When fans shout for songs we never planned to play
Every band has a moment where the printed setlist doesn't match what the crowd actually wants. Saving Abel has spent years refining how those moments get handled, especially during long runs through cities where fans hold their own deep cuts close.
In places like Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart, audiences are vocal about the older tracks, often bringing homemade signs or shouting requests between songs. Even in Sydney, where crowds expect bigger productions, the shout-outs for deep cuts still cut through.
These requests aren't noise to be ignored. They're a live conversation between the stage and the floor, and they shape how every show is planned.
Reading the room before the first note
A setlist for a Saving Abel show isn't a fixed contract. It's a working draft that gets adjusted the moment the doors open and the first wave of fans walks in. The merch table tells part of the story. Old tour shirts mean the long-time fans showed up early, and those are the people most likely to request tracks from the early records.
Soundcheck becomes a quiet rehearsal of what the night might hold. If the venue crew mentions hearing fans singing along to a particular album track outside the Enmore Theatre or the Forum in Melbourne, that conversation finds its way to the stage. By the time the lights drop, there's a rough sense of which deep cuts might land and which would clear the room.
What happens when a request comes mid-set
Sometimes a fan shouts something between songs, and the band has to decide in a breath whether to try it or move on. The song has to be in a key someone can actually sing that night. The drummer has to remember the bridge, and the guitar tech needs the right pickup ready.
If a track hasn't been rehearsed in a long time, playing it live can sound thin, which isn't fair to the song or the person who asked. Some songs also have arrangement changes that were made years ago and never updated on paper. Pulling one of those out at a Sydney show without rehearsal is a gamble. In those moments, the band usually says "we'll get that one for you next time" and means it, because those requests end up on the next setlist when there's time to learn them.
When a request becomes the highlight of the night
Other requests are for songs already known cold, even if they weren't planned for that show. That's when the night shifts. A few bars of an unexpected older single can turn a solid show into something people talk about for years, especially in a smaller city like Newcastle or Wollongong where the crowd feels closer.
One story that captures this perfectly lives on our journal: that fan's journey. That kind of loyalty is why those off-list moments mean something.
A running note gets kept of every request, sorted by city and frequency. If three Australian fans in three cities ask for the same deep cut in the same week, that's a clear signal the song wants another life on stage.
Building tomorrow's setlist from tonight's requests
After every show, the setlist gets a quiet debrief. Requests that came up multiple times get flagged, and the ones that follow the band from Melbourne to Brisbane to Perth get added to the rehearsal pile before the next run.
How requests get logged:
- Handwritten list lives in the tour bus, refreshed each morning.
- Songs requested in three or more cities get bumped to active rehearsal.
- Tracks we can't deliver live get saved for a stripped-down acoustic slot.
What shapes the next setlist:
- Recurring requests across tour legs win a printed spot.
- Fan-voted openers on social media influence the first three songs.
- City-specific shoutouts become easter eggs for return shows.
- Long-running requests finally get the rehearsal they were promised.
The Tivoli, The Triffid, and even a country show at a footy club outside Bendigo have all produced requests that shaped the next night's plan.
Comparing the moments that change a set
Not every request lands the same way. Here's how the situations usually break down across an Australian tour:
| Situation | Typical response | What fans usually notice |
|---|---|---|
| A song already rehearsed but off the list | Played live, sometimes mid-set | A spontaneous deep cut that wasn't advertised |
| A song requested by one fan in one city | Thanked and noted for the next tour | A nod, a smile, and the promise to learn it |
| A song requested in multiple cities | Bumped to active rehearsal within a week | A return to the setlist within the next leg |
| A song we genuinely can't play live | Quietly archived | An honest "not tonight" with no broken promises |
The fans who shout for songs the band never planned to play are part of what keeps Saving Abel touring Australia. Every shouted title, every handmade sign held up during the bridge, and every DM sent between shows is part of a conversation that matters more than a clean setlist.
Some end up on stage within a week. Others sit in a notebook for years before finding the right moment. Both kinds matter, and both keep the band honest about what the music actually means to the people who showed up. If you're heading to a show soon, bring the signs, shout the requests, and know that someone backstage is writing it all down. Grab tickets to a date near you and come ready to make some noise between songs.
