Just watched my Popmart DVD and Bono's voice is bizzare

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Jdelbove

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I just got finished watching the Popmart DVD and I knew Bono's voice was bad on the tour in general but I am a little shocked. I cant beleive this is the same man that once recorded Pride or even Vertigo. His voice is interesting u think if he was having trouble he would loose the falsetto first but he still has in on the DVD (listen to him sing - take me higher - even better). His voice sounds strange like he cant project he is almost wispering at some points its like he is singing a lulabye. However I cant explain it there are hints of strenth on certain notes but overall this just doesnt sound like Bono to me and it realy affected me enjoying the DVD. Its a shame his voice is so quiet and weak because his tone surprisngly sounds very good on this show its very rich.

By the way those performaces of Pride and I still havent found will haunt me for the rest of my life. They were shocking. Why would they ever attempt to perform those songs given Bono's vocal state. His voice simply isnt big enough on the tour for them. After watching this I am amazed and how his voice has improved not only on the vertig tour but from popmart to elevation.

Luckily his voice these days realy has improved 100% or U2 would be in deep troube. Maybe his weak unreconizable vocals affected Pop's reception.
 
If I remember correctly, Bono didn't actually want to do Pride on Popmart but the rest of the band talked him into it. Bono should have stood his ground.
 
I actually feel sorry for Bono watching this concert or listening to any PopMart bootleg. He has no volume in his voice, it's weak and he is more mumbling and whispering than singing. His vocal performance is an interesting contrast to the monstrosity of the rest of the show. His voice is good on the Pop album and has improved a lot in recent years, but on that particular tour, as Bono acknowledges himself, he was constantly struggling.
 
Well in early 98 the band filmed a handful of shows to be broadcast live on television for their South American fans, these were Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Santiago and Johannesburg and in all of them I think Bono's voice was in better shape.

The Mexico concert was also filmed for a live broadcast and while I enjoy it for its sense of scale and spectacle, I think it was the wrong night to release. Presumbly the band watched all these shows back to decide which concert was the best and deemed Mexico to be the one. I personally think they should have gone for Santiago, great atmosphere, great energy, the set list is better, Bono is clearly having a good time and his voice is much better condition, he's actually singing the song rather than whispering or mumbling his way through (which makes uncomfortable viewing for me when I think of what a dramatic, vital singer he'd been in the eighties) but ultimately I think the political overtones of the concert prevented the band from giving it the green light to release.

I love Popmart and think there were several excellent shows which would have been great to film where Bono's voice seems to have a new lease of life (for one night only anyway) Leeds, Rotterdam, Barcelona and Edmonton, this is especially noticeable when you watch the extras after the DVD concert (I wish the BBC had filmed the entire Rotterdam gig).

But yeah Bono's Mexico voice is a strange thing, sometimes too thin to even be heard, sometimes very raspy and fragmented but sometimes pretty powerful and intense, he really goes for the high notes on New Years Day, making it one of my favourite performances ever. But mainly on this particular night, those 2 hours seem to be a bit of struggle for him.
 
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^ You're right about Leeds and Rotterdam. His voice is so much better there. These are the two PopMart shows I actually enjoy listening to.
 
Bono's Popmart voice was special, he still has some of the strength is his voice, NYD from Mexico is a good example on that, "Rock N Roooooooooooooll" on Mofo...
Another strange thing was on the Sarajevo show when Bono sang "Take me higher" in falsetto, wich was very strong. But I think that nights when Bono has problems with his voice he gives his all and sometimes he does some amazing things that he ordinary dosnt when his voice is in good shape.
I think Lovetown is a very good example in that case. He knew he had problems with his voice but in frustration he gave his all and did things he had never done before. He did an amazing job on that tour, the JT versions of most of the songs they played on LT made the JT versions very booring.

About the talking/whisperd thing he did on Popmart, well that thing already started in 93, on NYD for an example.
 
I think it needs to be noted in all of these "Bono voice" threads that are going on at the moment, that most of U2's songs ARE difficult to sing. I sometimes think about what better job other singers could do with those songs, I honestly don't know .... for me, these songs are so closely attached to Bono's voice that I think I'm taking a "bad" Bono performance over every other performance by a better singer. With U2's songs, I guess it's more than just singing in the traditional sense.
 
DevilsShoes said:
Well in early 98 the band filmed a handful of shows to be broadcast live on television for their South American fans, these were Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Santiago and Johannesburg and in all of them I think Bono's voice was in better shape.

The Mexico concert was also filmed for a live broadcast and while I enjoy it for its sense of scale and spectacle, I think it was the wrong night to release. Presumbly the band watched all these shows back to decide which concert was the best and deemed Mexico to be the one. I personally think they should have gone for Santiago, great atmosphere, great energy, the set list is better, Bono is clearly having a good time and his voice is much better condition, he's actually singing the song rather than whispering or mumbling his way through (which makes uncomfortable viewing for me when I think of what a dramatic, vital singer he'd been in the eighties) but ultimately I think the political overtones of the concert prevented the band from giving it the green light to release.

I love Popmart and think there were several excellent shows which would have been great to film where Bono's voice seems to have a new lease of life (for one night only anyway) Leeds, Rotterdam, Barcelona and Edmonton, this is especially noticeable when you watch the extras after the DVD concert (I wish the BBC had filmed the entire Rotterdam gig).

But yeah Bono's Mexico voice is a strange thing, sometimes too thin to even be heard, sometimes very raspy and fragmented but sometimes pretty powerful and intense, he really goes for the high notes on New Years Day, making it one of my favourite performances ever. But mainly on this particular night, those 2 hours seem to be a bit of struggle for him.
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Perhaps the reason Mexico City is chosen is because of Hutch. Michael Hutchence committed suicide on Nov 22nd and Mexico City was Dec 2 and 3. These were the first concerts filmed after Hutch's death. Doesn't Bono dedicate "One" to Hutch in the Mexico City show? I think the strangeness of Bono's voice probably has a lot to do with the grief.

Dana
 
last unicorn said:
I think it needs to be noted in all of these "Bono voice" threads that are going on at the moment, that most of U2's songs ARE difficult to sing. I sometimes think about what better job other singers could do with those songs, I honestly don't know .... for me, these songs are so closely attached to Bono's voice that I think I'm taking a "bad" Bono performance over every other performance by a better singer. With U2's songs, I guess it's more than just singing in the traditional sense.
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Their songs are very difficult to sing after hearing alot of covers on ISHFWILF, Pride, Bad, Vertigo... you realise how good Bono is as a singer. In the covers they fail to hit the notes and sing the songs as high that Bono does.

Its also intressting how Bono does other artists songs and just pushes them to new levels with his voice and totaly blow away the original artists vocals on the songs. Some examples are AATW, Night And Day, CHFIL, Unchained Melody, Highway To Hell,(just a snippet), Kidz, Don't Give Up...
 
rihannsu said:


Perhaps the reason Mexico City is chosen is because of Hutch. Michael Hutchence committed suicide on Nov 22nd and Mexico City was Dec 2 and 3. These were the first concerts filmed after Hutch's death. Doesn't Bono dedicate "One" to Hutch in the Mexico City show? I think the strangeness of Bono's voice probably has a lot to do with the grief.

Dana
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I think there were a number of reasons why they decided on the Mexico night, the Michael Hutchence issue may well have been one of them (although Bono did kind of dedicate Gone to him for the rest of the tour), I also think that the band believe that that particular concert showcases everything which the Popmart journey had been about, plus the 'Live In Mexico City' tag always sounds great, exotic and dramatic and passionate. Like I said I don't mind the show, I just feel that as a performance there were better to choose from.

BTW I also agree that Pride shouldn't have been performed for this tour, if Bono's really not into it, he obviously won't give the thing 100%, he shouldn't be made to sing it, its only the song that suffers. I think this was one of the reasons Bad remained missing for so long, at the time I missed it but I felt if Bono can't do it justice its best if its not performed at all, that said, I would have loved it if they had slipped into the set list on nights when his voice was good i.e: Leeds or Rotterdam, we may have ended up with some special performances.
 
DevilsShoes said:

BTW I also agree that Pride shouldn't have been performed for this tour, if Bono's really not into it, he obviously won't give the thing 100%, he shouldn't be made to sing it, its only the song that suffers. I think this was one of the reasons Bad remained missing for so long, at the time I missed it but I felt if Bono can't do it justice its best if its not performed at all, that said, I would have loved it if they had slipped into the set list on nights when his voice was good i.e: Leeds or Rotterdam, we may have ended up with some special performances.
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The only intressting version of Pride on Popmart was on the opening night in Las Vegas. Bono realy sing the chours, also they messed up on that version wich was funny.

The version of Bad at Santiago was an amazing version, it realy worked with a slow version. It would have been great if they had played that song on Rottersam, Las Vegas, Edmonton and Leeds.
But I also think that I would have fit in the Mexico show, because sure his voice was very weak but look how emotional the WOWY and One became on the show only because of his voice.

But they shouldnt have play Bad, Pride and WOWY on Elevation tour, those versions where booring.
Also Pride on JT/LT where not the best.
 
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You can tell within the first moments of a Pop boot how good Bono's voice is going to be. On the opening of Mofo, when he does that howling - "Whoa-oh-oh-OOH." Sometimes it just soars and fits nicely in the key of the song. Other times, it struggles to get up there, and you know that you are in for a bumpy ride.
 
Peterrrrr said:


The version of Bad at Santiago was an amazing version, it realy worked with a slow version. It would have been great if they had played that song on Rottersam, Las Vegas, Edmonton and Leeds.

But they shouldnt have ply Bad on Elevation tour, those versions where booring.
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Yeah I really like the Santiago version, they hadn't performed it for a while and you could tell Bono wanted to do a good job of it, he was really into it, not just going through the motions, which I feel he was doing with Pride and BTBS. I also liked the new arrangement they did for Bad, the updated sequencer was great and by not playing as a full band until the second 'Let It Go' verse increased the tension, plus Edges solo is particuarly driving and frenetic. I wish they'd put a different spin on it now, it really freshens up the song.

Despite Bono's vocal difficulties on Popmart, they were certain nights which were some of the best of their career. On Elevation I thought Bono was good at all the ATYCLB songs and most of the nineties output but struggled with some of the eighties stuff, so for that reason its not my favourite tour (although I do think they captured something special at Slane), I much preferred Vertigo.
 
Of all the shows I attended and all the bootlegs and recordings I've heard, I think Bono's voice on Popmart towers over his voice on the Elevation tour. I'm sorry, but the Elevation tour is practically unlistenable because of that.

Then somehow, on the Vertigo tour, his voice came back stronger than ever. I remember the first time I saw Bad on the Vertigo tour, he NAILED the "Wide awake" section, and actually held that note out longer than I've ever heard him do before.
 
ahittle said:
You can tell within the first moments of a Pop boot how good Bono's voice is going to be. On the opening of Mofo, when he does that howling - "Whoa-oh-oh-OOH." Sometimes it just soars and fits nicely in the key of the song. Other times, it struggles to get up there, and you know that you are in for a bumpy ride.
Click to expand...

:yes: Mofo was such a great opener, my favourite of all the tours I think, so cool and effortless, that propulsive melody before the band kicked in really got you excited, you knew you were in for something special. Love the Sao Paulo version, Santiago, Leeds and Barcelona.
 
I agree, I feel the same way about that tour, it's like hearing Bono on helium.

It's true he was more raspy and cracking on Elevation, but I can't see Popmart Bono singing Kite, for example.
 
Peterrrrr said:

Another strange thing was on the Sarajevo show when Bono sang "Take me higher" in falsetto, wich was very strong.
Click to expand...

yup Bono still had his beatuful falsetto back then... its gone now :(

I mean listen to Bono here....he wont even attempt those "take me higher" vocals :(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt3fsAy7XM8


now listen to the Santiago show ...:drool:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIVPd4aIg1c&mode=related&search=

or the Mexico Show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnJ9AhRBNmM

take me higher Bono :drool:
 
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Originally Posted By U2girl
It's true he was more raspy and cracking on Elevation, but I can't see Popmart Bono singing Kite, for example.
Yeah I think Kite was a real break through for the development of Bono's voice, in the studio when he hit that big 'I'm a man' note I think they all knew that something special had happened. The studio version is lovely though, even though Bono's voice cracks on the early verses it only adds to the emotion of the song and then once they get to the chorus the whole thing just lifts off. And what about the great way in which he delivers 'Where the wind will blow' and his voice kind of floats away gently. It was moments like this that really effected me when I first sat down to listen to ATYCLB. IMO Kites not only the best song of the album but the best vocal too.

In some ways it was the song of the tour also, I didn't think they'd top until until I heard that amazing rendition on the Window In The Skies B-side from Australia. Bono's voice is so good. If only they'd filmed this show for the official concert DVD. :drool:
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Click to expand...
 
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About the talking/whisperd thing he did on Popmart, well that thing already started in 93, on NYD for an example.
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Not gonna fight you or anything, since you're pretty much the expert on these matters, but to me his NYDs in 1993 seemed to be more a case of 'oh shit, I'm buggered already' in the concert, rather than being directly related to ill throat going-ons. Typically, he would have finished UTEOTW, which would have been physically draining. He still seemed capable of performing NYD well enough, I'd say smoking had some effect on it, though he was also in poorer shape than in '92. I just think there were different reasons.

I'm sure you've heard more than me though, this is just what I've understood to be the case. :)
 
The Sad Punk said:


Not gonna fight you or anything, since you're pretty much the expert on these matters, but to me his NYDs in 1993 seemed to be more a case of 'oh shit, I'm buggered already' in the concert, rather than being directly related to ill throat going-ons. Typically, he would have finished UTEOTW, which would have been physically draining. He still seemed capable of performing NYD well enough, I'd say smoking had some effect on it, though he was also in poorer shape than in '92. I just think there were different reasons.

I'm sure you've heard more than me though, this is just what I've understood to be the case. :)
Click to expand...

I agree with you, I didnt wrote that he wasnt able to sing NYD that he did before, I think he could done that. But I think he knew that if he did try then in some cases he had to strained his voice to sing that. And I also think that Bono could have sing NYD on Popmart that way also(he did sang the "Say it true" line very good), but the same reason as in 93 he didnt.

Also here are the best version ever onn EBTTRT
w w w. send space .com/file/pufbyz

in time 2:33 he gives his energy, almost like on LT :)
 
Both Edmonton shows were some of Bonos best vocal shows from the Popmart tour...and I agree with some of the other selections as having very good vocals, like Rotterdam and Leads as well, along with most of the South American gigs as well.

None the less Mexico is a great show, and it was put out because its not cheap to set up movie quality cameras and about 30 of them to do a show. You in the end have to take what you get or spend many more thousands to do another show. Wouldnt shock me if it cost the band into the millions to film that show, as the show itself costed 250 thousand dollars to put on per night.
 
off topic .

anyone know what pissed off Bono at the end of "Last Night On Earth " when he called someone in the crowd "AssHole" ?

by the way , I love Bono's Popmart voice .
on WOWY when he hits that big note when the lights are out and he holds it . :drool:
 
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