The review of the Van Halen show at the Staples Center in the Times today pretty much gave the band a good review but complained about the four new songs the band added to their set of classic hits.
This is almost always a problem. People at concerts come to hear the songs they already know and love. This is the great thing about being in a successful band. Unlike a movie where a movie star actor has to prove him or herself practically from scratch, a rock concert is pretty much a sure thing. The people who come to a rock concert are already fans of the band, already know and love their repertoire and are easy to please. But throw in some unfamiliar new songs and it confuses and bewilders some folks.
Led Zeppelin famously introduced Stairway To Heaven during the concert tour before the release of Led Zeppelin Four and it got a lukewarm reception. This is the very same tune that was just voted the Number One Classic Rock Song OF ALL TIME on radio station KLOS’ Memorial Day Weekend Top 1000 Countdown.
As an artist you want to introduce your fans to your new material, in fact, it’s often the main reason for the tour to begin with. I always liked hearing, “Here’s a song off our new album”, at concerts. Discovering new music was always one of the great joys of being a music fan. Let’s hope that Rock & Roll is not going the way of movies in that only remakes of old songs or variations of oldies are all that becomes commercially acceptable. I already don’t have enough reasons to leave the house at night as it is.
This is almost always a problem. People at concerts come to hear the songs they already know and love. This is the great thing about being in a successful band. Unlike a movie where a movie star actor has to prove him or herself practically from scratch, a rock concert is pretty much a sure thing. The people who come to a rock concert are already fans of the band, already know and love their repertoire and are easy to please. But throw in some unfamiliar new songs and it confuses and bewilders some folks.
Led Zeppelin famously introduced Stairway To Heaven during the concert tour before the release of Led Zeppelin Four and it got a lukewarm reception. This is the very same tune that was just voted the Number One Classic Rock Song OF ALL TIME on radio station KLOS’ Memorial Day Weekend Top 1000 Countdown.
As an artist you want to introduce your fans to your new material, in fact, it’s often the main reason for the tour to begin with. I always liked hearing, “Here’s a song off our new album”, at concerts. Discovering new music was always one of the great joys of being a music fan. Let’s hope that Rock & Roll is not going the way of movies in that only remakes of old songs or variations of oldies are all that becomes commercially acceptable. I already don’t have enough reasons to leave the house at night as it is.
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