MERGED-->Thoughts on Stage Design and Curtain of Lights+thoughts on the set/lighting
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If there would be no catwalk at all, I would indeed! But as I said, Elevation was áll about the heart! So it's easy to say that the eclipse, and therefor the whole stage is a copy of that concept... Was the b-stage the centre piece of Zoo-TV and Popmart? I think not... So what I would have done with the new tour is use a centre stage with the oval all around it pointing to both ends of the arena... This would really have been new and fresh, although the Elevation idea still was used...Axver said:
If there were no ellipse, the very same people would be whining that this tour is not as good as Elevation because it doesn't have such a walkway.
And U2Girl, too bad you never replied in that other topic...
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Sken
Refugee
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2001
- Messages
- 1,042
I hate to sound negative as this really is an awesome tour, setlist wise and musically/vocally. I am super keen that it comes to Australia, can't wait to see them live again. However after seeing Zoo, Pop and Elevation shows I really think this is the worst production so far.
ZooTV was WoW!
Popmart was OMG!
Elevation was Hey, thats pretty cool!
Vertigo was like WTF?
Not taking away from it being an awesome concert and all, and its not a bad setup, buts its pretty dull by U2 standards. Considering Elevation was a back to basics show, and it was widely appreciated for being just that, but U2 being almost as big now as they were through the JT-AB period, I really expected them to push more boundaries, especially considering they have some of the best minds in concert staging working for them.
Who knows, maybe the outdoor concerts will differ. I really wanted U2 to explode on this tour and show the world how much better they are than everyone else. After all 'Live is where they live' , and I really expected them to elevate to a new level with this tour, to really be the talk of the town.
Sken
Who knows, maybe they are saving the real production for when they come to Adelaide
ZooTV was WoW!
Popmart was OMG!
Elevation was Hey, thats pretty cool!
Vertigo was like WTF?
Not taking away from it being an awesome concert and all, and its not a bad setup, buts its pretty dull by U2 standards. Considering Elevation was a back to basics show, and it was widely appreciated for being just that, but U2 being almost as big now as they were through the JT-AB period, I really expected them to push more boundaries, especially considering they have some of the best minds in concert staging working for them.
Who knows, maybe the outdoor concerts will differ. I really wanted U2 to explode on this tour and show the world how much better they are than everyone else. After all 'Live is where they live' , and I really expected them to elevate to a new level with this tour, to really be the talk of the town.
Sken
Who knows, maybe they are saving the real production for when they come to Adelaide
So I've seen 3 shows and feel pretty much the same as I did after the first show...I have noticed that they aren't using the curtains nearly as much as before. Interestingly, I did get a call from a friend who said that they enjoyed the light show from the nosebleed section and that the animation works from up there and so do the floor lights. So I guess there are a few people enjoying that part of the show.
Having seen the show again in Los Angeles...a couple of more additional thoughts...
1. During the playing of the Boy songs, a large curtain comes down and displays the original photo from the Boy album cover. The older fans understand this reference - but I was with a friend who turned to me and asked, "What's with the picture of the half naked kid?" I'm afraid To the unknowledgable, this might look like something you would find on the wall in Michael Jackson's bedroom.
and...
2. The hazy black and white video of the woman who reads part of the Declaration of Human Rights looks like something that you would see in a haunted house in an old Vincent Price movie.
----
Having seen the show again in Los Angeles...a couple of more additional thoughts...
1. During the playing of the Boy songs, a large curtain comes down and displays the original photo from the Boy album cover. The older fans understand this reference - but I was with a friend who turned to me and asked, "What's with the picture of the half naked kid?" I'm afraid To the unknowledgable, this might look like something you would find on the wall in Michael Jackson's bedroom.
and...
2. The hazy black and white video of the woman who reads part of the Declaration of Human Rights looks like something that you would see in a haunted house in an old Vincent Price movie.
----
Eliv8
Refugee
The only problem with the curtains of lights is that they are at different depths on the stage. To see the animations/graphics properly you need to be pretty central. The way the lighting rig is designed, there should be no problem with the tumbling 'Varilights'/'Intelibeams' (I forget what they are called) like they did for Streets on the last tour.
But I am not complaining.
But I am not complaining.
Tech
War Child
Yes I noticed that too. They didn't use the curtain of lights that much yesterday as before. I myself like no fuss or muss so it's okay if we don't see it much. But it is cool to see the whole visual effect though.
martha
Blue Crack Supplier
Did they use the naked lady during MW at the LA shows? 'Cos they didn't at Anaheim 2.
Stingray
Acrobat
I'm thinking we'll see a much bigger production in europe this summer
what about that supposed LED jacked bono's supposed to wear?
what about that supposed LED jacked bono's supposed to wear?
ultraviolet353
War Child
what are your thoughts on the set/lighting
...just finished a 2-day stint at Staples--both shows had a lot of brilliant moments, and I enjoyed both (afterall, it is U2), although it is so early in the tour that they have a lot of growth ahead of them. I will say that I was rather underwhelmed by the set and lighting. It's fine to use the Elevation template, but at least buld on it. It is almost like Elevation (which I thought was brilliant) but it is even more stripped down.
The lighted beads add nothing; they are distracting if anything. The video they play is confusing at times (the second night the Human rights video had no caption on the side screens, so every one in my section was asking "what was that?) The only cool part of the lighting is the swirling lights on the ellipse. I hope it improves. The first night, my seat was $194 total (face value), and it was toward the back--the second night I had upper level on the side for $110 total face value--IMO if you are going to charge exorbitant prices, at least do something innovative with the show; U2 has always done that dating back to Zoo TV, but this show is seriously lacking. I do not fault Willie for this, he has proven his genius. I just don't think he was given the freedom (especially financial) to do something really cool.
...just finished a 2-day stint at Staples--both shows had a lot of brilliant moments, and I enjoyed both (afterall, it is U2), although it is so early in the tour that they have a lot of growth ahead of them. I will say that I was rather underwhelmed by the set and lighting. It's fine to use the Elevation template, but at least buld on it. It is almost like Elevation (which I thought was brilliant) but it is even more stripped down.
The lighted beads add nothing; they are distracting if anything. The video they play is confusing at times (the second night the Human rights video had no caption on the side screens, so every one in my section was asking "what was that?) The only cool part of the lighting is the swirling lights on the ellipse. I hope it improves. The first night, my seat was $194 total (face value), and it was toward the back--the second night I had upper level on the side for $110 total face value--IMO if you are going to charge exorbitant prices, at least do something innovative with the show; U2 has always done that dating back to Zoo TV, but this show is seriously lacking. I do not fault Willie for this, he has proven his genius. I just don't think he was given the freedom (especially financial) to do something really cool.
popshopper
Acrobat
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2002
- Messages
- 459
On the set and lighting design.
From a GA stand point its not great, the light curtains are a nice enough idea which don't really work well in practice (although I think that's mainly to do with the actual images that Willie's chosen to go with...the very simple abstract stuff shown on Vertigo, City of Blinding lights...etc works well but the Fly and Bullet the Blue Sky stinks and is confusing as hell.). But since I'm in GA I don't really care or mind.
Sitting down behind the stage 2nd night at Staples was a lot better, the curtains still aren't great but the simple light washes are very effective and the stage floor lighting is amazing looking.
I would like to see the stage from the front at a distance, I think the light curtains will work better there, but I'll have to wait until the european tour as my little US jaunt has ended, but overall impressions of the stage are that's its fine for an arena concert (it's not groundbreaking but it allows everyone to get a good experience which is the main thing) but that will be very poor in a larger format without some radical changes, I can't see the light curtains working outdoors in their current format at I reckon that there will be a lot stadium mounted lights for the stadium shows as the most effective part of the light show is the atmospheric washes that Willie seems to love...I do concede that these are almost exactly the same as elevation though.
From a GA stand point its not great, the light curtains are a nice enough idea which don't really work well in practice (although I think that's mainly to do with the actual images that Willie's chosen to go with...the very simple abstract stuff shown on Vertigo, City of Blinding lights...etc works well but the Fly and Bullet the Blue Sky stinks and is confusing as hell.). But since I'm in GA I don't really care or mind.
Sitting down behind the stage 2nd night at Staples was a lot better, the curtains still aren't great but the simple light washes are very effective and the stage floor lighting is amazing looking.
I would like to see the stage from the front at a distance, I think the light curtains will work better there, but I'll have to wait until the european tour as my little US jaunt has ended, but overall impressions of the stage are that's its fine for an arena concert (it's not groundbreaking but it allows everyone to get a good experience which is the main thing) but that will be very poor in a larger format without some radical changes, I can't see the light curtains working outdoors in their current format at I reckon that there will be a lot stadium mounted lights for the stadium shows as the most effective part of the light show is the atmospheric washes that Willie seems to love...I do concede that these are almost exactly the same as elevation though.
mikal
Blue Crack Addict
KUEFC09U2 said:
don't worry. he did the same thing last tour.
martha
Blue Crack Supplier
MERGE>>>>>>>>>
ultraviolet353
War Child
actually it's about being passionate about the band--I thought this was a discussion board about the tour--If you are not interested in responding, then don't. When I hear an album, or see a film, or go to a see a concert, I am stimulated by discussion.
I am trying to open a thread on what people thought about the set and lighting. You are trying to turn it into a "love it, or shut up" thread.
I ask you, which is worse?
I am trying to open a thread on what people thought about the set and lighting. You are trying to turn it into a "love it, or shut up" thread.
I ask you, which is worse?
tenacious_b
The Fly
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2004
- Messages
- 50
I like the lighted beads because they can go up and down much easier than a video screen and they don't block the view of the band from the back.
martha
Blue Crack Supplier
ultraviolet353 said:
What's worse? Starting a new thread about something that's already being discussed, not looking back through the pages to see if the topic's already got a thread, or taking something the wrong way and getting all pissy for no reason?
martha
Blue Crack Supplier
babyman
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
love and peace!
greety
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
sue4u2 said:
Perhaps the stadium shows will get the giant LED Screens for the outdoor shows. It is the same company that provided the screens for PopMart, as well as the LED bulbs for this leg of the tour.
Full article: http://www.smartvision.com/eng/news/03292005.asp?id=60
I also read that Bono was to wear a special jacket with LED panels built into it to flash along with some of the songs.
I haven't heard anyone mentioning Bono lighting up, however.
Edited to add:
The LED jacket, another Saco design that pushes the technology envelope, will be worn by frontman Bono during the show. It is an entire jacket made of LED's formed onto flexible panels and features full motion video and animations to deliver visual content while coinciding with the song lyrics.
I dunno about Saco (never heard of them) but I do know for a fact that the company that provides the LED curtain (and other stuff) is a belgian company called Barco. So i'm not sure that Saco link is thruthful or not.
Barco have also worked with U2 on the Elevation tour and even the tours before that.
During Elevation tour Bono thanked the company and Belgian crew in Antwerp.
If you think this curtain is not high tech or new, better read this:
http://www.barco.com/events/en/pressreleases/show.asp?index=1490
You can read how it all works and what it's about.
And I can also confirm that the stage company is also from Belgium, has been working with U2 for years now (Zoo, POP mart, Elevation, Roliing stones and many more)
That's why they always call it a bit of a homegig when they play Belgium, lots of crewmembers are from here.
Well, it's clear that I haven't seen the show yet and it certainly will be different when they come here in June (outdoors for 50.000 people) but I thought I'd give some credit where credit's due
I haven't heard anything about Bono being lit up though
babyman
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
the idea of the 4 screen and the heart is obviuosly being recycled, as much as the lights of popmart coming out through the led screen and some other zoo tv stuff, it's looks like a tribute to the last tours, but the most exciting thing is the fire...............
yeah, the one which is shot by U2! that's what counts!...............or not?
yeah, the one which is shot by U2! that's what counts!...............or not?
greety
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
sure, but that wasn't mentioned in the thread title
ultraviolet353
War Child
I started a similar thread on this topic and agree with most of what's been said here. I kept hearing that this set design was going to take Elevation to another level, but IMO, it is really just a half-baked version of Elevation--the swwirlinmg light on the elllips are really cool though--I have a feeling the lighting/effects might get better as the tour progresses.
I really like th idea of the light curtains, but I found they were more powerful when the other lights were off, like during the intro to COBL in San Diego. Other lighting effects dilute their strength, especially other lights behind (which depends on where you are). That said, I think they're neatly similar to other tours like ZOOTV and PopMart, like others have said. I like em.
Jon
Jon
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