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.

Greater Than Just Florida & Georgia

The announcement of a headlining tour leaked out of Florida & Georgia earlier this week and spread clear across the country. Florida Georgia Line released the schedule for their Here’s to the Good Times Tour. This is a major milestone for the duo of Brian Kelley (Florida) & Tyler Hubbard (Georgia) who released their FIRST record earlier this year on December 4^th. The Republic Nashville group (part of Big Machine Label Group) now finds themselves traveling around the nation performing their songs.

The single on that album, “Cruise” was an immediate hit and propelled itself to a top 10 song after just 14 weeks and has since sold millions of copies.  The hit song drew the attention of millions of fans, one of them being the rap and hip/hop legend Nelly, who helped boost the bands popularity by collaborating on a Remix. The duo isn’t dependent on just one hit though, as their album is full of other jams such as “Get Your Shine On” and “Round Here”.

FGL is apart of the new wave of country music that we are beginning to experience, bringing a strong presence of rock and rap, along with a unique combination of lyricism to their songs. These rookies are not a household name…yet, but it is crazy to think that they have their first headlining tour after releasing just one album. To put this in perspective, lets look at the headliners for the top country tours going on in 2013 according to gatv.com: Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Toby Keith and George Strait…  These are the top artists in the game right now, and to throw FGL in there with their own national headlining tour means that these dudes are legit and here to stay.