Tour concept

[bonojr62]

Well... I havent seen this thread yet so I'll post it.
What will the tour concept be. Will it be like the high sensory Attack that Zoo TV gave us. Will it spit in the face of all things pop like Popmart... Or will it be another tour thats about the band and music. like elevation.

Post thoughts here.

I have no idea what the tour is gonna be like. I'd hope it would be like Zoo TV or Popmart considering I was too young to go to either one of them.

 

[elfyx]

I think, much like the album, the tour will be an amalgamation of their previous tours.

Stripped-down in some ways, but utilizing high technology like the holosonic in others. Hopefully we will see a return of huge video monitors and lighting effects.

 

[bonojr62]

Yes hopefully we will

 

[Paul Vox]

"Target" stage instead of the Heart?

 

[barrett]

I predict high tech visuals with a center arena setup with revolving stage

 

[explorer]

my bro said it should be called the "Atomic Tour", i like it, it's catchy

 

[pacemaker]

Instead of hanging Trabant lights, they should have hanging atomic bomb strobes and, of course, a mirror ball atomic bomb.

Just no large A-Bombs that open up to reveal the band for the encore, please.

 

[bonojr62]

is there anyway they could safely get a mushroom cloud on stage?

 

[mackemlad]

I read a Q magazine interview where it mentions that the atomic bomb in the album title is refering to Bono, and how he went off the rails following the death of his father. I would be surprised if there were any atomic ideas in the tour concept. I think the vertigo target will definately be used in some way and a circular stage is a strong possibility.

 

[kennerado]

the "ruined city" stage idea that an interferencer came up with sounds pretty awesome.

 

[mofo82]

I mentioned it in a thread in 'everything you know is wrong'...the target they performed on in the vertigo video is exactly the same as the ipod wheel...take a closer look. That pretty much convinces me that they will use this some how, maybe as the main stage, but im guessing the b-stage. The typical size of the b-stage I think suits the target better. I can't imagine a revolving main stage or them performing in the round through an entire show- just seems to prone to error, but you never know with U2. With any financial backing they MIGHT recieve (Bono did say at the Apple conference that there was no $ exchanged), and all the technology partners they have, I guess they could perfect something that crazy. They seem very agressive with new ideas for this album and video, so the tour, i'm guessing, will be just as innovative (audio spotlight included).

 

[mofo82]

I just had a crazy idea...they really seem to like the LED light boards since PopMart...I just envisioned a round LED board hanging over the main stage, if performed in the round, that wraps around all sides making an complete circle. I've seen the crazy shapes that those message boards can have, like the ABC News one in Times Square that's all wavy. Just thought I'd throw it out there.

 

[pepokiss]

i like the idea above... it fits to what I think

After seeing the real VERTIGO video... I can assume (and pray for) the stage will be round... in the very center of the stadium/arena... beign the stage a whols b-stage... right in the middle

the b-stage could be the piece of rope where you start the bomb (thinking of a cartoon like bomb)

 

[bono_man2002]

The revolving stage will almost stop me from going to the shows if they have it....
i dont like that idea at all.

pepokiss i like you're idea (but really what does it matter what I the individual like, tis up to the band really)

either that or something basic again....

 

[pepokiss]

maybe with the Apple and IBM (or whoever is) partnerships, Bono can throw REAL money into the crowd in Desire or Daddy's Gonna Give... , instead of fake ZooDolars, like on ZOO TV...



PS: ZOO TV

 

[tkramer]

Actually, over in "Fan Experiences, Opinions, Discussions and Tour Pictures," we even have drawings of the stage you can make fun of...

 

[mofo82]

maybe with the Apple and IBM (or whoever is) partnerships, Bono can throw REAL money into the crowd in Desire or Daddy's Gonna Give... , instead of fake ZooDolars, like on ZOO TV...

How bout shooting/dropping vouchers to download the show the next morning on itunes?!!! THAT"D BE SWEET

 

[bonojr62]

 

[bonojr62]

any thoughts to those who heard the new album?

 

[mofo82]

still absorbing the sounds...not yet ready to translate whole album to the concept just yet. I will return with ideas (I hope)

 

[bonojr62]

YAY!

 

[U2DMfan]

The holosonic device projects sound into an area with a spotlight.

I can envison a light sphere (of some sort) in the middle of the arena with a catwalk leading out to it. The sounds reverberating around the arena like a sporlight going cirlcular, one direction, then two, then three, four so on, until the sound fills the arena, a swirling effect.

I dont know, but my guess is they don't start with Vertigo unless they use a remix intro. U2 always like the long musical intros.

I could see them doing it in the round, with a targeted stage in the middle of the arena.

The problem is, the video screens. U2 always use video screens, and I'm glad, hopefully they always will.

That would lead me to think, regular stage setup, with the holosonic device in the middle projecting the sound and such. VIdeo screen set up similar to Elevation, with some sort of change, maybe bigger screens, who knows?

As for a concept, the target on the CD, the target on the video and the whole Atomic concept is probably where it's headed.

All guesses, but its just for fun anyways.

 

[mofo82]

itd be pretty sweet if there was some sort of video wall on the ground idea, where images and effects cound be used on this circle/ target that could surround the main stage. It could take place of the wall concept so that all could see them perform. If this were the case, I would still like to see large screens above the set like Elevation's setup.

 

[mofo82]

Arenas like the United Center here in Chicago have LED lightboards that encircle the 2nd level box suites, and are new since the last tour. They run some really cool graphics on those during basketball games- I would like to see those get used during a show if an arena has them. In my mind, they gotta' go all out, especially with the leap to CGI in the video and all the technical groups theyre alligning themselves with.

 

[bonojr62]

I'd love to see something along the lines of a LED screen popmart size

 

[mofo82]

bonojr62, im yet to put together a setlist yet with these other ideas in mind. preoccupied with many things including my new ipod

 

[bonosleftone]

I want a stage and some lighting. No fancy schmancy Pop-esque pyrotechnics. I prefer the straight ahead approach like Elevation.

The crazier the stage setup, the more expensive tickets get.

 

[mofo82]

if i was purely into music and music alone, I'd be right there with ya bonosleftone, but I really like when the band and their design team leave me with new ideas that are inspired by the visuals and sounds together. To me, some of those ideas are priceless.

For example, looks how different of a meaning 'Bullet' took on from Zoo TV with the burning crosses to Popmart with Lichtenstein's popart planes flying and destroying things to pieces to Elevation and the short film on the NRA/ handgun violence. To me, it gives their songs new life and new meaning. It keeps the concerts relevant and interesting, not simply about playing their instruments.

 

[bonosleftone]

yea I agree with that for sure, I loved Zoo TV and POPMart was just sensory overload, but I would like something similar to Elevation where the music is more of the focal point than the bells and whistles.

I do think Zoo TV took the music to another level the way it was presented with the multimedia focus, PopMart was entirely too much but was still a blast but the best U2 shows IMO are the ones where they are just onstage and the music is the focus and the stage is secondary.

I like the simple touches they've done, like the scrims during New York and similar tactics. I do think their tour crew are fantastically creative but too much can ruin a good show IMO. That's why I think a lot of PopMart shows suffered because it was too much.

You can still have imagery without resorting to crazy screens and overkill. Subtlety moves me more than avant garde wackiness.

 

[mofo82]

I'm with ya about the subtlety. Elevation was a great blend of technology, imagery and their music, because the music won. I actually was a little sickened watching Popmart video the other day because I didnt feel the band mattered all that much.

But...I stilll like those Popmart themes/ ideas becuase it was all part of that elaborate joke that noone got. To be honest, I don't think it was a great joke because they never threw the punchline out there. See, I would've liked Popmart more if the screens wouldve (purposely) fritzed out so that you could understand that bigger isn't always better. They coudve gone out into the center of the stadium and performed as a real band and not a 90 foot tall band on a big screen- that wouldv'e been a good punchline. Anyways, I'm just goin with the flow