There are two types of people. People who stay for the encore and people like US comedian Marc Maron who see the encore as your ticket out.
In his recent Netflix special he confessed to leaving the Rolling Stones before the gig had officially finished, something a hard core Stones fan would cite as sacrilege. But the dude made it to the car. He won. He got to see the Stones and he got home before everyone else.
There’s only one thing better than seeing your favourite band. It’s getting home and telling everyone on Facebook what a great night you had seeing your favourite band live.
It’s a little embarrassing when you get comments back from the stalwarts still at the gig giving you stick for ducking out. But rewarding a few hours later when you see pics of them stuck in the exit queue of the car park. LOL. Smiley Laughing Face. For three hours. Angry face. Laughing Face.
That’s better then hearing ‘Satisfaction’ live.
It’s Delayed Satisfaction which in my world is right up there with delayed gratification. I always leave concerts at the encore. They might as well hold up a sign that says ‘Middle Aged Person’s Departure Time’.
I worry about parking a lot more now than I used to. And gridlock. I am closer to death than people in their 20s and I don’t want to lose any more hours stuck in traffic.
I guess leaving at encore could be compared to skiving off towards the end of a sexual romp when your partner has just ducked out to the loo. I’ve done that too. I mean, I’m nearly 50, so to give me some ‘Satisfaction’ you want to play your best stuff up the front of the set. I wouldn’t be keeping those hits for the big finish mate. Stop dragging it out.
My ideal live gig (and sexual liaison), would actually have several encores, so we could stagger the leaving process. Perhaps the band could go off after every song and then come back on to a constantly dwindling audience. In the end they’d be left with just three blokes who’d walked there.