Concert schedule - what is normal?
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Hi everyone, I was wondering if any of you who have attended Paul's shows in recent years have taken note of the start times for the DJ set, pre-show video presentation, and the concert itself vs. the gate opening and concert start times printed on the tickets? To make my question more concrete: If the concert tickets say that the gates open at 5pm and the show starts at 6:30pm, what time would you expect each of the following to happen? 1. DJ set starts 2. DJ set finishes 3. Pre-show video starts 4. Paul walks on stage It might also be worth mentioning which country you saw Paul in, in case these things vary by country. Thanks very much for reading (and for replying, if you do)!
Cheers, Andrew. -
Out of the ten or so Paul shows I've done, the doors never opened "on time."
Every time, there is a loooong line awaiting to get in, always a half hour or so beyond the official time. I never pay attention to dj or pre-show, others will know more, but Paul has always been pretty punctual about taking the stage on time, maybe a 15 minute delay at most, when I saw him. -
I would get there as early as possible and "enjoy the atmosphere" of Paul McCartney in Concert.
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I got a bit OCD and looked into raw numbers for the shows I went to last month (USA) and, along with my memory and the video Chris the DJ posted of his set, my guesstimate is ~30 min Chris and ~30 min pre-show, immediately following the DJ, so Chris on average starts about an hour before Paul arrives on stage, but it varies considerably. Each set can be shrunk or expanded as needed. So I might guess a 5:30 PM Chris start and 6 PM pre-show start for you, but Paul is frequently at least a half hour late, especially in the NYC area it seems. Also, do you know if there's an opening act for yours? The early gate opening and start times on yours make me wonder if there might be. When Paul had an opening act at CitiField in '09 I recall the gate opening time was something like 5 PM, which was the time printed on the ticket. We got there around then and had to wait a long time before and during the opening act, which irked an impatient companion of mine.
I recall Paul came on around the usual 8ish time. You could try to time things based on when Chris starts, but those approximate times are not set in stone so I wouldn't chance sitting down after the scheduled start time, though I think you can assume Paul won't go on stage before the scheduled start time. Of course, getting there as early as you can is worth it so you have time to relax beforehand, pick up merch, eat, use the restroom (3 hour show coming up!), and listen to Chris's awesome set. Also, the line to get in sometimes gets a lot longer closer the official start time. I tend to hang out in the common areas and wait to take my seat until right before the scheduled showtime so I'm not up and down because of myself or others in my row. Here are the raw numbers based on timestamps on my photos and videos. The best I can do for the Chris and pre-show timing is look at the first and last photos/videos of them each day, with the caveat that I often listened to much of Chris's set in the common areas, where I didn't take photos. Out of curiosity, I looked at Paul's arrival times too and, based on these numbers, arrival time doesn't seem to have much to do with the start time, but it might affect the actual (as opposed to printed) gate opening time. The gate opening time doesn't seem to have much effect on Chris's start time or Paul's on stage time. FYI: the time from when the ADITL crescendo starts in the pre-show until Paul appears on stage is consistently ~90 seconds. Newark 9/11 Doors opened 6:30 PM Earliest Chris photo/video timestamp 7:37 PM Paul expected on stage 8 PM Pre-show started between 8:00 and 8:03 PM Paul on stage 8:43 PM - 11:28 PM Newark 9/12 Doors opened 6:30 PM Paul expected on stage 8 PM Earliest pre-show photo/video timestamp 8:05 PM Paul on stage 8:33 PM - 11:21 PM MSG 9/15 Paul arrived at venue 5:06 PM Doors opened 7 PM Paul expected on stage 8 PM Near start of Chris's set: 8:03 PM Pre-show started between 8:17 and 8:20 PM Paul on stage 8:35 PM - 11:32 PM (show included the 2 songs with Bruce) MSG 9/17 Paul arrived at venue 4:50 PM Doors opened 7 PM Paul expected on stage 8 PM Earliest Chris photo/video timestamp 8:03 PM Pre-show started between 8:07 and 8:30 PM Paul on stage 8:37 PM - 11:28 PM Barclays 9/19 Paul arrived at venue 4:52 PM Doors opened at ~6:30 PM Earliest Chris photo/video timestamp 7:41 PM Pre-show started between 7:58 and 8:28 PM Paul expected on stage 8 PM Paul on stage 8:44 PM - 11:36 PM Barclays 9/21 Paul arrived at venue 5:45 PM Doors opened at ~7 PM (late due to late soundcheck) Earliest Chris photo/video timestamp 7:57 PM Paul expected on stage 8 PM Pre-show started 8:14 PM Paul on stage 8:44 PM - 11:35 PM Nassau 9/26 Soundcheck 5:30 - 6:30 PM Earliest Chris photo/video timestamp 7:59 PM Paul expected on stage 8 PM Pre-show started 8:04 PM Paul on stage 8:33 PM - 11:31 PM (show included the 2 songs with Billy) Nassau 9/27 Paul arrived at venue 5:19 PM Doors opened 7 PM Earliest Chris photo/video timestamp 7:56 PM Paul expected on stage 8 PM Pre-show started between 8:02 and 8:04 Paul on stage 8:32 PM - 11:27 PM I also watched the Syracuse show via scope and recall Paul came on just about on time around 8 PM and was offstage before 11 PM, so he was more punctual outside of the NYC metro area. When in NY... -
AcresOfFun:
I got a bit OCD and looked into raw numbers for the shows I went to last month (USA) and, along with my memory and the video Chris the DJ posted of his set, my guesstimate is ~30 min Chris and ~30 min pre-show, immediately following the DJ, so Chris on average starts about an hour before Paul arrives on stage, but it varies considerably. Each set can be shrunk or expanded as needed. So I might guess a 5:30 PM Chris start and 6 PM pre-show start for you, but Paul is frequently at least a half hour late, especially in the NYC area it seems. Also, do you know if there's an opening act for yours? The early gate opening and start times on yours make me wonder if there might be. When Paul had an opening act at CitiField in '09 I recall the gate opening time was something like 5 PM, which was the time printed on the ticket. We got there around then and had to wait a long time before and during the opening act, which irked an impatient companion of mine.
I recall Paul came on around the usual 8ish time. You could try to time things based on when Chris starts, but those approximate times are not set in stone so I wouldn't chance sitting down after the scheduled start time, though I think you can assume Paul won't go on stage before the scheduled start time. Of course, getting there as early as you can is worth it so you have time to relax beforehand, pick up merch, eat, use the restroom (3 hour show coming up!), and listen to Chris's awesome set. Also, the line to get in sometimes gets a lot longer closer the official start time. I tend to hang out in the common areas and wait to take my seat until right before the scheduled showtime so I'm not up and down because of myself or others in my row. Here are the raw numbers based on timestamps on my photos and videos. The best I can do for the Chris and pre-show timing is look at the first and last photos/videos of them each day, with the caveat that I often listened to much of Chris's set in the common areas, where I didn't take photos. Out of curiosity, I looked at Paul's arrival times too and, based on these numbers, arrival time doesn't seem to have much to do with the start time, but it might affect the actual (as opposed to printed) gate opening time. The gate opening time doesn't seem to have much effect on Chris's start time or Paul's on stage time. FYI: the time from when the ADITL crescendo starts in the pre-show until Paul appears on stage is consistently ~90 seconds. Newark 9/11 Doors opened 6:30 PM Earliest Chris photo/video timestamp 7:37 PM Paul expected on stage 8 PM Pre-show started between 8:00 and 8:03 PM Paul on stage 8:43 PM - 11:28 PM Newark 9/12 Doors opened 6:30 PM Paul expected on stage 8 PM Earliest pre-show photo/video timestamp 8:05 PM Paul on stage 8:33 PM - 11:21 PM MSG 9/15 Paul arrived at venue 5:06 PM Doors opened 7 PM Paul expected on stage 8 PM Near start of Chris's set: 8:03 PM Pre-show started between 8:17 and 8:20 PM Paul on stage 8:35 PM - 11:32 PM (show included the 2 songs with Bruce) MSG 9/17 Paul arrived at venue 4:50 PM Doors opened 7 PM Paul expected on stage 8 PM Earliest Chris photo/video timestamp 8:03 PM Pre-show started between 8:07 and 8:30 PM Paul on stage 8:37 PM - 11:28 PM Barclays 9/19 Paul arrived at venue 4:52 PM Doors opened at ~6:30 PM Earliest Chris photo/video timestamp 7:41 PM Pre-show started between 7:58 and 8:28 PM Paul expected on stage 8 PM Paul on stage 8:44 PM - 11:36 PM Barclays 9/21 Paul arrived at venue 5:45 PM Doors opened at ~7 PM (late due to late soundcheck) Earliest Chris photo/video timestamp 7:57 PM Paul expected on stage 8 PM Pre-show started 8:14 PM Paul on stage 8:44 PM - 11:35 PM Nassau 9/26 Soundcheck 5:30 - 6:30 PM Earliest Chris photo/video timestamp 7:59 PM Paul expected on stage 8 PM Pre-show started 8:04 PM Paul on stage 8:33 PM - 11:31 PM (show included the 2 songs with Billy) Nassau 9/27 Paul arrived at venue 5:19 PM Doors opened 7 PM Earliest Chris photo/video timestamp 7:56 PM Paul expected on stage 8 PM Pre-show started between 8:02 and 8:04 Paul on stage 8:32 PM - 11:27 PM I also watched the Syracuse show via scope and recall Paul came on just about on time around 8 PM and was offstage before 11 PM, so he was more punctual outside of the NYC metro area. When in NY... WOW....great job!!
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I must confess that time is immaterial when I go to a Paul concert. I went twice last year, Fresno and Sacramento, and I will admit that at no time did I look to see what time it was when who started what and when. The raw excitement takes over my brain and I don't even know what day it is much less what time. It could have been midnight when Paul walked on stage for all I knew!!!
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I hope he doesn't come on too early down here. If the show does start at 6:30 (let's say 7PM), it will still be light for the first hour and a half of his set. The Live and Let Die pyrotechnics will still be in the dark so that's alright.
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Thanks very much to everyone who has replied to this thread, especially AcresOfFun! ?
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W.D. Stevens:
I hope he doesn't come on too early down here. If the show does start at 6:30 (let's say 7PM), it will still be light for the first hour and a half of his set. The Live and Let Die pyrotechnics will still be in the dark so that's alright.
I agree that a late start would be ideal for Melbourne. In Brisbane, it looks like dusk will be two hours earlier, half of which is due to a lack of daylight saving in Queensland. Is it to late to campaign to have daylight saving cancelled in Victoria? ð???
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Andrewhh:
W.D. Stevens:
I hope he doesn't come on too early down here. If the show does start at 6:30 (let's say 7PM), it will still be light for the first hour and a half of his set. The Live and Let Die pyrotechnics will still be in the dark so that's alright.
I agree that a late start would be ideal for Melbourne. In Brisbane, it looks like dusk will be two hours earlier, half of which is due to a lack of daylight saving in Queensland. Is it to late to campaign to have daylight saving cancelled in Victoria? ð???
It's never too late to try and get rid of Daylight Savings. I like my nights dark! The thing is, it's the wrong way around as well, surely. We should be getting an extra hour of daylight in Winter so that it gets dark at 6PM instead of 5PM. Then when we reset later in the year it gets dark at 7 instead of 8.
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Go figure, I always thought the sunset kicks in super early in Queensland, even in the Summer, me being used to it not being fully dark until 10/11pm in the Summer in Europe. For example, I once saw McCartney in Dublin in June, in the open air... by the time of 'Band On The Run' it was still light...
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W.D. Stevens:
Andrewhh:
W.D. Stevens:
I hope he doesn't come on too early down here. If the show does start at 6:30 (let's say 7PM), it will still be light for the first hour and a half of his set. The Live and Let Die pyrotechnics will still be in the dark so that's alright.
I agree that a late start would be ideal for Melbourne. In Brisbane, it looks like dusk will be two hours earlier, half of which is due to a lack of daylight saving in Queensland. Is it to late to campaign to have daylight saving cancelled in Victoria? ð???
It's never too late to try and get rid of Daylight Savings. I like my nights dark! The thing is, it's the wrong way around as well, surely. We should be getting an extra hour of daylight in Winter so that it gets dark at 6PM instead of 5PM. Then when we reset later in the year it gets dark at 7 instead of 8.
Iâ??m confused. Daylight Savings Time is started in the Spring which allows for more hours of sunlight in the evening. Why would you want more evening sunlight hours in the Winter? I prefer my mornings dark and evenings light (Iâ??m a night owl and sleep 2 am to 10 am) so I wish we were on permanent DST. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time
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Nancy R:
W.D. Stevens:
Andrewhh:
W.D. Stevens:
I hope he doesn't come on too early down here. If the show does start at 6:30 (let's say 7PM), it will still be light for the first hour and a half of his set. The Live and Let Die pyrotechnics will still be in the dark so that's alright.
I agree that a late start would be ideal for Melbourne. In Brisbane, it looks like dusk will be two hours earlier, half of which is due to a lack of daylight saving in Queensland. Is it to late to campaign to have daylight saving cancelled in Victoria? ð???
It's never too late to try and get rid of Daylight Savings. I like my nights dark! The thing is, it's the wrong way around as well, surely. We should be getting an extra hour of daylight in Winter so that it gets dark at 6PM instead of 5PM. Then when we reset later in the year it gets dark at 7 instead of 8.
Iâ??m confused. Daylight Savings Time is started in the Spring which allows for more hours of sunlight in the evening. Why would you want more evening sunlight hours in the Winter? I prefer my mornings dark and evenings light (Iâ??m a night owl and sleep 2 am to 10 am) so I wish we were on permanent DST. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time
I would rather it not existed, to be honest. But my thinking was this: At present you get more hours of light in the Summer but fewer hours in Winter. If you did it the other way around, it would be roughly equal. In Winter, it's getting dark by 5PM. Summer, about 8PM. Swap around the direction the clocks go and now in Winter it gets dark at 6PM and in Summer 7PM. More or less the same all year round.
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Andrewhh wrote:
Hi everyone, I was wondering if any of you who have attended Paul's shows in recent years have taken note of the start times for the DJ set, pre-show video presentation, and the concert itself vs. the gate opening and concert start times printed on the tickets? To make my question more concrete: If the concert tickets say that the gates open at 5pm and the show starts at 6:30pm, what time would you expect each of the following to happen? 1. DJ set starts 2. DJ set finishes 3. Pre-show video starts 4. Paul walks on stage It might also be worth mentioning which country you saw Paul in, in case these things vary by country. Thanks very much for reading (and for replying, if you do)!
Cheers, Andrew.At most of the 7 U.S. concerts I've been to since 1993, the actual concert will start between 30-45 min. after the time on the ticket. From what I have observed it's because they are waiting for seats to fill. People are still filing in when the time on the ticket passes. Stadium shows usually start later because they have to wait longer for seats to fill before they cut the lights. The two that started closest to the ticket time were Hollywood Bowl (I think because they have a noise curfew at 11:00), and the Joint in Las Vegas (a much smaller venue).
