Question for long term u2 fans

[gman]

Hello and all that I was just watching a recording of SBS and UF from Barcelona 360 tour on u2ube.
And...not for the first time...i found it quite an uninspired performance. And i got to thinking, i remember witnessing u2 play these song like their lives depended on it. So my question is (to those who can go back to the 80s with u2) do you think the passion has gone from the performance from u2 now?

If I was asked to pick best versions of songs like SBS, Bad, WOWY, or anything up to AB...i would say the performances declined DRASTICALLY after Zoo TV. They dont seem to have that fire in their belly any longer.

 

[last unicorn]

Strangely, I just watched the performance from 2 July and thought it was awsome. They showed some support to the Iranian people. I thought the band did a great job.

But obviously we need another thread complaining that U2 don't have "it" any more live.

 

[gman]

Whos complaining? You seem very easily aggrivated by anyone who dares post anything that doesnt kiss u2s collective ass! Learn to roll with the punches....you will live longer!!
Anyhoo, Its called an observation/opinion....not a complaint! If it was a complaint...it would be very hypocritical of me to go and pay a lot of money to see the very thing am complaing about!

 

[Galeongirl]

Agreed. Especially with SBS and WOWY it just doesn't have the magic anymore. My favourite WOWY version was on ZooTv, and the worst to me was Vertigo. I haven't heard the bootlegs yet since I'm holding out, but I'll let you know how the 360 version was after saturday!
It just sounds like they feel like they 'have' to play the songs, and aren't even enjoying them anymore themselves. And the lack of Shine like Stars just screws WOWY out of a proper outro.

 

[gman]

Agreed. Especially with SBS and WOWY it just doesn't have the magic anymore.

Exact-a-flipppin-mundo!
Bono especially (as i have mentioned before) just seems to go through the motions and no longer puts feeling/emotion/effort into it these days.
Even Larrys drumming on UF from Barca didnt have the same passion and gusto of days gone by.

 

[BVS]

When the first rehearsal videos were posted I mentioned that for the first time in a long while SBS sounded like it had a new energy to it... Bono sounded great but it was especially Edge's harmonies that sounded amazing...

 

[gman]

I agree BVS that musically SBS is sounding good. But Bonos half hearted singing is taking the passion and anger away from what it used to be

 

[BVS]

Maybe we're listening to different versions...

http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f306/sunday-bloody-sunday-198798.html

 

[Vlad n U 2]

I personally thought Unforgettable Fire sounded excellent, so I have no problem how that's been performed. With or Without You however, should take a long break from the setlist. As for the passion, Ultraviolet seems to have oodles of it.

 

[zwervers2]

The idea of linking SBS to Iran is actually pretty smart and very good. The problem with SBS post 80's is the total lack of passion in comparrison to the 80's versions of Bono. it just isnt the same as it used to be. SBS is actualy quit good though(surprisingly) musically but the rage, the pure anger in that time that gave this song it's legendary status is gone. Now it feels like a "lets please the crowd singalong" song.

Eventhough they wrote it they should have never been allowed to play WOWY again after the ZOOTV-erea. Period.

UF sounds realy good I think

 

[mikal]

after watching the YouTube clips and listening to bootlegs, the only song that i think truly lacks passion is WOWY. Pride and SBS have a new energy, imo.

WOWY either needs a kick in the butt or it needs to be dropped though. i'd rather have this encore:

Ultraviolet
Moment Of Surrender
Bad

 

[Vlad n U 2]

after watching the YouTube clips and listening to bootlegs, the only song that i think truly lacks passion is WOWY. Pride and SBS have a new energy, imo.

WOWY either needs a kick in the butt or it needs to be dropped though. i'd rather have this encore:

Ultraviolet
Moment Of Surrender
Bad

Yep, that'd be a brilliant encore.

 

[rastacruz]

I've been seeing shows since 1984. I'll reserve judgement until I see a 360 show this fall.

But I will say the band was still playing for their lives on the Unforgettable Fire tour, even early on Joshua Tree tour before the explosion of popularity.

I personally don't have the same energy I had in the '80s and the band members are a few years older than me so I can see where Father Time might have something to do with it. That being said, I'd probably stop going to shows if the '80s catalog was ignored. It will always be my favorite U2 "era".

 

[An Cat Gav]

I guess they have to include SBS in the set as Bono needs a strong political song in there seeing as they've taken Bullet The Blue Sky out of the set. I'm one of the few people that was perfectly happy with Bullet, I'd much prefer it to SBS.
I guess it's hard to be as passionate about a song 26 years after they first recorded it, the new songs sound great and the old ones less so, I suppose that's natural. From most other reports I've heard TUF sounds great on this tour, I'll reserve judgement until I see the tour myself.

 

[ramblin rose]

Yeah, I agree. As a fan whose seen every tour except October and Lovetown, I don't think they are singing these songs like their life depends on it.

On the other hand, I do think they're singing Breathe, GOYB, Magnificent, NLOTH, Crazy Tonight and MOS like their life depends on it.

Maybe they don't feel like their life depends on these older songs anymore.

 

[popacrobat]

after watching the YouTube clips and listening to bootlegs, the only song that i think truly lacks passion is WOWY. Pride and SBS have a new energy, imo.

WOWY either needs a kick in the butt or it needs to be dropped though. i'd rather have this encore:

Ultraviolet
Moment Of Surrender
Bad

id flip Bad and Moment of Surrender, but yeah, I'd agree with that.

 

[Ellay]

Maybe they've got too comfortable with the older songs that's they've played a hell of a a lot of times.

Ultra violet's an older song for example, but because they've had to start again and re-work it, they've got the passion back for it

 

[Boozyuzi]

I've been going since 1983 and the pace of all the songs was a lot quicker back then. It was all out attack !!!!

Try listening to Pride from the Glasgow Barrowlands show in November 1984 and you will see what I mean. U2 playing UF songs indoors in a 2,000 capacity sweatpit. Magic.

No stalling for time with un-needed speeches either....

 

[Silver'nGold]

Agreed. Especially with SBS and WOWY it just doesn't have the magic anymore. .

I will reserve judgement for the 360 version until I see it live but....from what I saw,I might have to agree.
WOWY sounds like they want to get thru it and move on. The passion seems to be diminished.If that is the case, please move on guys and leave it out until it can be preformed as it deserves. IMHO.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

When you've performed any song for that many years I would imagine it would be difficult to muster up the original level of enthusiasm

 

[jameskinsella]

In regards to SBS, it is probably hard to put the same passion into it when the specific situation that the song refers to no longer exists!