The ABC has a strong tradition of music-related TV shows
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Obviously, at the top of the tree is a little show that used to be on at 6pm every Sunday called Countdown.
In this era of streaming content so you can watch it whenever the hell you want, it’s hard to remember a time when hundreds of thousands of people would be watching a show at the same time as you.
That’s what Countdown was like – you knew not to call your friends at 6pm on Sunday because they'd be watching it. The next day you'd head to school and talk about the bands that were on that episode.
The national broadcaster has had other quality music shows as well, like Beatbox and Recovery.
The latest ABC music show is modelled after the latter. The Set screens on Wednesday nights at 9.30pm.
It fills in a rather large gap, given the bulk of music-related TV these days is just video channels.
The concept behind The Set is that it’s a house party where the bands perform in the “back yard" before coming into the “kitchen” to be interviewed by hosts Linda Marigliano and Dylan Alcott – both from triple j.
Each week a headliner performs and they pick two other artists for the show – at the end they all perform a tune together.
It’s only early days for the show but there are a few kinks that really need to be worked out.
For instance, in the two episodes I've watched the hosts are moving through the crowd and talking, but the mob is so loud I’ve missed every third or fourth word.
Then there’s the segment where the bands are forced to paint something on a large sheet lying on the ground. Yeah, like a kids’ craft show.
It didn't work in the first episode and I was genuinely surprised to see it return in the second.
In a show that’s just a half-hour long, it doesn't make sense to waste any airtime. That’s what the art segment is – a waste of time.
The format of having a headline act each episode can either be a win or a loss, depending on your perspective.
If you’re a fan of the band then you’ll love the half-hour show, but if you’re not then there’s not really much point in tuning in.