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Post by Lawrie on Jan 9, 2009 1:43:49 GMT
Shamelessly stolen the idea for this topic from a Ladytron forum, but it's quite a good one, I think. What would be your ultimate PRR setlist to see played live at a gig? To keep things interesting, feel free to pick any songs in the band's canon, even if they've never been played live, or alternatively we've only heard the live versions to date, e.g. Les Malheurs, Gloaming, Apogee etc. Because PRR haven't got a huge back catalogue to choose from, and because the band don't tend to play mammoth career-encompassing sets anyway, choose a set of up to 9 main-set songs, and 3 encore songs. Be interested to see what songs people choose to make the cut! EDIT - it'd also be good if people would post a short explanation of why they've made the choices they have: helps everyone else understand your thought processes, and is better for discussion than just a bunch of lists by themselves. (Thanks to BA and TDF for doing this originally, and bringing the issue to attention!) My ultimate PRR setlist would be: 1. Golden Clothes (whole thing) 2. Les Malheurs 3. Apogee 4. Bright Ambassadors 5. Bullitts 6. Goshens 7. Apprentice 8. Nimos 9. Gloaming --- Encore --- 10. Deus 11. Arrival/The Intention Craft 12. HTTSTM!/Ambassadors Return EDIT - I started off with the full version of Golden Clothes because it has that nice, laid-back 'trippy' kind of opening that has an Aeropause-ish feel to it (and makes me feel better about not putting Aeropause in!), but then turns into a monster rock tune followed by a dance-y section. The dance-y ending then sets you up nicely for any number of AVO tracks, so I put my favourites LM and AOML in to follow. Bright Ambassadors was a problem as I couldn't really leave it out, but it was hard to tracklist it in a place it felt 'right', so my choice there was a bit random. Likewise Bullitts. Surprised more people didn't pick Goshens (which I absolutely ****ing love) as I think it's one of the strongest songs full stop in the PRR canon, and its ending being segued into Apprentice is the single best song transition that two PRR songs can have, IMO. [Not a big fan of Aeropause merging into Goshens, as it happens, I think I'd prefer the two songs to end/start as discrete tracks - but that's by the by.] And then Nimos has to follow Apprentice, since I've got an instinctive urge to listen to those two boys in that order after months of playing the Apprentice Poptones single back in 2004! Following those, Gloaming would be a suitably mammoth choice to close the main portion of the set on. My encore was decided by the fact that I wanted HTTSTM! as the closer (again, another song I think is very underrated in general, and I always have it as the last song if I make a PRR playlist or CD for the car) - in fact, closing on HTTSTM! was the very first slot I filled of my 9+3. So that was one of three places gone, and then Deus and Arrival/TIC took the other two slots by default in that I couldn't leave them out, and they hadn't made the main-set. With Deus opening because it has that brutal energy straight off the bat that you have to wait for in Arrival until it kicks in and goes loud. (Okay, that maybe wasn't as short a description as I was intending - sorry!  ) Fire away, ladies and gents... |
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Post by blondeambassador on Jan 9, 2009 2:26:44 GMT
Nice idea Lawrie, stolen or not, though I can entirely blame you for sitting putting PRR tracks in order with my suddenly neglected copy of 'The Wasteland' and revision notes tossed to one side!
But yeah, here goes, mine would be...
1. Aeropause
2. Borgens (in it's live form)
3. Les Malheurs
4. Deus Ex Machina
5. The Twyncyn/Trembling Willows
6. The Exact Colour
7. Apogee
8. Gloaming
9. Nimos
---Encore---
10. In Aurelia
11. Ambassadors
12. Arrival/The Intention Craft
Yes, thats right ladies and gentlemen, I'd leave Ambassadors for the encore for a change...I think a throwback to Cautionary Tales would work well in an encore, as it's all quite different from some of the newer stuff...but thats just how I'd like it. And I do pine for the old set start combination that was Aeropause/Borgens, I always loved that.
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Post by jemi on Jan 9, 2009 3:38:52 GMT
Really, my ultimate setlist would be PRR in my living room playing Golden Clothes over and over with my face in a ": >" expression of glee until both the band and I are completely sick of the sight of the song. But on a slightly more realistic note...
o1. In Aurélia
o2. Bullits Dominae/Victorious Cupid (I can't decide which so I'll edit this later when I decide)
o3. Apogee
o4. The Twyncyn/Trembling Willows
o5. Deux ex Machina
o6. Bright Ambassadors
o7. Nimos & Tambos
o8. Apprentice of the Universe
o9. HTTSTM!Ambassadors Return
---Encore---
1o. Gloaming
11. Borgens Vor (live version)
12. Golden Clothes (full version)
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Post by flyingswordfish on Jan 9, 2009 5:24:11 GMT
I feel silly for not having heard every song (Les Malheurs, Apogee, non-disco Golden Clothes), but here's what I've got: 1. Goshen's Remains 2. Deus Ex Machina 3. Victorious Cupid 4. Bright Ambassadors of Morning 5. Voices in Winter 6. Les Malheurs 7. Apogee 8. Gloaming 9. Bulitts Dominae ---Encore--- 10. Borgens Vor 11. He Tried to Show Them Magic/Ambassadors' Return 12. Asleep Under Eiderdown Asleep Under Eiderdown is absolutely critical to my perfect PRR setlist. Goshen's Remains and Bullitts Dominae are close behind. EDIT: Per Lawrie's request, here's my explanation. I think they could start Goshen's Remains with a slightly modified, "heavier" opening, if they wanted, but I chose this mainly for its very strong chorus. Deus follows to really get the blood pumping, and also because I think it fits in pretty well with the original stuff. Victorious Cupid goes next, because in my mind it always goes with Deus. Bright Ambassadors is next, mainly because HTTSTM/AR shows up later; I wanted this in there to make the encore more powerful, and for the set to be more cohesive overall. Voices in Winter is next because I think it makes a good segue into the more electronic AVO material (although, admittedly, I haven't heard the next two songs  ). Gloaming wraps up the new stuff, and they close the set with the powerful/epic Bullitts. Borgens Vor is first in the encore because it brings back the energy, and I think it would be cool to move from that into HTTSTM, which rounds out the whole thing since we had Ambassadors earlier. My favorite PRR track follows, because I'm so used to hearing it after Ambassadors' Return. ;D It's a very peaceful song to leave the audience feeling good at the end of the show. |
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Post by Nikos on Jan 9, 2009 10:23:51 GMT
Nice one Lawrie, a bloody good thread, sir!
1. Aeropause
2. Borgens Vor
3. Apprentice Of The Universe
4. Twyncyn/Trembling Willows
5. Deus Ex Machina
6. In Aurelia
7. Bright Ambassadors Of Morning
8. Bulitts Dominae
9. He Tried to Show Them Magic/Ambassadors' Return
---Encore---
10. Les Malheurs
11. Golden Clothes
12. Arrival/Intention Craft
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Post by the dark fourth on Jan 9, 2009 10:48:14 GMT
A live set list for me would definitely be different to my favourite playlist. I think I'd start with Cupid, because it's got such a cool beginning and gets the adreneline flowing fairly quickly. Then I'd move into some of the classics like Willows and Bullitts, then finish with the newer electro stuff, ending on Deus cos it's got an awesome last line (and you should save best till last). For the encore, I think I'd actually keep exactly what they did at Cargo, because it was socool there, though I grudgingly have to take out VIW because I'm only allowed three songs aparently.
Thus:
1. Victorious Cupid
2. The Twyncyn/Trembling Willows
3. Nimos and Tambos
4. Goshen's Remains
5. Bullitts Dominae
6. Apogee of my Love
7. Gloaming
8. Golden Clothes (whole song, of course!)
9. Deus Ex Machina
---
10. In Aurélia
11. Borgens Vor
12. Arrival/Intention Craft
I'd then want to see an acoustic set with Exact Colour, Apprentice, VIW and HTTSTM, Aeropause etc etc
Isn't it interesting how almost everyone's picked Bullitts......
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Post by Lawrie on Jan 9, 2009 11:18:00 GMT
Yep, TDF, you are only allowed 9+3 songs: it'd be no fun if we didn't have to make painful choices about which songs wouldn't make the cut! And actually, TDF and BA made especially good posts in this thread so far, with the inclusion of a little of their rationale for choosing the songs and the order that they have. Probably more interesting to see why people have plumped for the choices they have rather than a bunch of somewhat dry lists. I'm going back to edit my post and explain why I've chosen the setlist I've posted there, and it'd be a nice bonus if anybody else who posts in this thread from now on could talk us through their choices a little too.  |
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Post by the dark fourth on Jan 9, 2009 12:11:39 GMT
Bright Ambassadors was a problem as I couldn't really leave it out, See, I don't understand this emotional attachment to Ambassadors. It's nowhere near one of their best live songs - and you've had to leave out the likes of Willows and Borgens to get it in simply because you "couldn't really leave it out". I agree that the song is a classic - it's certainly the first song I heard and is responsible for me getting into PRR in the first place - but for a live show I can't see how it's little more than a time waster when you've got so many other great songs to hear! Also, I'm not saying they should necessarily take it out of the real setlist, as it's important for people to hear it, but if you're creating a fantasy gig, it's got to go!! Surprised more people didn't pick Goshens Me too. Yep, TDF, you are only allowed 9+3 songs: it'd be no fun if we didn't have to make painful choices about which songs wouldn't make the cut! Yeah I realise that - sorry if I came across as complaining at the rules, it was more a complaint about PRR having too many great songs. It was also very painful to cut Les Malheurs, but I'm still very pleased with my four closing songs, Apogee, Gloaming, GC and Deus - I think that would so SOOOO awesome in that order. You've got me all excited about this gig I'm never going to see now!!! |
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Post by Lawrie on Jan 9, 2009 12:22:15 GMT
Bright Ambassadors was a problem as I couldn't really leave it out, See, I don't understand this emotional attachment to Ambassadors. It's nowhere near one of their best live songs - and you've had to leave out the likes of Willows and Borgens to get it in simply because you "couldn't really leave it out". I agree that the song is a classic - it's certainly the first song I heard and is responsible for me getting into PRR in the first place - but for a live show I can't see how it's little more than a time waster when you've got so many other great songs to hear! Also, I'm not saying they should necessarily take it out of the real setlist, as it's important for people to hear it, but if you're creating a fantasy gig, it's got to go!! Aah, I think you're misunderstanding how I meant that phrase, but I can understand the confusion. I meant that I couldn't leave it out because I love it so much (both studio and live) that it was always going to be one of my songs that made the cut (likewise Bullitts Dominae), but I'd try to choose the order of the tracks to flow nicely into each other and I had trouble doing that with TBAOM (likewise Bullitts, again). So I had to plump for just shoving them into my setlist around other stuff I knew I'd love the order of, because even if they didn't feel 'right' in the ordering of tracks, I'd want to hear both songs enough to ignore a slight jarring effect in the tracklisting. Would've had the same problem with Twyncyn/Willows, I think - which was very near making my list, as was Sound Of Free. The easiest to discard straight off the bat were The Exact Colour, VIW/ITROTD and Asleep Under Eiderdown - not because I dislike any of those songs, but because their slow pace/laidback sound (with VIW holding ITROTD back in this regard) isn't conducive to the energy you want from a live set, IMO. |
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Post by the dark fourth on Jan 9, 2009 12:25:05 GMT
And Ambassadors does have this energy? Apart from the last minute and a half, I'm not seeing it.
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Post by blondeambassador on Jan 9, 2009 12:25:24 GMT
Oh no, I totally disagree, I admit I did consider cutting Ambassadors briefly but when it kicks in it's an awesome live track, there's nothing like it for light/shade contrast, I think the only reason I'm not so sure I'd want it in there is because I've heard it so many times now.
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Post by Lawrie on Jan 9, 2009 12:30:43 GMT
And Ambassadors does have this energy? Apart from the last minute and a half, I'm not seeing it. Yep, that first vocal part starting with "It takes a minute to photograph..." gets my musical juices flowing more so than any other part of the song, and most other bits of PRR songs across the board. Maybe I'm wired up weird or summat... |
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Post by blondeambassador on Jan 9, 2009 12:40:57 GMT
To be fair, I found Apprentice the easiest to cut, whereas popular opinion seems to be well in favour of it- it's the one that when it genuinley got cut from the live set I missed the least, barely even noticed it was gone...actually, interestingly, it also used to be an absolute favourite of mine live.
But then, like everyone is saying, it's not that there's a single song I wouldn't love in there really, but since choosing is in the name of the game! Also interesting to note that Victorious Cupid is making quite a limited appearance in these lists...
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Post by Lawrie on Jan 9, 2009 12:47:11 GMT
Cupid was also one of my 'easier to cut' numbers, but I'm not the hugest fan of the song in the first place so it was no surprise that it didn't make my setlist, I guess.
Apprentice was an absolute must for me though. Even if I put aside the sublime Goshens-Apprentice transition which I love so much, Apprentice is (along with Nimos) PRR's best 'pop' moment for me, and I figure you can't get enough catchy crowd-pleasers into a dream live set! ;D
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Post by the dark fourth on Jan 9, 2009 13:43:49 GMT
Cupid is such a must for me. I think I may be biased against Apprentice because though I love it on the album, I've never heard it live, and from the recordings/videos it always seems the cool second half doesn't come off anywhere near as well.
Re Ambassadors, before I agree to disagree, I will first agree that it's a fantastic song especially as regards "light/shade" thing, but I find this and its other qualities much harder to appreciate in the live setting. I just think that, epic as it is, PRR has twelve better live songs. Having said that, I thought that Ambassadors at the Cargo was the best I've ever heard it, I dunno why that was, but I felt much better about it afterwards. I still don't think it could ever be included over the likes of Willows and Borgens though.
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)
). Gloaming wraps up the new stuff, and they close the set with the powerful/epic Bullitts.
