Visuals on the next tour? NIN think they know what they'll look like...

[ascender_RS]

I was reading this article about how they're doing the visuals on the current NIN tour. You can see some highlights of them here, IMO they're absolutely stunning and has definitely raised the bar for live shows.

Anyway, at the bottom of the first article there's a comment from Trent Reznor which made me laugh.

There are also talks between NIN and director James Cameron to film the show in 3-D ("to at least have proof when U2 rips us off next year that we did it first," Reznor says), ...

Which i turn made me think that I can't wait to see exactly what U2 do this time round. Hopefully something groundbreaking that's never been seen before.

 

[Dusty Bottoms]

thats pretty sweet

 

[perrypickwick]

I'm impressed - I really never liked NIN - but this ist just great, fantastic!
Hope U2 go this way...

and "Barco" (mentionend in the text) also delivered the LED-Things for the last U2 tour - so I think it really could go in this direction.

 

[VonBono]

Trent Reznor is a perfectionist. If U2 did something half as good as this it would be a start in the right direction....

 

[BVS]

Between NIN and Radiohead the bar has been raised as far as the visual is concerned, it will be interesting to see what they do...

 

[doctorwho]

Am I missing something? U2 ripping off NIN? Did NIN have the giant PopMart screen? I doubt it as U2 were the first in the world with that. Granted the heart and oval weren't new ideas, but NIN didn't come up with that either. And it looks like NIN is just using the next version of the screen curtain that U2 used last year.

So while these are fun visuals, they simply seem to be the next level up from what's already been done by U2 and others.

 

[MikeyJB]

I adore NIN and those visuals really have pushed the envelope in terms of further combining video, lights and live performance. They appear quite complex to operate, since NIN have had to postpone a whole series of dates in South America at the moment cos of technical problems!

The ball is in U2's court now I think to really expand on all the new technology, and it sounds like Trent definitely expects them to.

 

[last unicorn]

Well, to be honest, I want U2 to have a SIMPLE tour concept next time with a lot of spontaneity, changing setlists, not too complex visuals and gadgets. For a change, it would be really nice seeing them get more intimate again. I adore their bombastic tour conceps and found their shows breathtaking, but since U2 seem to have done almost everyhing in this field I think they should surprise people by going back to basics and put the music in the center again. I also would like to see this because I think they should just not live up to the expectations everyone seems to have. Whenever another act or band comes up with something exciting, fans are like: Oh my God, U2 have to beat that, they have to be better than that. It must suck always having people expecting you to be better and bigger than anyone. Personally, I would love to see a really stripped down tour concept from U2 next time.

 

[digitize]

However good NIN's visuals may be, their music still sucks. Although I'd like a tour with amazing visuals, even if that doesn't happen, I know the tour will at least have good music.

 

[Dusty Bottoms]

Well, to be honest, I want U2 to have a SIMPLE tour concept next time with a lot of spontaneity, changing setlists, not too complex visuals and gadgets. For a change, it would be really nice seeing them get more intimate again. I adore their bombastic tour conceps and found their shows breathtaking, but since U2 seem to have done almost everyhing in this field I think they should surprise people by going back to basics and put the music in the center again. I also would like to see this because I think they should just not live up to the expectations everyone seems to have. Whenever another act or band comes up with something exciting, fans are like: Oh my God, U2 have to beat that, they have to be better than that. It must suck always having people expecting you to be better and bigger than anyone. Personally, I would love to see a really stripped down tour concept from U2 next time.

wasnt the elevation tour them getting back to the basics and more intimate?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Well, to be honest, I want U2 to have a SIMPLE tour concept next time with a lot of spontaneity, changing setlists, not too complex visuals and gadgets. For a change, it would be really nice seeing them get more intimate again. I adore their bombastic tour conceps and found their shows breathtaking, but since U2 seem to have done almost everyhing in this field I think they should surprise people by going back to basics and put the music in the center again. I also would like to see this because I think they should just not live up to the expectations everyone seems to have. Whenever another act or band comes up with something exciting, fans are like: Oh my God, U2 have to beat that, they have to be better than that. It must suck always having people expecting you to be better and bigger than anyone. Personally, I would love to see a really stripped down tour concept from U2 next time.

umm... isn't that what we just had... simple, stripped down... on the last two tours?

we'd all love to see 'em play an acoustic set at the local pub but i doubt they'd be able to fit 20,000 people in there. i don't exactly know how much more stripped down you want them to get.

 

[last unicorn]

Yes, I'd like U2 to make something like that again. The Vertigo tour had both: Great visuals and they focused on the music, but I think whatever they will come up with for the next tour, people will still expect more. A lot of fans have been complaining that the Vertigo stage was too similar to the Elevation stage, while I thought it was a very good stage setting and I really don't care if the elipse looks like the Elevation heart. I don't know what they have to come up with next, I like U2 to have a stage that brings them close to the fans, but I also like if they have a "simpler" setting that allows them to concentrate on the music more. But we'll see. What I really liked on the last tour were the LED curtains, simply because they looked awsome. I think U2 could surprise both fans and public in a positive way if they decided just to play music again and perform as a band for the next tour instead of having another bombastic setting.

 

[last unicorn]

umm... isn't that what we just had... simple, stripped down... on the last two tours?

we'd all love to see 'em play an acoustic set at the local pub but i doubt they'd be able to fit 20,000 people in there. i don't exactly know how much more stripped down you want them to get.

Errr, I don't exactly consider the Vertigo tour "stripped down", honestly.
I mean, ok, compared to ZooTV and PopMart it certainly is, but compared to other bands' shows it isn't.
U2 should stop trying to compete with themselves all the time.
Sometimes I feel musicians, especially if they are internationally successful and "big", are expected to be bigger and better when it comes to spectacular shows. It's ok for someone like Madonna, whose concert is more like a broadway show and who is not really considered a "musician", but sometimes I wonder if all the hype doesn't distract from the one thing that should be in the center: The music.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i see we have vastly different definitions of stripped down.

i'd love to see u2 have rotating setlists and play any song they've ever done at any time... but we all know that's never gonna happen, so i'd prefer they go the other way and have one more multimedia blowout shit show clusterfuckorama spectacular.

 

[U2girl]

Vertigo setlists were fine. Frankly I don't need to see Zoo TV 2.0.

 

[U2girl]

And it looks like NIN is just using the next version of the screen curtain that U2 used last year.

So while these are fun visuals, they simply seem to be the next level up from what's already been done by U2 and others.

1:45 moment in the video - Radiohead's House of cards video effect.

 

[Rob33]

Actually...I'd like a ZooTV Supersized X 20 on the next tour....that makes ZooTV look like a little pub

 

[the tourist]

Actually...I'd like a ZooTV Supersized X 20 on the next tour....that makes ZooTV look like a little pub

That'd be wonderful. Just like Popmart, the shows wouldn't sell out at all locations and therefore more people would be able to go. The sound, of course, would suck, as the venues would have to be gigantic. But y'know, visuals make the concert and all that jazz.

 

[purpleoscar]

Well, to be honest, I want U2 to have a SIMPLE tour concept next time with a lot of spontaneity, changing setlists, not too complex visuals and gadgets. For a change, it would be really nice seeing them get more intimate again. I adore their bombastic tour conceps and found their shows breathtaking, but since U2 seem to have done almost everyhing in this field I think they should surprise people by going back to basics and put the music in the center again. I also would like to see this because I think they should just not live up to the expectations everyone seems to have. Whenever another act or band comes up with something exciting, fans are like: Oh my God, U2 have to beat that, they have to be better than that. It must suck always having people expecting you to be better and bigger than anyone. Personally, I would love to see a really stripped down tour concept from U2 next time.

U2 are feeling the pressure. Lots of bands are trying to push U2 off "the pedestal". It's happened before but U2 are very competitive still.

We'll see in January how it all shakes up.

 

[bono_man]

I think the band will move away from the whole big video show idea this time round into new territory.

 

[kingofsorrow]

And it looks like NIN is just using the next version of the screen curtain that U2 used last year.

u2's curtain was an adaptation of the LED curtains being used by japanese artist for almost 2 yrs before u2 used it. compared to the jpop artists', u2's version was cheesy and cheap looking. not too mention the design they went with limited the visiual capabilities of the format. even when they took "vertigo" to the stadiums and utilized the more up to date SMT LED's they went with a cheap design/layout.
NIN use of the format has truly taken it too it's limits.

 

[Dusty Bottoms]

yeah the light curtains, while good in theory, weren't all that great

the airplane during btbs was like watching an old school nintendo game

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I think the band will move away from the whole big video show idea this time round into new territory.

... puppets?

 

[pepokiss]

 

[Rob33]

That'd be wonderful. Just like Popmart, the shows wouldn't sell out at all locations and therefore more people would be able to go. The sound, of course, would suck, as the venues would have to be gigantic. But y'know, visuals make the concert and all that jazz.

Exactly.

No...seriously though, I'd like something epic a la ZooTV on the upcoming tour...definitely not stripped down...we saw that on the Elevation Tour and it worked, I guess..but we've been there done that...I don't think U2 are interested in doing that again either

 

[david]

The thing though is watching that video. People really seem to cheer only at things that happen on a screen. U2, during the Joshua Tree, got people to cheer like that from just performing their songs.

 

[kingofsorrow]

... puppets?

sock puppets. remember they had gigantic paper mache(spl?) heads on the ZOO TV tour.

 

[ntalwar]

The NIN format won't work for U2 - the lights on the performers are either dark or strobe. Most people would prefer to see the band members (with standard lighting).

 

[vertpomme]

The NIN format won't work for U2 - the lights on the performers are either dark or strobe. Most people would prefer to see the band members (with standard lighting).

Not sure how many NIN shows you've been to, but they aren't always in
the dark or strobe. I've personally never had a problem seeing the
NIN band members at any of their shows, and I've been to many.

When it comes to NIN concerts, the lighting and effects, if you will, are
always out of this world. The "Lights Over. . . " tour was one of the
most visually stimulating concerts I have ever attended. Don't get
me wrong, ZooTV and Popmart were very visually stimulating and
fantastic, but they are almost sensory overkill.

IMHO, what made those tours so fabulous was not necessarily
the visuals but the performances, the energy the band exuded.
If U2 could take part of what NIN has done and combine it with
that ZooTV/Popmart era energy, the next tour would be amazing.

 

[U2girl]

The last bit of info on the new U2 tour was it's something different than anything they've done in the past.