You know, now that I look at this, the disappearance of A Celebration doesn't make a whole lot of sense regardless of what argument you use.
The facts;
- A Celebration was released as a single in March 1982. It was U2's highest charting song at the time, hitting #47 on the UK chart (Gloria made #55). Yes, by the time the War Tour began, New Year's Day had charted better, but A Celebration was still U2's second-most popular single on the charts.
- Its first live appearance was 18 March 1982 and that was its only appearance on the October Tour proper. It was then performed sporadically throughout 1982 at festivals and on TV shows.
- A Celebration became a live regular on the Pre-War Tour in December 1982. I am pretty sure it appeared in every show.
- It was then performed at least five times at the start of the War Tour. It was almost certainly performed a sixth time on 27 February 1983 in Aberdeen, but no setlist exists for that concert. Whatever the case, it was played on 26 and 28 February and 1, 2, 3 March. It failed to appear on 4 March and was never played again.
So really, this begs a few questions. The band managed to remember it during the two months between the Pre-War and War Tours, so the story Edge forgot it doesn't look all too plausible - though stranger things have happened.
However, if they were tired of it, they would not have carried it over to the War Tour at all, and the same goes for if they felt it failed to work. Maybe they decided it didn't fit in the War Tour set, and that could be a valid point if it had been cut after a couple of shows. Like A Song was cut after just one (or maybe two, seeing we don't know what was played at Aberdeen). However, it seems pretty odd that they'd play it five/six times, especially after they managed to organise their chosen War Tour set. 26 February and 1 March were pretty different, but 1 March and 3 April (the end of the tour) are extremely similar. The set they played on 1 March was the pattern for the rest of the leg, and A Celebration was played three times.
Then it vanished, despite the fact it fit into the set. U2's second-most popular single at the time was cut from the set after only approximately twenty live performances. I find this to be extremely odd.
The facts;
- A Celebration was released as a single in March 1982. It was U2's highest charting song at the time, hitting #47 on the UK chart (Gloria made #55). Yes, by the time the War Tour began, New Year's Day had charted better, but A Celebration was still U2's second-most popular single on the charts.
- Its first live appearance was 18 March 1982 and that was its only appearance on the October Tour proper. It was then performed sporadically throughout 1982 at festivals and on TV shows.
- A Celebration became a live regular on the Pre-War Tour in December 1982. I am pretty sure it appeared in every show.
- It was then performed at least five times at the start of the War Tour. It was almost certainly performed a sixth time on 27 February 1983 in Aberdeen, but no setlist exists for that concert. Whatever the case, it was played on 26 and 28 February and 1, 2, 3 March. It failed to appear on 4 March and was never played again.
So really, this begs a few questions. The band managed to remember it during the two months between the Pre-War and War Tours, so the story Edge forgot it doesn't look all too plausible - though stranger things have happened.
However, if they were tired of it, they would not have carried it over to the War Tour at all, and the same goes for if they felt it failed to work. Maybe they decided it didn't fit in the War Tour set, and that could be a valid point if it had been cut after a couple of shows. Like A Song was cut after just one (or maybe two, seeing we don't know what was played at Aberdeen). However, it seems pretty odd that they'd play it five/six times, especially after they managed to organise their chosen War Tour set. 26 February and 1 March were pretty different, but 1 March and 3 April (the end of the tour) are extremely similar. The set they played on 1 March was the pattern for the rest of the leg, and A Celebration was played three times.
Then it vanished, despite the fact it fit into the set. U2's second-most popular single at the time was cut from the set after only approximately twenty live performances. I find this to be extremely odd.
I can see it now...
I guess we'll just have to take it off the setlist then, 'cause I randomly forgot how to play a song I wrote myself and have played numerous times, and all I've got to remind me are...the lyrics.
really though you don't just "forget" how to play songs as a guitarist, unless it's really been a long time or you just learned it....and if you wrote the song yourself, the chances of that are very, very slim...especially if you've recorded it, rehearsed it, and played it live. Sorry Axver, it's just not plausible, though it is odd that they suddenly dropped it off the setlist...
