Vertigo Leaving The USA: The Runts Of The Litter

[Clawgrabber]

Well,

Now that I have seen what will sadly be my last U2 show on this tour (God hope they go on tour again)

I know that they aren't done, as they have a large chunk of the world to cover soon, but for the US it seems they may be done, and to me, that signals an end of sorts.

So my thoughts.

There are always "Runts" in each litter. By that I mean songs that U2 decides not to play live.

On this tour, it seems that those runts are:

Electrical Storm
A Man And A Woman
One Step Closer

For various reasons, that is too bad. Each of those tracks are interesting in their own right. I was really hoping for the first two in particular, and pulling pretty hard for Electrical Storm, as it is one of my all time favorite U2 songs.

Funny that they chose to play Fast Cars over 2 songs that they picked over it for the final album tracklist and a song they released as a single.

But, that is not to say that this tour wasn't great. It was. I made a list tabulating all the concerts I saw on the three tours I have seen now, and the number were actually surprising.

I saw 2 Popmart Shows, 10 Elevation Shows, and 5 Vertigo Shows.

Counting up the number of songs I saw them play live for the first time for each respective tour, I came up with:

POPMART: 23
ELEVATION: 17
VERTIGO: 20

Considering that I hadn't ever seen U2 before Popmart, and that I had seen them 12 times before this tour, and that I saw half as many shows on this tour than last...

I'd say that it is pretty impressive that popmart only beat this tour by 3.

They really mixed thing up, if you take a step back.

All those Boy songs.
The First Time
Miss Sarajevo
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
Running To Stand Still
Zoo Station
Gloria
etc...

i am excited to see what they do next. I am a bit sad that it is over for me (not holding my breath that they come back here next summer.).

Maybe they will play Electrical Storm some other tour.

Til then...

I'll still be waiting to hear MOFO and The Unforgettable Fire.

 

[thelaj]

I don't think "One Step Closer" was ever intended to be played personally.
A Man and a Woman maybe.
Electrical Storm should have been played at least a couple of times. It was a single! Not only that but the sound is quite similar to some others on this album.
I also feel "Crumbs" was shunned as well, but I don't consider that a loss (lol).
I think the overall theme to this tour was:
If you are on October or Pop, go away!!!
How many songs in total did they play from these two albums?
Even R&H wasn't well represented..and Zooropa..hey the list goes on.

It seems to me they took
HTDAAB
ATYCLB
Achtung Baby
The Joshua Tree
War
Boy

And largely ignored the other albums

 

[amerrydeath]

As much as Electrical Storm is a good song, I really don't think it would have stood up live. It's not that engaging, IMO.

 

[Muad'zin]

They played Crumbs a few times, and that is just a meh song which happens to tie in with their make poverty history campaign. Electrical Storm is a far better song. It deserved a few playings. Ah well, maybe in 2006.

 

[u2wedge]

I was really surprised they didn't bust out 'A Man and a Woman'... but I'm DAMN glad they decided to bust out 'Fast Cars' instead!

 

[topplehatU2]

I wouldn't have minded One Step Closer as a segue into Where the Streets Have No Name, maybe even in the place of Miss Sarajevo.

 

[catlhere]

I wouldn't have minded One Step Closer as a segue into Where the Streets Have No Name, maybe even in the place of Miss Sarajevo.

I wouldn't have minded anything in place of Miss Snorejevo.

I really don't know how the band picks the song selection for the night. It would be interesting to see or listen to that process. I really feel this was a very good tour for setlists though. I mean with all the hits they have had, they really showed it. Every U2 fan had something to enjoy each night. I do agree that October was not showcased as well at is could have been. But then again, not many U2 fans (call them casual if you want) know October. Even still, I think it was a nicely varied tour. I'd like to hear Electrical Storm as well, but I'm not sure if it will ever see the light of day. Same with Red Hill, Acrobat, and others. Maybe it's best, then there will be a mystique about it for all of us to go crazy over if/when it finally debuts. Instead of it being played every show and having such a great song be reduced to "eh, this bores me now."

 

[amerrydeath]

It seems to me they took
HTDAAB
ATYCLB
Achtung Baby
The Joshua Tree
War
Boy

And largely ignored the other albums

They played just as many from TUF as War and Boy--one or two songs a show. The Boy list grew shorter as the tour went on, obviously, and War's New Year's Day dropped out, too. =/ '40' seems too universal for me to think about it as being a WAR song, per se.

It's such a sad thing that people don't react to Pop songs, because they're absolutely unbelievable if you give them a goddamn chance. I keep reading these reviews on U2-Vertigo-Tour and they're all "they should have played more from the 80s, less Achtung Baby (we'll just forget about Zooropa and Pop)"

Discotheque... sounded SO GOOD.

 

[u2wedge]

I wouldn't have minded anything in place of Miss Snorejevo.

I really don't know how the band picks the song selection for the night. It would be interesting to see or listen to that process. I really feel this was a very good tour for setlists though. I mean with all the hits they have had, they really showed it. Every U2 fan had something to enjoy each night. I do agree that October was not showcased as well at is could have been. But then again, not many U2 fans (call them casual if you want) know October. Even still, I think it was a nicely varied tour. I'd like to hear Electrical Storm as well, but I'm not sure if it will ever see the light of day. Same with Red Hill, Acrobat, and others. Maybe it's best, then there will be a mystique about it for all of us to go crazy over if/when it finally debuts. Instead of it being played every show and having such a great song be reduced to "eh, this bores me now."

I think MS would have been a bad call if Bono couldn't do the opera part... but you have to admit that hearing Bono hit the notes that he did was pretty amazing to witness.

 

[JCOSTER]

I got to hear crumbs and original at the 2 msg shows. I would have liked to hear other songs from UF. But I guess they cant sing their entire careers worth.

 

[catlhere]

I think MS would have been a bad call if Bono couldn't do the opera part... but you have to admit that hearing Bono hit the notes that he did was pretty amazing to witness.

That is what kept me from sitting down during it. The Album version is a snoozefest. Bono does save it with his voice, which is surprisingly strong during it. But I felt it could be one of those songs like Bad that only comes once every 2-nighter in a city, and then switch out for Running To Stand Still, which (in my humble opinion) is the better song. Especially with the Hallelujah at the end. But yes, Bono really gives you goosebumps, the song in general just puts me to sleep.


And to Jcost. Yea it would be nice if they explored a few more songs in October, but then again. We'd rather them have too many hits to pick from, than barely any. Right? They're such a damn good band, they couldn't play all their good songs.

 

[fnowat]

play list...

You cannot please all the people all of the time, but you can please some of the people some of the time. I know fans that complain about the lottery. I have had 14 GAs this tour and was only in the Bomb Shelter onces, where as last tour I had 7 GAs and was inside the heart every time. But for Toronto3, there were u2 concert 'virgins' on each side of me, and the girls squealed non-stop for every song! It took my 2-day hearing loss to understand that that is the emotion the band is hoping for on each show. Complacency is tough to deal with. But I understand. Just as I dream of a Fan Only show by the boys. But then again, there would be fans that would not be able to get a ticket for such a show, so there would be the complaints. So back to my opening statement. I wish each show would be B-sides, but there are also some who do not even know what they are any more. Que sera, sera.
frank

 

[cypress]

I don't think One Step Closer or Man and a Woman would add anything to the concerts. IMO those were two of the worst songs on an otherwise great album. I believe the tour evolved and got better in both its showmanship and its setlists which is definately a good thing:

- The added use of the curtain of lights for Mysterious Ways during the 3rd leg really worked out well.

- I WIll Follow is one of those timeless U2 songs that needs to be a part of most U2 concerts and seemed to get more time during the 3rd leg.

- Miss Sarajevo moved in due to Bono's ability to do the opera.

- Bono preached less on the 3rd leg than on the 1st which is always a good thing IMO. Those speeches tend to put a hole in the concerts. He still got his point across but just used fewer words to do it the second time around.

- 'Bad' seemed to get in more often in the 3rd leg. I prefer it as a closer over Yaweh/40.

- OOTS is a beautiful song, especially live. Glad to see it as more of a regular in the 3rd leg.

Again, U2 can't please everyone but I think the changes they made as the tour went on were, for the most part, changes for the better.

 

[thelaj]

Re: play list...

Just as I dream of a Fan Only show by the boys.

wow, that show would be hated! Fans complain the most about setlists and would want all kinds of weird songs. Imagine 60,000 U2 Fans in a stadium, complaining because "Zooropa" was played instead of "Dirty Day" or whatever.
This place would be full for years saying how "U2 has squandered their only chance to please me in life by playing only 4 songs from october and 7 from pop!!"

lol

 

[Neal Weichel]

I loved all 10 shows I saw and really thought the substitution of Miss Sarajevo for Running was the best move of the third leg. Though I loved Miracle Drug i also loved finally seeing OOTS in Portland in it's place. With that said there are 3 changes they could have made in the setlist that would have given "multiple night fans" more of what they were looking for, kept the last 2 albums worth of songs intact, as i think they should be, and giving the entire catalog it's due. That would be to remove Bullet, either WOWY or Still Haven't Found and Pride with Mofo, All I want is You and Bad. Also, to replace Mysterious Ways with Stuck was better than i thought it would be but how about either Gloria or Desire in that slot-high energy/perfect for an encore. Finally, will we never hear a full band Kite or Walk On again?

 

[IanIinTheSky]

Neal,

I do miss Kite. I also wish we would've heard Desire.

 

[lauramullen]

I would like to hear Two Hearts Beat as One. Other than that, I like am pretty happy with the setlists to the 6 shows I was at.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

Do the Suede farewell ICA gig thingy.

No one would complain.

 

[daygloeyes2]

I don't think One Step Closer or Man and a Woman would add anything to the concerts. IMO those were two of the worst songs on an otherwise great album. I believe the tour evolved and got better in both its showmanship and its setlists which is definately a good thing:

- The added use of the curtain of lights for Mysterious Ways during the 3rd leg really worked out well.

- I WIll Follow is one of those timeless U2 songs that needs to be a part of most U2 concerts and seemed to get more time during the 3rd leg.

- Miss Sarajevo moved in due to Bono's ability to do the opera.

- Bono preached less on the 3rd leg than on the 1st which is always a good thing IMO. Those speeches tend to put a hole in the concerts. He still got his point across but just used fewer words to do it the second time around.

- 'Bad' seemed to get in more often in the 3rd leg. I prefer it as a closer over Yaweh/40.

- OOTS is a beautiful song, especially live. Glad to see it as more of a regular in the 3rd leg.

Again, U2 can't please everyone but I think the changes they made as the tour went on were, for the
most part, changes for the better.

Agree with everything you said, especially about Bad over 40. I like 40, but not as a closer. It's too short of a song and too drawn out.