Controversial - I don't think Pride should be dropped from the set

[1stepcloser]

Every now and then we see threads appear about which songs should be dropped, which ones have been around too long and are past their sell by date. Pride, amongst others is one of those songs that generally gets mentioned quite a lot in these discussions.

However i really don't think it should get dropped. Obviously it's a big hit, everyone knows the words and it's a classic track blah blah blah so of course it has every right to be in U2's live sets and it has been a regular for many years now.

But the main reason why i don't think it should be dropped is that when i've seen U2 play it live it just sounds great and the crowd really get into it. It sounds 100 times better when you see U2 playing it than when it does on some bootleg CD or on a DVD. The atmosphere and sound and feeling of the song is impossible to recreate on bootlegs or on DVD's. And that is the point of my argument. U2 don't make play songs so people can listen to them on bootlegs. If it sounds great live and if the fans enjoy it there then i see no reason for dropping it.


P.S. I think Bullet should be dropped...

 

[Canadiens1131]

I'd love to see Pride dropped but in my heart of hearts I sekretly don't mind it being played live still.

For the first Montreal concert on the vertigo tour I was surrounded in the GA area by a lot of folks. Some young guy and his g/f to my right, some teens, and in front of me some cool French guys in their 40s and their significant others. Anyway, these guys just went fucking crazy for SBS, Bullet, etc - but Pride blew the roof off the place.

So I can understand the desire to see 'THE song' played if you're going to one show and you don't download boots.

 

[corianderstem]

I like to bitch and roll my eyes about Pride and being so sick of it, but it's fun to sing along to it in concert.

 

[the tourist]

I think there are a handful of classics that shouldn't be dropped ever. Just rotated. If they played rotated classic hit songs such as I Will Follow, New Year's Day, Pride, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, With Or Without You, and Desire so that they played 3 of those songs every night, but switched back and forth, that would be great. It'd allow for a few gems from time to time.

 

[Chizip]

I think there are a handful of classics that shouldn't be dropped ever. Just rotated. If they played rotated classic hit songs such as I Will Follow, New Year's Day, Pride, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, With Or Without You, and Desire so that they played 3 of those songs every night, but switched back and forth, that would be great. It'd allow for a few gems from time to time.

i agree with this, you dont have to drop the hits altogether, rotating them would keep them fresh and exciting.

 

[Canadiens1131]

i agree with this, you dont have to drop the hits altogether, rotating them would keep them fresh and exciting.

Yeah. The only song that maybe should be played every night is Streets - because as the band have said it's the high/turning point of every show.

It would be nice to not have to expect WOWY every night. Either that or find more drunk girls like Yahweh girl from Vancouver to liven up the performances.

 

[1stepcloser]

Yeah rotation would be cool. Streets has to be played every night. I don't think it's their best song but it just goes off live.

 

[the tourist]

Yeah rotation would be cool. Streets has to be played every night. I don't think it's their best song but it just goes off live.

Of course. I even think Beautiful Day (because it's new) and One (because it's important to the band) should be played every night as well. Other than that, I think they should have an "all bets are off" mentality.

Also, it'd be cool to have them mix up how they play the songs. Like, for instance, one night they could do Desire acoustic, and next week electric with a shredding solo (a-la Lovetown 1/10/90). One night acoustic Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, next night full band. Same with Staring At The Sun and Wake Up Dead Man, same with Stay and All I Want Is You and Yahweh. etc.

 

[theu2fly]

I think everyone bellyaches about it is because it's played in a different transition... if it was New Year's Day, Pride it would be great, if it was Streets, Pride, it would be great...

But just opening with Pride after RTSS or Sarajevo, it's bleh...

 

[the tourist]

I think everyone bellyaches about it is because it's played in a different transition... if it was New Year's Day, Pride it would be great, if it was Streets, Pride, it would be great...

But just opening with Pride after RTSS or Sarajevo, it's bleh...

I don't necessarily think that's true.

 

[tpsreports2424]

I would think pride, streets, nyd, i will follow, wowy anf ishfwilk has to always be in the set because those are the classics that a majority of U2 fans want to hear... I mean a lot of the people in the concert aren't dedicated U2 fans like we are, and they just want to hear the classics..

 

[the tourist]

I would think pride, streets, nyd, i will follow, wowy anf ishfwilk has to always be in the set because those are the classics that a majority of U2 fans want to hear... I mean a lot of the people in the concert aren't dedicated U2 fans like we are, and they just want to hear the classics..

Doing it that way means every tour will be very, very similar in set-list with the exception that the additional songs being played will be from the new album at the time (and not the new album from the previous tour).

 

[Bean Skidds]

As far as Pride, I agree its a great live song. I think it can use a break, but I also still enjoy hearing it so it doesnt bother me.

What does bother me is that the Unforgettable Fire album has some kick ass songs that U2 have ignored in their live sets for far too long. Wire and TUF are 2 of my favorite U2 songs of all time, and they come across very strong live. But u2 has all but tossed them in the trash can for the past 15 years.. yet they play Pride every night.. unacceptable!!

Yes Pride is a great song, but u2 has so many amazing songs that they ignore in their live sets. Unfortunately it stems from their obsession to put on the best show they can every night. Playing a song like TUF or Wire might cause them to f* up occasionally, and sadly that is not something they would be comfortable with.

Plus U2 keep bringing on legions of new fans with each album. And playing something like Wire might cause alot of the crowd to stand around wondering what theyre hearing, rather than jumping and pumping their fists like they do with Pride. Look what happened with Discotheque on the Vertigo tour, most of the crowd pathetically stood there when presented with that sonic masterpiece. And that song isnt even that old.

U2 live shows basically amount to the tracks from their new cd plus only their greatest hits of the past. Too bad many of their non-hits are actually some of their best songs

 

[adrball]

I disagree. I never thought I'd say it (having been my favourite live song for 15+ years), but Pride really sounded 'tired' on Vertigo. Maybe it's just too familiar for me now, and if I craved for it for that long a period then I understand why some wouldn't want it to be dropped.

But there's just some much more in their catalogue that deserves a play occassionally, and maybe rotation of their classics would be a way to open some additional slots on the set list.

 

[Nisse]

I don't give a damn about casual fans. U2 are more than a dozen of radio hits, I'd like to think what makes them great is the overall quality of all their songs, that the majority of their songs are really really great. Atleast that's the way it is for me.

 

[Aygo]

Pride shouldn't be dropped. There are a bunch of usual hits that shouldn't be dropped. First, because they're songs that the casual fan that never went to a U2 show will want to listen. Second, because they are important songs in U2's catalogue, they can't ignore then and they have a strong message in the typical U2 concert.
These songs are songs like Pride, Streets, One, BD, ISHFWILF, NYD or I will follow. Not to mention these are signature songs...
The BTBS function in a U2 can always be switched by LAPOE that rocked in a benefit show, that (liking or not) is a strong song, and... BTBS was not even a single, and many people still don't recognize it.

 

[Niceman]

Nothing would make me happier than if Pride and One disapeared for a few years.....

They are overplayed and they made me feel bored at a U2 show!!!