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RATT Jumps On the Theme Concert Bandwagon; Enough Is Enough

Posted on Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at 12:01AM by Registered CommenterAllyson B. Crawford | Comments17 Comments

What is the deal with band’s doing one album on tour? Judas Priest is getting ready to do British Steel from beginning to end. Motley Crue will do Dr. Feelgood at this year’s Crue Fest...RATT will perform Out of the Cellar during their headline spot at Rocklahoma...and Aerosmith might even do Toys in the Attic from glorious beginning to end.

Now, don’t get me wrong: the albums mentioned are huge. Toys in the Attic and British Steel are especially iconic and still have a massive impact on modern Metal. Bands like to say they do this for the fans.

I call bullshit.

Bands don’t play songs from one album from start to finish for the fans. They do it for the media exposure and the nostalgia factor. Motley’s been doing basically all of Dr. Feelgood live for years and years now, so it’s not like the band has to rehearse many “new” songs. Sure it’s cool that we’ll get to hear a couple random songs never before performed live, but it’s not for us: it’s in an effort to move tickets.

Saying that, I’m excited to hear all of Dr. Feelgood and possibly Toys in the Attic. I’d rather Motley do all of Shout at the Devil and Aerosmith do  Rocks, but you take what you can get. I just hope this trend of legacy acts falling back on old staples doesn’t signal an end to creativity and new music. After all, I’ve been owed a new Aerosmith disc for years now and that was just put on hold...again.

Back in the day, bands didn’t tour without an album to support. Now in the land of Live Nation, Ticketmaster and credit cards, bands just tour whenever and wherever – because you gotta get paid. Just like the musician has to earn a dollar – I need some new music to make it worth my while.

What do you think: should bands continue with the trend of theme concerts?

 

 

Reader Comments (17)

Should bands do it ? Depends. I am seeing Priest do British Steel, and that is huge. Metallica have done Master of Puppets , and that is huge. Motley doing Dr Feelgood is just them doing their best selling album, as you say, they do most of it anyhow, their set has had too much of this album for a long time anyhow. Aerosmith ? Sounds great. Ratt ? Well, let's get serious. Ratt don't do good albums. They don't have a 'classic' album, that changed the face of the music they play. For them to do this, is pathetic. I listened to Out of the cellar today, and sorry, but the non singles, all blow.
May 5, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterChristian
I like the idea, true Shout would be my pick for Motley as it was the album that catapulted the band into the lime light, and it rocks! Ratt doing out of the cellar is cool, allot of the songs have not been done live and hell it is a great disc. the bands of today don't have that luxury, in fact they would be lucky to have 2 songs that anyone really cared about. That's why these bands rock, you get albums worth of good music not 1 or 2 songs.
May 5, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterlooksthatkill
I agree with Christian - it depends. There really needs to be a point to doing it though. I saw WASP do the whole of The Crimson Idol on its anniversary tour in 2007 but that was a concept album, they had film footage to go with it (some of which hadn't been seen before) and it was a really good night. Similarly, My Chemical Romance toured The Black Parade doing the whole album, but again that was a concept and storyline that they were running through. Just as an anniversary of the album release? Not sure it's justified.
May 5, 2009 | Unregistered Commentercinnamon
I like the idea as well. I interviewed Geoff Tate a few years back and asked him about writing songs. It just seems strange to me that if you're a songwriter and write songs for an album, there is a good possibility that some of the songs you wrote will never be played live. Ever. Geoff said there are a few Queensryche songs that have never been played live. As a fan, that's sad to hear. So, if a band plays one of their albums start to finish, I think it's great because it does give fans a chance to hear EVERYTHING live, not just the singles.
May 5, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterchip
I think its pretty sweet since i just saw motley last year and id like to hear different songs.

Aerosmith would be sweet if they do toys but i would perfer them to just do hits cuz i wanna some of their 80's stuff!

Judas Priest Suck
May 5, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterMotleyCrue666
The consensus seems to be that the fans would like these bands mix up their set lists a little. I think the bands get lazy and use the excuse that the fans only want the "hits". Even the bands with numerous legitimate "hits/singles", could still throw in a couple B sides to mix it up a little. I'm personally sick of seeing Motley Crue, Poison, Cinderella, etc... playing the same set year after year.
May 5, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterRob Rocker
I like when bands do this. I saw Primus do "Sailing The Seas of Cheese" all the way through in New Orleans a few years back. Now they are not my favorite act, but I still dug the concept. My dream would be for BAZ and the guys to get over themselves and come out and do a reunion tour and play their debut album in entirity!!!!
May 5, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterJody Row of The Glitter Boys
I think Ratt should do Out of the cellar, break, then a set of rarities from other albums. BOTTOM LINE, dangerous but worth the risk and Sweet Cheater, and songs off Detonator. I've officially declared July 10, Ratt N' Roll Day! DAMN I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THAT BAND.
I do see your point though ally about bands jumping on the album bandwagon. Wonder if Aero could do a combo of songs from Toys, Rocks and Pump? NOw, that's a set! Encore would have to be TRAIN!
May 5, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterkari
BTW...M3 Rock Festival has two of the ROK headliners in its ONE DAY lineup...thought that was funny! Carry on.
May 5, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterKixRules
In the non-glam world, Green Day is reportedly doing the same thing this year with their new album, and My Chemical Romance played their new album from back to front last year.

Whether bands *should* continue doing this type of show really isn't the question. The real question is whether fans will continue to pay for these theme-shows.

I for one am not a huge fan of them -- I like a mix of material. I would hate to see Metallica live and only hear stuff from one album; same with Motley. But if this turns out to be a good formula for generating $$, you can bet that we'll be seeing a lot more of it.
May 5, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterBryon
I think this is a pretty cool idea... because I think it would be cool to hear songs like; "Scene of the Crine" performed LIVE!

Good addition for Rocklahoma by the way...
May 5, 2009 | Unregistered CommenteraXe mAn
I dunno but I'm hoping the Beatles play "Revolver" in it's entirity this summer.

oh. wait.
May 5, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterValentine
This is not a new thing. Jam bands and the progressive rock genre have been doing this forever. Its a great idea. i would much rather pay up and go watch Poison perform Flesh and Blood in its entirety than seeing the same old set list they have been performing every summer for the past 10 years. Besides, thats not all you get to hear by the way. Albums only run for 45-80 minutes so most bands play the album set and then come back out and bust out another 10 songs or so to complete the show. You have to mix it up. Everyone is going for the nostalgia factor anyways with 80's bands so why not just play an album that everyone used to blast from beginning to end, you know, the way it used to be done. I don't really see how anyone couldn't think this is a good idea
May 5, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterwill
^ Good points will...
May 5, 2009 | Unregistered CommenteraXe mAn
Judas Priest suck ? Well, you're entitled to your opinion. I guess you just like pop music and not metal ?
May 5, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterChristian
Green Day is going to be doing their new album in its entirety. Iron Maiden performed theirs in 2006, Queensryche is going out and playing 3 albums, American Soldier, Rage for Order, and Empire, and on their last tour they performed both Mindcrime albums.

I agree - this is all about the exposure and the money. Doing an entire album is the new cool thing. Hearing that Aerosmith is thinking of performing Toys in it's entirety is very exciting, but it still won't get me to shell out $125 per ticket.

Ryo
http://rockandrollguru.blogspot.com
May 6, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterryovie
YA motley has basically played feelgood all these years with an exception of two or three songs. id prefer to hear too fast for love or shout from beginng to end. same with van halen diver down
April 4, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterDevin

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