# No Encore!!?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 19, 2009, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995 "2009-03-19T04:55:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/1 "2009-03-19T04:55:39Z")
Do any of you recall a well-known entertainer who has **not** been called back for an encore by the audience? Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/2 "2009-03-19T05:16:11Z")
Do audiences actually call for an encore, or do performers just come back out during the applause? ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/3 "2009-03-19T05:30:34Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Do audiences actually call for an encore, or do performers just come back out during the applause? Now see? I just gave away my age, didn’t I (old!)?😃 I _think_ that getting to one’s feet, clapping so hard veins burst, and yelling the word _BRAVO!_ or _ENCORE!_ was what usually indicated they should come back, but you’re right, **Irishman** , times have changed! 🙂 I just wondered if at any particular concert _anytime_, the audience collectively thought, “Well didn’t he/she suck the big one?”, and just got the hell out, and backstage the artist was going… “ **Okay** , Ogdammit!, I got 2 more to lay on y’all! Let’s get with it, shall we?” Q ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/4 "2009-03-19T05:49:54Z")
I saw Henry Rollins one time do a show, when it got to the part where the band was supposed to leave the stage for the fake encore crap he told the crowd “this is the part where we are supposed to pretend we are leaving and you pretend you want us to come back, how would you guys just like to hear another song instead?” and he kept on rockin the Sundays were the only band I can think of that came back for Multiple Encores that I thought were truly legit. they did 3 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/5 "2009-03-19T05:58:32Z")
A guy I worked with somehow scored tickets to the opening gala at Sanctuary Cove Resort in Queensland in 1988. They were very exclusive tickets, the concert billed as “The Ultimate Event” featured Frank Sinatra, Peter Allen and Whitney Houston. Apparently Houston’s performance was pathetic and my workmate reported that people began to leave after her first song. He estimated that when she finished less than half the audience remained and she only received a polite round of applause and everyone got out quick with no encore requested. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/6 "2009-03-19T06:20:58Z")
At the concerts I’ve been to they generally left the lights turned down after the band left the stage. This was the cue to the audience that they hadn’t _really_ left, and they kept clapping until they came back out. After an encore or two they would turn the lights up, and then everyone promptly quit clapping and hurried to their cars to try to beat the traffic. So essentially the band was in control of the number of encores. I’ve never seen a case where they left the lights down and the audience said “screw it” and left anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/7 "2009-03-19T11:25:30Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > A guy I worked with somehow scored tickets to the opening gala at Sanctuary Cove Resort in Queensland in 1988. They were very exclusive tickets, the concert billed as “The Ultimate Event” featured Frank Sinatra, Peter Allen and Whitney Houston. Apparently Houston’s performance was pathetic and my workmate reported that people began to leave after her first song. He estimated that when she finished less than half the audience remained and she only received a polite round of applause and everyone got out quick with no encore requested. So, Sinatra went on _before_ Whitney Houston??? I think I’d have left too! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/8 "2009-03-19T12:53:08Z")
In most popular concerts I’ve been to, the encore was planned. The musicians usually played a real crowd pleasing song to end the set, something designed to create a lot of enthusiasm and make the call for an encore seem natural. Then they’d finish with something a little bit downbeat – good, but not things to get the audience wild for more. The classic example of this was in a Pink Floyd concert I saw back in 1973. After they finished their set (8 songs; two hours of music), the came back with an encore. Any Pink Floyd song would have generated enthusiasm for more, so they did this really great blues jam. Great music, but not Pink Floyd, and no one tried to get them to come out again. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/9 "2009-03-19T13:06:24Z")
From what I understand, **Tool** doesn’t do encores. They do an intermission in the middle of the show instead. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/10 "2009-03-19T13:23:09Z")
The group I saw that handled this the best was Santana the one time I saw them. Most of the time there is usually at least a little let down when the lights come up and you know there won’t be another encore. Santana came out for an extended encore and ended it with a great number that had everyone on their feet. As the song was being played the house lights slowly came up. By the end of the number the lights were on and the band said their goodbyes and the audience showed their appreciation. It felt natural to leave at the end without any feeling of being let down. Suddenly turning up the lights seems abrupt at times and can be disappointing. BTW I am not a big Santana fan. I of course know all the big hits and classic rock staples. I saw the show years ago when I was going to lots of concerts. I thought it would be a good idea to see Carlos at least once since he is an icon. The show was fantastic. Carlos was probably the worst musician on the stage. He surrounds himself with a ton of talent. ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/11 "2009-03-19T14:16:25Z")
In 1962 I saw Peter, Paul, and Mary at the height of their popularity performing on a college campus (UNC-CH) at a free (!) concert. Not only was every seat in the auditorium taken, all the windows were open so that the crowd of people surrounding the building could hear the concert. At the end of the concert, Peter or Paul said “We don’t do encores, but here are a couple of numbers we would do if we did.” They then reprised two of their hits and left the stage. Then, in spite of the most thunderous applause I have ever heard at any concert before or since, they didn’t return. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/12 "2009-03-19T14:40:27Z")
Twisted Sister/Dee Snyder doesn’t do encores. At least that’s what I’ve heard him say on his live disks and when I’ve seen him live. ---
**Author:** ![footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/footballisplayedwithyourfeet)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/13 "2009-03-19T14:43:25Z")
I went to a Dick Dale concert in Amsterdam, where he played for about three hours (or at least, a very long time) and when he finished he said: We played for a damn long time, so don’t ask for any encores or anything."…and no one did. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/14 "2009-03-19T14:55:10Z")
The Rolling Stones. Seriously. In their/our defence, it was RFK stadium (the Steel Wheels tour) and there was freezing rain pouring down on us all. I give them mega props for coming out to play at all. And us for standing there! ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/15 "2009-03-19T15:03:07Z")
In Seattle sometime in the 90s (don’t remember exactly since I’ve seen them many times), **Jethro Tull** did a triple-encore. It was fantastic. I don’t believe it was planned for them to do three, because for the final two encores the house lights had come up, and by the third the venue staff were looking mighty irritated with much crossing of arms and looking at watches. ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/16 "2009-03-19T22:54:46Z")
I was at a Barry White concert that was so bad people weren’t just leaving, they were _chanting_. Nevertheless, he did an encore. I was also at a Bob Dylan show sufficiently bad that around half the audience (myself included) had left within half an hour. I was told by a friend that he did two encores for the couple of hundred people who stayed to the end. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/17 "2009-03-19T23:01:30Z")
It’s just some sort of barnstorming era gladhanding BS. I wish it wasn’t so expected. It’s as tiresome as coaches getting gatorade dumped on them anymore. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-encore/489995/18 "2009-03-20T02:31:50Z")
Most encores nowadays are preplanned, and are even written on the setlist ahead of time. When I saw Wilco last February during their “Winter Residency” shows here in Chicago, they did their regular encore, left the stage, and then the lights came up and the PA music came up - indicating that it was over and we should all go home now. The crowd would not stop cheering and eventually they came out and did another song. It was the most intense show I’ve ever been to as far as crowd enthusiasm, and the first “real” encore I’ve ever had the pleasure to witness.