Encore

I went to a great concert last night (Over the Rhine) and at the end there was an encore. Not particularly surprising, and the musicians were expecting it (they didn't introduce the amazing drummer until the encore). After that, there was another encore. This was not as expected for the musicians (one was in the bathroom and didn't have her belt on when she came back). The group didn't have songs planned for the second encore. But they played one of their songs I am more familiar with, which was delightful.

But it got me thinking - when did the encore originate? From where? Does it exist everywhere (I'm assuming probably not. Concerts - as we think of them aren't universal)? If you were from another place, and had never heard of the idea of an encore, imagine how strange it would be. After a live show the performers leave. The audience claps and claps and the performers come out again and play a few more songs. And then they leave again. More clapping. They come back and play more. Very strange.