tour ‘cause I doubt they’ll play anywhere that small again. Next time I saw tour dates for the U.S., they were only hitting up the big cities and big festivals, so I lucked out big time. 

I love looking back on this setlist and remembering them playing “Rottweiler” as the closing track, and how they had turned it into a fifteen minute earsplitting noise and feedback outro. Or how I realized that I had been listening to the FCC clean version of the album  (I get a lot of my music via radio promos since I’m a DJ), because when “Television” came on,  I was singing:

“...and I feel free, ‘cause I smash mirrors and FORGET TV!” (instead of “FUCK TV!”)

I bet I looked REAL cool at that show singing the censored version. It's still funny to think about how I know that album inside and out, but apparently only the "clean" version. Oh well, I still think “forget TV” is a catchier line anyway.

Favorite song from the setlist: "Television" 
​

Nightmares on Wax

2014 or 2015 at The Crescent Ballroom. Note: the hot pink tape is not original

This was the N.O.W. is the Time/25th anniversary tour. Another show that took me totally by surprise. A lot of his music is more relaxed, sample-based hip hop/trip hop beats, so I thought it’d be the type of show you'd just kinda groove and bop your head to. With the help of a live drummer and MC, he really adapted the songs for a live setting and turned it into a huge dance party.

George Evelyn is really just one of the best in his field. If you haven’t been able to see him live, I recommend checking out his Boiler Room here, which still holds the record as the most viewed Boiler Room session ever! The most seamless transitions you'll ever hear! 

Favorite song from the setlist: "Flip Ya Lid"
​

Black Angels

2013 live at Club Congress. You can't really see from the scan, but it's almost ripped in half.

This was from the Indigo Meadow tour, and another example of a show I'll never see in the same capacity again. I saw this at a 350 person capacity venue, and every other show on that tour was at ~2,000 seat arenas (a general perk of shows in Tucson!) I remember this show fondly because I got the very last ticket. I literally ran from my house to the venue, waited outside the door for the staff to do a double-count inside, and just barely made it in time for the opener.

I wasn’t crazy about Indigo Meadow when it came out, but those songs absolutely rip live. While it’s still not my favorite Black Angels album, this show completely transformed the way I hear these songs. I think the album versions are so polished and clean, so their grit and energy kind of got lost in translation during production. Would highly recommend seeing The Black Angels live, even if they’re touring on an album you don’t necessarily love, because hearing Alex Maas’ voice in real life is worth the experience.

I also remember that this was one of the best weeks in Tucson for shows. The day before I had seen DEVO, and the day afterwards was Opeth. Perhaps if you’re in a big city, seeing three shows in a row like that isn’t a big deal, but for Tucson, ESPECIALLY Tucson in the dead of summer, it was a pretty huge fuckin’ deal.

Favorite song from the setlist: "You on the Run"
​

side note...

Just found this setlist from The Growlers in my folder, so here it is being burned in my yard, exactly as it deserves.  :-)

​

​Caravan Palace

2015 or 2016 live at The Crescent Ballroom

Electroswing seems to be quite divisive, but sorry y’all dont like having fun!!! This show was a blast. This setlist was signed by the whole band, and I always cherish setlists that have little doodles or unique characteristics on ‘em. 

​Favorite song on the setlist: "Star Scat"

La Luz

Live from 191 Toole, somewhere around 2013. Note: the tie dye tape was mine, not original

​This show reminds me of working at KAMP Student Radio between the years of 2010 - 2015 (specifically around 2013). The San Francisco surfy, garage rock revival scene was getting huge, and every album coming through the station seemed to either be a part of that circle or heavily influenced by it. My dear friend and KAMP manager at the time, Shannon, and I got to interview the girls before the show, which is now lost somewhere deep in the KAMP archives or most likely deleted. I had to take a big break from any sorta garage rock/surf rock stuff ‘cause I really burnt myself out on it, but La Luz is really a tight band with beautiful harmonies. 

​Favorite song on the setlist: "What Good Am I?" (a total bummer track!)

​And now...for my top two… *drum roll*

The Zombies

2013 at SXSW

This is, without a doubt, the most prized setlist in my little collection. This was from their set at Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop at SXSW in 2013. It was SURREAL being able to stand 5 feet away from The Zombies on their tiny make-shift stage. I could actually see Rod Argent’s fingers shred on his keyboards with my own two eyes, up close and personal! A dream! I remember being so floored at how pristine they all still sounded. You kind of assume that once a band reaches a certain age, they might not be able to hit the same notes or play with the same kind of vigor they once did, but that certainly wasn’t the case for The Zombies.

This show, as much as I loved it, is also the epitome of why I never want to go to SXSW again. The Zombies were booked on some Rolling Stones sponsored party that had a hodge-podge of current artists, so they played before some pop artist named Tove Lo who apparently is very famous ?? So I was stuck next to these brace-face little shits who were saying things like, “Um ew, who are these guys?” and “I think my dad likes this band, they’re like...really old though.” They stood there and texted throughout the whole show. I know I sound like an old fart, but I was HEATED! Not the kinda crowd I wanna be in when I see one of my favorite bands of all time. Thankfully once they started, they mostly stopped talking and all the fans came pushing toward. SXSW was very worth it just once so I could say that I saw The Zombies play at a bike shop, but otherwise (and for a plethora of other reasons) I will absolutely never go again, lol.

​Favorite song on the setlist: "Tell Her No" and also every song 

Neurosis

This isn’t only one of my favorite setlists, but one of my favorite shows I've ever been to. I can still remember the opening notes to “A Sun That Never Sets” so clearly, and the look of pure meditative trance that came across the band as they opened that channel to the non-material place where their music originates. We talked about great opening tracks in our previous collab blog, but I feel like this was more than just a great song to open up the show, it was like an clearing for a sacred place. Each open-ringing drone note reverberated like an “Om”, mediating a place between an earthly and otherworldly sound. I’ve seen about a billion new-age sorta bands do this with an overt intentionality about it, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but what I love about Neurosis is that this kind of practice just occurs naturally. They don’t have to be in your face about it and claim any pseudo-spiritual babble before playing, which could easily turn off a lot of people. They let the music speak for itself, and let the listener explore and interpret the sounds without any preconceived expectations. I swear metal can be just as much of a spiritual experience as any other genre. It's raw, unfiltered energy can be far less processed than a lot of “spiritual” music today, allowing for a much more genuine connection.

I interviewed singer and guitarist Steve Von Till before this show over the phone as part of my Southwest Terror Fest promo for KAMP Radio. I have the archive here on T&E, but honestly not gonna link to it ‘cause it’s really old and not up to my interview standards now. But here is a quote from that convo that I think really describes the atmosphere of their live shows:

When you are on stage, you've said that you become tranced out and like “you’re not even there." Can you elaborate on that and describe what your mindset is on stage?

Well that’s always the idea, it’s not always like that. We wish! It only takes one fucking camera flash or one idiot to take you take your attention and snap you out of that awesome place where you were. I don’t know if it’s describable. The way to describe it is the sound. It’s not like a place or a guided meditation, you know? It’s just raw energy. You are the energy and the way to describe the energy is to listen to the music.

…I think spirituality is a way that you connect with the unseen. It’s the part that can’t be explained from science yet, or maybe because science is divorced from the spiritual. It’s the soul, it’s the part of you that’s not just some biological, electrical sack of meat. It’s our connection with the subtle energies, the things that are emanating from the animals, plants, trees, and human beings, with the cosmic. I think music is the perfect conduit because it’s nonverbal and unbound, I mean some music is and it’s all legitimate.

For us, it’s more of…well, we don’t know where the fuck it comes from. It must come from a place that is spiritual because it is not a product of our brains. The fact that we’re able to channel these raw emotions connects us with a deeper part of ourselves and connects us with each other. With me personally, it has connected me with the natural world better because, like I said, I think music is a natural force. To be tuned in allows me to be tuned into other places as well and recognize what it means to actually listen or to pay attention or to breathe.

​
There aren’t very many metal shows where I’ve seen people cry, but this was one of ‘em.  Maybe it sounds cliché, but this show was truly a transcendental experience. It also marked some of the last years of a pre-gentrified downtown Tucson. I remember leaving that show and seeing all of Congress St. filled with crowds of punks and metalheads and thinking, “Man, this might be the last of the golden years.” Two years later, the dive bar that hosted the after-shows of Southwest Terror Fest turned into an upscale rum bar, and downtown has been unrecognizable since. Terror Fest, and this show in particular, will always hold a special place in my heart for celebrating the underground music culture and being the big last hurrah of an ever-changing landscape in this desert city.

​Favorite song on the setlist: "My Heart for Deliverance"

​

---

Again, if you would like to share any of your favorite setlists for a reader-submission blog, please send me an email at parisa[at]trialanderrorcollective.com or reach me through the Contact Form. Send a photo or scan of the setlist, and feel free to share any show memories as well!
​

---
​

Related reading:
Play It By #001 and Play It By Ear #002