I was told by a studio guitar tech in Nashville, Dallas (Edge's tech) said it's pretty much the whole new album plus their other "have-to" staples and there's just not time for any more. He said they are trying to throw in some medley concepts to get everything in, but that's probably only going to be in one area of the show and some of them hate it as a concept.
They are trying to cut it down to a managable amount and it will be a short set with two small breaks, no encore. One break is some video thing and one is an extended Edge feature. He said they may do as many as 7 songs off the new CD?! They do NOT want it to become a greatest hits tour like the Stones, they want it to be new and fresh. Some favs are being cut out it appears.
They cut Desire for Crumbs, etc. Crumbs and Love & Peace he said is performed on an island with a combo set up. He said they were trying to build a few covers to pander to each region and that's on the island, too. There's part of a Ramones tune for NY and so on.
He heard TWO demo remix tracks they are using in rehearsals. One he said is an extended Vertigo with the 'Wire' riff in it that the stage is supposed to do something to and the other is a hybrid instrumental remix of Yahweh and Walk On and something else he thought was a totally new faster "The Who-sounding" version of '40' in the middle for an epic closer, but it wasn't more than an idea they would try out in Canada? He said Bono has too many ideas and a wild idea to totally change the words to one of the "Bomb" songs and do this big "movie" in the middle of the concert, but it doesn't make sense yet.
They apparently have too many slow/low songs but it's easier on Bono's Vox. (HA!) He said Bono's voice is much more manageable and he will sound better than ever if he paces himself. He is more worried Edge will have too much to do/play rather than Bono's voice cracking. He said they have an edict not to use any recordings for fill, but will probably have hidden 'knomes', whatever that means. I acted like I knew what it meant. Anyone know what knomes are or noams? Tech talk?
He said a month sounds like a long time, but they barely have more than ideas on paper. He said if all goes well, they may release a second CD before the tour ends with less "release" oriented material, but they want to avoid something that's not ready. He doesn't know where the time is to review final cuts and do studio fixes, so he doubts it'll be done... Dallas said in the end, it's just a dream we may see parts of on B sides in the future. Adam and management think they may need a new cd when they come back to the U.S. ARE YOU KIDDING? If you get the chance, tell them they will , tho.
He said Dallas did not comment on family issues of the band.
He said only one of the band looks at this site once in a while. 'That they would ALL have postponed it all if they could have, but too much was on and in it and postponement rumors had more to do with that than Edge's family. He said some in the band and management were really lobbying for a total do-over of the American first leg sales.
He said they plan two more albums and another tour before the Best Of III and he thinks they will scale way back after that...
Just rumors, but I trust this guy. He knew the album title a month before it hit the web. I thought he was joking or testing me to see if I would leak it. I can hardly believe they named it that, even now. IT'S A LINE FROM ONE THEY CUT FROM THE CD?!
