Numb sounds awesome live, BUT...

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ChargedVT

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... it really isn't live, most of it. Firstly, why just play Bono's pre-recorded parts when he's right there and able to sing them? The keyboard I can understand being pre-recorded, although Edge could manage that considering the keyboard and guitar aren't playing at the same time. But then after seeing the video from Dublin '93 I can see that for most of the song Adam isn't even playing bass, just doing the odd bass drop here and there, with some kind of synth bass playing instead. I'm sure he can manage such a simple bass line!
Having said all that, I think it still sounds cool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soCsGd_wG1E
 
This always drove me nuts as well! When I was 13 all those years ago, I would watch live from Sydney at least once a week, and I usually fast forwarded this part. The Sydney video doesn't even lead us to believe Adam is even on the stage for the song, although other performances have shown that he is there.

I'm sure the hallways were always FLOODED with people going to the bathroom during this song. Boring song with Bono not onstage with mostly pre-recorded music... ugh.
 
None of the Zooropa songs on the ZOOTV tour sound particularly good, so why should Numb be any exception.

I really wish they'd release a pre-Zooropa, Inside Broadcast ZOOTV show on video. But since it wasn't in the AB set, it's unlikely we'll see such a thing for a while.
 
Dirty Day, Stay, Lemon and Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car all sounded great. Zooropa was a far more successful live album than one would think.
 
The thing about Numb is it really could be a solo Edge number. Like VDL. If Edge had made a solo album in the Nineties, Numb would be the kind of song you'd expect. You could imagine Larry being substituted for a drum machine, the bass line is very simple and Edge could probably sing Bono's part himself. So I don't have a problem with the live performance of it.
 
Firstly, why just play Bono's pre-recorded parts when he's right there and able to sing them?

I think one of the reasons why they played the song live in the first place was to be able to give Bono's voice a short break. If that was the case, then that could be a plausible reason. :shrug:
 
I think they didn't want to steal the spotlight from Edge by having Bono on stage at the same time for that particular song.
 
I didn't think Numb worked live. Edge's vocal didn't sound great for starters. But you're right, the fact that most of it was pre-recorded kinda sucks as well.
 
I don't think Numb was really ever meant to be a big song live. Bono got a short break during that song.
 
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