Steve (Hollow Earth, vocals)
SPB: What do you think of bands playing albums in their entirety as a tour concept?
Steve: I personally think it's great! In 2008 one of my all-time favorite bands, Local H, played 7 nights in a row in their hometown of Chicago to commemorate the release of their then new album. In chronological order they played all five of their studio albums in their entirety, left night 6 for b-sides and rarities, and on the 7th night played the new album front to back on the eve of its release. As a fan, I couldn't have asked for more! That'll easily go down as one of the most memorable experiences for me. And for bands that tour consistently, why not? I see no harm in giving people more motivation to come out and see a band they've already seen before. Of course you do run the risk of alienating people who may not be particularly fond of said album, but I truly think at the end of the day true music fans will largely be appreciative. As a guy who has repeatedly gotten into bands long after I wish I had, or even bands that may have been a bit before my time... I love the idea of being afforded the opportunity to hear some of those deep cuts I thought I'd never hear! I've never really been a fan of songs that only get recorded and never see the stage. Doing full album tours forces bands to dust off those potentially neglected gems. When Hollow Earth formed, we often played our entire EP from front to back, but that's because we didn't have any other songs! Haha, does that count?!
