Bono and his incessant/inane chatter during concerts

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Zoomerang96

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I thought about putting this slightly more eloquently, but then thought better of it.

Listening to a couple of older bootlegs, it's somewhat jarring to hear Bono not talk over every quiet space over the course of a concert. I'm not sure when it started exactly, but for me it detracts from the experience to hear him drone on and on about whatever profound thought he feels the need to share at that moment.

It would be nice if Edge took him to the side and had a quiet word with him, reminding him that the rest of the band sound pretty good in their own right and don't need Bono talking over the intro to Streets, the bridge in UTEOTW, etc.

U2's songs speak for themselves, but it would appear as though Bono enjoys the sound of his own voice more than ever.

Anyone else feel that way? I would like to hear One, for example, without a 25 minute intro.
 
It is what it is. I usually tune it out, but there are a few instances where it makes me roll my eyes every time:

Breathe from the official 360 live release: "THREE HUNDRED SIXTY DEGREES! OHHHHHH!" Dude, we know. Shut up.

Kite from Australia (b-side of something): "CATE BLANCHETT." Yeah, thanks for that. I guess we all really needed to know she was there.


(The celeb shout-out isn't always bad - I was at one of the NYC Vertigo shows in 2005 and he gave Alicia Keys a shoutout, and I just screamed in glee because I was at a show where he said "Alicia, this is for you." THANK YOU I WILL TAKE IT.)
 
I have said here before, as big an ego as David Lee Roth has, he knows enough to shut his trap when Eddie Van Halen is playing a solo, Bono needs to learn the same.
 
i thought about putting this slightly more eloquently, but then thought better of it.

Listening to a couple of older bootlegs, it's somewhat jarring to hear bono not talk over every quiet space over the course of a concert. I'm not sure when it started exactly, but for me it detracts from the experience to hear him drone on and on about whatever profound thought he feels the need to share at that moment.

It would be nice if edge took him to the side and had a quiet word with him, reminding him that the rest of the band sound pretty good in their own right and don't need bono talking over the intro to streets, the bridge in uteotw, etc.

U2's songs speak for themselves, but it would appear as though bono enjoys the sound of his own voice more than ever.

Anyone else feel that way? I would like to hear one, for example, without a 25 minute intro.

Troll! Troll! Troll!
 
I'd say it's been a few tours since he's talked too much at the start of One. Seems to have gotten better since Vertigo, which was obnoxious levels of talk.
 
It is what it is. I usually tune it out, but there are a few instances where it makes me roll my eyes every time:

Breathe from the official 360 live release: "THREE HUNDRED SIXTY DEGREES! OHHHHHH!" Dude, we know. Shut up.

Kite from Australia (b-side of something): "CATE BLANCHETT." Yeah, thanks for that. I guess we all really needed to know she was there.


(The celeb shout-out isn't always bad - I was at one of the NYC Vertigo shows in 2005 and he gave Alicia Keys a shoutout, and I just screamed in glee because I was at a show where he said "Alicia, this is for you." THANK YOU I WILL TAKE IT.)

and it really was for you! don't let anyone tell you otherwise
 
Be nice if an adult started one

good lord.

trust me, i'm plenty overweight and grey to qualify as an adult, thank you very much. i also hate teenagers and anyone who steps on my lawn, and i've become so jaded and conservative in my advanced age, i consider republicans to be liberal, globalist sell-outs.

if i touched a nerve because i had the audacity to raise this extraordinarily important question with regards to bono, then i ever-so-sincerely do apologise.
 
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I, too, enjoy the banter usually. That is church for me, and he is Rev. Bono. Sometimes it is jibberjabber, but not every homily can be perfection.
 
Troll! Troll! Troll!

Lol he's been a member here for 17 years. You're too new to know this is a perfectly normal post for him.

And actually I agree. At my show these people behind me were like JUST SHUT UP AND PLAY MUSIC!! :lol:
 
I listened to the first 2 shows on Periscope. What was markedly striking to me was how little chatter there was with the JT set. He mostly let the songs do all the talking from Streets to Mothers. I'll take that deal. Even if there is plenty Bonoism otherwise. 'One' is his indulgence.

However, despite not listening to the full SC or LA shows, I've noticed in some of the latter clips he's yammering even during TJT. if it's a dedication to Chris Cornell, great. If it's just him talking to fill up space, it's annoying and the celeb shoutouts are far more than annoying.

Same is true on some of the later records. ATYCLB/HTDAAB in particular. You can barely find 10 seconds where he isn't breathing heavy or scatting or plastering himself all over the music. I don't think it was quite as bad on NLOTH or SOI.

But yeah, watch some late 80s clips in contrast. My theory is he knew how powerful that music was. Didn't have to 'sell' it. And I saw some of that in the earlier TJT sets that I saw. No bullshit runs, space-filling or forced sing-along stuff. Just natural. Even Exit feels tastefully restrained in a relative sense.
 
good lord.

trust me, i'm plenty overweight and grey to qualify as an adult, thank you very much. i also hate teenagers and anyone who steps on my lawn, and i've become so jaded and conservative in my advanced age, i consider republicans to be liberal, globalist sell-outs.

if i touched a nerve because i had the audacity to raise this extraordinarily important question with regards to bono, then i ever-so-sincerely do apologise.

Hahahahahahaha. You have no idea how many times I've called Bono a gormless cunt. Yet here you are, thinking I kiss his ass every night.

You've gone and had a cry about the first tour Bono has had the decency to shut up.

Good work mate.
 
The longest speeches were on Elevation and Vertigo, but it was 360 where Bono annoyed me the most. Every time Edge played a solo, there was Bono shouting something mindless over the top. He especially pissed me off during Magnificent.

This current tour has been OK so far, though oh god the encore really is just an extended speech put to music at this stage.
 
The longest speeches were on Elevation and Vertigo, but it was 360 where Bono annoyed me the most. Every time Edge played a solo, there was Bono shouting something mindless over the top. He especially pissed me off during Magnificent.



This. Let the band have their moments.
 
Vertigo was truly shocking. Even on the dvd... Miracle Drug has a fucking three-minute intro!!

Sicy, your signature pic is amazing!!! Did you take it?!
 
(The celeb shout-out isn't always bad - I was at one of the NYC Vertigo shows in 2005 and he gave Alicia Keys a shoutout, and I just screamed in glee because I was at a show where he said "Alicia, this is for you." THANK YOU I WILL TAKE IT.)

I remember at one of the London IE shows The Edge made a few mistakes, not song-stopping disasters but certainly some howlers. Late in the show, Bono dedicates a song to Jimmy Page and I thought that's got to be rough :lol: I know they're friends and Page has attended their shows before but of all the nights for him to be there.

Not that Page can claim to have had a spotless live history by any stretch!
 
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