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A few years ago, my Mom went to see Bob Dylan and came back complaining that he didn't play enough of his familiar hits. I know for sure that before that show, she had neither seen him live nor heard a new song of his for 30 years. His more devoted fans, on the other hand, would surely be more familiar with his recent work. I explained to her that the real fans, who support Bob Dylan more often than she does, probably don't want to hear the same thing every time he plays.
The way I see it, an artist can choose a set list with either the fans in mind or based on what they feel inspired to play. If they choose the former, I think the most devoted fans will want to hear new material. I've seen Sonic Youth at least one or two times on every tour since '93. I've already heard Teenage Riot, Schizophrenia, etc. multiples times. I don't want to see a show that focuses on the "classics." I'm really excited to find out how The Eternal sounds on stage, and if they can mix in a few oldies, that's great. I can understand that the casual or first-time fan wants to hear certain songs he's never heard before, but I suspect he is in the minority.
If a band chooses a setlist based on what they feel like playing, then it makes sense they would want to play new material. And as a fan, don't you want to see a band that feels inspired and which expresses something fresh? Or would you prefer to see a band just going through the motions and mechanically executing songs?
As for the first few shows on this tour, the only complaint I might have is that their selection of oldies could include some more songs they haven't played in a while. Starpower would be a hell of a lot more exciting than hearing The Sprawl for the fifth time in as many shows. But that's a fairly petty gripe. It's Sonic Fucking Youth, and I'm psyched as hell for tomorrow night!
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