So, I feel like the real question is......what is more important to a listener, the band and performance, or the particular music within any one show. For me, definitely the band and performance. I continue to catch Two Cow quite often, but I have to admit disappointment that I'm rarely hearing any of the earlier material. I can imagine several reasons why that is, but it doesn't matter. I see it as their choice for the moment. I'm not interested in live music at a level where a band's intent is to craft and deliver whatever they think the audience wants to hear (I think that this tends to be roughly analogous with venue size, but not completely). I think that's the difference between musical art and musical entertainment. A movie is pre-constructed. I can enjoy it for the story it delivers, and/or how it's delivered. But it's the exact same package for everyone else that sees the same movie, no matter when or where. I love the spontaneity potential live music performance offers, and that each one is unique (or at least has the potential; you don't know until it goes down). Some will be better, some worse. If Micah, or whoever, is playing what they want, I have to think the delivery will be more authentic, and in turn reflect however they are feeling at the time (and reacting to the audience at the time). I'd rather have the authentic show with material I was less jizzed about than my favorite tracks lined up all nice like.
Specifically, if a set list was available ahead of time, I just wouldn't look. But amongst the kinds of bands I see, I don't see that happening anyway.
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