Can U2 do what REM just did for their gigs?

[Red Ships of Scalla-Festa]

and for the record, i am all in favour of mixed up setlists, but you all probably know that already.

pearl jam is probably the best in that regards.

 

[Blue Room]

For the record I would be for it also. Just isnt going to happen and I will still enjoy the shows.

Also regarding Chicago and Boston on Elevation. The really didnt play many different songs at those shows. 11 O Clock, Out of Control, Party Girl, Even Better Than. Thats about it, 4 different songs over 4 nights. They just moved the songs they were playing around on the 4th night of both. That has nothing to do with rehearsing 70 songs and playing a bunch of different ones each night which is the subject of this thread. So I dont know what the point of bringing those shows up was, it doesnt really apply to this topic that much. Come on! Stay on topic! LOL

 

[U2girl]

I agree Chicago 4 was interesting but on the other hand they already did that on Zoo TV tour.

If I have to pick between, say 50 songs (done right) and, say 75 songs (and some of them done, well, less right or with forgotten lyrics) I know what I'd choose. (Having said that I wouldn't mind if some songs would be played less or not at all. But that's another matter.)

I think that it will be interesting if the next tour(s) will follow Elevation and we will see more old/rare songs played.

 

[Red Ships of Scalla-Festa]

For the record I would be for it also. Just isnt going to happen and I will still enjoy the shows.

Also regarding Chicago and Boston on Elevation. The really didnt play many different songs at those shows. 11 O Clock, Out of Control, Party Girl, Even Better Than. Thats about it, 4 different songs over 4 nights. They just moved the songs they were playing around on the 4th night of both. That has nothing to do with rehearsing 70 songs and playing a bunch of different ones each night which is the subject of this thread. So I dont know what the point of bringing those shows up was, it doesnt really apply to this topic that much. Come on! Stay on topic! LOL

your right, but thats really the point. why play the same songs in order? i think it would make a big difference if they changed up the order quite a bit, while mixing in a different song in the main set and encores.

im not complaining either, im really just saying. ya!

 

[martha]

It's like watching a broadway musical, you already know the order of the songs but at the end of the day you are still giving a standing ovation to the performers. And the broadway musical would be screwed up if songs were added, subtracted and shuffled.

It's not supposed to be a Broadway musical, it's a rock concert!! Shit, when a concert becomes that predictable, then it's time for all of us to pack it in.

 

[jick]

It's not supposed to be a Broadway musical, it's a rock concert!! Shit, when a concert becomes that predictable, then it's time for all of us to pack it in.

You must have packed it in long ago during the ZOO Tv Tour days.

Cheers,

J
The King Of POP

 

[bono_man2002]

i think it would be great to see them open a concert with a diffrent song on some occasions...
which has only been done once i think since Zoo Tv

but as for Variety in setlists

 

[martha]

You must have packed it in long ago during the ZOO Tv Tour days.

I didn't go to Zoo or Popmart. I can't stand stadium shows.

 

[Red Ships of Scalla-Festa]

It's not supposed to be a Broadway musical, it's a rock concert!! Shit, when a concert becomes that predictable, then it's time for all of us to pack it in.

 

[Blue Room]

I didn't go to Zoo or Popmart. I can't stand stadium shows.

Well then you missed out. Plus Zoo wasnt all stadium shows, the first leg was arenas.

So basically you are saying then that U2 are only good in arenas? Have you been to a U2 stadium show? Just curious.

Thats fine, next tour is looking to be partially stadiums at some point even in the U.S. (trust me) and will most likely be the same type of semi static setlists. So I guess you will miss out again and others of you will be pissed off or bored at the show.

 

[martha]

So basically you are saying then that U2 are only good in arenas? Have you been to a U2 stadium show? Just curious.

A very long time ago, I decided that I would never go to any stadium concerts again after seeing some dreadful shows at stadiums. I'd seen U2 on the War tour, UF, and once at the LA Sports Arena on the JT tour. They came back to play the Coliseum, so I broke my own rule. That concert was dreadful, too. Not that the band didn't play well; they were musically spot on as always.

The disconnect between the band and the audience was too much. The band waited for us to react to them, not the other way around, the way it had been when I'd seen them before. I was very disappointed.

So, no, if they do indeed play stadiums this time around, I probably won't go. I can't stand stadium shows. Although, I doubt if they'll play stadiums this time around. Those are rumors.


PS I didn't see the arena Zoo shows due to some family issues that consumed a year or two of my life during those years.

 

[david]

Imagine U2 playing some intimate shows in a small 1,000 to 3,000 ampetheatre..

Man, that would be so awesome.

 

[Blue Room]

So, no, if they do indeed play stadiums this time around, I probably won't go. I can't stand stadium shows. Although, I doubt if they'll play stadiums this time around. Those are rumors.


PS I didn't see the arena Zoo shows due to some family issues that consumed a year or two of my life during those years.

Trust me, stadium shows are in the works for both Europe and the U.S. next year. They plan to do some arena shows also though, but the major markets (IE LA) will be primarily stadium shows. Take a look at how the Stones and Bruce have done their respective tours over the past year. This is the model U2 will be using in 2004/2005. If the new album is successful they will do more stadium than arena shows, especially in Europe. I'am "telling" you at the moment, this is the tentative plan. So you will miss some shows if all goes according to plan.

Oh, going to your examples of shows you went to. Hmm, War tour, Static setlist, Unforgettable Fire tour, static setlist. In fact, those shows were almost more predictable than Elevation was. Were those shows awful? Doesnt sound like you thought so.

 

[anitram]

Blue Room,

If they do stadium shows in larger markets (say NYC/Boston/Chicago/Toronto/LA, etc), do you think the floor will be GA or reserved seating?

Because frankly, I think that one of the problems with stadium shows is that in North America, there is a tendency to stick seats on the floor and that just has a very unnatural feel to me. If it is general admission, there is a much larger buzz in the air, and especially with a potential B stage or something like that, the band gets to interact with the fans way moreso than when you stick chairs there.

 

[Soulrock2]

Trust me, stadium shows are in the works for both Europe and the U.S. next year. They plan to do some arena shows also though, but the major markets (IE LA) will be primarily stadium shows. Take a look at how the Stones and Bruce have done their respective tours over the past year. This is the model U2 will be using in 2004/2005.

U2 used that model in 1987 for the 2nd and 3rd leg. But the content of the model will depend on the salesfigures for the new album and if they choose to visit the underplayed parts of the world. My guess (or hope) is that they won't plan 2 legs in the US this time. I hope they will plan to go to Australia, Eastern Europe and South-America instead.

 

[Blue Room]

anitram, GA is a possibility although honestly I dont know if it has been discussed yet. I have only heard limited information on the whole thing. However, as I indicated they are "tentatively" using a plan that follows the Stones/Springsteen model. Springsteen has GA in the front section for his stadium shows this summer. So it is very feasible, and considering U2 did it previously I would say it is a good bet. Also depends alot on the stage design which is being worked on currently.

 

[martha]

Oh, going to your examples of shows you went to. Hmm, War tour, Static setlist, Unforgettable Fire tour, static setlist. In fact, those shows were almost more predictable than Elevation was. Were those shows awful? Doesnt sound like you thought so.

I guess I'll fight with you if you want, but I'm not sure what horse you're beating.

All I earlier said was that I think a few different songs would be exciting. I said "a little too stagnant." You can let go of it now.

And it's fine with me if I miss stadium shows. I've seen Springsteen at least 8 or 9 times since The River tour, yet I've skipped the stadium shows. And I lived through it.

 

[Blue Room]

I guess I'll fight with you if you want, but I'm not sure what horse you're beating.

All I earlier said was that I think a few different songs would be exciting. I said "a little too stagnant." You can let go of it now.

And it's fine with me if I miss stadium shows. I've seen Springsteen at least 8 or 9 times since The River tour, yet I've skipped the stadium shows. And I lived through it.

I'am not trying to fight. Honestly, I'am simply trying to understand your logic. Missing U2 simply because you dont like stadiums and saw "1" mediocre stadium show by U2 seems very odd to me. You basically missed out on one of the greatest tours of all time in Zoo TV as a result and I cannot comprehend how a big U2 fan would miss any oppurtunity to see them. But to each his own.

My whole point is that the fairly static setlists will continue and U2 still puts on one of the best live shows period. I took your comment about stadiums to mean you skipped those tours partially because they were stadiums and partially because of stagnent setlists. Well, as we know, the early days of U2 the setlists are all almost the same and the shows were fairly predictable, especially during the War tour. But it sounds like you enjoyed that show??? So what is the difference between then and now?

I'am all for variety also. I'am a big fan and go to alot of shows each tour. So variety would make it even better for me and those of us seeing multiple shows. What you have to understand is that we are a small percentage of those going to the shows. U2 has such a mass audience (especially on one night stands in a market) they go with the setlist they feel is the best. Edge basically said at one point that they feel the energy level and the way they are playing and setlist pacing are the most important things to them and they are not and never will be a jam band like The Grateful Dead. What I have found is that those shows are still outstanding. U2 has almost ALWAYS done it this way and I doubdt it will ever change. Each tour we get the same complainers complaining about something U2 has never done (I'am not and was not saying you are complaining). After awhile it wears thin on me. Most of the time these same people go to 12 shows, so they must like something about it. So this seems like alot of hypocrisy and it just rubs me the wrong way. To see some people already talking about it doesnt bode well IMO for next year. We could see some very ugly mindless threads.

 

[martha]

I I took your comment about stadiums to mean you skipped those tours partially because they were stadiums and partially because of stagnent setlists.

Never said "stagnant setlists" was my reason to skip shows. Ever. Stadium concerts, yes; I'll skip those because I don't like them. There were other reasons I didn't see the Zoo tour, but those won't be discussed here. Six Elevation shows still didn't make me complain about "stagnant setlists."

I'm a big U2 fan. My choice to miss stadium shows does not affect my status as a fan.

I'm done here.

 

[verte76]

I have never seen a U2 stadium show--all of mine have been arena shows. I'd want to see at least one just to compare. I liked the intimacy of the Elevation shows, especially my first one where I had a GA ticket. GA is amazing. I didn't like the seat arrangement as much.

 

[gav6519]

I'm going to see REM in Dublin next Wednesday night, and now i cant wait!!!!
no matter how good it is hearing all of their more popular stuff, some of their best material is the older stuff.
Glad to hear their playing a wide selection of songs!
should be a good night!!!!!