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What did you think of the setlist (Spoilers)

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 10:56 pm
by Lobe
Just wanted to know what other people thought about the setlist.
For this album I deliberately avoided listening to any tracks or dj sets etc so that it was all fresh when the album came out.
At the gig I was surprised that they played 7 new tracks and only 7 old ones.
Thought they could have dropped a couple of the new tracks and played a bit more older suff, something different.
There was no Remind (best orbital track live IMO) no The box etc.
I think impact, chime and Belfast are ready for retirement for a while.
There were no tracks from insides, mon, the altogether or blue album ( nothing on this good enough anyway ).
They could have done something off radiccio ep or something different off sniv, way out, spare parts express, illuminate was good live etc.
What do you think.
I like to have that 'wow' moment at a gig and only when the carpenters sample came on are we here did I get that. I thought it was a bit samey. Once you've heard chime a few times and the same version of impact you just want something a bit different.
I hope they do something different for the tour in December as I don't want to see the same set twice.
Thoughts?

Re: What did you think of the setlist

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 11:44 pm
by MindRubber
Might be worth posting a blatant spoiler alert for those yet to go abroad/festivals.

I loved the setlist! As this was basically the Wonky album tour I fully expected to hear mostly new tracks, and this is a welcome change to the mostly 'best of' sets we've been getting for the last 10 years. The two Wonky tracks that didn't get played (New France and Distractions) were the two that probably wouldn't work as well live. The new stuff was fantastic live, and I was pleasantly surprised that Wonky was the vocal rather than DJ version. The opener and closer were perhaps predictable but perfect - really glad that Dr Who finally got dropped!
Of the old stuff, Chime and Impact will never and should never be dropped in my opinion (still loving the Chime/Crime combo too). I've never been overly fussed with hearing Belfast live but this sounded better than I can ever remember. I missed Remind too as it's one of my favourites, but something had to give way for all the new material.
It was great to hear a couple of Sniv tracks as we didn't get any last time round, although I do agree that it felt like there weren't too many surprises in the set; no 'obscure' tracks or playing around like with the Mobius mash up and Crime last time.

Overall though, a really solid set that kept me dancing from start to finish. The new stuff sounds brilliant live and the old stuff has never sounded better. Will be interesting to see if the December tour is considered an extension of the Wonky tour with the same setlist or if there is room for a few changes.

Re: What did you think of the setlist

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:46 am
by funkster
I liked the mix of new and old to be fair and I don't think with such a huge back catalog you are going to get a perfect set.

As mentioned, Chime and Impact should never be dropped EVER

I did miss Satan though :(

Was a very happy man to hear the two track of Snivilisation though and they are my 2 fav tracks.

Re: What did you think of the setlist

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 11:04 am
by inaconstantgroove
Went the Manchester gig and thought the new stuff worked really well, would of liked to of heared 'New France' live, thought it'd work well live with the chugging live bassline,

Must be hard work trying to work a tracklist out, so many classics and its always difficult incorporating new material that a good percentage of the crowd won't yet be familar with.

Re: What did you think of the setlist

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 11:05 am
by TheEmbryo
I was really pleased with the set. It was great to have a 50/50 mix of old and new, because like MindRubber I've grown pretty tired of the "best of" set, so it was great to hear something fresh.

The live version of Wonky was amazing! Probably the highlight of the night for me, and only a few weeks ago I was unsure if I was going to like that track at all. Amazing to see the crowd reaction to that.

There are usually a couple of points during an Orbital gig where I get a bit bored, but that only happened for me last night during Chime. Glad that they've kept the addition of Crime otherwise it would be deathly dull, and it works very nicely next to its long lost twin sister Stringy Acid, but really, haven't we all had enough of Chime now?

Nice to hear a couple of tracks from Sniv too. Sad But True sounded much better at the RAH last night than it did at Maida Vale, seemed to have more focus to it somehow.

Re: What did you think of the setlist (Spoilers)

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 5:03 pm
by davemacfrombath
It's the freshest set list they've had for years. The dropping of some of the old classics was a brave move and could only be done if the new material is good enough. Which it clearly is. The re-emergence of sniv was a massive bonus. I haven't had as good a time since the MoN tour....

Re: What did you think of the setlist (Spoilers)

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 5:17 pm
by memly
I thought the set was very good.
The best version of Impact I have heard yet... this being my favourite ever tune I do not want to see it dropped.
I too wouldnt want to see Chime dropped either, I never get bored of it.

The Sniv stuff rocked and it was wise not to play New France or Distractions, although I am a fan of both.
I do miss the MON stuff though...
Glad there was nothing from the Altogether, or Blue (Would still like to hear Tunnel Vision live though).
Where is it Going? Wonky and Beelzedub were my favourites, but I loved all of it.
I think they need to work on the first half of the set as the tunes did not flow into eachother, which I thought was a bit jarring.

Not the best set I have ever seen them do, but it was still fantastic and I loved every second of it.

Re: What did you think of the setlist (Spoilers)

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:42 pm
by thehitcher
For me i enjoyed it, but could have been better imo. Not a too bigger fan of the new stuff been done live aside from wonky, stringy acid and beelzedub( i liked this version). Loved Impact as i will always do and went well with wonky at the end. Love chime but would be happy to see something new. Thought are we here and sad but true was fantastic and didnt expect them to come in and they are two favourites of mine. Sad but true seem to mix well with Beelzedub.
Loads of tracks i would like to see come back in-Walk now,Speed Freak,P.E.T.R.O.L,Meltdown(love it on the altogether dvd along with tension),Funny Break(weekend ravers),Technologicque Park, Frenetic and Gun is good-not much to ask really :lol:
It would be nice if they did 2 hour set instead of 1hr45. Either way i will probably be at sheffield in december

Re: What did you think of the setlist (Spoilers)

Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 2:53 pm
by JIMBO
I think it's a bit weird to moan that Orbital are playing lots of new stuff - they have a new album out for goodness sake! For most of us it's a joy that they've produced anything new at all!

Bear in mind that right up until summer 2002 - when the band began what would become a distinct 'best of' show for the next two years - they always played tour shows heavily based on the current album. They now have a vast back catalogue to draw from so it's never going to please everybody.

I'm glad they made some pretty bold choices on this tour and I'd even go further and say I'd have been entirely happy for them to have done the new album in it's entirety plus the 'Gun is Good/Don't Stop Me' EP and nothing else - just for the sake of change.

Great to go back to 1994 for the 'Snivilisation' stuff though after the resurrection of 'Out There Somewhere? Parts 1 & 2 on the last tour. I still think chucking away 'Halcyon' so early in the set feels really odd - it's a late-in-the-set track for when the crowd are all blissed out and grinning - a spot they seem to be trying to fill with 'Never' but I actually don't think it works. That track is my wee break now : I just think the live version needs *something* to lift it. It's too sparse and slow for it's own good. In all honesty I don't think 'Beezledub' is anywhere close to being as good as the version of 'Satan' they dropped at Glasto 2010 with the breakbeat second half, but it's still nice to have new toys to play with!

I'd like to see them rotate the older stuff when they do the UK tour part two in December. Doubt it'll happen though.

Oh, and yes 2 and a half hours please chaps ! :lol:

Re: What did you think of the setlist (Spoilers)

Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 5:47 pm
by Lobe
I was pleased they played the new stuff, the new album is very strong, maybe it is the set time that's the problem and if they increased it by half an hour they could get 3 or 4 more tracks in. The problem I have with impact and Belfast is they sound more or less identical to the album versions so they might as well be playing this on cd. At least with chime they changed it with chime/crime for 2009 however the version on this tour sounded the same as the one in 2009 and therefore there was no surprise element to it. I thought the 2009 set was better because there was a full on segment which was totally bangin when they had impact, remind and chime all rolled into one continuous mix and the remind section was awesome. Best tracks when i sort of got lost in the music were where is it going, are we here , sad but true and wonky. Beezledub and stringy acid were also good, one big moment and never were a bit slow and as mentioned chime, Belfast and impact and halcyon were a bit samey. Have I missed anything off ?

Re: What did you think of the setlist (Spoilers)

Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:18 pm
by JIMBO
'One Big Moment' is fucking fabulous and the perfect show opener. Only 'Way Out' would get my vote more.

And 'Impact' sounding like the CD? Are you for real? It's one of their best songs ever and live has been carefully tweaked over the years into a huge acid monster. Just slap on the Brown album next to one of the live recordings from 2009 : there's no contest.

Forgive me Lobe but you seem to be both asking for the removal of old tracks like 'Impact' and 'Chime' whilst claiming that the 'bangin' section of the last tour that contained them is the best bit? They've been playing 'Remind' at every gig since 2002, 'The Box' since about bloody 1996. Even 'Belfast' hasn't made it that long! Chime is their signature tune - sure I could cope if it was dropped but, y'know, everyone loves it, and they like playing it!

I too loved the tracklisting for the 2009 tour, but if they play that then there is no room for the new stuff!

Half an hour longer would mean an onstage time of 2 hrs 15 minutes. I'd love that, but outside of a Crazy Horse gig I don't think you're going to get it.

Re: What did you think of the setlist (Spoilers)

Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:30 pm
by Lobe
I know it sounds like I'm contradicting myself a bit but I've heard some of these tracks at every gig and maybe in 2009 after not seeing them since 2002 it was ok but I like to go to an orbital gig and be surprised and I only got that when the sniv tracks came on. The gig was still a million times better than most other bands live and I agree that way out would be a great opener as it's my favourite orbital track.

Re: What did you think of the setlist (Spoilers)

Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 8:05 pm
by JIMBO
Fair enough, but at a new album show you are going to get a lot of the new album. Twas always thus with Orbital. This doesn't leave a lot of room for old tracks, so you get a sprinkling of classics and a couple of surprises (Choice and Satan in 1996, Open Mind and Doctor Who in 1999, Belfast and TGWTSIHH in 2001. Even the 'classic' shows always dusted off two tracks - Remind and Frenetic in 2002, Out There Somewhere?/The Mobius and Know Where to Run in 2009 etc etc

Re: What did you think of the setlist (Spoilers)

Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 9:51 pm
by Lobe
I suppose the bottom line is I want a bigger set so they can get more of the older tracks in aswell but as you stated before it is unlikely the set would be more than 2 hrs so this is difficult. Still it's good to have a debate and get other peoples views, that's what the forum is all about.

Re: What did you think of the setlist (Spoilers)

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 10:21 am
by Badger
It would be nice if once or twice they did "an Underworld". i.e. a 3 hour set. another hour of different old tracks would be immense.

But I've loved this tour and I even think the whole of the new album could've been played. (really would LOVE to hear a live version of Distractions...maybe the December tour will have it???)

And if you look back on past tours for the Middle Of Nowhere tour they played ALL the album on the solo shows (counting An Fronhair as Otono).