An Open Response Regarding The Current Vertigo Tour Setlist

[U2@NYC]

Hahaha, I knew this would make you mad....

You've been to Copenhagen ? On vacation or business?

Jan Johansen ....

just looked him up - he's not Danish he's Swedish! They apparently call him Janne over there, which is a girl's name here in Denmark

Why would an Argentinian, residing in the US, buy a CD with songs by a Swedish guy in the kingdom of Denmark?

Really??? Swedish??? And all this time I had bought a true representative of the Danish culture? And I was singing along to his song 'Se pa mig' thinking that it was in Danish...

Any good Danish bands? Next time I'm over there I need to get something 'truly' Danish...

 

[zwervers2]

"where are the odd suprises? well lets see did you ever even DREAM of miss sarajevo coming back?. or Zoo Station? or electric co? or even the fly after it was dropped on elevation?"

We speak about odd suprises on european leg so then Zoo and electric and fly are no odd suprises they are just part of the set.

Miss Sarajevo the only one but for that songs like AN CAT DUB, GLORIA, INTO THE HEART and THE OCEAN had to die...what a chance.
I would give all my Miss Sarajevo versions for those! Cause they are so obscure songs from their past they will never ever return

can't we have all those mentoined in the set...
I still feel it's a shame they dropped Gloria, ACD and all the other old gems. glad I saw Gloria again after all these years in Chicago and elec co is a very very pleasant song to have in the set....Still miss sarajevo is by far the highlight of the concerts I have seen this tour...would be different if they played Tomorrow, love is blindness or the unforgettable fire

 

[U2Man]

Really??? Swedish??? And all this time I had bought a true representative of the Danish culture? And I was singing along to his song 'Se pa mig' thinking that it was in Danish...

Any good Danish bands? Next time I'm over there I need to get something 'truly' German...

- Don't say that over here....just a little good advice.....

Do you know Tim Christensen and his former band Dizzy Miss Lizzy? He is a very fine song writer

 

[U2@NYC]

Do you know Tim Christensen and his former band Dizzy Miss Lizzy? He is a very fine song writer

No, I have never heard about him...

Damn Jan Johansen... tricking me into being Danish

This is the CD I have... however, I did some research on it and at least I bought the Danish release!

Johansen -
Johansen
"Danish release" The Tracks are: When The Night Is Young, Another Night, Water In The Rain, Higher Love, we Can´t Go On, River Of My Heart, Hold You, Hurting So Bad, What About Love, We Don´t Need To Hide, Crushed, Caught You Fallin´From Heaven & Se Pa Mej.
Musicians on the Johansen album: Jan Johansen, Jorgen Johansson, Richard Evelind, Ulf Jansson, Krister Varteva, Bobby Ljunggren, Erik Bernholm, Jan Oldeus Antonio Saluena, Svante Henrysson, Lars Andersson, Lillian Palmeklint, Malin Backstrom, Hakan Almqvist, Kjell Segebrandt, Erika Essen Moller, Marianne Flynner, Pelle Higbring, Erik Hausler, Peter Ljung, Egil Johansen & Svante Herrysson. Available from CMC Records/Original release year: 1995

Would these lyrics be in Danish or Swedish?

Se på mig (Jan Johansen)

"När din väg är lång, du är trött
men du måste ändå gå
Och när skuggorna börjar växa och få liv
och när natten skrämmer så
är jag bredvid dig och jag följer varje steg du tar
Hos dig stannar jag kvar

Se på mig, åhoj en hamn i stormen
som en våg som föds att bära dig
Se på mig, åhoj i ljus och mörker
är jag där och aldrig lämnar jag dig

När du står en dag
vid ett vägskäl i ditt liv
som ett vilset litet barn
är jag bredvid dig och jag följer varje steg du tar
och hos dig stannar jag kvar

Se på mig, åhoj en hamn i stormen
som en våg som föds att bära dig
Se på mig, åhoj i ljus och mörker
är jag där och aldrig lämnar jag dig
Jag går med dig vart du går
och aldrig lämnar jag dig

Så se på mig, åhoj en hamn i stormen
som en våg som föds att älska dig
Se på mig, åhoj när ljuset blir till mörker i ditt liv
är jag där och aldrig lämnar jag dig
Jag älskar dig så.."


Oh, so as not to steer the thread off-track, I will still say that U2 sucks and that the current setlist is more boring than licking a nail... as a matter of fact, the dude on the stand below might as well be Bono singing Vertigo x 2:

 

[U2Man]

No, I have never heard about him...

Damn Jan Johansen... tricking me into being Danish

This is the CD I have:

Oh, so as not to steer the thread off-track, I will still say that U2 sucks and that the current setlist is more boring than licking a nail... as a matter of fact, the dude on the stand below might as well be Bono singing Vertigo x 2:

Now I know why every single review of the Copenhagen concert has been so extremely positive - people were kept awake by the heavy showers!!!!!

 

[U2Man]

No, I have never heard about him...

Damn Jan Johansen... tricking me into being Danish

This is the CD I have... however, I did some research on it and at least I bought the Danish release!

Johansen -
Johansen
"Danish release" The Tracks are: When The Night Is Young, Another Night, Water In The Rain, Higher Love, we Can´t Go On, River Of My Heart, Hold You, Hurting So Bad, What About Love, We Don´t Need To Hide, Crushed, Caught You Fallin´From Heaven & Se Pa Mej.
Musicians on the Johansen album: Jan Johansen, Jorgen Johansson, Richard Evelind, Ulf Jansson, Krister Varteva, Bobby Ljunggren, Erik Bernholm, Jan Oldeus Antonio Saluena, Svante Henrysson, Lars Andersson, Lillian Palmeklint, Malin Backstrom, Hakan Almqvist, Kjell Segebrandt, Erika Essen Moller, Marianne Flynner, Pelle Higbring, Erik Hausler, Peter Ljung, Egil Johansen & Svante Herrysson. Available from CMC Records/Original release year: 1995

Would these lyrics be in Danish or Swedish?

Se på mig (Jan Johansen)

"När din väg är lång, du är trött
men du måste ändå gå
Och när skuggorna börjar växa och få liv
och när natten skrämmer så
är jag bredvid dig och jag följer varje steg du tar
Hos dig stannar jag kvar

Se på mig, åhoj en hamn i stormen
som en våg som föds att bära dig
Se på mig, åhoj i ljus och mörker
är jag där och aldrig lämnar jag dig

När du står en dag
vid ett vägskäl i ditt liv
som ett vilset litet barn
är jag bredvid dig och jag följer varje steg du tar
och hos dig stannar jag kvar

Se på mig, åhoj en hamn i stormen
som en våg som föds att bära dig
Se på mig, åhoj i ljus och mörker
är jag där och aldrig lämnar jag dig
Jag går med dig vart du går
och aldrig lämnar jag dig

Så se på mig, åhoj en hamn i stormen
som en våg som föds att älska dig
Se på mig, åhoj när ljuset blir till mörker i ditt liv
är jag där och aldrig lämnar jag dig
Jag älskar dig så.."


Oh, so as not to steer the thread off-track, I will still say that U2 sucks and that the current setlist is more boring than licking a nail... as a matter of fact, the dude on the stand below might as well be Bono singing Vertigo x 2:

That is 100 % Swedish!! We don't have the ä and ö letters in Danish....alright we have, but we write them æ and ø....

 

[U2@NYC]

That is 100 % Swedish!! We don't have the ä and ö letters in Danish....alright we have, but we write them æ and ø....

Oops, ok.

These Swedish steal all the famous singers.... Abba, Roxette... I like some of the Marie Fredriksson solo albums as well.

 

[U2Man]

Oops, ok.

These Swedish steal all the famous singers.... Abba, Roxette... I like some of the Marie Fredriksson solo albums as well.

What are you saying? You don't think my country can compete with the Swedes in the music industry ? We had Aqua, remember them? "I'm a Barbie Girl, in a Barbie World...."

Nah, I guess you are right...you could mention Ace of Base, too, in the category of well known Swedish bands...they do seem to be a bit better to promote their artists internationally than we are.

Anyway goodnight, Pablo (that is your name, isn't it ?)....it's getting late....

 

[Axver]

What are you saying? You don't think my country can compete with the Swedes in the music industry ? We had Aqua, remember them? "I'm a Barbie Girl, in a Barbie World...."

THEY were Danish?

Mate, I wouldn't publicly admit that. New Zealand has quite happily let Australia claim Russell Crowe because he's a disgrace to the country and we don't want him. You should try to flog Aqua off onto the Swedes!

 

[U2@NYC]

THEY were Danish?

Mate, I wouldn't publicly admit that. New Zealand has quite happily let Australia claim Russell Crowe because he's a disgrace to the country and we don't want him. You should try to flog Aqua off onto the Swedes!

Maybe you have a point...

"I'm a Barbie Girl, in a Barbie woooorld".

 

[KUEFC09U2]

No, I have never heard about him...

Damn Jan Johansen... tricking me into being Danish

This is the CD I have... however, I did some research on it and at least I bought the Danish release!

Johansen -
Johansen
"Danish release" The Tracks are: When The Night Is Young, Another Night, Water In The Rain, Higher Love, we Can´t Go On, River Of My Heart, Hold You, Hurting So Bad, What About Love, We Don´t Need To Hide, Crushed, Caught You Fallin´From Heaven & Se Pa Mej.
Musicians on the Johansen album: Jan Johansen, Jorgen Johansson, Richard Evelind, Ulf Jansson, Krister Varteva, Bobby Ljunggren, Erik Bernholm, Jan Oldeus Antonio Saluena, Svante Henrysson, Lars Andersson, Lillian Palmeklint, Malin Backstrom, Hakan Almqvist, Kjell Segebrandt, Erika Essen Moller, Marianne Flynner, Pelle Higbring, Erik Hausler, Peter Ljung, Egil Johansen & Svante Herrysson. Available from CMC Records/Original release year: 1995

Would these lyrics be in Danish or Swedish?

Se på mig (Jan Johansen)

"När din väg är lång, du är trött
men du måste ändå gå
Och när skuggorna börjar växa och få liv
och när natten skrämmer så
är jag bredvid dig och jag följer varje steg du tar
Hos dig stannar jag kvar

Se på mig, åhoj en hamn i stormen
som en våg som föds att bära dig
Se på mig, åhoj i ljus och mörker
är jag där och aldrig lämnar jag dig

När du står en dag
vid ett vägskäl i ditt liv
som ett vilset litet barn
är jag bredvid dig och jag följer varje steg du tar
och hos dig stannar jag kvar

Se på mig, åhoj en hamn i stormen
som en våg som föds att bära dig
Se på mig, åhoj i ljus och mörker
är jag där och aldrig lämnar jag dig
Jag går med dig vart du går
och aldrig lämnar jag dig

Så se på mig, åhoj en hamn i stormen
som en våg som föds att älska dig
Se på mig, åhoj när ljuset blir till mörker i ditt liv
är jag där och aldrig lämnar jag dig
Jag älskar dig så.."


Oh, so as not to steer the thread off-track, I will still say that U2 sucks and that the current setlist is more boring than licking a nail... as a matter of fact, the dude on the stand below might as well be Bono singing Vertigo x 2:

now before i go hyper defensive, are you actually being serious?

 

[U2Man]

THEY were Danish?

Mate, I wouldn't publicly admit that. New Zealand has quite happily let Australia claim Russell Crowe because he's a disgrace to the country and we don't want him. You should try to flog Aqua off onto the Swedes!

"Like in plaaaaastic - it's fantaaaastic!".

Don't you think we've tried everything possible? We've tried for years to flog them onto the Norwegians since the lead "singer", Lene Nystrøm, is actually a Norwegian - but since the rest of the band is Danish, we haven't succeeded

 

[zwervers2]

"Like in plaaaaastic - it's fantaaaastic!".

Don't you think we've tried everything possible? We've tried for years to flog them onto the Norwegians since the lead "singer", Lene Nystrøm, is actually a Norwegian - but since the rest of the band is Danish, we haven't succeeded

I allways thought Barbiegirl was some sort of critisme towards the shallow people or world we live in...

 

[U2Man]

I allways thought Barbiegirl was some sort of critisme towards the shallow people or world we live in...

Don't expect the lyrics to be too deep, zwervers2....

- Hi Barbie!
- Hi Ken!
- You wanna go for a ride?
- Sure, Ken!
- Jump in!
- Ha ha ha ha!

I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation

Come on, Barbie, let's go party

I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation

I'm a blonde single girl in the fantasy world
Dress me up, take your time, I'm your dollie
You're my doll, rock and roll, feel the glamour and pain
Kiss me here, touch me there, hanky-panky

You can touch, you can play
You can say I'm always yours, oooh whoa

I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation

Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh

Make me walk, make me talk, do whatever you please
I can act like a star, I can beg on my knees
Come jump in, be my friend, let us do it again
Hit the town, fool around, let's go party

You can touch, you can play
You can say I'm always yours
You can touch, you can play
You can say I'm always yours

Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh

I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation

I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation

Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh

- Oh, I'm having so much fun!
- Well, Barbie, we're just getting started!
- Oh, I love you Ken!

 

[zwervers2]

Don't expect the lyrics to be too deep, zwervers2....

- Hi Barbie!
- Hi Ken!
- You wanna go for a ride?
- Sure, Ken!
- Jump in!
- Ha ha ha ha!

I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation

Come on, Barbie, let's go party

I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation

I'm a blonde single girl in the fantasy world
Dress me up, take your time, I'm your dollie
You're my doll, rock and roll, feel the glamour and pain
Kiss me here, touch me there, hanky-panky

You can touch, you can play
You can say I'm always yours, oooh whoa

I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation

Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh

Make me walk, make me talk, do whatever you please
I can act like a star, I can beg on my knees
Come jump in, be my friend, let us do it again
Hit the town, fool around, let's go party

You can touch, you can play
You can say I'm always yours
You can touch, you can play
You can say I'm always yours

Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh

I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation

I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation

Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh

- Oh, I'm having so much fun!
- Well, Barbie, we're just getting started!
- Oh, I love you Ken!

It's the way of interpreting the lyrics U2man.
actually I really think the lyrics are brilliant if they intended to write a song about how shallow most people are/ have become.
only thinking about looks, partying the plastic shallow life so to speak. maybe I'm looking at it totally wrong here but I always thought this song was brilliant but was misinterpreted by most people...It's a catchy song that's for sure

 

[U2Man]

It's the way of interpreting the lyrics U2man.
actually I really think the lyrics are brilliant if they intended to write a song about how shallow most people are/ have become.
only thinking about looks, partying the plastic shallow life so to speak. maybe I'm looking at it totally wrong here but I always thought this song was brilliant but was misinterpreted by most people...It's a catchy song that's for sure

It's nice to hear someone is defending the Danish people in here

 

[zwervers2]

It's nice to hear someone is defending the Danish people in here

Whatever happened to Aqua anyway??

they had this balade"if only I could turn back time"or something and suddenly they were gone...retreated, murdered, fired...WHAT?

 

[U2Man]

They split, as far as I remember.

 

[zwervers2]

They split, as far as I remember.

"if only I could turn back time"

 

[U2@NYC]

now before i go hyper defensive, are you actually being serious?

No.

 

[Muad'zin]

For me the European tour was OK. I enjoyed every show I've been to and its rare indeed to find yourself at a bad U2 show, but it was also disappointing in a way. The stale setlist works massively if you are a casual fan, or even a hardcore fan going once. But go more and the predictability could annoy you. During Elevation I went to all 3 Arnhem shows, and they differed enough to make them interesting, to go see what might happen. Now I only went to Amsterdam 2 and 3 and to be honest I don't mind I had to miss the first show since I saw a 1st night setlist show in Munich.
Zoo TV and Popmart were also predictable, but the show had enough extravaganza and even more importantly, humor, to carry the day. This Vertigo stadium tour is so fixed in everything, even the appearences on the B-stages happen on cue. Stadium Vertigo tries to emulate the glory of the big tours of the 90's but without the humor. A big wink, nudge nudge, say no more. Having the band come out of a huge mirrorball lemon is so absurd and hilarious. Edge as a cowboy, priceless.
Now they are just so freakin serious. Bono's constant talking so much about Africa that I start to loose interest in the whole bloody continent. Edge seems to be smiling less and less these days. A look of approval seems to be the best he can do these days. Larry seems a bit uncomfortable walking down the catwalk, nerved by the audience, never raising his hands to wave to the audience higher then his belt. Only Adam seems relaxed and having fun.

So personally I rate the tours I've seen as follows, Lovetown > Elevation > Popmart > Zooropa > stadium Vertigo

 

[Needle_Chill]

I have no problem with U2 playing the same setlist every night. I'm going to one show, what the hell do I care?

I want to hear the classics, the new stuff, and maybe a few curveballs, which is what they've been doing.

They can keep it up as far as I'm concerned. My first and most likely last U2 concert is going to be memorable nonetheless.

BTW, I'll be at the Ottawa gig. (The Arcade Fire, woohoo!)

 

[KUEFC09U2]

For me the European tour was OK. I enjoyed every show I've been to and its rare indeed to find yourself at a bad U2 show, but it was also disappointing in a way. The stale setlist works massively if you are a casual fan, or even a hardcore fan going once. But go more and the predictability could annoy you. During Elevation I went to all 3 Arnhem shows, and they differed enough to make them interesting, to go see what might happen. Now I only went to Amsterdam 2 and 3 and to be honest I don't mind I had to miss the first show since I saw a 1st night setlist show in Munich.
Zoo TV and Popmart were also predictable, but the show had enough extravaganza and even more importantly, humor, to carry the day. This Vertigo stadium tour is so fixed in everything, even the appearences on the B-stages happen on cue. Stadium Vertigo tries to emulate the glory of the big tours of the 90's but without the humor. A big wink, nudge nudge, say no more. Having the band come out of a huge mirrorball lemon is so absurd and hilarious. Edge as a cowboy, priceless.
Now they are just so freakin serious. Bono's constant talking so much about Africa that I start to loose interest in the whole bloody continent. Edge seems to be smiling less and less these days. A look of approval seems to be the best he can do these days. Larry seems a bit uncomfortable walking down the catwalk, nerved by the audience, never raising his hands to wave to the audience higher then his belt. Only Adam seems relaxed and having fun.

So personally I rate the tours I've seen as follows, Lovetown > Elevation > Popmart > Zooropa > stadium Vertigo

maybe edge is feeling in a "happy mood" every single night due to the situation of his daughter? infact maybe the whole band are "feeling" it

also it was predictable when they would go to the b-stages during zoo and popmart

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

Many postings here unfortunately are not very grounded on facts, but individual taste or emotions - which is not a way it should be for such a sensible topic.
Like it or not:
1. U2 never have been a band changing "dramatically" their setlists - that in fact were nearly mostly (last exceptions during a few 80ies gigs) built upon one important thing: the current tour album, that builds a kind of frame for the shows and occupies a good percentage of the nightly sets. So, the most important thing is: You should really want to hear the new tunes, when you go to the gigs. If you don't, only this point might be enough to make you unhappy, an eternal critics-person or even might stress you that much, to go for another band.
2. The rest of the spots always has has a strong weight on the so called "Greatest Hits" or U2 classics - this being the fact especially in stadium tours, where a lot of people have to be entertained - and that IS the priority. So: If you don't like these tracks (too) this might be your second chance to turn to other music or at least not lament anymore on the "logic" of the setlists...
3. There might be different spots (at least since the mid 80ies) reserved for "obscure" tracks, as Bono himself calls them - tunes, that might be not familiar to everybody in the audience, but they (mostly) let fans' hearts beat faster. Now: If you only search for those tunes in the setlist - poor boy/girl, you never will smile at the light of sun again.

The thing with the current tour has only one "problem": It started out in the arenas with the band hacing a really strong tour album and performing a very fine selection of "Greatest Hits" - and at nearly a nightly basis playing around with openers and closers (LAPOE, COBL, Vertigo, Bad, '40'), plus further on dusting off tracks from their brilliant, sadly too often neglected back catalogue (An Cat Dubh, Into The Heart, Gloria, The Ocean ...).

This ideas have changed or even dispappered in the stadiums of Europe: From the elder, "obscure" tracks of the past only very few have survived (The Electric Co., Zoo Station - and Running To Stand Still, at least until the Amsterdam Shows). "Only" one tune came there (Miss Sarajewo) and the other spots were filled with more classics in adition to those, that already were in the setlist (IWF, ISHFWILF, AIWIY - at least until Munich, WOWY). There has been no live premiere of any track from the current album, plus: U2 play a lot more single nights in short frequences - and they have worked out a setlist, that - apart from the snippets - reflect a rather static setlist at the moment, even for U2's standards. the wish, other old "obscure" tunes might appear until now has not been realized, neither tracks from the '93-'97 period of ZOOROPA and POP.

Of course there are outstanding nights over here, too: The three Dublin shows - without a doubt the musical highlight of the whole European leg -, some elements at Amsterdam, especially the 2nd half of third night being easily as strong as the Croker ones and some multiple nights. On the single nights, the only good setlist surprise is the casual addition of Party Girl, the big minus the loss of Yahweh therefore - and, since Munich, another spot in the general setlist between ISHFWILF and COBL. Yeah, folks, the band can play shorter and less than the night before, too.

In the end, I can only declare for myself: I am very much interested in setlists; I like it, when the band decides to switch the setlists - and I do really love the current stadium setlist. U2 are playing for more than two hours a very strong and moving tracklist with a mixture of the elements I described above, covering (nearly) all phases of their career. It leaves me dancing, singing and celebrating - memories, I'll keep forever. Not more, not less. And when they decide to play a "special song", well, what more do I want. Hey, it is U2 out there and they are playing one of their strongest tours ever. So I wish to all of you for the forthcoming shows to enjoy it - and not to spend too much time thinking, what COULD BE - but, what there IS!

 

[U2girl]

For me the European tour was OK. I enjoyed every show I've been to and its rare indeed to find yourself at a bad U2 show, but it was also disappointing in a way. The stale setlist works massively if you are a casual fan, or even a hardcore fan going once. But go more and the predictability could annoy you. During Elevation I went to all 3 Arnhem shows, and they differed enough to make them interesting, to go see what might happen. Now I only went to Amsterdam 2 and 3 and to be honest I don't mind I had to miss the first show since I saw a 1st night setlist show in Munich.
Zoo TV and Popmart were also predictable, but the show had enough extravaganza and even more importantly, humor, to carry the day. This Vertigo stadium tour is so fixed in everything, even the appearences on the B-stages happen on cue. Stadium Vertigo tries to emulate the glory of the big tours of the 90's but without the humor. A big wink, nudge nudge, say no more. Having the band come out of a huge mirrorball lemon is so absurd and hilarious. Edge as a cowboy, priceless.
Now they are just so freakin serious. Bono's constant talking so much about Africa that I start to loose interest in the whole bloody continent. Edge seems to be smiling less and less these days. A look of approval seems to be the best he can do these days. Larry seems a bit uncomfortable walking down the catwalk, nerved by the audience, never raising his hands to wave to the audience higher then his belt. Only Adam seems relaxed and having fun.

So personally I rate the tours I've seen as follows, Lovetown > Elevation > Popmart > Zooropa > stadium Vertigo

Don't compare arena shows with stadiums shows or a single day show vs multiple days show.

I think Zoo TV and Popmart were very much cued. Vertigo reminds me, with its human rights message and no acoustic set, more of something the 80's U2. Very different show than their 90's tours.

I hope Bono bothered you with his (apartheid and IRA to mention only two topics) speeches during the 80's, Sarajevo link-ups on Zoo TV and talking about Pinochet in South America shows on Popmart as well.

Edge, Adam and Larry are more interactive with the show than I think ever (playing keyboards, singing more, walking on the catwalk).

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Don't compare arena shows with stadiums shows or a single day show vs multiple days show.

I think Zoo TV and Popmart were very much cued. Vertigo reminds me, with its human rights message and no acoustic set, more of something the 80's U2. Very different show than their 90's tours.

I hope Bono bothered you with his (apartheid and IRA to mention only two topics) speeches during the 80's, Sarajevo link-ups on Zoo TV and talking about Pinochet in South America shows on Popmart as well.

Edge, Adam and Larry are more interactive with the show than I think ever (playing keyboards, singing more, walking on the catwalk).

your wrong 90's U2 never done wrong, never cued nothing, and they were not TOO political honest

 

[U2@NYC]

your wrong 90's U2 never done wrong, never cued nothing, and they were not TOO political honest

Never?

 

[neutral]

 

[KUEFC09U2]

infact bono meant to sing like that in sarajevo, didnt you know?

and the band were utterly spontaneous when they went down to the b stages for the acoustic set on ZooTv, or when bono took a walk down there during running etc

 

[stevec]

Now THAT'S sarcasm