Current era U2: tours or albums ?
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
An Cat Gav
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
I don't want to be too negative, but I don't think the tours or the albums would rank too highly, perhaps the tours would do better.
I rank the last two albums as two of U2's worst three and Elevation as their worst tour, but the Vertigo Tour was pretty bloody good and I'd rank it as one of their top five tours. I'd say it stands out quite easily as the best thing the band has done this decade so far.
ATYCLB is a really, really bad album. In comparison, it makes R&H look like Achtung Baby, and I'd say that October is only slightly worse. Bomb is slightly better. Elevation was probably the worst tour they've ever done. Vertigo Tour is one of my favorites... it's up there with Zoo TV for me.
VonBono
The Fly
Bomb & ATYCLB were pretty average (Bomb slightly better), yet Vertigo tour, agreed, is up there.
topplehatU2
Refugee
Elevation tour was okay, but the Vertigo tour was incredible. I'd rank the tours higher than the albums.
2861U2
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
All this ATYCLB hate is sick. I think that album is in their top 3, and I think Elevation is their best tour, or at the very least, tied with ZooTV.
last unicorn
Blue Crack Addict
Why do we need another topic for people to continue their constant bashing of the band's recent work? I think we already have enough of these. The answers are really predictable. Some people's hate for U2's latest work is really annoying.
I like both of their latest tours and albums, I'm not interested in rating anything or comparing stuff because I think every album and tour has something special. There are strengths and weaknesses with everything.
I like both of their latest tours and albums, I'm not interested in rating anything or comparing stuff because I think every album and tour has something special. There are strengths and weaknesses with everything.
Yeah, how dare we have our own tastes.
People on this forum like to bash October until the cows come home. I maintain that it's one of the band's top five albums and has some incredible material, but you don't see me calling the widespread dislike for October "really annoying" and condemn posts and threads with that viewpoint as unnecessary. If you don't like the thread and think you can predict how it will go, then don't read it.
This goes for you too, 2861U2, and your ludicrous comment about dislike for ATYCLB being "sick".
popacrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
And it's his opinion that the fact that his album gets bashed so often around here makes him sick. I'm sure there's some form of exaggeration involved. I don't see why that's a "ludicrous" comment.
If you don't like the way the posts are going when you start reading them, then stop and don't read them.
If you don't like the way the posts are going when you start reading them, then stop and don't read them.
DevilsShoes
War Child
I've never really been one to get uptight about people's criticisms of the band on Interference, it's only music we're discussing at the end of the day.
I quite enjoy comparing and constrasting different aspects of the band. Whether I vehemently disagree with an opinion or not, its equally as valid as mine.
Just a few words in relation to the thread topic, I've always enjoyed ATYCLB, but felt that the Elevation tour didn't really deliver on its promise, whereas I was quite dissapointed with HTDAAB, and consequently wasn't overly excited about the tour, but was pleasantly surprised when Vertigo far exceeded my expectations.
I quite enjoy comparing and constrasting different aspects of the band. Whether I vehemently disagree with an opinion or not, its equally as valid as mine.
Just a few words in relation to the thread topic, I've always enjoyed ATYCLB, but felt that the Elevation tour didn't really deliver on its promise, whereas I was quite dissapointed with HTDAAB, and consequently wasn't overly excited about the tour, but was pleasantly surprised when Vertigo far exceeded my expectations.
gman
New Yorker
I dont dislike the last two albums, they arent u2's finest hour, but I much preferred the tours.
Sergiodino
Acrobat
discothequeLP
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
i always thought the Elevation tour was a lot more sincere/emotional than Vertigo. Whether that makes for a better tour is debatable, but I wouldn't put Vertigo too far past Elevation, if at all.
phillyfan26
Blue Crack Supplier
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ATYCLB was one of their worst albums (along with Zooropa and Pop).
HTDAAB was in the middle of the pack.
Elevation was by far their worst tour, and it's not even close. The only worthwhile live take from the entire tour was Gone. Every other song's been done better on another tour, especially the vastly overrated Elevation version of The Fly.
Vertigo was one of their better tours.
HTDAAB was in the middle of the pack.
Elevation was by far their worst tour, and it's not even close. The only worthwhile live take from the entire tour was Gone. Every other song's been done better on another tour, especially the vastly overrated Elevation version of The Fly.
Vertigo was one of their better tours.
popacrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
ever go to an elevation show?
LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
The tours rank higher for me; the live versions of ATYCLB songs destroy some of the horrific botched studio versions, and the Vertigo tour had strong variety and some incredible vocals from Bono during leg 5. The Elevation tour is incredibly underrated. The emotional X factor is key.
bratty_cat
War Child
I liked both albums and both tours. I was really moved by the versions of Streets and Walk On that I heard during Elevation so that tour ranks a bit higher than Vertigo for me (and that was before 9/11, the emotional ties to the songs really skyrocketed at the shows I attended after 9/11). Also, there were a few songs I didn't love on ATYCLB that rocked live (Elevation being one). I went to less shows on Vertigo (8) than Elevation (11) but it was a question of quality vs. quantity for me (spending extra time waiting in line for a good spot on the rail vs. just showing up and standing in the back). Can't wait for the next album and tour!
BonoIsMyMuse
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
I didn't see Elevation, but I really enjoyed every Vertigo show I saw. I'll always choose tours over albums, though, so maybe my opinion doesn't really matter.
Then again, HTDAAB won me back after I was lukewarm at best about ATYCLB. I find that I don't really listen to it much these days, but it may just be that I listened to it a lot when it first came out. I do still think it's U2's most cohesive album since Achtung Baby, even though I don't think it was their best album since then.
Then again, HTDAAB won me back after I was lukewarm at best about ATYCLB. I find that I don't really listen to it much these days, but it may just be that I listened to it a lot when it first came out. I do still think it's U2's most cohesive album since Achtung Baby, even though I don't think it was their best album since then.
jphelmet
Refugee
i would rank albums
1. jt
2. ab
3. boy
4. bomb
5. uf
6. pop
7. atyclb
8. war
9. zooropa
10. r&h
11. october
so last two have been good, but not there very best. i don't get people bashing them, i think they are both very good albums. bomb has some of my very favorite u2 songs on it. i think u2's worst output is still very, very good, and they have never had a bad album. That is why they are far and away my favorite band.
as for tours. i have only seen zootv and on, and don't really know how you can rank ones that you never saw in person. listening to a bootleg, and reading a setlist to determine if a show is good or not is beyond ludicrous.
for me zootv was the best, pretty far ahead and i don't think it will ever be matched again.
after that the other three are all great. saying elevation is the worst tour and vertigo is the great, seems really crazy to me. i think they were very similar in a lot of ways, and both had their moments. i saw each of them 8 times, and honestly cannot pick one tour out of the two i liked better. portions of the standard set of elevation was far better than vertigo and vice versa. for example the bad-40 snippet-streets on elevation was incredible, as was the boy mini-set from vertigo .
there was also a much bigger emotional impact at those shows after 911 that you cannot analyze if you weren't there for the north american last leg shows. to say one is much better, especially based on looking at a setlist is just, well not worth debating.
as for popmart, zootv part two that was awesome as well. i would put it as good as the elevation / vertigo but definetly very different. the beginning shows of that tour (which i saw 3), were the worst of u2's career. i remember that being the only time i was disappointed by a u2 show. the shows at the end of the tour (which i saw 4 times) were incredible. they really got it together of the course of that tour. the last few american shows also had a huge emotional impact after michael hutchence's death. playing 40 in atlanta come to mind as a highlight for me.
as far as the others, i would have love to see any of the club shows in the early 80's, but i honestly think u2 is better now than they were then. lovetown would have been a blast, especially to see them in residency in australia, but i can't compare those since i wasn't there.
1. jt
2. ab
3. boy
4. bomb
5. uf
6. pop
7. atyclb
8. war
9. zooropa
10. r&h
11. october
so last two have been good, but not there very best. i don't get people bashing them, i think they are both very good albums. bomb has some of my very favorite u2 songs on it. i think u2's worst output is still very, very good, and they have never had a bad album. That is why they are far and away my favorite band.
as for tours. i have only seen zootv and on, and don't really know how you can rank ones that you never saw in person. listening to a bootleg, and reading a setlist to determine if a show is good or not is beyond ludicrous.
for me zootv was the best, pretty far ahead and i don't think it will ever be matched again.
after that the other three are all great. saying elevation is the worst tour and vertigo is the great, seems really crazy to me. i think they were very similar in a lot of ways, and both had their moments. i saw each of them 8 times, and honestly cannot pick one tour out of the two i liked better. portions of the standard set of elevation was far better than vertigo and vice versa. for example the bad-40 snippet-streets on elevation was incredible, as was the boy mini-set from vertigo .
there was also a much bigger emotional impact at those shows after 911 that you cannot analyze if you weren't there for the north american last leg shows. to say one is much better, especially based on looking at a setlist is just, well not worth debating.
as for popmart, zootv part two that was awesome as well. i would put it as good as the elevation / vertigo but definetly very different. the beginning shows of that tour (which i saw 3), were the worst of u2's career. i remember that being the only time i was disappointed by a u2 show. the shows at the end of the tour (which i saw 4 times) were incredible. they really got it together of the course of that tour. the last few american shows also had a huge emotional impact after michael hutchence's death. playing 40 in atlanta come to mind as a highlight for me.
as far as the others, i would have love to see any of the club shows in the early 80's, but i honestly think u2 is better now than they were then. lovetown would have been a blast, especially to see them in residency in australia, but i can't compare those since i wasn't there.
I'm also curious as to why so many fans on this site hate All That You Can't Leave Behind. It's all down to personal taste, one would think, but I suspect there is a certain demographic represented, and political position taken, by people who profess to hate it... but I could be wrong.
To answer the question of this topic, I would choose the two studio albums over the tours. I think they are both great, great records. I prefer HTDAAB because it rocks and the production is much more to my taste (high guitars, raw and clear), but I appreciate ATYCLB as a highly successful attempt at succint songwriting with a soulful flavour. I do think ATYCLB suffers a little bit from a certain attempt on U2's part to produce a classic sound (esp. 'Walk On' -- an otherwise admirable song which isn't aging well partly because it sounds like an Unforgettable Fire recording!), but the band is so talented and the songs so strong that it simply overrides any serious criticism.
I do like the recent tours, but since I wasn't at either of them I can't definitively state my experience. Based on the videos and bootlegs, they were great, but I did find some of the Bono-theatrics a bit much (longer-winded than usual speeches; the ridiculously dorky-looking bandana at Vertigo gigs). As far as playing their recent songs, I think U2 live are every bit as good as they've ever been. But as for the older songs, I simply don't enjoy them as much nowadays as when they played them fresh in the 80s. I think tunes like 'New Year's Day' and 'Pride' could be permanently cut from the setlist and I would never miss them.
I really can't say that I dislike any U2 album or period. They all have a lot to offer. Sometimes critical fans seem to forget that, whether or not you like, say, Zooropa or not, it is still U2 doing it. That is, if you loved them two years ago and say you hate them now -- how does that make sense? Certainly we can each appreciate certain records more than others, but stating that you "hate" ATYCLB but you love Pop or HTDAAB just seems absurd (to me).
To answer the question of this topic, I would choose the two studio albums over the tours. I think they are both great, great records. I prefer HTDAAB because it rocks and the production is much more to my taste (high guitars, raw and clear), but I appreciate ATYCLB as a highly successful attempt at succint songwriting with a soulful flavour. I do think ATYCLB suffers a little bit from a certain attempt on U2's part to produce a classic sound (esp. 'Walk On' -- an otherwise admirable song which isn't aging well partly because it sounds like an Unforgettable Fire recording!), but the band is so talented and the songs so strong that it simply overrides any serious criticism.
I do like the recent tours, but since I wasn't at either of them I can't definitively state my experience. Based on the videos and bootlegs, they were great, but I did find some of the Bono-theatrics a bit much (longer-winded than usual speeches; the ridiculously dorky-looking bandana at Vertigo gigs). As far as playing their recent songs, I think U2 live are every bit as good as they've ever been. But as for the older songs, I simply don't enjoy them as much nowadays as when they played them fresh in the 80s. I think tunes like 'New Year's Day' and 'Pride' could be permanently cut from the setlist and I would never miss them.
I really can't say that I dislike any U2 album or period. They all have a lot to offer. Sometimes critical fans seem to forget that, whether or not you like, say, Zooropa or not, it is still U2 doing it. That is, if you loved them two years ago and say you hate them now -- how does that make sense? Certainly we can each appreciate certain records more than others, but stating that you "hate" ATYCLB but you love Pop or HTDAAB just seems absurd (to me).
Salome
you are what you is
to me U2 have always been far stronger live than on album
the couple of albums that I count as my favourites (Unforgettable Fire, All that you can't ..., Zooropa) are actually the only albums I can listen to without hearing the live versions somewhere in the back of my head
I've seen U2 on every tour since ZOO TV and I think they only get better
given the butchering of Streets ... during Vertigo that's quite something
the couple of albums that I count as my favourites (Unforgettable Fire, All that you can't ..., Zooropa) are actually the only albums I can listen to without hearing the live versions somewhere in the back of my head
I've seen U2 on every tour since ZOO TV and I think they only get better
given the butchering of Streets ... during Vertigo that's quite something
Harry Vest
Refugee
Your full of crap...saying October is only slightly worse. Fool. October is a great album that's held up for decades. Go listen to Coldplay and keep your thoughts to yourself
