How to end it

[mwheelonh]

Crazy idea just hit me...might even be in the wrong forum here...watching the San Paolo boot of the Vertigo show, specifically WTSHNN, and thinking that there's no way I could imagine a U2 show without the song, but it is starting to wear a little thin...it's always the same spot in the set (or nearly), and even though Willy changed up the lights this time around...there's not much new anymore.

I was worrying to myself about the next tour, the one for the album to be recorded and released 07/08, and whether or not WTSHNN would just become a jukebox song, one with little passion left, but they feel like they've gotta play it anyway...

What if they ended the show with it. Like the full show, not just the first set. And more than that, do it accoustic and slow. A bit like Yaweh on this tour...

Figuring that the next tour after Vertigo is likely to be their last (no citations for that thought, it just feels that way to me), what better way to walk away forever than with their ultimate live song, stripped of everything but the four of them, in the center of the stadium, slow and quiet, the crowd singing along...

?

 

[jonnytakeawalk]

And more than that, do it accoustic and slow. A bit like Yaweh on this tour...

Streets accoustic and slow?!!!

I don't think there is any need to worry about streets losing its passion or energy in the next tour. They've been playing it at almost every show for 20 years now and I don't think it's dried out one bit. One on the other hand...

 

[Got Philk?]

Re: Re: How to end it

One on the other hand...

Agreed.

 

[OpperGoeroe]

I think the Vertigo version is musically the best version of Streets, Edge guitar playing is better than ever, not to mean Bono's voice. Just listen to the Buenos Aires II show, the end of Streets is just breath taking.

 

[U2DMfan]

I think it's still a good version musically. Edge sounds great.
It was the presentation that sucked some energy from it, Bono wouldn't shut up, no red backdrop, no light explosion at the intro.
Africa Africa Africa, we get it.

I buy your cause Bono, I actually believe in it, but leave that song alone. If there is one song not to rework and fuck with, it's Streets. When they day comes they need to pump new life into Streets, it's just flat out time to retire, period.

 

[DignityPassesBy]

Leave one alone its great and i can't wait to hear it whenever they get to australia

 

[chickadee]

One was fine till they let other people loose on it.

 

[Utoo]

I think it's still a good version musically. Edge sounds great.
It was the presentation that sucked some energy from it, Bono wouldn't shut up, no red backdrop, no light explosion at the intro.
Africa Africa Africa, we get it.

I buy your cause Bono, I actually believe in it, but leave that song alone. If there is one song not to rework and fuck with, it's Streets. When they day comes they need to pump new life into Streets, it's just flat out time to retire, period.

While I'm all for the ONE Campaign & all of Bono's work, he himself has noted that Streets is the one song they won't let other people cover, nor will they ever sell for a commercial, etc., because it's the song where "God walks through the room" when played. The song itself had great energy this tour....it was just the intro/build-up to it that lacked this time around.

As for closing a show with it....I think it would make a pretty good closer. I kind of wonder, though, if having it as a closer would make it even more "jukebox" than having it anywhere else in the show....

 

[chickadee]

I love 40 as a closer. I think it works really well. Moving and understated.

As for Streets, I have to say I think it was better on Elevation tour. I love the way they moved from other songs into Streets, eg Bad on Boston DVD, All I Want Is You on Slane. It really built up the excitement for Streets.

 

[Utoo]

All I Want Is You on Slane.

My favorite lead-in to Streets.

I think that when it comes to the final tour, '40' will close more times than not---and rightly should, IMO.

 

[The Disciple]

I've been thinking "One" would sound gr8 acoustic, earlier in the show, like in the Zoo-TV days...

 

[catlhere]

I think Streets this tour was fun, and cool to see with all the backdrops and stuff. I agree the 'big red wall' deal is alot more intense and awesome, but it's nice to see little changes here and there and watch the boys find new ways to interperate songs and sets/stages. The only thing I hated about Streets was the terrible placement. EW! Pride/Streets/One? to me, those songs don't go together at all I would have liked to just see Pride/One perhaps to end the first set, then Streets to end the encore, and leave everyone super hyped up and energetic. One kinda kills the whole 'YAY!' mood.

 

[1stepcloser]

I think Streets is just one of those songs that won't "run out of steam". some U2 songs are good, a lot are great and some are simply exceptional. Streets is one of them and i see no reason to take it out of the set or to tamper with it.

and by the way, 40 is the ultimate closer

 

[LMP]

I think they should end almost all of their concerts in

All I Want is You -> Bad -> 40

fashion, it would sound amazing IMO

 

[Utoo]

I think they should end almost all of their concerts in

All I Want is You -> Bad -> 40

fashion, it would sound amazing IMO

hominahominahominahomina

 

[Joey788]

The only thing I hated about Streets was the terrible placement. EW! Pride/Streets/One? to me, those songs don't go together at all I would have liked to just see Pride/One perhaps to end the first set, then Streets to end the encore, and leave everyone super hyped up and energetic.

I agree with the whole Pride/Streets/One. I think it would have worked much better as One/Streets/Pride if those three had to be together at all.

 

[firstlove]

he himself has noted that Streets is the one song they won't let other people cover

WTSHNN has been covered/remixed by the Pet Shop Boys, though it's horrible because its spliced with that "you're just to good to be true" song.

 

[catlhere]

Yea just because they won't let people cover it, doesn't mean people haven't.

i.e. Clay Aiken in concert

 

[LMP]

Yea just because they won't let people cover it, doesn't mean people haven't.

i.e. Clay Aiken in concert

Gayken

 

[cypress]

I think it's still a good version musically. Edge sounds great.
It was the presentation that sucked some energy from it, Bono wouldn't shut up, no red backdrop, no light explosion at the intro.
Africa Africa Africa, we get it.

I buy your cause Bono, I actually believe in it, but leave that song alone. If there is one song not to rework and fuck with, it's Streets. When they day comes they need to pump new life into Streets, it's just flat out time to retire, period.

I agree 100%.

And I agree that Streets was badly placed in this tour. I vastly prefer Bad into Streets ala the Elevation tour than what I've seen on this tour.

 

[catlhere]

I just want to go to a concert where they end with Streets. that would be my favorite ever! I know it seems like a cool opening song, as it is on The Joshua Tree, but I would want to go out with that song and leave the arena/stadium super happy and excited and energetic.

I hate to say it, since its such a classic closer and nice song, but 40 at the end bored me I liked Bad a whole lot more.

 

[Canadiens1131]

I thought this was some kind of suicide-related thread?

 

[LMP]

I kind of enjoyed hearing 40 at my show, because of the history and all.

But at the same time, I was going "is that it?"

I would want to go to show where they closed with Bad, Love is Blindness, Streets, or even With or Without You (only with the Shine Like Stars verse though)

 

[chiso]

Figuring that the next tour after Vertigo is likely to be their last....

That one part ruined your whole post... 'Tis a shame.

 

[chiso]

I thought this was some kind of suicide-related thread?

*Wants to laugh so hard but doensn't want people to think he's laughing at suicide, because suicide isn't funny*

I thought it was "How to end [U2's career]"...As in 'how they should end it.


[In My opinion, it would be with their own "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/ The End" trilogy... ]

 

[U2girl]

If there is one song not to rework and fuck with, it's Streets. When they day comes they need to pump new life into Streets, it's just flat out time to retire, period.

What did you think about the Popmart version of Streets?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i actually think an accoustic version of streets would be very interesting ot here... don't know if i'd want it as part of the full concert experience though.

streets and one both had some life sucked out of it this tour, due to the over preachyness leading into each song. when you wait for a song for 5 minutes as bono talks over the orchestra backing track, it kinda gets a little dull. and streets had no epic build like in previous tours... i mean they tried to tie it to the "ohh oh oh ohhs" at the end of pride but that didn't even work 'cause bono just talked over the end of it.

i still wish they would have tried city into streets.

 

[An Cat Gav]

has to be 40 for me. its the perfect closer for U2!
Bono has said that the song they would close their final ever concert with would be "amazing grace".

 

[U2DMfan]

What did you think about the Popmart version of Streets?

I liked it.
I have loved all versions of Streets, even the Vertigo one is good, I just felt like it, they took away some of it's best bits.

Really, since ZooTv with the exception of Vertigo, they have made the Streets segue the most poigniant part of the whole show.

The POPmart segue Please>>Streets was absolutely awesome.
Same for Zoo and Elevation, they did it up awesome. Vertigo, no segue.

Then you have the red backdrop, which is a minor gripe but a trademark of the song, if it's the staple of all staples, I think the red backdrop is essential. Vertigo, no red back drop.

Then you have the bright white lights at the drums coming in full force. That's missing from the Vertigo version as well.

All that said, I think the band played the song well on Vertigo, especially Edge, and I'd rank his guitar in Vertigo Streets, maybe at the very top.

But back to the POPmart version that you asked about.
I would assume you'd be alluding to the "reprise" at the end, for lack of a better term. I think sometimes it worked really well and other times not so much. On the Rotterdam version (Last Night on Earth single??) it sounds pretty cool, other boots it doesn't sound all that great. Overall, I'd give it a thumbs up, it's during the wind-down of the song, so I don't see it as much of a big change. Also the intro of the song, didn't seem as long and not as good as all the others.

The problem really for me, and maybe it makes sense to some of you, is the intro. It almost makes the whole song, live. That goes hand in hand with the segues.

So I wouldn't say Vertigo Streets is terrible, this song is never anything but at least very good, but if I had to make my post over again, I'd probably just say "don't mess with the segue/intro".

Also, I'm not the most huge POPmart fan on this forum, although I liked it fair enough, it was just like the album, brilliant, brillaint, ridiculous, brilliant, ehhhh, brillaint again, then crap......hit and miss.

If I were to gripe about their renditions on POPmart of older songs, I'd leave Streets alone, it's my favorite song by anybody, even if I made my gripes, I don't know if I've ever heard an actual bad version of the song. I just want my killer intro back.

 

[U2girl]

I asked about Popmart since you were talking about NOT reworking Streets, and they techno-fied arguably the ultimate U2 live song. Or were you just referring to the intro?

I see what you mean with the red backdrop and the white lights (which still come at the "oooh oooh oooh" part) and the segue though. Pride-Streets did not work as well as Running/Please/Bad/All I want is you - Streets.
(that said, I liked the "MLK's America - Nelson Mandela's Africa" connection)