Oasis: Twenty Minute Setlist

This is a 20 minute set list I’d love to see!

When Oasis were emerging in 1994 / 95, they could take on any other band live. Loud overdriven guitars, pulsing beat, great songs, sing-a-long choruses and a singer who had both charisma and talent. They continued and concluded the Holy Trinity of Manchester bands (Smiths, Stone Roses, Oasis).

I was a Blur fan but even I was swept away in the winter of 1994 as the band appeared on an Xmas show and played their new single ‘Whatever’ in all its Beatle-esque glory before tearing into a full scale toe to toe with the Fab Four, delivering a supreme I Am Walrus. Audacious bastards! They just went for the balls and powered out Lennon’s anthem with maximum swagger and sneering. (see video below)

I never saw Oasis live though I remember them coming to the Brighton Centre December 1994. Looking at the setlist that night is feels like it was a massive night, a first album homage. And I think, in retrospect, looking at YouTube videos, Oasis were at their best when they were climbing the mountain, not when they were on top and definitely not on their way down. Although the crowds kept coming, they weren’t as hungry, as urgent and - like most Oasis fans - I think the 1994 line up was the best.

So here it is, my fantasy Oasis playlist delivered by them as they were in 1994!

Rock n Roll Star

Fade Away

Bring it on Down

Slide Away

I Am Walrus

Tim's Blog RSS

Elvis: 20 Minute Setlist

Wow! This is a hard one (said the actress to the bishop).

How can you even try to condense Elvis into 20 minutes? I'm lost, so lost on this quest. Rigorous editing, and tough internal fights, have led me - reluctantly and with many regrets of lost songs - to this Elvis 20 minute set list.

As I've said many times before, if I could have seen anyone live, it would be Elvis. From the fanfare of The 2001 Theme to the end of 'Can't Help Falling in Love' an Elvis concert was a ritual; a carefully calibrated event to whip the audience into a frenzy. 

He reinvented himself you know...

By 1968 he was a joke. A has been rock n roller starring in shite films.

By 1970 he was back, power-housing his way through some of the best performances ever. Jump suit. scarves, big belts, new hits, old hits, 50 piece back up, fuzz tone bass and wah-wah pedals. The King was back!!

Anyway, here it is, Elvis in 20 minutes...

1. 2001 Theme

2. That's All Right Mama

3. Never Been to Spain

4. Polk Salad Annie

5. Early Morning Rain

6. Suspicious Minds

7. Can't Help Falling in Love

Do you agree?

Tim's Blog RSS

Abba : 20 Minute Playlist

Well this one is an exciting 20 minutes! 

I always liked Abba and used to play their Greatest Hits 1974-76 in the 70's (pictured above). At university I defiantly played Abba - The First Ten Years. In these days of Mama Mia, you can't begin to understand how much derision I got. Clearly I was before my time in appreciation of good songwriting, crisp production and extraordinary vocals.

Anyway, as it was announced that the group has remarkably recorded two new tracks this year, here is my 20 minute Abba setlist.

Waterloo

Voulez-Vous

Dancing Queen

The Winner Takes it All

Bang-A Boomerang (SOS)

Super Trouper

All classics. The emotional highpoint would be - of course - The Winner Takes It All (their masterpiece). If this gig were played twice, then I'd alternate the early stompers Bang-A-Boomerang / SOS. Take a look at the video below. Mmmm, I'm thinking I'd like Agnetha and Frida to wear their cat 'dresses' in my fantasy concert... They could sing too, if they wished!

Agree?

Tim's Blog RSS

20 Minute Playlist: Early Beatles

So a fantasy 20 minute playlist from the Fab Four - 1963-1965.

Ticket to Ride

She Loves You

Baby's in Black

I Feel Fine

This Boy

I Want to Hold Your Hand

Long Tall Sally

Twist and Shout

I decided to open with the distinctive guitar riff of Ticket to Ride (which is probably my favourite Beatles single). Then in to the full on Beatlemania of She Loves You segueing into the waltz time of Baby's in Black. The bouncy I Feel Fine is followed by the I Want to Hold Your Hand single in reverse order, with the harmonies of This Boy and Lennon's stand out vocal calming things down. We end with a Paul v John face off, Long Tall Sally and Twist and Shout, the two standard Beatles set closers. These two could be reversed but they end the set on a high and V sign to anyone who has to follow. Beat that!

The video below has the Fab Four at their most energetic and really rocking. If you want to skip to 5:57 you will hear the best ever performance of Twist and Shout followed by the best ever performance of Long Tall Sally. The Beatles were on fire that night and although sometimes they seemed on tour a bit jaded or in it for the money, these performances show, when they were up, they were the best live band ever.

Tim's Blog RSS

20 Minute Playlists - The Queen at Live Aid Test

Queen’s 20 minutes at Live Aid are often cited as the greatest rock concert ever (as now shown in the film Bohemian Rhapsody). I remember watching Live Aid on the day and I also remember Queen kicking ass and taking names. So much so that I stopped watching the concert, stop my video recording, rewound the tape and watched Queen again. Sorry David Bowie! What set Queen apart from the rest was good songs, great musicianship, obvious practice and, of course, Freddie.

Who can forget the thousands of synchronised arm thrusts during Radio Gaga or Freddie’s a-cappella call and response? For me, the set builds and builds until finishing with the awesome one-two punch of We Will Rock You and We are the Champions. This was anthemic all the way up to 11.

So I came up with a clever concept; take what Queen did at Live Aid in 1985 – produce 20 minutes of distilled brilliance from your back catalogue – and then apply that concept to other bands.

What would be the dream 20 minute setlist of your favourite band? The hits maybe. But which hits? Album tracks? Live favourites? So many choices.

Well, I’ll be posting some of my fantasy twenty minute sets from my favourite bands over the next few blog posts. I’ll be explaining my choices.

Let me know if you agree with them.

In no particular order, I’ll be writing set lists for :-

      The Beatles

       Elvis

       The Stones

       Led Zeppelin

       The Who

So far, so obvious...

         The Smiths

         The Byrds

         The Stone Roses

         Abba

         Oasis

         Blur

        Queen (I would probably drop Crazy Little Thing Called Love and Radio Gaga from their Live Aid setlist and add Don’t Stop Me Now and Another One Bites the Dust)

Sounds a good game, eh?

Tim's Blog RSS