Shuttlecock XIV: Bono the Vampire Slayer

[u2popmofo]

I liked the article.

My biggest fear is that they'll do that awful car lipsynching crap with James Corden. Someone needs to hit that guy in the face with a shovel.

 

[corianderstem]

Actually, it's karaoke not lipsynching.

#Cordensplaining

Sent from my SM-G920T using U2 Interference mobile app

 

[u2popmofo]

#Cordensplaining

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

President-elect Cheeto

 

[u2popmofo]

I enjoyed that part too.

After a few quick texts, I'm seeing them in DC and Dallas for sure. Considering Houston as well. Let the party begin.

 

[lazarus]

Article is basically stating the obvious every step of the way, at least for us more hardcore fans. Nothing there that any of us don't already know. I guess we are not the intended audience, though.

It's nothing new for us, I was just wondering what the reaction was to the band publicly being given this legacy label by the arbiters of cool.

All in all, Pitchfork has been fairly respectful to the band over the years. Certainly moreso than the majority of their readers.

 

[u2popmofo]

All in all, Pitchfork has been fairly respectful to the band over the years. Certainly moreso than the majority of their readers.

This is true.

I have to say that I kinda feel like Pitchfork has either jumped the shark or are in the midst of a lengthy jump of it. Something about the site seems so irrelevant and against what they used to "stand for" in my opinion. I certainly don't visit or pay anywhere near as much attention to the site as I once did. Maybe I've aged, maybe they have, but I find myself pretty consistently unimpressed with what they have to offer these days.

 

[david]

Pitchfork album reviews aren't as bad as they were 12 years ago.


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[LemonMelon]

That's true enough. Even excluding the Coltrane and Kid A reviews, much of the stuff they released in the early days was poorly written and devoid of substance. Like right here, this is an entire review from 1997:

It's all true. The new Portishead record is different, yet very much the same. Weird? Yes and no. The sound of Portishead is strikingly similar to that of 1994's groundbreaking Dummy. The difference lies within the sampling. Whereas Dummy was comprised of instantly memorable, bleak and dreary tracks, all sampled from old jazz, blues and film soundtracks, the band chose to record their own sounds, press them to vinyl, and use those as their launching point.

The melodies here are more jagged than those on Dummy, and Beth Gibbons' aching yowls are more distinguished and dramatic. Songs like "Elysium" and "Half Day Closing" probably won't really strike you until you've played them a few time, but tracks like "Over", "Humming", "Only You", and the sensational closing track, "Western Eyes", will grab your attention immediately.

Despite that it takes some getting acquainted with, though, Portishead comes very close to matching the twisting, dark road spirals of Dummy after it's sunk itself into your skull, and has permanently engraved itself in that giant slab of cold concrete that is the history of your life. Something tells me it's only gonna get better from here.

I didn't cut anything out; the review actually starts by responding to reviews the reader probably isn't aware of and has at least two awful grammatical errors in three short paragraphs.

 

[namkcuR]

That's true enough. Even excluding the Coltrane and Kid A reviews, much of the stuff they released in the early days was poorly written and devoid of substance. Like right here, this is an entire review from 1997:



I didn't cut anything out; the review actually starts by responding to reviews the reader probably isn't aware of and has at least two awful grammatical errors in three short paragraphs.

I'm trying to find the grammatical errors you speak of. The only one that jumps out at me is "until you've played them a few time".

Well, that and the author's inconsistent use of the oxford comma. Four places where it's appropriate, but he only does so on the latter two.

 

[kabigon]

"but creatively and critically, U2 have been floundering."

Critically floundering, maybe. More a case of not being on the radar.

Creatively, I have no doubt they've got a lot of great material that will never see the light of day. More a bad judge of their own material than the material being bad.

 

[Kieran McConville]

I'm not so convinced that U2 do have a ton of great material we've never heard. Consider the post-1990 rarities we have heard; most of them, while excellent in some cases, are versions of songs we already know.

 

[kabigon]

I was thinking mainly about all the producers they've had for SOI/E and rumours about different sounds/directions etc., moreso than comparing alt Bomb versions (which aren't particularly exciting) for example. I have no way to prove it of course unless somebody does a leak..

 

[Axver]

unless somebody does a leak..

Mate, U2 don't like Donald Trump.

 

[U2inUtah]

Well, my friends going to the Rose Bowl concert want to do some sort of pilgrimage to the fallen Joshua tree on the way...ugh I'm not sure I want to sign up for all of that.

I may be re-adjusting my plans. It would cool for some of us here to meet up at one of the shows. Is LA likely the show most people will be going to?

 

[Kieran McConville]

I was thinking mainly about all the producers they've had for SOI/E and rumours about different sounds/directions etc., moreso than comparing alt Bomb versions (which aren't particularly exciting) for example. I have no way to prove it of course unless somebody does a leak..

Yeah, I'm still hanging out for that 'club sounding' record they were supposedly doing five years ago. I suspect it's probably a lot of stuff that sounds vaguely like Crazy Tonight did live, but I have no way to prove that.

 

[martha]

God willing and the river don't rise, I'll be in a seat somewhere in the Rose Bowl.


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[namkcuR]

I have relatives in San Francisco, so I was thinking about visiting them and going to that show. But upon further inspection, it turns out the San Francisco show isn't actually in San Francisco, but rather at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, an hour from SF by car and nearly two hours via public transportation(which involves two different trains). Plus I'm not sure there will even be a train back by the time the show ends.

PITA. Scratch that plan, probably.

 

[LemonMelon]

I'm trying to find the grammatical errors you speak of. The only one that jumps out at me is "until you've played them a few time".

Well, that and the author's inconsistent use of the oxford comma. Four places where it's appropriate, but he only does so on the latter two.

I suppose it depends on your definition of "error," but there are writing style issues all over the place, particularly in that second to last sentence.

Just to pick one example from it, using "though" as a conjunction is made unnecessary by putting "despite" at the beginning of the sentence because it already makes clear that a comparison and concession is coming. Move "though" into "despite that"'s place and the sentence flows so much better. Forget that the sentence is nearly 50 words long when it could have easily been chopped into two or even three smaller sentences of greater clarity.

Discussion like this is really better suited for Random Music Talk.

 

[LemonMelon]

What magazines should I bring for The Lumineers' set?

 

[Dalton]

I suppose it depends on your definition of "error," but there are writing style issues all over the place, particularly in that second to last sentence.

Just to pick one example from it, using "though" as a conjunction is made unnecessary by putting "despite" at the beginning of the sentence because it already makes clear that a comparison and concession is coming. Move "though" into "despite that"'s place and the sentence flows so much better. Forget that the sentence is nearly 50 words long when it could have easily been chopped into two or even three smaller sentences of greater clarity.

Discussion like this is really better suited for Random Music Talk.

Does RMT also double for a place for lonely virgins to vent?

After I spent the money, I realized that today's pre sale is only for "long term members". I wish U2 would put as much nuance into their new music as they do fleecing fans.

 

[LemonMelon]

does rmt also double for a place for lonely virgins to vent?

Of course, it's just too unwieldy to rename it that.

 

[Dalton]

Right and it's always best to be too on the nose about such things.

 

[Hewson]

For anyone not looking to do GA and looking to not spend a bundle (Martha, cori).
I got section 113 in Foxboro for $105 (taking wife and kid, both vertically challenged)

Its section closest to stage on Edge's side:

http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/01005195943F2214?brand=&tm_link=tm_homeA_h8&bba=1#efeat4211

I'll do GA if they add 2nd show.

 

[martha]

Thanks! I, too, am vertically challenged.

 

[martha]

TM is still only listing two ticket prices for LA: $35 and $280.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

well, I'm going to the Toronto show. Pretty much all of side B of JT is on my live bucket list, here's hoping they don't butcher it too much.

 

[LemonMelon]

TM is still only listing two ticket prices for LA: $35 and $280.

It's just a range, with $35 representing nosebleeds and $280 for red zone. Checking shows that are currently in a pre-sale, it looks like GAs will be $70.

Interesting that they appear to only be selling 60% of the seats. I suppose that confirms there's no in-the-round stage this time.

 

[u2popmofo]

I wish U2 would put as much nuance into their new music as they do fleecing fans.

 

[prbiker15]

It's just a range, with $35 representing nosebleeds and $280 for red zone. Checking shows that are currently in a pre-sale, it looks like GAs will be $70.

Interesting that they appear to only be selling 60% of the seats. I suppose that confirms there's no in-the-round stage this time.

$100 and $155 are the other two price points.

Yeah, all the seating charts point to a 180º stage setup. I honestly don't think they're able to sell out a stadium in 360º - at least outside of the major markets.