Finding and Adding Setlists to Your Concert Journal

Concert setlists are more than just a list of songs—they're the blueprint of your live music experience. They help you relive the show's emotional arc, from the explosive opener to the encore that left you speechless. But memory is fleeting, and capturing every song in order can be challenging, even immediately after the show.

Why Preserve Setlists?

• They provide context for your concert memories
• Help track how artists evolve their live performances over time
• Document rare or unique song performances
• Enable comparison between different tours or eras
• Add historical value to your concert documentation

How to Find Setlists for Your Concert Journal

1. setlist.fm

The most comprehensive resource for concert setlists:

• Search by artist, date, and venue
• Community-maintained with high accuracy
• Includes notes about special moments or variations
• Contains historical setlists dating back decades
• Free to access and regularly updated

2. Alternative Sources

• Artist fan forums and social media groups
• Concert reviews in local newspapers (especially useful for older shows)
• YouTube videos of the full concert
• Artist's official social media posts (some share setlists after shows)
• Fan-shot videos on social platforms (to piece together the order)

Tips for Current Concert Documentation

For recent or upcoming shows, a bit of preparation goes a long way. Consider keeping brief notes during the concert—just song titles or key lyrics can help jog your memory later. Voice memos between songs can also be helpful, though be mindful of other concert-goers.

Remember, your concert journal is a personal time capsule. Even if you can't reconstruct every detail of a setlist, documenting what you do remember, along with your experiences and emotions, creates a meaningful record of your concert experiences. The setlist serves as the backbone of your memory, while your personal reflections bring the show back to life.

Your goal isn't just to create a factual record—it's to preserve the magic of live music in a way that lets you revisit these special moments for years to come.