How Long Is The Postal Service Concert?
How Many Minutes and Seconds Do Postal Service Concerts Last?
The Postal Service, an electronic/indie rock duo band formed by Benjamin Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello, is famous for its entertaining but not very long performances. If you are a fan of the Postal Service and planning on attending one of their future gigs, you might be wondering how long the concert lasts—how much time you will spend on the dance floor and singing along. The good news is that even enthusiasts do not get exhausted during Postal Service’s concert, even though they are excited.
On average, most Postal Service concerts take about 60 to 90 minutes of performance from the time they commence. In more detail, a set consists of approximately 13 to 15 songs or roughly an hour and fifteen minutes of play time. This is still quite low for concerts in general, but is more reasonable for indie concerts in particular. It enables the band to arrive, perform their best upbeat songs, and end on a positive note before it becomes monotonous or boring.
Earlier postal shows were even more brief.
I must admit that things have not always been like this. In the first tour in 2003/2004, after the release of the extremely popular album Give Up, Postal Service performances were much shorter. Sets were limited to around 9 or 10 songs and a total of 45 minutes during these early years. People left satisfied as Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello are still working out the kinks on a live setting.
When the band went on reunion tours for the second time in 2013 and the third time in 2022, they added more GIVE UP songs to play. They also did new versions of other songs and remixes of old songs as well. It has become common for a Postal Service show to last over an hour as the audience gets almost all the material the band has recorded in order. The current tour in relation to the 20th anniversary of Give Up has the longest concerts yet, which last about 15 songs per show.
The Relative Shortness Can Be a Good Thing
Some bands boast about performing 2-3 hour-long concerts with special reprise, but in this case, the Postal Service’s half-hour-less performance is not a disadvantage. It ensures that those in the small clubs can get their fix without getting bored with the music played. The set stops while it is still fun and exciting. Many fans leave with the desire to have more shows instead of the concert lasting for eternity and finally being over.
shorter sets also suit the band’s simpler musical formats or production since complex production would require more airtime. This is not to say that extended jams or the use of instrument solos are not present in the Postal Service music; however, they are not as pronounced as they are in other genres, such as funk, electronica, or progressive rock, where bands are apt to play longer sets. Their indie pop musical arrangements have specifically contained forms that can play for only several minutes at most.
Another is additional opportunities for the supporting acts beloved by fans that The Postal Service tours with. Extended headlining performances would entail less time for the selected small artists to perform their music every night. Shorter Postal Service concerts also make sure that the fans get a nice glimpse of the next big group as well. People got to discover new bands that they found interesting due to these 60- to 90-minute shows.
Set times may vary depending on the specific venue or city.
However, it is important to note that while the ideal duration of a postal Postal Service set is between 60 and 90 minutes, there may be slight variations to either be higher or lower depending on the day of the week or the city. Arena concerts are usually longer than club concerts because they have to entertain many people. There also seems to be an attempt for the band to repay markets which seem to have embraced the band and where it may have a richer history or a more enthusiastic fan base.
For instance, during the 2013 reunion tour, Seattle audiences were treated to an extra-special 19-song set. This may have been the band’s way of paying back the city where the early life and career of Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard started. However, dates in some foreign countries or during festivals where time constraints are more rigid have witnessed slightly shortened 10- or 12-song high-energy sets.
The Final Word on Postal Service Concert Length
In the end, it isn’t about how many songs or even the exact number of minutes in front of the audience when it comes to a band like The Postal Service. The short sets are clearly deliberate so that audiences can get their fix of the nostalgic electronic pop hits without the fluff. Those who have seen the band perform are fully satisfied. The biggest complaint is often as basic as wanting more once the houselights come up, signaling the end of the show. But perhaps that optimistic sentiment of leaving the audience wanting for more and looking forward to another visit some other day is what The Postal Service had in mind. The concerts remain short, to the point allowing the band to leave on that high note and fans are eager to share the joy of the performance once again in the future.
