Discotheque - the new live arrangement

[kosull]

What do people think?

I think it's really interesting what they've done to it. They've gone with the Best Of mix really but put a bit of a heavier edge to it. Although I really did prefer the original way that it was played, including the Lemon noise at the start under Bono singing 'You can reach...' it's great to hear a new arrangement of an old song. My only criticism might be that it doesn't seem to reach any crescendo but seems to peter out slightly. Maybe some boom-chas would be in order, or at least continue the additional lyrics at the end - along the lines of using Talking Heads' Life During Wartime which worked brilliantly: 'This ain't no party, this ain't no disco, this ain't no foolin around...'

 

[Eric G]

I saw them play Discotheque at the first of the 2 Chicago shows in September. I can't believe they haven't played it since because it was so good. The band members all came out in the dark for the first encore, and there was this kind of humming sound, and then Edge went into the guitar riff of the song. They had cool yellowish and orange lighting for the show, with these blue circles going arouind the backdrop. And as they were playing it, I thought "This is the best version of the song I've heard". I missed seeing them play it on the Elevation tour, and I hadn't seen U2 in concert before that tour, so I absolutely flipped over the song being played.

 

[LMP]

Relax snippet =

 

[Carmelu2fan]

That was really awesome as Eric mentioned...I feel very fortunate to have been there. I think the band did an excellent job too!!! I was dancing and singing along and most of the ppl around me were like Go figure.

 

[Chizip]

it was faaaaaaaaaaaaantastic, ive been to 7 shows and its probably my favorite moment of all of them

i predict we will see discotheque tonight

here is a video of the song from chicago 9-20

http://s45.ysi.com/d.aspx?id=38G2FH8XTLB210R6YY1HDAG03C

 

[Miroslava]

I was lucky enough to catch it in Toronto and Chicago, and let me tell you

Bring.it.on. And while we're asking, make sure it is preceeded by Pop Muzik like it was in TO

 

[packcrush]

Pop Musik and Mofo And Discotheque.

Best encore ever.

 

[GibsonGirl]

I think the current version of Discotheque is the best live version to date. It blows my mind every time I listen to it...though I do wish they'd get over their boom cha issue! Discotheque just isn't Discotheque without the boom chas!

Still, amazing version.

 

[LMP]

I think the current version of Discotheque is the best live version to date. It blows my mind every time I listen to it...though I do wish they'd get over their boom cha issue! Discotheque just isn't Discotheque without the boom chas!

Still, amazing version.

come on, what is rele so bad about the boomchas guys...I can see this convo going down before Toronto IV

Bono: Ok, so it's decided, we're doing Discotheque tonight
Edge: Alright, all of the lights are set to exactly every color of the rainbow
Larry: I say we leave out the boomchas, so queer, did you see me in the music video?
Adam: ...wankers...*whistles*

 

[GibsonGirl]

Bono: Ok, so it's decided, we're doing Discotheque tonight
Edge: Alright, all of the lights are set to exactly every color of the rainbow
Larry: I say we leave out the boomchas, so queer, did you see me in the music video?
Adam: ...wankers...*whistles*

Someone needs to subtly hint at the band that we like the boomchas.

 

[Canadiens1131]

There really needs to be a sign campaign to drape messages over the rails next to the elipse reading "BOOM CHA".

 

[GibsonGirl]

There really needs to be a sign campaign to drape messages over the rails next to the elipse reading "BOOM CHA".

Yeah! Or do what the Mofo fans did...hold up each letter right under their noses! B - O - O - M - C - H - A. They'd have to notice that!

 

[Bodnex]

Wow, just watched the video, what an awesome tune. Never really liked Discotheque - it's a good song but the backing from fans is a little OTT IMO. However, this version of it kicks arse all over the place. Almost as good as Zoo Station as an encore opener.

But did you see the elipse for most of the song? No jumping, dancing, anything, the place was dead [Though they did pick up at the end]. Maybe that's why we haven't seen it since.

 

[GibsonGirl]

But did you see the elipse for most of the song? No jumping, dancing, anything, the place was dead [Though they did pick up at the end]. Maybe that's why we haven't seen it since.

I bet you £500 that if U2 did away with the lottery, there'd be a lot more people jumping in that ellipse. And not just during Discotheque either.

 

[mobvok]

Wow, just watched the video, what an awesome tune. Never really liked Discotheque - it's a good song but the backing from fans is a little OTT IMO. However, this version of it kicks arse all over the place. Almost as good as Zoo Station as an encore opener.

But did you see the elipse for most of the song? No jumping, dancing, anything, the place was dead [Though they did pick up at the end]. Maybe that's why we haven't seen it since.

Keep playing it until the fans get into it. The song is good enough that a few fans unfamiliar with a new arrangement of an 8 year old song shouldn't be directing whether or not it's played.

 

[coemgen]

Holy crap. I just watched that clip, Chizip. That is the best version of that song. Ever. It's incredible. I'm all for them rerecording Pop if it sounds like that. Amazing. Is their an mp3 of that arrangement somewhere? If so, if someone could send it to coemgen17@hotmail.com, I'll name my next child after you.

 

[Miroslava]

But did you see the elipse for most of the song? No jumping, dancing, anything, the place was dead [Though they did pick up at the end]. Maybe that's why we haven't seen it since.

If you look at the very front of the ellipse, in front of Adam, you'll see a head pop up and down above everyone's elses...

That'd be me

 

[AtomicBono]

So U2 don't play any songs from Pop the whole tour and suddenly pull out Discotheque...and it's the best fucking version of the song ever. Period. So what do they do?

Drop it, naturally.

Wankers.

Everything about the 9/20 version of Disco was perfect. I suppose the only possible improvement would be Boom-Cha's, but the 'This is a love song' bit sounded tiiiight at the end. The drums are really amazing on the new version, they really add to the dance feel of the song. I love Edge's trippy guitarwork and the bass and the love falling from above and IT'S PERFECT AND U2 BETTER PLAY THAT MOFO IN CLEVELAND.

 

[GibsonGirl]

The drums are really amazing on the new version, they really add to the dance feel of the song.

YES. I've said this before, and I'll say it again; it's all in the extra hi-hat, baby.

 

[aussiedge]

it fucken rocks, and the drums are kickarse, larrys drummin on this tour has been the best its been in a long time

 

[gorman]

I saw it in Chicago, and I was absolutely stunned by how good it was. I think that's why people weren't really jumping around... it was so good, it sorta paralyzed us I think As awesome as it sounds in the video and audio clips from the show, it was 10x better in person. I agree with Chizip, it was my favorite moment from all 6 shows.

 

[Hemlock]

Thanks for the video link! I have a new respect for that song. Just never really got into it on Pop.

Ending with "This is a love song (x4)" kinda sucked tho.

 

[Carmelu2fan]

it was faaaaaaaaaaaaantastic, ive been to 7 shows and its probably my favorite moment of all of them

i predict we will see discotheque tonight

here is a video of the song from chicago 9-20

http://s45.ysi.com/d.aspx?id=38G2FH8XTLB210R6YY1HDAG03C

Thanks Chizip. OOh the memories!!!

 

[mobvok]

Thanks for the video link! I have a new respect for that song. Just never really got into it on Pop.

Ending with "This is a love song (x4)" kinda sucked tho.

I thought "This is a love song" worked. The whole atmosphere of the song changes with the new arrangement, with Bono's voice desperately rasping and Edge's guitar flittering around almost aimlessly until everything suddenly snaps into focus for the guitar riff; then falls apart again. Almost a drug trip, prehaps. A state of cloudiness punctuated by moments of lucidity.

I think the sheer bluster of the boom-chas just wouldn't work in this arrangement. On Popmart they played it straighter to the album version, and the boom chas felt appropriate with Bono and the band decked out on the B-Stage with the glitzy clothing and the dance floor. As far as this tour is concerned, I think "love song" works better then "Relax". But I think I'll require the bootlegs to compare.

 

[doctorwho]

I bet you £500 that if U2 did away with the lottery, there'd be a lot more people jumping in that ellipse. And not just during Discotheque either.

I fully agree with this. The lottery is a horrible idea and I don't believe the best fans are getting into the ellipse.

However, we fans have only ourselves to blame. For the Elevation tour, there was a group of fans who HAD to see every show, HAD to be in the heart and HAD to be at the front of the stage. These ridiculous die-hards made it seem like they were the only ones worthy of being that close to U2. U2 simply got tired of seeing the same faces every night.

These same super fanatics were the same ones that sat down in the heart during the Boston Elevation shows (that were put on DVD). Note, these fans still got into the heart, still had primo positions, but since they weren't at the very front, right by the stage as they were for nearly every other show, they behaved like spoiled brats and sat down in the heart while U2 was filming the show.

One might argue that these fans had a right to complain, but I listened to some of the complainers - and these people truly had been to tons of other shows and were always amongst the first in line.

So to avoid hand-picking people as U2 did in Boston for the Elevation tour that one time and to avoid seeing the same people every night, U2 implemented the lottery system. The trouble is, so few true fans get in. I went to two GA shows in the U.S. so far - one I wasn't lucky enough to get in and the other show I wasn't even scanned a second time (as I arrived later in the day) to see if I would make it into the ellipse!!! So this lottery system to me is a joke and has to go. If U2 insist on doing this in the future, I won't even bother with GA.

With regards to the topic of this thread... having seen the video, I have to say I wasn't that impressed with the performance. I much prefer the PopMart version over this more subdued form. It was a nice treat, but the song didn't really sparkle like it should have.

 

[cseggleton]

THE YOU SEND IT IS EXPIRED COULD SOMEONE ADD ANOTHER LINK?

 

[Chizip]

http://s47.ysi.com/d.aspx?id=3CDA6C5XMHCH90QMLOOF90RUMP

 

[U2girl]

It sounds like a cross between Popmart and Elevation version to me.
I think Elevation version was the best so far.

 

[marik]

this version dominates all others before it, period.
i saw it live in TO, and orgasmed.
by i agree, what's with the crowd being silently stunned? i do feel that this respection to it was the reason it was dropped. too bad.

 

[typhoon]

THE YOU SEND IT IS EXPIRED COULD SOMEONE ADD ANOTHER LINK?

I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR YOU, COULD YOU TYPE BIGGER?