Willie Is Back!

[L03VIk]

http://www.u2.com/news/index.php?mode=full&news_id=1888

Show designer Willie Williams is back on tour with U2 from today.

He will work with them on the Grammy's and then on the 4th leg of the Vertigo Tour...

His Road Diary on U2.com is also back

 

[God Part III]

ROCK'N'ROLL!

 

[Nisse]

Great

 

[DignityPassesBy]

i wonder if they are getting ready to film a 4th leg concert than or if they're making a big change to the set such as mofo for example

 

[KUEFC09U2]

welcome back willie

and this quote will make some people gush with excitment...

"I realised a little while ago that all of the territories that the tour is visiting didn’t see the Elevation tour, which might give us a bit more leeway in choice of material for the show. (Though The Edge always laughs at me if I get concerned that we are repeating songs that an audience saw us play “only” four or five years ago). However, I do think we can have fun with the set list"

 

[Zooropean103]

Great that he's back, I always feel more comfortable when he's hanging around on the tour. However...

"I realised a little while ago that all of the territories that the tour is visiting didn’t see the Elevation tour, which might give us a bit more leeway in choice of material for the show. (...)"

Please tell that doesn't mean there will be more ATYCLB songs? The most I'm looking forward to the pop encore with Mofo and Discotheque, please, no more ATYCLB songs! Elevation and BD is really enough.

 

[Miroslava]

Yay!!!

 

[nurse chrissi]

welcome back willie

and this quote will make some people gush with excitment...

"I realised a little while ago that all of the territories that the tour is visiting didn’t see the Elevation tour, which might give us a bit more leeway in choice of material for the show. (Though The Edge always laughs at me if I get concerned that we are repeating songs that an audience saw us play “only” four or five years ago). However, I do think we can have fun with the set list"

so excited - April can't get here quickly enough


*Obligatory I completely wub Willie post *

 

[U2girl]

Ha, Willie couldn't get out that easy!
I wonder if this means some new visuals...

 

[U2FanPeter]

Didn't Bono once say leaving u2 was like trying to leave the mob?

 

[zoopop]

Ha, Willie couldn't get out that easy!
I wonder if this means some new visuals...

If I'm not mistaken don't they have to add visuals to about 5-7 songs because its going to be dark the entire show unlike the European leg, which started off in daylight?

I'm praying for a Popcore. I'll be at the show and want something fresh

 

[chrissybaby]

YAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!!

Willie is back, willie is back.... Come on Come on!!!!!

Ok now I Believe that there could be some setlist shake-ups...

 

[topplehatU2]

Discotheque come back!

 

[PatrickM]

If I'm not mistaken don't they have to add visuals to about 5-7 songs because its going to be dark the entire show unlike the European leg, which started off in daylight?

Actually, it will be already dark 'bout the time they got on stage, at 10pm.

At least, in South America.

 

[tommycharles]

Great that he's back, I always feel more comfortable when he's hanging around on the tour. However...



Please tell that doesn't mean there will be more ATYCLB songs? The most I'm looking forward to the pop encore with Mofo and Discotheque, please, no more ATYCLB songs! Elevation and BD is really enough.

This tour is in desparate need of some full-band Walk On.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

Cha' Ching!

That's my $32 getting me some good use.

 

[Axver]

welcome back willie

and this quote will make some people gush with excitment...

"I realised a little while ago that all of the territories that the tour is visiting didn’t see the Elevation tour, which might give us a bit more leeway in choice of material for the show. (Though The Edge always laughs at me if I get concerned that we are repeating songs that an audience saw us play “only” four or five years ago). However, I do think we can have fun with the set list"

And New Zealand didn't get the Popmart tour. So come on, give us Mofo. And One Tree Hill, just because we're awesome.

 

[RademR]

good things. i cant wait for this next leg to start, expecting some great shows!!!

u2 in brazil
and its going to be broadcasted??
hell ya, give us another pro-shot dvd before Milan comes out.

 

[Achtung Ya'll]

I swear to god if they play Mofo I'm having someone's babies. I don't care who.

 

[chrissybaby]

i've got a feeling they'll be some "velvet dress" "discotheque" and "mofo" action. I also think the acoustic encore will go altogether!!!! And I think that they'll be a new light show for a lot of the more staple songs. Especially after seeing the Mark Pellington inspired "One" light show last night at the Grammy's.

This will be the best leg of the tour bar none, and i can't think of a more desrving audience... have fun guys.

 

[zoopop]

I swear to god if they play Mofo I'm having someone's babies. I don't care who.

If Mofo is played I might have some babies.......and I'm a guy

 

[babyman]

Welcome back, Mr.Willie!

 

[malcolmbeaton]

wait a minute, since when is having willie around ever helped the setlist, usually he is what inhibits it with his tied down video sequences that leaves no room to change things. He probably never would have allowed all the different encores on third leg, to much "work" for him

 

[Mr. Millennium]

wait a minute, since when is having willie around ever helped the setlist, usually he is what inhibits it with his tied down video sequences that leaves no room to change things. He probably never would have allowed all the different encores on third leg, to much "work" for him

Alot of people think this, but i don't believe it. Willie is just someone who oversees everythhing and helps out (in addition to designing the production, but that part is over). He isn't the head of the video, Smasher (I believe) is in charge of that. There are a few times where Willie mentions that he thinks the band should change it up more.

It comes down to the fact that the band like the setlist to have a flow; they like to know what's next. That's why both the first and third leg started off with alot of setlist shuffling, but both times the setlist settled into something pretty standard. Sure, different songs were thrown in here and there, but there was a standard pattern. U2 could never play a concert where they put 50 song names into a hat and randomly picked 23 songs out. The band like structure. It's a small price for us to pay since they are an incredible live band.

 

[U2FanPeter]

Willie may help them fully flesh out the stadium vertigo shows. This is instead of the one week break in the early summer, and just making the arena show bigger.

What's weird about this 4th leg tour is that it crosses hemispheres twice. This could effect sundown/showstart times and whether the vertigo swirls go counterclockwise or not.


u2fp

 

[quadcaster]

And New Zealand didn't get the Popmart tour. So come on, give us Mofo. And One Tree Hill, just because we're awesome.

and both australia and new zealand didnt get the elevation tour..... i wanna see kite

 

[Shag On A Rock]

If I'm not mistaken don't they have to add visuals to about 5-7 songs because its going to be dark the entire show unlike the European leg, which started off in daylight?

You've lost me. The European leg was played in the summer as is the fourth leg. Why would it be dark late in evening in the Northern summer but not the Southern summer?

 

[Shag On A Rock]

This could effect ... whether the vertigo swirls go counterclockwise or not.

Which way did the swirls go during the Northern Hemisphere shows?

 

[Popmartijn]

Which way did the swirls go during the Northern Hemisphere shows?

I can't remember. I got dizzy watching it.

 

[Axver]

You've lost me. The European leg was played in the summer as is the fourth leg. Why would it be dark late in evening in the Northern summer but not the Southern summer?

It doesn't quite equate. The second leg hit Europe in the middle of summer, and Europe is much closer to the North Pole than we are to the South Pole. While it wasn't dark until halfway through the show in Europe, it will have been dark for about 1-2 hours by the time U2 hit the stage for most fourth leg shows. In fact, they could've played Queensland on the longest day and it'd have been dark for two hours if they took the stage at 9pm!

And some shows are in the Northern Hemisphere, where it'll be winter (Mexico) or spring (Japan and Hawaii), and the Aussie and Kiwi shows are in autumn, not summer. By my count, only three fourth leg concerts are in summer (Sao Paulo I and II, Santiago).

So there will definitely have to be graphics for the whole set. Let's hope this means no Vertigo x2!