On Paul's Shows Always Starting Late
-
I have a friend who works part-time at the BOK Center in Tulsa. She said last night that Paul refuses to start his shows until 'everyone is in their seat'. She also said that other artists that have performed there haven't had that rule. Now, I'm not sure how he would know that everyone was in their seat! But, she said that just before the show started in Tulsa in 2009, the hallways were empty. Perhaps his philosophy is 'Don't start the show as long as lots of people are still coming in and getting their tickets scanned. Has anyone else ever heard this about Paul's shows?
-
Honey, I wouldn't trust a part timer to know what goes on
-
I think Paul starts late to build tension and anticipation. There is no way to know if everyone in a 10,000 seat arena is in their seats. I have seen him eight times and typically he starts about 20 minutes to a half hour past the scheduled time.
-
RMartinez:
I think Paul starts late to build tension and anticipation. There is no way to know if everyone in a 10,000 seat arena is in their seats. I have seen him eight times and typically he starts about 20 minutes to a half hour past the scheduled time.
Whereas at Fenway Park in 2009, both shows started on time, mostly because of the noise curfew around the park. ETA: People were definitely NOT all in their seats both nights, and the first night a number of people didn't notice that Paul had walked out on stage until the music started.
-
RMartinez:
I think Paul starts late to build tension and anticipation. There is no way to know if everyone in a 10,000 seat arena is in their seats. I have seen him eight times and typically he starts about 20 minutes to a half hour past the scheduled time.
Yup, and the organisation is completely aware of this. It's a rock show, not a cinema.
-
walliebaby:
RMartinez:
I think Paul starts late to build tension and anticipation. There is no way to know if everyone in a 10,000 seat arena is in their seats. I have seen him eight times and typically he starts about 20 minutes to a half hour past the scheduled time.
Whereas at Fenway Park in 2009, both shows started on time, mostly because of the noise curfew around the park. ETA: People were definitely NOT all in their seats both nights, and the first night a number of people didn't notice that Paul had walked out on stage until the music started.
You are correct about curfews. That reminds me of the Boulder show in 93. Paul started while the sun was still out, to make sure he finished by curfew time. In Las Cruces on the same tour, he started when it was nice and dark!
-
RMartinez:
walliebaby:
RMartinez:
I think Paul starts late to build tension and anticipation. There is no way to know if everyone in a 10,000 seat arena is in their seats. I have seen him eight times and typically he starts about 20 minutes to a half hour past the scheduled time.
Whereas at Fenway Park in 2009, both shows started on time, mostly because of the noise curfew around the park. ETA: People were definitely NOT all in their seats both nights, and the first night a number of people didn't notice that Paul had walked out on stage until the music started.
You are correct about curfews. That reminds me of the Boulder show in 93. Paul started while the sun was still out, to make sure he finished by curfew time. In Las Cruces on the same tour, he started when it was nice and dark!
And it was a bit light out when he walked out on stage, so the spotlight didn't show up well, hence Paul walking out to a less-than-loud reaction from the audience.
I was about 20 rows from the front and people were rushing to their seats with ushers jogging around, looking panicked. It was pretty funny. -
walliebaby:
RMartinez:
walliebaby:
RMartinez:
I think Paul starts late to build tension and anticipation. There is no way to know if everyone in a 10,000 seat arena is in their seats. I have seen him eight times and typically he starts about 20 minutes to a half hour past the scheduled time.
Whereas at Fenway Park in 2009, both shows started on time, mostly because of the noise curfew around the park. ETA: People were definitely NOT all in their seats both nights, and the first night a number of people didn't notice that Paul had walked out on stage until the music started.
You are correct about curfews. That reminds me of the Boulder show in 93. Paul started while the sun was still out, to make sure he finished by curfew time. In Las Cruces on the same tour, he started when it was nice and dark!
And it was a bit light out when he walked out on stage, so the spotlight didn't show up well, hence Paul walking out to a less-than-loud reaction from the audience.
I was about 20 rows from the front and people were rushing to their seats with ushers jogging around, looking panicked. It was pretty funny. I was one of those people. We were casually walking around and then heard drive my car, but we had 11th row, and as a result just walked up front. The second night we had 2nd row center and were there in more than enough time and firmly planted in our seats until the show started.
-
He's Paul. He can start whenever he wants.
I don't think most people mind that much. -
Paul's European outdoor gigs are always daylight until the encore, on the 2010 UK stretch of the Up and Coming Tour it wasn't dark until really late in the show!
-
I was at the Blockbuster Pavilion show in Charlotte, 1993, that was broadcast live on the Fox network and believe me that thing started at precisely 8:00. In fact, they told people not to leave their seats after 7:30. Of course, it was a two hour concert for TV and a good bit of the set list I had heard at earlier concerts was cut out so as to have two hour show.
-
cfergoid:
Paul's European outdoor gigs are always daylight until the encore, on the 2010 UK stretch of the Up and Coming Tour it wasn't dark until really late in the show!
That's because in Europe it is still daylight at 11pm!!
My wife were in La Rochelle France in 2000 in June and were astonished at how late the sun sets there compared to New Mexico. -
RMartinez:
I think Paul starts late to build tension and anticipation. There is no way to know if everyone in a 10,000 seat arena is in their seats. I have seen him eight times and typically he starts about 20 minutes to a half hour past the scheduled time.
I agree
-
I think he does it because he can. In Phoenix in 2009, the doors were not even open at the stated time for the show to start. No way could it start when fans were not inside to hear it. I've been to more than one Paul concert where he started an hour late and people were booing.
-
He also hasn't had a proper "show open" since the US tour - these days, they just turn out the lights and he walks on stage. While not knowing exactly when he's going to walk out does add some tension, it'd be great if he'd have something more interesting than just walking out/waving/counting in.
-
I agree re: a show opener. I like having a pre-show, with a build up to Paul appearing on stage. I also like it when Paul appears by himself for a few moments, then the rest of the band joins him on stage. I don't mind a bit of a delay, but more than a half hour is somewhat annoying.
-
in 1964 we were over the moon to get a ticket and be there, breathing the the same air for 20 minutes. Paul is so awesome to still be giving us his all.
