Why is U2 the greatest live act ever ?

[zoo99]

I know what my reasons are, what's yours ? or is (has) there been someone better over the long run ?.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

I've always loved U2 but from what I've heard from impartial sources, BROOOOOOOOCE Springsteen takes some beating!

 

[lemon_vr6]

I've always loved U2 but from what I've heard from impartial sources, BROOOOOOOOCE Springsteen takes some beating!

Bruce is up there, but #2.

 

[timothius]

Well I've never seen U2 live, but will on Leg 4 (if it happens).

That being said bands that I've heard boots of. Crowded House & related spin offs take the cake in terms of the ability to connect with the audience both musically and non-musically - thats the place where I've always thought U2 have lacked. The only oral communication between the band & audience are often Bono's diatribes.

But in terms of the ability to make a mere concert be much, much more than that, U2 takes the cake. They have been able to make a simple musical performance into a political statement, a party & a spritual pilgramage all in one. Why has this happened? Because they spend more time than any other band in the world pondering the live scenario and how they wish to transpose there music into that format. Not many bands would have a Tour Concept Creator listed in there Video release, U2 have had that every time since ZooTV I believe.

For me, if U2 can beat Midnight Oil, I will be thoroughly amazed. There is a band (of similar) age that can do everything U2 can do... and did it so brilliantly

 

[boosterjuice]

U2 is the best "act" ever because they don't "act". The music is so real and personal.

 

[ramblingrob]

U2 is not the greatest live act. They are quite good, and I love them, but I would disagree with the topic of this thread. They only tour every four years. Their setlists are pretty stale. Their shows are only about two hours... I could go on.

As far as live: Grateful Dead, Bruce SPr, REM, Allman Bros Band, Santana are all better.

Not a diss on u2, but they are not the greatest live act ever. No way.

 

[Habib]

U2 ARE THE GREATEST ROCK'N'ROLL BAND IN THE WORLD AND SEEING THEM LIVE IS AN OTHER-WORLDLY EXPERIENCE.

as someone said ,'a musical rocket ship heaven bound'

 

[The Paradise]

U2 is not the greatest live act. They are quite good, and I love them, but I would disagree with the topic of this thread. They only tour every four years. Their setlists are pretty stale. Their shows are only about two hours... I could go on.

As far as live: Grateful Dead, Bruce SPr, REM, Allman Bros Band, Santana are all better.

Not a diss on u2, but they are not the greatest live act ever. No way.

Santana lol. Booooooring

 

[Lila64]

one word: PASSION

 

[BonoIsMyMuse]

one word: PASSION

I agree. There's so much energy and unity in a U2 show, from gathering in the morning for the GA line all the way through singing 40 all the way into the parking lot near midnight. U2 does a better job than any other band I've seen (and I've seen a lot) of tapping into the crowd's energy and really making every show special. They care about their music and about their fans a great deal, and it really comes through in their live performances.

There's no band I'd see twice on the same tour. By December, I'll have seen U2 this year at least four times, hopefully more.

 

[BonosBaby12]

They are the greatest live act because they really care about their fans. When I went to the birthday show in Chicago a few weeks ago their love for everyone was so strong. So clear how much they enjoy putting on these shows. Nothing is fake about it and that's what makes them the greatest live act! They truly are grateful for their fans.

 

[ElectricalVoice]

U2 is not the greatest live act. They are quite good, and I love them, but I would disagree with the topic of this thread. They only tour every four years. Their setlists are pretty stale. Their shows are only about two hours... I could go on.

As far as live: Grateful Dead, Bruce SPr, REM, Allman Bros Band, Santana are all better.

Not a diss on u2, but they are not the greatest live act ever. No way.

Respect your opinion, but it's just an opinion. I think many people, not only U2 fans, will disagree. U2 certainly are one of the best live acts out there, I think. That's my opinion. Any many others - as the british poll just showed us.

 

[U2FanPeter]

I've seen hundreds of concerts and U2 are the greatest live group that is still creatively active.

One thing about U2 is that it's nearly impossible to find a performance they "phoned-in".

U2FP

 

[tiny dancer]

The put their hearts and souls into their music, and the awesomel connection they have with the audience.

 

[UKTan]

one word: PASSION

 

[The OOTS]

Grateful Dead = boring.

 

[bono_man2002]

When they're off they are on.
When they are on THEY ARE ON!

Rarelly, if it all have I head/Seen (only 6 from this tour) A Bad U2 show.

 

[Ladera Heights]

U2 is not the greatest live act. They are quite good, and I love them, but I would disagree with the topic of this thread. They only tour every four years. Their setlists are pretty stale. Their shows are only about two hours... I could go on.

As far as live: Grateful Dead, Bruce SPr, REM, Allman Bros Band, Santana are all better.

Not a diss on u2, but they are not the greatest live act ever. No way.

LOL, funniest post ever.

I see where you're going though. Those bands you listed are pretty tight live. They have their songs down, whereas U2 are sloppy as all hell. But I think what people here are talking about is the communication of raw soul and passion. And yes, I've seen Bruce and REM and they can tear it up, but U2 are on another (much higher) level.

 

[4U2Play]

U2 is the greatest live act I have ever seen because they have such a huge body of brilliantly written songs that they tweak and fiddle with on every tour, ensuring different "versions" of the same classic songs each time out... consequently, even when they play Bullet The Blue Sky for the sixth tour in a row, it never gets stale... the Grateful Dead did this sort of thing, who else?

Which other band induces tears of joy from its fans, both men and women? (I admit, I'm guilty of it, too... "Bad" kills me every time, so does "Streets"... someone please play those two songs at my funeral, thanks).

Which other band has thousands of its fans all over the world anxiously debating its setlist everynight on anonymous chat sites like this one? Coldplay? The Killers? Doubt it.

REM were a good live band for about 5 years during the 80's, now they're just average.

Santana is crap.

Allman Bros completely rock, but they haven't put out a good album since when?

Only saw Springsteen on the Born In The USA Tour, which was epic, no doubt, but his new stuff bores me.

Green Day live is always good, very very tight. No emotional connection with the audience, though, just Billy Joe making funny faces and yelling the f-word.

Stones? nah

No one is even close to being in U2's league, not even the Beatles, who ceased being a great live band when they were lured off the Reeperbahn in '62.

Download the bootleg DVDs of U2's earlier shows, like the Nov '87 show in L.A., or the show in Santiago, Chile... these are great, great concerts.

Get a GA ticket and stand in or near the ellipse during this Vertigo Tour... you cannot seriously compare that experience to anything going on anywhere else on the entire planet over the past two months.

Enjoy this while we can, friends... someday we will look back on these weeks and months with rapturous melancholy, wishing we could re-live these concert moments all over again.

Thank God I'm a U2 fan.

 

[Neenie]

U2 is not the greatest live act. They are quite good, and I love them, but I would disagree with the topic of this thread. They only tour every four years. Their setlists are pretty stale. Their shows are only about two hours... I could go on.

As far as live: Grateful Dead, Bruce SPr, REM, Allman Bros Band, Santana are all better.

Not a diss on u2, but they are not the greatest live act ever. No way.

Wow... you are soo right! Sultana and REM are a heaps better live act than U2.

Thanks for clearing that up

 

[Bono's shades]

I think Bruce Springsteen has just as good a claim to being the best live act in the world as U2. I don't think anyone else comes close to touching those two, though.

 

[discothequeLP]

i saw the Anaheim 1 show (my first u2 show) and it was just really really good! sure, a few miscues with the music, but the LIGHTS and the STAGE were amaizng! they really get the crowd involved, and the sound is really good. . . and they play U2 music, so what more could you ask?!

 

[Halifax]

U2 live = better than sex.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

One thing about U2 is that it's nearly impossible to find a performance they "phoned-in".

I can tell of one they phoned in - Adelaide Zoo TV. The absolute worst U2 concert I've ever seen. I saw them the following week in Sydney and the difference was night and day. I've got the video of that concert and never bothered watching it all the way through, it depressed me that much.

When they are ON they fire like noone else. When they don't, they stink like everyone else.

 

[Lancemc]

Granted, I haven't seen many concerts in my relatively short life, but the only thing that even came close to U2 last month was the REM concert I saw back in October. That was a phenominal performance, especially sinse i was so close as opposed to sitting practically on top of the Wachovia Center to see U2, but U2 still blew me away unlike REM could ever do.

 

[matt_tx00]

U2's gotta rank as the best live act ever at least for our generation. I'm sure the 'Boomers would argue the Rolling Stones are the best live act ever or Pink Floyd or something like that.

Other bands:

I've seen REM live and I have to say I was actually a bit disappointed. Granted this was in 2004 so maybe that's what it was.

Pearl Jam was amazing live they rank way up there for me. So does Depeche Mode - a band I always thought was way overrated - seeing them live totally proved me wrong. Seen tons of smaller bands that were amazing. Obviously any of these lack the "clout" to rank as one of the "all-time greats". David Bowie was fantastic on his 2004 tour. Madonna I've seen twice and she's definitely one of my favorites live.

Santana I saw on the Supernatural tour and I thought was good. Bruce Springsteen I've seen once and thought was of course tremendous but he's a bit too "cultish" for me - too many hard-core "followers".

Bands that bored me to tears live include The Cure, The Eagles (yep 100 miles apart there but both a bore), and Fleetwood Mac.

 

[bombergirl1978]

U2 is the best live act because of their heart, their soul, the way they unite the audience and get their fists pumping in the air, the way they move people to tears with a few notes on a guitar, the way they actually believe what they are singing and playing, and the way that they create so much energy at the concerts, and they aren't too proud or arrogant to get audience members on stage to be part of a song and have an awesome moment with the band.

Those are just a few reasons. And I don't mind looking at them for 2 hrs either

 

[ramblingrob]

SInce I have stirred the proverbial hornets nest up, I have to say that this is MY OPINION. I love u2, and I think they put on great shows, but I just cant say they are the greatest live act. All of the artists I mentioned are IN MY OPINION better. I have seen u2 in four different tours: War, JT, Pop and Elevation. Loved all the shows, but they still dont rank like the artists I mentioned. I gave some of the reasons: Lack of varied setlists (if they varied their setlists I think they would rise in rank), only tour every four years (again, more touring more respect) and relatively short shows.

Anyway, go ahead and flame me. Silly me, I should have known, its a U2 msgboard and they (U2) can do no wrong.

Carry on

 

[Lancemc]

At least you know your place now.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

A U2 concert = An exilarating sexual-like church-going experience that produces an emotional high which may cause uncontrolled fits of joy long after the actual concert has ended.

I have been to church a few times. However, nothing brings me closer to God than an actual U2 concert experience.