Which of the 3 Sydney shows will have the better set?

[Arcadion]

I'm a little disappointed that the 2nd and 3rd shows were scheduled AFTER the 1st.

Knowing my luck, the 1st show will be standard and the 2nd and 3rd will get OOTS and some new songs

Why can't they make them all as good as each other?

 

[coolian2]

Because good is objective.

What i think is good you might think is rubbish.

 

[Axver]

If you define 'good' as being 'not the standard set' and 'mixing it up a bit', it is highly likely that the third will have the most mixed-up and non-standard set of the three.

 

[Muad'zin]

When its setlist variation you crave and ache for a setlist surprise your best money is usually night 3 or beyond. Amsterdam 3 had 3 different songs from night 1. And Dublin 3

On the other hand, I thought that during Elevation Arnhem 2 was better then Arnhem 3. And the multiple night variation of Vertigo leg 3 wasn't that great.

So any decision on which night to attend is purely on your own risk.

 

[YBORCITY]

fourth

 

[Arcadion]

If you define 'good' as being 'not the standard set' and 'mixing it up a bit'

Yep and also not having Vertigox3 and playing Bad.

So have there been any exceptions to this "rule" so far?

 

[Arcadion]

Because good is objective.

What i think is good you might think is rubbish.

I think we can all agree that having Bad on the setlist improves it a lot

 

[coolian2]

I think we can all agree that having Bad on the setlist improves it a lot

Its in my dream Auckland setlist, thats for sure.

 

[Axver]

So have there been any exceptions to this "rule" so far?

Kind of depends. It's a pretty hard "rule" to really define; the five night stand in NYC last October was a bit of a disappointment by the "things get more varied if there are 3+ shows" rule (especially in light of the night four sets in Chicago and Boston on Elevation), but there were still changes between each show.

Vertigo x2 has tended to crop up at the last show in a city on this tour, except for the three shows in Amsterdam where Vertigo x2 was done at the first two shows and not the third.

 

[jimjam]

Just because the set is Standard doesnt mean it wont be good.

In Europe during the Second Leg, it came to a point where the band didnt change their setlist and it was bashed here by people in other continents and those who didnt go to the actual shows, but most people who went to the concerts (including me) thought the setlist every night rocked (even though it may not have looked the best on paper)

 

[Axver]

Just because the set is Standard doesnt mean it wont be good.

In Europe during the Second Leg, it came to a point where the band didnt change their setlist and it was bashed here by people in other continents and those who didnt go to the actual shows, but most people who went to the concerts (including me) thought the setlist every night rocked (even though it may not have looked the best on paper)

I wouldn't make generalisations like that.

 

[jimjam]

I wouldn't make generalisations like that.

How do you mean,I remember looking at some of the setlist parties during the European Leg and people who werent at the show in other countries (like England or the US) were usually getting upset.

I remember it also came to a point that people were getting so bad that someone posted Electrcal Storm as a snippet after some song (think it was One) and the reasons he gave were because people seemed to be getting mor pissed as the setlist stayed the same (of course people were extra pissed when they found out it wasnt true)

To me the setlist is only part of what makes a U2 concert special, I would take an amazing performance of All I Want Is You or I Will Follow over a crappy performance of DGPFYCC of Do You Feel Loved where half the crowd dont even recognise the song any day.

And to answer the posters question chances are the 3rd Sydney show is probably going to have the best setlist but there have ben times this tour where the first night had very good setlists (Chicago 9/20)

But I do aggree on one thing: ISHFWILF and BTBS should be dropped

 

[Axver]

How do you mean,I remember looking at some of the setlist parties during the European Leg and people who werent at the show in other countries (like England or the US) were usually getting upset.

I mean that not everyone here was disappointed (we had some pretty fierce arguments with people taking both sides), and not everyone who went to the shows was satisfied. I think a lot of the gauge of how satisfied the crowd was depends upon how satisfied the person reporting things was themselves. It tended to be that those who really enjoyed the show, loved the set, and defended its static nature reported that the rest of the crowd were on their feet and loved it, while those who were critical of the show and its set would make comments about sections of the crowd looking bored, snide comments made by nearby concertgoers, etc.

To me the setlist is only part of what makes a U2 concert special, I would take an amazing performance of All I Want Is You or I Will Follow over a crappy performance of DGPFYCC of Do You Feel Loved where half the crowd dont even recognise the song any day.

Who cares if the crowd don't recognise it. I'll take whatever's got that live spark. A technically terrible performance can have it (think OOC, 2005-05-26), while a note-perfect performance can just fall flat.

 

[jimjam]

I mean that not everyone here was disappointed (we had some pretty fierce arguments with people taking both sides), and not everyone who went to the shows was satisfied. I think a lot of the gauge of how satisfied the crowd was depends upon how satisfied the person reporting things was themselves. It tended to be that those who really enjoyed the show, loved the set, and defended its static nature reported that the rest of the crowd were on their feet and loved it, while those who were critical of the show and its set would make comments about sections of the crowd looking bored, snide comments made by nearby concertgoers, etc.



Who cares if the crowd don't recognise it. I'll take whatever's got that live spark. A technically terrible performance can have it (think OOC, 2005-05-26), while a note-perfect performance can just fall flat.

Ah well, each to their own I suppose

Just a final point: All 3 of the SYdney shows are going to be special, most people there will have been waiting since 1993 to see U2, they were disappointed during Popmart, Elevation and then the dates were postponed on this tour. These people will have been waiting desperatley for these shows to happen and All I ccan say is I wish I was going to be at just one of them.

 

[jimjam]

Woops, I just realised, Australia did get Popmart but 9 years is still an extremely long time to wait

 

[tpsglick2424]

I think we can all agree that having Bad on the setlist improves it a lot

I really really really really want to go to a U2 show in november or december..

 

[Muad'zin]

Just because the set is Standard doesnt mean it wont be good.

In Europe during the Second Leg, it came to a point where the band didnt change their setlist and it was bashed here by people in other continents and those who didnt go to the actual shows, but most people who went to the concerts (including me) thought the setlist every night rocked (even though it may not have looked the best on paper)

If you go once and are a causal fan it will rock and blow your mind.

If you are a diehard and don't care about setlists it will rock and blow your mind.

If you are into setlists and go once or for the first time, you'll find that it works far better in reality then it did on paper.

If you are into setlists and go multiple times chances are you will become bored as the setlists rattles on and you find yourself thinking stuff like, only 2 more songs till a particular favorite. And you'd wish please god, let something happen, anything which isn't 100% predictable and pre-choreographed. Cause that will be the thing you take home to remember and treasure. Not that umpteenth rendition of I will follow which is just the same as all the other versions.

Other bands vary their setlists and the audience doesn't seem bored or puzzled as long as they get most of the big classics. I'm amazed the band doesn't get bored with it. Or maybe they do and that is why they only tour every 4 or 5 years.

 

[wtonis]

If you go once and are a causal fan it will rock and blow your mind.
If you are a diehard and don't care about setlists it will rock and blow your mind.
If you are into setlists and go once or for the first time, you'll find that it works far better in reality then it did on paper.
If you are into setlists and go multiple times chances are you will become bored as the setlists rattles on and you find yourself thinking stuff like, only 2 more songs till a particular favorite. And you'd wish please god, let something happen, anything which isn't 100% predictable and pre-choreographed. Cause that will be the thing you take home to remember and treasure. Not that umpteenth rendition of I will follow which is just the same as all the other versions.
Other bands vary their setlists and the audience doesn't seem bored or puzzled as long as they get most of the big classics. I'm amazed the band doesn't get bored with it. Or maybe they do and that is why they only tour every 4 or 5 years.

well said; I've seen U2 about 20 times by now and I don't care what they play, as long as they are actually on stage.
Reason for not changing setlists is the scale of the entire production; U2 makes a show for the 99% of people who will see only one show. It's a plain fact.

 

[Arcadion]

Well these are the songs that weren't on all 3 setlists:

Sydney I:Yahweh, Walk On, Zoo Station, The Fly, Angel of Harlem

Sydney II:I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Stuck In a Moment You Can't Get Out Of, Zoo Station, The Fly, Desire

Sydney III: I Will Follow, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Angel of Harlem, Mysterious Ways, Party Girl

Can't complain really about Sydney 1 with Angel & Walk On included Would have been happy with any of the three sets. All very good
Also very happy with ABOY out and Saints in.

But...what has happened to OOTS & Bad

 

[matsimon]

Sydney I:Yahweh, Walk On, Zoo Station, The Fly, Angel of Harlem


the best set of three shows!