# Good songs to start a set with **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 9, 2003, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-songs-to-start-a-set-with/212210 "2003-11-09T08:11:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2003, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-songs-to-start-a-set-with/212210/1 "2003-11-09T08:11:20Z")
My preference here is to get songs youhave actually seen performed as the first song of a set and are appropriate/good in that purpose. Failing that, songs you think SHOULD be or should have been used thus. My nominations (I have actually heard these): **Heart** : _Kick it Out_. Probably the most _appropriate_ starter song, perfect, upbeat tempo, not teribly complex, and apropos lyrics. Also, doesnt waste a “good” song on the opening song (I think it’s a waste, since the crowd is already psyched) **Dropkick Murphys** :_Cadence to Arms/Do or Die_: again, a great one to open with. I had always thought that combo would be a great opening song but didnt think they’d actually do it! The bagpipe call that slowly grows into a hand-pumping punk anthem is an awesome starter. **Saves the Day** :_At Your Funeral_: I actually predicted they would start with this, and was right. Unfortunately it is also their best song, but the tradeoff was worth it. The song begins with about 8 lines almost acapella. After the first two words were out the whole audience was singing with him! The best feeling I’ve had at a concert. Plus, the guitar comes in very predictably so it was quite fun to pump your head when you know it will happen. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2003, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-songs-to-start-a-set-with/212210/2 "2003-11-09T09:02:35Z")
**Devo** did a sitting-down acoustic version of _Jocko Homo_ as their first song the last time I saw them play. Then the energy domes were put on and soon Mark was pulling cabbage out of his underwear and throwing it at us and balance was restored. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-songs-to-start-a-set-with/212210/3 "2003-11-11T01:58:18Z")
Using my one warranted bump…cmon, I would think more of you go to concerts 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-songs-to-start-a-set-with/212210/4 "2003-11-11T05:19:53Z")
**Stones** : _Helter Skelter_. If this doesn’t get your blood flowing, you’re dead. Great 60s flashback, too. **Dave Matthews** : _Seek Up_. Nothing like a 10 minute beauty to kick off the evening. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-songs-to-start-a-set-with/212210/5 "2003-11-11T05:25:22Z")
From a long ago concert – but a great one: Billy Joel: _Only the Good Die Young_ ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-songs-to-start-a-set-with/212210/6 "2003-11-11T05:29:25Z")
Rolling Stones - _Start Me Up_ ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-songs-to-start-a-set-with/212210/7 "2003-11-11T13:36:40Z")
I remember Van Halen opened with “Unchained” when I saw them back in 1984 (when David Lee Roth was still in the band). ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-songs-to-start-a-set-with/212210/8 "2003-11-11T13:47:16Z")
Back in the early 70s, Jethro Tull opened with “Thick as a Brick.” Since that went for 45 minutes or so, they took a break after the 1st song and then came back to play all their hits. After the break Ian Anderson said “Now, for our second number…” Pretty much everybody liked it. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-songs-to-start-a-set-with/212210/9 "2003-11-11T14:39:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by John Mace \* > \*\ ***Stones** : _Helter Skelter_. If this doesn’t get your blood flowing, you’re dead. Great 60s flashback, too. \*\* Do you mean _Gimme Shelter_, or are the Stones actually playing a Beatles tune in their set? ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-songs-to-start-a-set-with/212210/10 "2003-11-11T15:21:43Z")
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - Jones Beach, 2001: Runnin’ Down a Dream And they didn’t let up once after that opening… ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-songs-to-start-a-set-with/212210/11 "2003-11-11T18:11:00Z")
I’m a big fan of the curtain in front of the stage during an intro track followed by the curtain dropping and everyone going nuts. That was a total **Depeche Mode** thing for the longest time, but not so much anymore. I thought their moody intro to the Devotional Tour (the song “Higher Love”) was perfect. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-songs-to-start-a-set-with/212210/12 "2003-11-11T19:57:21Z")
How can you go wrong with Pink Floyd’s “Interstellar Overdrive” as your introductory licks? ---
**Author:** ![yawndave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/43a26b/32.png) [@yawndave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yawndave)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-songs-to-start-a-set-with/212210/13 "2003-11-11T20:07:30Z")
“I Can’t Explain” has started off many a Who concert to good effect. They also used Entwistle’s “Heaven and Hell”: take a listen to the Isle of Wight CD (or DVD)–it really cooks! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-songs-to-start-a-set-with/212210/14 "2003-11-11T21:19:55Z")
I forgot about that, AH, I knew they opened with that, and indeed it would have kicked ass…but did not see the tour ☹ About the only other Floyd song that would have topped that would be “In the Flesh?”. “Speak to Me” would have tied with IO, but only if they would have gone on to play the first half of DSOTM.