For me the Vertigo Tour started perfectly in the US. We had uncomercial songs like AN CAT DUB, THE OCEAN, INTO THE HEART, STORIES FOR BOYS(snippet), GLORIA a song from the October Album wich has been totally not been recognized by the Band for 15 Years.
Then we had non single tracks like ZOO STATION, RUNNING TO STAND STILL, UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD. This was rounded up by songs like BAD, WILD HORSES, OUT OF CONTROL. And the old time Fan favorite U2 showcloser 40. Even Party Girl showed up and Bono mentioned IN GODS COUNTRY in Arizona, as usual.
What a mix of old and new tunes, its magic!
Then the Band came to Europe, their home. Everything of that was gone.
The first 2 shows had a slightly touch of the US indoor Tour but since Manchester as I WILL FOLLOW made it to the set, the song was fixed as standard in the set. Why that? Crowd pleaser for the stadiums?! I guess their were also a few who wished to hear GLORIA or AN CAT DUB but nothing happend.
In the end of the US indoor tour Vertigo 2x became a joke by the Band. When they came to Europe it became fixed standard and totally unfunny for European Fans who saw more than 1 or 2 shows.
Ok STILL HAVENT FOUND and ALL I WANT IS YOU came to the set but they became standard as well. Same as in mid July MISS SARAJEVO made its debute in Amsterdam and kicked out RUNNING TO STAND STILL. Since then RUNNING was dead. Instead of switching those 2 songs, the Band decided to skip RUNNING to play only MISS SARAJEVO.
ORIGION OF THE SPECIES wich was special on the first leg in the US was still verry special in Europe, Dublin, Amsterdam and both nights in Milan for the video shoot.
CRUMBS was rehearsed several times in Europe and sounded perfectly but, hasent apeared jet and will not before Toronto.
As an result the European leg was not the same as the Tour started great in San Diego. We had diffrent sets in the US in Europe we became to standards, no flexible.
I recon the 3rd leg will rock again with flexible sets in the US wich will become more dissapointment for Europe. And when i think about 4th Pacific leg my stomac turns over when i think about Christchurch and Wellington both nights will feature ONE TREE HILL for 100%.
And if the make it to Brazil, songs like MOTHERS OF THE DISSAPEARED i can only say.....Europe is not worth touring.
see u all in December in Boston