Printed on 8.5×11 or scribbled on a napkin. Painstakingly constructed or thrown together at the last minute.
Musicians’ setlists fall into two basic categories that could be said to align with Freud’s concept of anal fixation.
They can be faithful pre-creations of a performance, or merely a jumping-off point. They may list actual song titles or the performers’ pet names for songs. They can get pretty involved as far as font selection and stage directions.
The truly professional or daring or carefree call out songs as they come to mind, no need for an agenda. But it can always be written down afterward.
The setlist’s Platonic ideal is the album track listing, which is an itemized receipt not only for rehearsal and preparation, but also the extermination of mistakes and awkward pauses.
For some musicians a setlist is a locus of anxiety. It’s a treasure map, but one that implies every unseen pitfall. A flight simulator that actually takes off.
Presumably it’s different for those on the expulsive side of the equation.
But all musicians crave validation; they may even settle for acknowledgement. If the gig is the service rendered, then the setlist is the documentation: an invoice, a timeslip, a W2. Redeem this coupon at checkout for half off obscurity.
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