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I agree that Jimmy shouldnt drop the crowd favorites. Maybe he should mix up the setlists a bit and rotate some older/newer stuff in and out.

Buffett said on Arsenio many years ago that he'd always play "Margaritaville" so that's a given. Otherwise I'd love to see him do a Wheel of Fortune type thing like Elvis Costello did years ago but that would call for a whole lot of rehearsal. I think he also mentioned in one of his books that in the years following touring he'd just hit some random bars for impromptu performances.

I just got back from The Stones concert and I would be willing to bet that just about anyone could name just about every song on their set list.
It seem all bands have to play what they "know" the crowd (in general) wants to hear.

I am not an expert on setlists, but it seems that most bands keep the setlist close to the same on a tour. The only person I can think of that changes songs from concert to concert is Springsteen, and even he keeps some of the same songs thoughout the tour. Most bands that have made it big play their hits on their tours. I think the reason we wish he would vary his setlist more is because we listen to his shows online. If we couldn't do that we would be happy every year with the variations from tour to tour. Just my thoughts.
Phin

I think maybe, that there are also parrotheads who go to more concerts each year in person than say other acts. We travel and make an effort to see him more than once, twice and that coupled with the online concerts, makes it seem like, "oh brother, here we go again" sometimes. Good point....

phinhead wrote:I am not an expert on setlists, but it seems that most bands keep the setlist close to the same on a tour. The only person I can think of that changes songs from concert to concert is Springsteen, and even he keeps some of the same songs thoughout the tour.

Dave Matthews, Drive-By Truckers, the Allman Brothers Band, moe., Bob Dylan, Widespread Panic, and lots of others frequently change up their setlists not just Springsteen.

dave matthews band mixes their set list up so much that if you hear a song one night, you can almost bet you won't hear it the next night. It makes the shows alot more suspenseful when you see/hear them. I think its a bit more entertaining, especially for a performer such as JB that has fans that will travel to places to see him

Capttony wrote:dave matthews band mixes their set list up so much that if you hear a song one night, you can almost bet you won't hear it the next night. It makes the shows alot more suspenseful when you see/hear them. I think its a bit more entertaining, especially for a performer such as JB that has fans that will travel to places to see him

I know someone who travels all over for DMB. JB surely knows that there are alot of people that do that for him too. Maybe next year's tour he'll try something new!

Thanks Littlemissmajic for starting this discussion. Being an older fan, and having been to 25+ concerts, who needs Let's Get Drunk, Volcano, Brown Eyed Girl for starters. Bring in Migration, We Are The People, Growing Older Not Up. Desperation Samba. Bring back Pencil Thin Mustache (altough it hasn't been the same since Jimmy fired Fingers Taylor). Jimmy won't be able to please everyone because he has so many great songs but, quite honestly, many of the people in attendance at the shows only know the words to about 10 songs. I'm sure if he brings in the ones I would like many in fans would be scratching their heads, not knowing the tunes. Who cares, they aren't loyal, just wannabes.

Right on POW1950!

Going to a Buffett concert has become the social event of the summer for many highschool/college kids. For the true fans it is getting more annoying each year. I know Jimmy is a good business man - and I'm sure he thinks about how to keep people coming back and how to keep growing his fanbase each year when he puts his setlist together. But enough already! For the true parrotheads we only have a handful of tours left! There are so many songs I have been waiting decades for him to sing on tour....every year he gives at at least one (this years add of Woman Going Crazy was just awesome).....but I'm hoping that the next few years he caters to those who have been following him forever and shakes things up a bit.

Of course I'll still look forward to going to the show even if he keeps singing CIP, WDWGDAS, etc....Guess that is why Jimmy's rich and the rest of us aren't.

I always thought that I was the only one who wanted something more than the songs that everyone knows. There are so many great songs that Jimmy(and Mac) wrote that I would be happy if he only sang those and left out songs by other writers. I would love to hear Migration. But, ya know, it won't matter what Jimmy sings, the concerts will still be sold out because of the atmosphere. If the setlist were changed maybe some of the people who are new to the parrothead scene would buy some of the old music and become true fans!! I agree with the suggestion that everyone should try to make it to a Mac concert. Not only is he a great entertainer but what a great guy to talk to.

Jimmy-

If you ever read this, please listen to what we're saying! I live and die for "If It All Falls Down"! I'm begging you!

I think a lot of the fans who only know Songs You Know by Heart really come for the atmosphere as a whole rather than hearing those 10 songs. I'm not sure it would drastically change the feel of the concert or dissapoint new fans if some of the money songs were left out. Any feelings on that?

i still remember when jimmy opened with Door Number Three acoustic with Mac from the lawn at tweeter center in tinley park years ago...ah...the good ole days. Lets all take a moment and reflect on that.

ahh.....the good old days

See the old stories of Jimmy are what attracted alot of people to him....It wasn't the SYKBH. For the people who come for the parking lot scene and only know the SYKBH, thats fine......but if those same people came in and complained about Jimmy shaking it up, I think Jimmy would would take acception to that... and i would hope he cares more about the real fans then just the casual "hey i'm going to the buffett parking lot, and we might go into the show too".

NorthernConch wrote:I agree that Jimmy shouldnt drop the crowd favorites. Maybe he should mix up the setlists a bit and rotate some older/newer stuff in and out.

I agree. I've been going for at least the past 15 years, and some songs I could live without (like WDWGDAS), but it's still fun when you're at the concerts. I think we could have the best of both worlds-- with the "crowd favorites" (obviously not here!), mixing in some older GREAT songs, and of course, some from his new album(s)!

phansheridan wrote:

MNflyBoy wrote:I would like to see a back to the basics tour sort of like "Unplugged" (show used to be on mtv). Jimmy has a lot of great tunes such as Twelve Volt Man, Distantly in Love, etc.............that would sound great with just a guitar and a mic . But no matter what I will keep on going to his concerts because there is nothing else lik'em........

If you want to hear Jimmy "unplugged" goto the post where you can download shows, and download, Sag Harbor 1999, East Hamption 2000 and East Hampton 2001, alot of story telling and its just him and his guitar, also last years Meeting of the Minds but the whole band is there, and there is one from a few years ago at the Playhouse in Atlanta and it is Jimmy and Mac playing a small venue together which is pretty cool

those three shows are my favorites, jimmy playing tire swing and breaking into jambalaya is my favorite jimmy moment (the first time)

How about....for all the venues where JB plays more than one show, advertise in advance that one nite will be mostly old crowd favorites and one will be mostly HIS favorites....which he says are ballads. Surely, false Echoes would be one....
then people who prefer one or the other could choose, and the rest of us could go to BOTH!!!!!!

Who knew such an innocent posting would create such a stir?

I am happy to see that many fellow parrotheads agree with me. Maybe JB will stumble upon this post and take a minute to reevaluate his performances.

Please Jimmy: maybe you will consider a medley of SYKBH? 30 seconds of Volcano, followed by 30 seconds of CILCIA? I can see it now. It will open up enough time for Big Rig or Distantly in Love. Can't you just picture the lawn people rocking out to Makin Music for Money? I can, and it is a lovely sight.

Your truest fan,
Lilmissmagic

I think this year I was just a little dissappointed with some of the songs he played outside of the standards. I think this because, this year in Indiana JB didn't play Son of a Son of a Sailor and I was honestly Dissappointed not to hear it.
I am sick of "Hey Good Lookin'", "License to chill","Peice of Work" and have never been a big fan of "Woman Going Crazy on Caroline St." If these songs got dumped there could be plenty of room to play some different songs and not alienate the people who only know 5 Buffett songs.

What are the Songs that get played eveywhere and everytime?
1. Margaritaville
2. Come Monday
3. WDWGDAS
4. CIP
5. OPH
6. Volcano
7. 5' o'clock somewhere
8. CILCIA
9. Brown eyed girl
10. A Pirate looks at 40
11. fins
12. SOASOAS


Probably missing a few.

That list of standards looks about right McQueen. That leaves plenty of room to throw a surprise or two in the setlist.

The first time I saw Buffett live was during the Tues., Thurs. and Sat. tour and he didn't play SOASOAS and I didn't even notice until a couple days later when I looked at the setlist online.

WDGWDAS and BEG definetly need to go. I liked how with this last tour he didn't perform WDWGDAS but had a video for it during intermission. That way fans of the song could still sing along but it left an open space in the setlist for something different.

What I'd like to see Jimmy do is after intermission, have a 4-5 song acoustic set with the band and do stripped down versions of some of his hits. This way he's still performing "the standards" but at least we get to hear them with a different sound. Maybe the acoustic set could be Jimmy with "The Beach Band". It would be worth a try just to see how it takes with the crowd.

Here is an example of a setlist I think would please all fans:


1. Barometer Soup
2. Coconut Telegraph
3. Presents to Send You
4. In the Shelter
5. Son of a Son of a Sailor
6. Island
7. Manana
8. Come Monday
9. Nautical Wheelers
10. The Weather is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful
11. It's 5 o'clock Somewhere
12. Cheeseburger in Paradise
13. Southern Cross

<intermission>

14. A Pirate Looks at 40 (acoustic)
15. Volcano (acoustic)
16. The Captain and the kid (acoustic)
17. Margaritaville (acoustic)

18. Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes
19. One Particular Harbour
20. Tin Cup Chalice
21. 12 Volt Man
22. A Salty Piece of Land
23. Boat Drinks
24. Fins

<encore>

25. Farside of the World
26. Lone Palm
27. Love and Luck

<encore>

28. Distantly in Love (or an acoustic solo song of Jimmy's choice)

phenwayparrothead wrote:

phansheridan wrote:

MNflyBoy wrote:I would like to see a back to the basics tour sort of like "Unplugged" (show used to be on mtv). Jimmy has a lot of great tunes such as Twelve Volt Man, Distantly in Love, etc.............that would sound great with just a guitar and a mic . But no matter what I will keep on going to his concerts because there is nothing else lik'em........

If you want to hear Jimmy "unplugged" goto the post where you can download shows, and download, Sag Harbor 1999, East Hamption 2000 and East Hampton 2001, alot of story telling and its just him and his guitar, also last years Meeting of the Minds but the whole band is there, and there is one from a few years ago at the Playhouse in Atlanta and it is Jimmy and Mac playing a small venue together which is pretty cool

those three shows are my favorites, jimmy playing tire swing and breaking into jambalaya is my favorite jimmy moment (the first time)

The show from Lulu's in October, 2001 is another good one. It was for his mom's birthday (80th, I think) and it's just Jimmy and his guitar.