Topic: Classic setlists or alternative ones?

[Sengir Buendia]

What would most of you prefer?

For example, glance at this setlist played in 6.09.2008 Plock, Poland.
Blood Of Kingu
Ginnungagap
Schwarzalbenheim
Son of The Staves of Time
Invocation of Naamah
The Khlysti Evangelist
The Perrenial Sophia
Asgard
Typhon
Flesh Of The Gods
Muspelheim
Lemuria
Seven Secrets Of The Sphinx
Wine Of Aluqah
Rise Of Sodom And Gomorrah
To Mega Therion
Cults Of The Shadow

My opinion is that die-hard fans would mostly prefer alternative setlists with some never-played-before songs, some of which are REALLY good songs (not necessarily fillers). Examples, respecting their Theli-onwards boundaries: Desert of Set, Nightside of Eden, Eternal Return, Via Nocturna, Nifelhein, Vanaheim, Helheim, Uthark Runa, Melek Taus, Wisdom and the Cage, Three Treasures, Path to Arcady...

On the other hand, I think most of the public are newbies or it's their first Therion concert. AND the classics work like real amphetamines to the crowd, making the whole shit much more funny. Even though it must be boring to the band to play them countless times (maybe now with the big lineup change it's gonna be fun again!)

I particularly love the classics, but having attended 2 Therion concerts already, I'd go for a drastic change! Even though the wisest path would be to include some alternative tunes among some classic tunes. Everyone's happy that way!

[Majestic Beast]

I'd like so much to hear Three Ships Of Berik (but who'd do the grunting? Can any of the actual members do that?). From Vovin, Eye of Shiva would be lovely. Definitely I think Via Nocturna and Adulruna Rediviva should both be fixed in the setlist.

They could change some long-time played songs, vary the thing a bit. Of course there is To Mega Therion which die-hard fans would be at least a bit pissed so to speak if by the end of the show they did not sing it (me completely agreeing with that).

Vanaheim deserves a place there. Arrow From The Sun should be maintained (think its the best Lemuria song), and Falling Stone should never be missing from the whole thing too, IMO.

[blackrose]

I already brought this topic up like over a year ago. They should have regular songs but they should mix them up. Like not play the same song every single concert. For example instead of playing Rise of Soddam 100% of the time play rise of Soddam half the time and Venus Illegitima half the time. And also throw in a good deal of never been played before songs, and obviously songs off the new album.

Definately Eye of Shiva is one of Therions best songs but the only Vovin song that is not on a live release. That is a definite one. Really glad they did Wisdom and the Cage which is one of my favorites. Path to Arcady that is probably going to be hard to play the guitars live might have to put some of the solo on tape but good one live. Melek Taus, Abraxas, Vanaheim to name a few really great ones never done live. I'm partial to Ljualfsheim but seems like not a favorite among others.

Live shows maybe they should play more of the regulars but live DVDs needs to have more original stuff. For people who buy every single album sometimes it gets old hearing To Mega Therion over and over for example. I think every Live release needs something original or its not worth buying. Not only never before played songs, but also like a never released cover song. Or like Petters drum solo or something special like that.

[deathmetalpat]

I would like "The Beauty in Black" to be included in any set list.Also a reworking of "Symphony of the Dead" with non-death metal vocals.Was just thinking about this today.

[Blackthrone]

I would like "The Beauty in Black" to be included in any set list.Also a reworking of "Symphony of the Dead" with non-death metal vocals.Was just thinking about this today.

+1!!!!!
plus some classics of LK...

[Agnes]

Melez was fantastic at the concerts. I wish I could hear Darkness Eve & The Wings of the hydra. and of course Melez I want it back into the setlist!

[blackrose]

yeah they should play one or two songs from the first three albums. I agree symphony of the dead without the vocals. Beauty in black was Therion's first big hit that would be a good one. Riders of the Theli is a good one. Melez. I wouldn't recomend more than a couple per show though. Not unless they do a new album that sounds like the old stuff. Otherwise it just doesn't fit in with the set list or with the new fans as much. Anyway other than a few of the big hits from the past I don't think the old stuff was as good. There isn't room for it either. Too many albums to play from.

edit: why do most of the shows have a lot of Theli songs? It's a great album but its like most tours they play half the Theli album then the anniversary they did the whole album. I think its time to put Theli to rest and just play one or two songs from the album. Maybe take To Mega therion and make a shorter version of it and/or change it around a bit so its a different song every tour. then play like one other song from Theli. that would make room to play some other stuff.

Then only play a few songs that are always played. If you play Rise of Sodom then don't play Wine of Aluqua. If you play Son of the sun then don't play Lemuria. Instead put in some less heard songs on the ticket. Replace Son of the Sun with Melek Taus or something.

[danova]

They could change some long-time played songs, vary the thing a bit. Of course there is To Mega Therion which die-hard fans would be at least a bit pissed so to speak if by the end of the show they did not sing it (me completely agreeing with that).

[blackrose]

Yeah like every tour play to mega therion slightly differently. I like what they did with it in Live Gothic, but it was messed up somehow you couldn't hear the crowd. I don't know if they edited it or what.

Though I really love the crowd on celebrators version. None of the other crowds compare to the mexico city one. They have great energy and the crowd is big.

They also changed ginungigap on the anniversary tour- they added this cool effect on the guitars like from typhon. Makes it sound more chaos like and really goes with the song. They also altered son of the sun with the keyboards and all that. Some minor improvements on via nokturna.

I noticed a lot of the "symphony" on secret of the runes and some other albums clearly sounds like a keyboard and some of it gets annoying the way its played or there's too much in places. During the anniversary tour they fixed a lot of that with the keyboard player doing a great job.

But my thing is I like to have at least one live version of every song that I really really like. Which would be most of the songs, especially on the newer albums like secret of the runes and sirius b.

[nomoteticus]

Well, we did get a great chance to vote our playlist for the Anniversary tour. It's the closest we will get to consumer demand. And a few underplayed gems (Midgard, Kali Yuga, Via Nocturna) did make it on the tour. Not to mention the whole Theli album, Adulurna and Summernight City. And hearing Via Nocturna with an orchestra live in Bucharest was sublime. But the fans couldn't keep their clicks off 'Rise of Sodom','Lemuria', 'Son of The Sun', 'Arrows from the Sun', or 'Ginnungagap', so all the other neat songs didn't get played.

A nice alternate playlist for me would include Eye of Shiva, Crowning of Atlantis, From the Dyonissian days, Nifelheim, Ljusalfheim, Helheim, SoTR, Emerald Crown, Up to Netzach/Floating back, The Dreams of Swedenborg, Abraxas, Wondrous World of Punt, Symphony of the Dead (instrumental) and for the encore covers Here comes the tears and Crying days ('you and meeee....'). That would be a whole different Therion. I think Crowning of Atlantis and  A'arab zaraq are underrated albums, but I'm in the minority. And majority rules (when Chris wants it to).

But there might be a chance for these old songs to be played if Therion decide to make a Vovin or SotR anniversary tour (that would be sublime). Pink Floyd used to play whole albums from time to time, not just a few songs. Maiden did it too with the new album.

[blackrose]

I always thought something was wrong with those voting results. Then I understood it. I think most people voted for some songs that get played all the time and then a "different" song. Yet if I vote Eye of Shiva, and you vote Raven of Dispersion and so on then the votes for the underplayed songs are all over the place. That's why I put slash marks I wouldn't care which one it was. Like just about anything from sirius b or SOTRs that hasn't been played would be good. Same with GK.

Anyway I find myself exactly agreeing with you! All those songs are ones that I like. The same thing I like the lucid dreaming album especially the little parts they put between the songs (floating up the whatever you call it) and then crowning of atlantis is a good album that almost never gets played live. The title track crowning of atlantis and from dynosis days are two songs I really love.

Here come the tears that is an awsome song. Just back when they did it the band didn't sound as good. It would be a lot better to cover that now.