Encores These Days...

The dictionary definition of “Encore” is a repeated or additional performance of an item at the end of a concert, as called for by an audience.  I have attended a good amount of concerts, many of which have concluded with encores. Yet all of these encores were premeditated and not influenced or called for by the audience. Sure people were cheering loud for the band to come back on stage, partially because everyone was still waiting for them to play their hit song… My point is, when did encores become apart of the regular set list and why? The idea of an encore used to be a big deal and have this big impactful presence. But now its become normalized and people don’t think anything of it.
Ending your set, thanking your audience, and walking off stage only to hear the crowed going crazy for you to come back and play more should be the true cycle of events. Not play your set list (except for the two songs that everyone loves), walk off the stage, chill for a little bit (maybe sip some water), and then hear the crowed clapping & yelling a little louder than normal because they know you have no choice but to come back on stage is a little too fake for me. 
Now, I’m not trying to take any credit away from the artist and bands, they’ve been put into this position by us (the fans) and probably their management and labels because how much better does having an encore sound compared to just ending your set? I’ve been to one concert when the artist told the audience he was going to play his full set and not have an encore. It was a Ben Rector concert in Nashville and it was awesome because at the end of his set everyone was satisfied, he played his full list of songs and there wasn’t that awkward pause at the end where everyone was kind of clapping and expecting him to come back out, yet still not really sure kind of deal. I think Ben Rector knows two things that other artists ignore: 1. He knows he’s not the biggest artist in the world and maybe isn’t deserving of an encore, yet. 2. If the audience wants to hear him play more at the end of his FULL set, the audience will let him know.
All of this leads me to my conclusion in which I want to say that I’m not against encores, I’m against the artists that have ”kind of made it” in their music career doing one… I understand if the Kenny Chesney’s, Toby Keith’s and Taylor Swift’s of the world do encores, they’ve earned it, and they also have more songs in their repertoire than the Oregon Ducks have uniforms, so I think they’d do alright coming back on stage. A possible remedy for this would be maybe don’t plan out an encore until you experience a true call for by the audience… If you’re a good artist then you’ll be able to figure something out and keep the crowed entertained. After experiencing that, feel free to have all the premeditated encores you want because you’ve earned it.

Brett Eldredge Album Release

I’ve been waiting a while now for a record to drop by this particular artist, and the wait ended yesterday as Atlantic Recording artist Brett Eldredge released his debut album Bring You Back. Eldredge has been in the game for a while now, releasing his first single “Raymond” back in 2010. Eldgredge is a phenom on the web and has received most of his fame from his Youtube channel called The Couch Sessions where he plays some of his own songs, as well as many covers. He released his third single “Don’t Ya” about a year ago and it took off in the charts and is now #3 according to mediabase.com. This current album is loaded with great country songs and we can expect to be hearing a lot more out of this artist. Give his album a listen on iTunes and check out his Youtube channel. Also, CMT.com has a great assortment of live performances done by Brett, so check those out here!