Encore!

Maybe I'm making this up in my head, but I feel like when I first started going to concerts, encores were not an expected thing.  I feel like the show would finish and *IF* the crowd wanted it enough, they'd applaud and cheer and keep going until either the lights came up or the performers came out and did another song or two.  I always felt like it was a sort of "Aw, man?  You liked us that much?  Well ok then!"

Now it seems like encores are an expected part of the show.  That everyone knows they'll happen and that makes it less special, for me at least.

As I said, maybe I'm naive and encores were always planned.  I know set lists these days have the encores built in to them and that bums me out.  Maybe they always have.  But in my mind the band would be backstage like "oh shit, they're not stopping, what should we play?  Uh... this song and that song?" 

I think I'll stick to that story in my head, even if it was never true.  But still... I feel like a true encore is encouraged by an absolutely thrilled crowd, and I'm curious if a planned encore (by the band) ever doesn't happen because the crowd is like... meh?