Shakey Graves, the stage name of Americana musician Alejandro Rose-Garcia, is known for his high-energy live shows that blend folk, blues, and rock influences. For fans wondering just how long they can expect a typical Shakey Graves concert to last, the answer is generally between 1.5 to 2 hours.
Shakey Graves Concert Setlists
Looking at recent Shakey Graves setlists from his tour in support of his 2018 album “Can’t Wake Up” gives us a good sense of the length of his shows. The setlists from the 2018 tour show him playing between 16-20 songs per show, with the sets running anywhere from 1 hour and 15 minutes at the short end to 2 hours at the longer end.
For example, his set at the Oregon Zoo in Portland on August 21, 2018 included 19 songs and ran for 1 hour and 45 minutes. His performance at The Pageant in St. Louis on October 6, 2018 featured a 16 song setlist that lasted 1 hour and 30 minutes. And his Seattle show at The Showbox on August 29, 2018 included 20 songs over a span of 2 hours.
So while the exact number of songs and precise set length varies per show, a full headline set from Shakey Graves in recent years has tended to fall in the 1.5 to 2 hour range. That gives his fans a good idea of how much great music they can expect to hear when attending one of his concerts.
Average Setlist Length Over Time
Looking further back, Shakey Graves’ setlists were a bit shorter earlier in his career when he was supporting releases like his 2012 album “Roll the Bones” and 2015’s “And the War Came.” Back in 2012-2014 his set lengths skewed closer to the 1 to 1.5 hour range.
His setlist has grown as his catalog and popularity have increased over time. By 2015, his shows were averaging about 1.5 hours. And now with three full length albums and various EPs under his belt, his headline shows regularly cross the 2 hour mark in order to fit in career-spanning hits and tracks from newer releases.
Factors Impacting Set Length
There are a few key factors that account for show to show variations in Shakey Graves’ set lengths:
- Whether he is performing as a headliner or supporting act – Support slots are shorter.
- The size/type of venue – Club shows may be shorter than theater/arena shows to account for curfews.
- Festival appearances – Festival sets tend to be abbreviated versions of his full show.
- Geography – Cultural norms in some regions may lead to slightly shorter/longer shows.
So his headlining theater shows tend to be the longest, while one-off festival performances or opening sets will clock in on the shorter side. But most full headline sets these days fall into that 1.5 to 2 hour window.
Typical Set Section Breakdown
Within that 1.5 to 2 hour concert span, Shakey Graves’ shows are usually structured something like this:
- Opening: The show kicks off with a few high energy songs to get the crowd excited.
- Middle: This forms the meat of the set, mixing in hits with deeper album cuts.
- Acoustic interlude: Shakey often does a 2-3 song acoustic segment mid-set to showcase another side of his music.
- Closing: The last quarter of the show leans into big crowd favorites and singles to end on a high note.
- Encore: After a quick break, Shakey returns for a short 2-4 song encore.
This full arc allows him to take the audience through different sounds and dynamics over the course of the night. The acoustic portion provides a nice change of pace before ramping back up for a strong finish.
Notable Long and Short Shows
While most of Shakey Graves’ recent headlining shows have fallen into the 1.5 to 2 hour range, he has occasionally extended well beyond that for special occasions. Some notably long shows include:
- His 2018 New Year’s Eve show in Austin which spanned 3 full hours and included a guest appearance from Spoon.
- A 2 hour and 45 minute set at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in October 2018.
- A marathon 3 hour hometown finale show in Austin in December 2018 to cap a long year of touring behind “Can’t Wake Up.”
On the flip side, some of his shortest sets in recent years include festival appearances like his 50 minute set at Shaky Knees in Atlanta in May 2018 or a brief 35 minute opening slot for The Head and the Heart in August 2019.
So while 1.5 to 2 hours is typical, Shakey has occasionally stretched out for special residency shows or stripped things back for festival cameos. But his fans can generally bank on getting an hour and a half to two hours of his soulful, storytelling Americana rock whenever he comes to town.
Year | Show Location | Set Length |
---|---|---|
2018 | Portland, OR | 1 hr 45 min |
2018 | St. Louis, MO | 1 hr 30 min |
2018 | Seattle, WA | 2 hrs |
2018 | Nashville, TN | 2 hrs 45 min |
2018 | Austin, TX | 3 hrs |
2018 | Atlanta, GA | 50 min |
2019 | Opening set | 35 min |
Conclusion
To wrap up, Shakey Graves typically delivers 1.5 to 2 hours of his spirited, bluesy folk rock during his headlining shows. The exact set length varies a bit depending on the circumstances, with marathon 3 hour hometown shows at one end and abbreviated festival appearances at the other. But his devoted fans can generally expect to enjoy between 16-20 songs and around 100 minutes of Shakey’s dynamic live show when he comes through town.
The variety keeps each show feeling special, while the overall length provides enough time to really showcase the full range of his talents as a songwriter and showman. Those planning to catch one of Shakey’s upcoming tour stops can anticipate getting a hearty helping of his back catalog classics, deeper cuts, and winning stage banter throughout an energetic night of Americana music.