Why no WOWY?

[Kernel]

If you want to hear/see the best version ever of WOWY, go watch Rattle and Hum.

I am glad they are playing songs from Boy and not making this a "greatest hits" tour.

It would be slammin to hear October before NYD again. Oh how freaking sweet would that be.

 

[Axver]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Why no WOWY?

I agree, there are people going to a U2 concert for the first time who want to hear WOWY, long time and casual fans.

There are people going to U2 concerts to hear just about every song in the catalogue. Doesn't mean they should play them all. And they definitely shouldn't play substandard, mediocre versions of a chart-topper when they could play an excellent version of a slightly less common song. Open peoples' minds to different music. Geez, it's not all about hearing radio hits.

And re: October --> New Year's Day, all I can say is

 

[lisa2004]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Why no WOWY?

There are people going to U2 concerts to hear just about every song in the catalogue. Doesn't mean they should play them all. And they definitely shouldn't play substandard, mediocre versions of a chart-topper when they could play an excellent version of a slightly less common song. Open peoples' minds to different music. Geez, it's not all about hearing radio hits.

And re: October --> New Year's Day, all I can say is

I completely see your point but I dont see the way WOWY is peformed now as substandard and even if it is, I still want to hear it live. Not because it is a big radio hit but cos it is one of my favourite songs of all time. If I go and see Oasis, I want to hear Dont Look Back in Anger, if I see Coldplay, I want to hear Yellow and In My Place.. I realise U2 are never going to please everyone but I just feel that if you asked the concertgoers if they wanted to hear classics like WOWY, SBS, NYD and even Pride, people are going to say yes..

 

[GG_The_Fly]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Why no WOWY?

Lemon --> WOWY

I can dream. . .

 

[Arcadion]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Why no WOWY?

There are people going to U2 concerts to hear just about every song in the catalogue. Doesn't mean they should play them all. And they definitely shouldn't play substandard, mediocre versions of a chart-topper when they could play an excellent version of a slightly less common song. Open peoples' minds to different music. Geez, it's not all about hearing radio hits.

And re: October --> New Year's Day, all I can say is

To me it's about hearing the songs I love. Streets, One, WOWY, Pride are 4 out of my top 5 U2 tunes. I don't care if they are hits. But I'm not going to complain as 3 of them have been in every setlist so far this tour. WOWY would just be a bonus.

 

[Ellay]

I'm glad they didn't play it in Phoenix. I've seen WOWY at the PopMart & Elevation shows and it seemed like the band was playing it to make the casual fans happy. .

I think you're probably right on this one.

I thought it sounded great on the zoo tour, but during pop and elevation, there was nothing special in it to make it stand out.

Although it's a U2 classic, Id rather hear something else for the time being.

 

[scarlet october]

If you want to hear/see the best version ever of WOWY, go watch Rattle and Hum.

I love the "Yeahhhhhhhhhh we will shine like stars ..." bit plus the "MLK" intro.

 

[kcrays]

Bono is annoyed by Paul Martin of lying of Bono.Bono lie to rest of the world the lack of performance he make during this tour.

This setlist is only a garbage.They should dropped the song Gloria,The Ocean,Zoo Station,Mysterious Ways,The Electric Co.,An Cat Dubh-Into The Heart for the song Gone,Kite,UTEOTW,wALK oN,WOWY.

Yes, because U2's goal should be to play the same songs every tour.

Gloria kicks ass. Zoo Station's only flaw is the fact that Bono's not singing the right lyrics. Can't talk about The Ocean/MW, since I haven't heard them, but Electric Co was pretty damn good, IMO. I'm less into the other old tunes, but for some people, those songs are major high points. And unlike WOWY, or UTEOTW, which were at almost every show since they were released, theyhaven't been played in 20+ years.

There are NO REQUIRED SONGS, outside of those from the new album. EVERYTHING else should be droppable on any given night/tour.

 

[kcrays]

Re: Re: Re: Why no WOWY?

WOWY is the *only* #1 song that U2 have had in the United States, and

When did ISHFWILF lose it's #1 status?

while that is not the guage, per se, of quality music by any stretch, it should demonstrate that this is clearly one of their most popular songs, EVER. . .

I don't see how it matters. Pink FLoyd's Another Brick In the Wall was a #1 single, but I don't think most Pink Floyd Fans would die if it wasn't played. Dropping Comfortably Numb, which AFAIK never charted, would cause more of an uproar. This isn't even the firs ttime tney dropped it. I know there were shows on the Love Town tour they didn't play it at, and they dropped it the entire 3rd leg of the last tour. Giving a song a rest makes it MORE special, not less so

That WOWY sounds uninspiring without the 'Stars" verse is absolute insanity - i mean, i fully agree that they are currently playing a weaker version and that the edge's chords and larry's drumming could stand to be a lot tighter, let alone Bono's vocals, but this extra verse is not necessary for WOWY to sound great.

All I can say is the last time I heard an inspiring version of the song was 1992. Whether that's because of Stars (and I think it is) or it's because of how the band plays it hardly matters. The song needs a rest.

 

[kcrays]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Why no WOWY?

Abomination?? A little melodramatic. IMO, they should play WOWY if only for the audiences reaction.. I think it will be played in the Stadiums and esp in the UK as I'm sure everyone at those UK gigs will want to hear it.. and for people like me who have never been to a U2 concert before and want to hear the big classic songs!

P.S Please dont flame me! My opinion is all!

The problem is it's always someone's first U2 concert. If that's the standard, then they'd play nothing but old songs. Every song is someone's favorite. That's why the Rolling Stones are locked into oldies, because they're always playing shows as if audience only owns old hits collections.

 

[Danospano]

Correction: "With or Without You" was a number one hit in the States, but so was "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For".

In response to why it was left out the setlists of the past few weeks: I think all the aforementioned reasons culminated in it's exclusion, but couldn't it be more conspiratorial? Bare with me. What if the Anti-WOWY League secured valuable information concerning the band and their secret fetishes and blackmailed the band after the San Diego show? What if, what if, what if?

Everybody needs to shut up.

As long as they're playing interesting, occasionally surprising setlists, they're giving everyone a thrill and an experience they'll never forget. All their songs are great, most are classics, so losing WOWY to "Out of Control" is overdue.

 

[GG_The_Fly]

Correction: "With or Without You" was a number one hit in the States, but so was "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For".

I already conceded this point!

 

[scottyT]

there's a reason these songs were hits. they're good and people like them.


hopefully they'll mix it in every few nights, it's a beautiful and haunting song.

 

[bigwali]

OK, It has been stated by some that WOWY is being perfomed at a substandard level. Is this the same with "I still haven't found what I'm looking for". I thought I heard Bono mention in an interview that it is hard to reproduce in concert correctly so it is not sung much anymore. But they did sing it at the recent Rock N Roll Hall of Fame induction. Is it true? Is ISHFWILF dead for this tour?

 

[U2@NYC]

Maybe they will bring ISHWILF back in the third leg as they did during Elevation?

 

[kcrays]

there's a reason these songs were hits. they're good and people like them.


hopefully they'll mix it in every few nights, it's a beautiful and haunting song.

Chart position is not an indication of quality. If it was, then we'd have to conclude that Mickey and I'm Too Sexy are as good as U2's best and better than everything else they've written.

Bottom line is that these songs are not regulars on this tour. They may show up later on. I fully expect WOWY and ISHFWILF to show up in Chicago for at least one show, just like I expect Original to show up and probably UTEOTW. Those are the rarities this tour.

Kevin

 

[corner]

Bono is more than capable now of singing the chorus of WOWY as it should be (on the record and everything preceding Popmart):
WITH OR WITH-OUT YOU OH OH

 

[jcoriha]

If I may, I don't think Bono CAN"T sing it right for the last few years, he's simply singing it DIFFERANT. The changes in the song started on Zoo TV, and the song has changed more with each tour since. His vocals go more in that direction with the song on each tour, so even though in many of the fans opinions (mine as well) it isn't as good as the Joshua Tree/Lovetown version. I think the band were already starting to tire of this song on Zoo TV, even though they still did a tighter version then. Same goes with I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, and others.

I think that given some time their joy might be reset for the album version.

The whole Bono can't sing it the same anymore just doesn't cut it for me because Bono's vox have always gone up and down during tours, and you can't possibly expect him to hit everything the same for 20 years. To be honest with you I like the version of New Year's Day on PopMart more then older versions, not because of his vocals, but the humility in his voice when he hears the crowd come in with the chorus singing with Edge, and then ordering the lights off. However on the same video I don't like the arrangement of I Will Follow for that tour. The highlights of that show for me at the Oakland stadium were Miami, Bullet, Disco, and Streets. HMTMKMKM, MoFo and Please were cool too, but I don't think it was the best night on them. The funniest thing was when everyone in the stadium drifted off on the melody to Stand By Me and Bono had to help us finish the chorus. I should also note that even though that was my first U2 I was going for the unexpected, not the hits, and swore I won't sing along to the hits.

When Pride was played early in the set, and Found, and WoWY later I noticed my mouth was making these involuntary movements and words were coming forth.