MERGED--> Vertigo + An open letter to U2

[Shawn Bonneau]

Vertigo

The vertigo thing last night is not cool.

SMB

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

OK...

 

[JOFO]

you mean them playing it twice?

yeah, gotta agree.

 

[MTEdge]

We all appreciate the fact that people have differing opinions, but why isnt it cool that they played Vertigo twice? Til we know that, we can't discuss the issue.

 

[Abomb-baby]

Yes it was. Were you there? It was awesome. The crowd was just too amped to go out on Yaweh/40 I know some may have been disappointed, but I wasn't.

 

[Princey]

were there any differences between the two versions at all?

 

[OffAxis]

Yes it was. Were you there? It was awesome. The crowd was just too amped to go out on Yaweh/40 I know some may have been disappointed, but I wasn't.

Well why not play one of the 15 other rocked out songs they have written.

 

[Princey]

Well why not play one of the 15 other rocked out songs they have written.

probably cos they were confident they could play that without having to rehearse beforehand or that they wouldnt screw it up

 

[KUEFC09U2]

i have heard from people there that it was actually VERY cool and the place went nuts, so why not do it twice? they played i will follow twice on the boy tour, and bono did say its a throw back to the early days, so why not go the whole way?

also pretty much everyone that has reviewd the show have said it was brilliant them closing with such energy,

so i say go for it

oh and while were on it, this was the most unexpected thing ANYONE could think of, and thats what everyone wanted

 

[OffAxis]

probably cos they were confident they could play that without having to rehearse beforehand or that they wouldnt screw it up

I know that's why, but the could play UTEOTW with their eyes closed.

 

[6620ross]

I was there last night, side stage view and the place rocked!! In fact my sister had just said to me, she wished they would play Vertigo again. One guy that I talked to who was on the other side of the stage said Bono had a chat and said he didn't want to go out with the same last 2 songs.

I have never seen such energy in concert. Not one person I could see ever set down, the sound was perfect!!!

I don't think I shall ever forget...

 

[riteshbhatt1]

if you weren't there why are you bitching about it? Does it hurt you in some way? The people who were actually at the show liked it.

 

[MISTER MACPHISTO]

I went to both Seattle shows and there is no comparison of the energy from the first to the second show. The secod one was through the roof, especially after vertigo played again. The ending left everybody wanting more. It was almost as if the show had just restarted and everybody was ready to party all over again. Isn't that the best way for a band to go out? I mean, if you're not going to go out with everybody wanting more then you probably weren't worth watching in the 1st place. If you need the ending with 40 to be satisfied then just go listen to pretty much every concert between 1987-1989 and probably every other Vertigo show to come. Just because it was different does not mean that it was not cool. Then again I guess that you are welcome to your opinion just as much as I am.
-Clay

 

[quasi1970]

It was cool...end of story.

I think you had to be at the show to appreciate it...I thought playing Vertigo a second time at the end was incredible! I've seen the band 12 times going back to 1992 and that was one of the most exciting things I've seen/experienced at a U2 show...the second version sounded louder, edgier, the lighting was more frenetic...it kicked some serious ass plain and simple.

 

[daygloeyes2]

I don't see how playing Vertigo twice instead of 40 ruins a show which by all accounts was excellent.

 

[one4u2]

They did that at the Brooklyn Bridge show They could've filled that slot with a million other things -

 

[scottyT]

stillllll kinda awesome. kinda random, and kinda sweet.

 

[u2wedge]

I'm assuming if they had closed with Yahweh/40, THEN did another version of Vertigo, you'd be happy?

I wasn't there, so I don't want to get flamed, but I agree that if they were going to play Vertigo twice, make it a true BONUS and don't replace song(s) with it. Just my opinion.

 

[kellyahern]

I was there last night, side stage view and the place rocked!! In fact my sister had just said to me, she wished they would play Vertigo again. One guy that I talked to who was on the other side of the stage said Bono had a chat and said he didn't want to go out with the same last 2 songs.

I have never seen such energy in concert. Not one person I could see ever set down, the sound was perfect!!!

I don't think I shall ever forget...

I was there last night too and when they played Vertigo the second time the place just about exploded! It was amazing The energy through the whole show was so great, and the second Vertigo was just incredible!

 

[angel_28]

I'm sure vertigo 2 rocked....i would have enjoyed it

 

[melsbud]

I just got home from Seattle. I was at the show last night, at the rail of the run on the left side. Even though I was originally hoping for a Yahweh/40 combo (and people were still chanting "40! 40!" at the end), I know it doesn't look good on paper, but when we were there last night, Vertigo (2) was through the roof! The crowd went absolutely insane, Bono and the boys were having a blast, and it was actually one of the highlights of the evening. The energy from the crowd was just through the roof, and the band and lights were going like there was no tomorrow. Again, it seems lame reading the setlist, but I think for anyone who was actually there, it's almost unanimous that Vertigo (2) wasn't bad at all.

The entire show was amazing. I'm still processing it.

(Oh, and if anyone has a recording of this show or any of the songs, could you please e-mail me at melsbud@yahoo.com?)

 

[mikal]

if you weren't there why are you bitching about it? Does it hurt you in some way? The people who were actually at the show liked it.

exactly.

 

[u2girlcj]

I just got home from Seattle. I was at the show last night, at the rail of the run on the left side. Even though I was originally hoping for a Yahweh/40 combo (and people were still chanting "40! 40!" at the end), I know it doesn't look good on paper, but when we were there last night, Vertigo (2) was through the roof! The crowd went absolutely insane, Bono and the boys were having a blast, and it was actually one of the highlights of the evening. The energy from the crowd was just through the roof, and the band and lights were going like there was no tomorrow. Again, it seems lame reading the setlist, but I think for anyone who was actually there, it's almost unanimous that Vertigo (2) wasn't bad at all.

The entire show was amazing. I'm still processing it.

(Oh, and if anyone has a recording of this show or any of the songs, could you please e-mail me at melsbud@yahoo.com?)

YaY Melsbud, you made it! How'd you get such an awesome spot - I thought you didn't leave until like 9? (On sunday we got there at 6am and were #s 40 and 41!)

I couldn't believe the energy last night and I wouldn't trade it for the world...but I've said all this in the other threads where people bitch about 2 Vertigos (vertigoes? ), so I digress...

Can't imagine how they'll top it in Vancouver this week, but I sure won't mind if it's even half the energy!!!

 

[6620ross]

Here it is a day after the show and I am still on cloud 9 too. It tops the Stones in my book. If anyone has recordings from the show add me to that list at: nmckenzi@pacifier.com.

I was 1 foot away from Bono earlier in the day, never got anything signed, but he is the greatest guy to his fans.

And for those that say people sat most of the time at their concerts, I didn't see anyone in the Key Arena sitting for the entire show.

The opening act I needed earplugs for, but the sound was so great for U2 it was a total experience.

The weather was great and there were lots of partying going on before, during and after the show.

I believe the Key Arena is one of the great venues for concerts. Heres to Vancouver, hope you guys enjoy!

 

[sortofhomecoming]

They did that at the Brooklyn Bridge show They could've filled that slot with a million other things -

I feel the same way - they could have filled it with some other great ones.

 

[cmb737]

Quite a statement about the failure of the presale I think. Every single second show has absolutely gone off, where many of the first shows pale in comparison. I think they understand what is going on, and who is in the building on each night.

 

[regularguy]

It's funny about the second vertigo -- a week or so ago, I somewhat snidely posted in response to someone who said they should play "hits" a story about Neil Diamond. Apparently, Neil Diamond plays "Sweet Caroline" in concert, and if the fans go nuts, he says, "you like that, huh?" and then he plays it again.

I posted this and then said something like, "if U2 ever resorts to that, that's where I get off the bus."

I'm really hoping this was a random one-off weird little funny moment on the tour. If they start playing Vertigo twice as a matter of course, I'll be disappointed. Not that they could play something else -- I'd actually rather they play nothing.

Perhaps there's something about the song that makes it a proper bookend song at either end of the set list, but to me a concert is so much more than a collection of songs. Shouldn't criticize a show I did not attend, I guess, but I see this as potentially troubling. I actually don't think U2 are capable of jumping the shark, but I am starting to worry a little.

 

[madonna's child]

I think it's cool that they played it again. I'm sure it was a spur of the moment kind of thing, feeding off the energy of the crowd. Now that's rock and roll.

 

[thrillme]

This is not unprecedented, not even for U2. I was reading, think it was U2 Live, that they played "I Will Follow" 3 times at one concert in their Boy days.

Okay, maybe then it was because the audience wanted more, and they didn't have that many songs, whereas nowadays they've plenty, but if they are "going back to where they started" it fits perfectly.

If they played "Gloria" twice, I would have absolutely no problem with that, they could then play "New Year's Day" back to back, I like that song so much. Poor Larry's arms, but that would be cool to me, and maybe only me.

 

[ladywithspinninghead]

Quite a statement about the failure of the presale I think. Every single second show has absolutely gone off, where many of the first shows pale in comparison. I think they understand what is going on, and who is in the building on each night.

Interesting point - I hadn't even thought of it like that...but it makes sense!