SOE 18: New Tour, New Despair...

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If they wanted to do a full global tour they could, but that does not seem to be the case. The markets booked are primarily the largest ones while others get skipped. I'm sure the band will be on vacation in August/September just before promo time for the release of Songs Of Experience in November. They'll resume the Innocence And Experience tour in March 2018 and do about 120 shows around the world lasting into early 2019.

I like the way you think!
 
would have been awesome if they'd taken Lanois and Eno on tour with them. Get all 6 of them up there. Eno on keys, Lanois on guitar. You'd be able to get some great backing vocals on Still Haven't Found, One Tree Hill, etc
 
would have been awesome if they'd taken Lanois and Eno on tour with them. Get all 6 of them up there. Eno on keys, Lanois on guitar. You'd be able to get some great backing vocals on Still Haven't Found, One Tree Hill, etc


Agreed and could record throughout, if they're keen on tapping into the spirit of TJT still.


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I said this in the JT Tour thread, but I'm going to say it here too as it applies. And please don't get angry with me for being to NEGATIVE, because I'm actually not being that negative. I'm just trying to be a little bit realistic.

I believe this Joshua Tree Tour 2.0 is going to last beyond that August show in Brussels. I believe THERE IS A POSSIBILITY they will take this show to South America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, etc. South America pretty much HAS to be a stadium tour, due to a lack of arenas. The options are to modify the I&E Tour for stadiums, OR bring this Joshua Tree tour there. Which is already a stadium tour, based on a concept that's bound to sell out all venues. And while we haven't seen this stage yet, obviously, it's sure to be quite minimalistic compared to the 360 stage. Which means it's easier and less expensive to take to the southern hemisphere. That would mean that these R.O.W. markets could see JT shows later in 2017/early 2018. Bono did say that they're "working on it", as far as visiting these countries.

Australia/NZ/Japan, on the other hand, do have suitable arenas for I&E. So it's just a question of which tour U2 / LiveNation wants to do more down under, and how soon they want to get there. In Australia / NZ they could probably do 10 stadium shows, or 20 arena shows. The stadiums give them the option to play for more people and make more money in less time. If SOE does come out this fall, then they could take the I&E arena tour to Australia at the beginning of 2018. Don't get me wrong, I hope you Aussies get the arena tour you've deserved, that every U2 fan deserves.

If the Joshua Tree goes to these other regions, that doesn't bode well for SOE's timeline. At this moment, none of the band seem too worried about putting the album out at all. There's no sense of urgency whatsoever, and actually a very conscious effort to hold back the album's progress.

Again, I'm not trying to be negative, just realistic. I think we'll be lucky to see SOE in 2017 at all. The only reason to even question this logic is because Bono said in the video that SOE would be coming in 2017. But now even he seems to have rescended that comment. I hope it does get released, and that the I&E Tour resumes in 2018, and that we all live happily ever after!

I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility either. Bono did confirm that they were originally thinking just a few shows for this and then that sort of blossomed into 20+ or whatever. Depending on how things go this year and what they're feelings are on the SOE material then and now, it could go a bit beyond whatever they were originally expecting. Guess we'll just have to see...
 
On the topic of Bono's guitar ability, he became a pretty competent guitarist by Lovetown. He even soloed in some performances of AIWIY and Watchtower, and the solo on the studio cover of Dancing Barefoot is apparently played by him.

Then he just... regressed.
 
On the topic of Bono's guitar ability, he became a pretty competent guitarist by Lovetown. He even soloed in some performances of AIWIY and Watchtower, and the solo on the studio cover of Dancing Barefoot is apparently played by him.

Then he just... regressed.


I did not know that, very interesting. Now that I hear it again, it really doesn't sound like Edge at all!

I actually kind of liked some of his "guitar solos" during "Bad" on the 360 tour. There's a video from an early ZOO TV show where he plays a solo during WOWY. It sounded really bad, and Edge kinda looks at him like "what the hell you playin'?"




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haha if you or anyone else remembers which show, please post it :wink:

didn't know it was Bono on Dancing Barefoot, that's cool it's a good solo
 
I did not know that, very interesting. Now that I hear it again, it really doesn't sound like Edge at all!

I actually kind of liked some of his "guitar solos" during "Bad" on the 360 tour. There's a video from an early ZOO TV show where he plays a solo during WOWY. It sounded really bad, and Edge kinda looks at him like "what the hell you playin'?"




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Watching the Outside is America documentary and the Dalton Brothers performance, he def had some game.


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http://www.u2.com/news/title/music-can-pull-people-together

The Little Things That Give You Away:

"The night gave you a song,
a light had been turned on,
You walked out in the world
like you belonged there
As easy as a breeze,
each heart was yours to tease
Is it only me who sees there’s something wrong here
It’s the little things that give you away
The words you cannot say
Your big mouth in the way
It’s the little things that reveal and betray
Has the hunter now become the prey
It’s the little things, the little things
That give you away
I saw you on the stairs
You didn’t notice I was there
That’s cos you were busy talking at me
Not to me
You were high above the storm
A hurricane being born
But this freedom, it might cost you your liberty
It’s the little things that give you away
The words you cannot say
Your big mouth in the way
It’s the little things that reveal and betray
Has the hunter now become the prey
It’s the little things, the little things that give you away"

Interesting notes about SOE, and a more realistic justification than Edge gave. Good interview.

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I started laughing. There are some real D-grade rhymes in there.
 
I'll reserve judgement until I hear the song - songs aren't poems.

What is interesting to me is that second verse section seems very much like it IS reflective of the current global political climate. If it is front of mind for Bono it could be a recent change made to an existing song, which would indicate active work on SOE continuing in the vein they have described.


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I started laughing. There are some real D-grade rhymes in there.

So on a par with the past 20 years of Bono's songwriting. You know, moles, holes and all that crap.

Edge has the ability to offset this with some of his gorgeous soundscapes but even this has been absent for a long time.
 
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What surprises me is that any long time U2 watcher is buying the "Trump" excuse....either as a reason to delays SOE, or do the Joshua Tree tour.

I don't see where the themes in the Joshua Tree are more resonant "now then ever." Rubbish. They were resonant when the record came out in 87, they were resonant in 97, and 07, and they're resonant today. As far as I can see only three songs on the record are even overtly political, and one of those they've played on (edit: almost) every tour since the record came out. Another, Red Hill, they didn't even bother to play when the themes of the song were supposedly fresh and relevant back in 87. And Mothers is also a song that's continuously had relevance, somewhere, for the past 30 years.

I won't get into the many reasons that delaying SOE because Trump is a transparent lie.

I get that the world is changing, and I'm thrilled they're doing this tour (which I'd rather see than more I+E) I just don't buy their reasons. You want to do a nostalgia tour like a dozen other legacy acts? Great. But because it's U2, it has to be excuse as some sort of reflection of, and statement on, the popular zeitgeist. It's pretentious, even for U2.

If U2 wants to do a tour to reflect these troubled times and the anguish people are feeling, do a stripped down show and charge a flat 20 pounds, euros or dollars for a ticket. That would be meaningful.
 
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As far as I can see only three songs on the record are even overtly political, and one of those they've played on every tour since the record came out.

Trying to figure out which song you mean here and I cannot. Streets? Because it sure isn't ISHFWILF or WOWY, and no other JT song has been done every tour since the album's release.
 
Trying to figure out which song you mean here and I cannot. Streets? Because it sure isn't ISHFWILF or WOWY, and no other JT song has been done every tour since the album's release.

I was thinking of Bullet...but perhaps it hasn't been played on every tour, I'm just going off memory.

Edit: Yeah, I guess it wasn't played @ 360, SBS took the political angst spot. My bad, should have remembered that considering I went to three of those shows. :)
 
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What surprises me is that any long time U2 watcher is buying the "Trump" excuse....either as a reason to delays SOE, or do the Joshua Tree tour.

I don't see where the themes in the Joshua Tree are more resonant "now then ever." Rubbish. They were resonant when the record came out in 87, they were resonant in 97, and 07, and they're resonant today. As far as I can see only three songs on the record are even overtly political, and one of those they've played on (edit: almost) every tour since the record came out. Another, Red Hill, they didn't even bother to play when the themes of the song were supposedly fresh and relevant back in 87. And Mothers is also a song that's continuously had relevance, somewhere, for the past 30 years.

I won't get into the many reasons that delaying SOE because Trump is a transparent lie.

I get that the world is changing, and I'm thrilled they're doing this tour (which I'd rather see than more I+E) I just don't buy their reasons. You want to do a nostalgia tour like a dozen other legacy acts? Great. But because it's U2, it has to be excuse as some sort of reflection of, and statement on, the popular zeitgeist. It's pretentious, even for U2.

If U2 wants to do a tour to reflect these troubled times and the anguish people are feeling, do a stripped down show and charge a flat 20 pounds, euros or dollars for a ticket. That would be meaningful.


I don't buy that it is the 'why' but it doesn't mean that they won't actually do it over the next 9 months or so. Perhaps their feelings regarding the resonance of TJT have given them some hope or direction for getting past whatever is causing the delays.


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I was thinking of Bullet...but perhaps it hasn't been played on every tour, I'm just going off memory.

Edit: Yeah, I guess it wasn't played @ 360, SBS took the political angst spot. My bad, should have remembered that considering I went to three of those shows. :)

It was a bloody well-earned rest. Before 360, Bullet had missed just six shows since its release - less than any other pre-nineties song.

So in terms of politics, you name Bullet, RHMT, and MOTD, but in terms of a more implicit message, what of IGC and Exit? I recognise this is somewhat parochial, but there are even people in New Zealand who would read politics into One Tree Hill too.

Though we would be nitpicking, as I concur that the songs are masterful and have been relevant in any given year since their release.
 
What surprises me is that any long time U2 watcher is buying the "Trump" excuse....either as a reason to delays SOE, or do the Joshua Tree tour.

I don't see where the themes in the Joshua Tree are more resonant "now then ever." Rubbish. They were resonant when the record came out in 87, they were resonant in 97, and 07, and they're resonant today. As far as I can see only three songs on the record are even overtly political, and one of those they've played on (edit: almost) every tour since the record came out. Another, Red Hill, they didn't even bother to play when the themes of the song were supposedly fresh and relevant back in 87. And Mothers is also a song that's continuously had relevance, somewhere, for the past 30 years.

I won't get into the many reasons that delaying SOE because Trump is a transparent lie.

I get that the world is changing, and I'm thrilled they're doing this tour (which I'd rather see than more I+E) I just don't buy their reasons. You want to do a nostalgia tour like a dozen other legacy acts? Great. But because it's U2, it has to be excuse as some sort of reflection of, and statement on, the popular zeitgeist. It's pretentious, even for U2.

If U2 wants to do a tour to reflect these troubled times and the anguish people are feeling, do a stripped down show and charge a flat 20 pounds, euros or dollars for a ticket. That would be meaningful.

i imagine it's more a feeling of being transported back to the 80s - after Brexit, and all the nasty attitudes that have come to light, i feel like we're back in 80s Britain again for sure
 
It was a bloody well-earned rest. Before 360, Bullet had missed just six shows since its release - less than any other pre-nineties song.

So in terms of politics, you name Bullet, RHMT, and MOTD, but in terms of a more implicit message, what of IGC and Exit? I recognise this is somewhat parochial, but there are even people in New Zealand who would read politics into One Tree Hill too.

Though we would be nitpicking, as I concur that the songs are masterful and have been relevant in any given year since their release.

I agree that, like many U2 songs, you can "read" a political dimension into the ones you mentioned, but I don't regard any of them as overtly political. Exit, for example, might suggest the feeling of fear and dread many are experiencing. But is it any "more" relevant now than ever? I'm not sure I buy that. In fact I don't.

And with regards to the SOE delay. U2 put out Bomb in 2004, a song with an upbeat rocker as the lead single. Yet the world was in the midst of at least two wars and an international war on terrorism. Most of the rest of those songs are straight out anthem rockers or pop songs. And some very personal songs that don't suggest the state of the world.

And 2009's NLOTH was released while the world was in the midst of the great recession, juxtaposed with Obama's message of hope and change. Yet I don't recall any of that being discussed by U2 as a rationale for the record.

How exactly, do world events undermine the very rationale for a record you've supposedly been working on for years? It's not as if the world was ever clamouring for a U2 biographical record..including SOI. People cared that Bono grew up on Cedarwood road in 2014, but now in 2017 that's just not relevant anymore? Prediction: the top of the charts are not going to populated the next few years reflecting fear and dread. In fact, I'd wager it will be much the opposite.

I'm not suggesting U2 records don't try to reflect their times. They certainly do to an extent, everyone knows that. But looking at their records (starting at least with TUF), thematically, I think this idea may be a bit overstated. I just don't buy that whatever rationale that U2 had for recording SOE suddenly was undermined because of the current world climate. I think the record either wasn't ready, or more likely, was mostly ready but the band just didn't have confidence in it, and Trump just was manna from heaven in terms of a reason to bail on it.

Again, as you know TUF/JT era, including the superb b-sides, are my favourite. So I'm thrilled by this and I think ironically this tour will make U2 more relevant than they've been for years. But it will be because Joshua Tree is great music that will make people feel good. While I'm certainly no fan of Trump, if the show is too heavy handed on the whole thing, including Bullet, I'll be a little disappointed.
 
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How exactly, do world events undermine the very rationale for a record you've supposedly been working on for years? It's not as if the world was ever clamouring for a U2 biographical record..including SOI. Prediction: the top of the charts are not going to populated the next few years reflecting fear and dread. In fact, I'd wager it will be much the opposite.

Again, as you know TUF/JT era, including the superb b-sides, are my favourite. So I'm thrilled by this and I think ironically this tour will make U2 more relevant than they've been for years. But it will be because Joshua Tree is great music that will make people feel good. While I'm certainly no fan of Trump, if the show is too heavy handed on the whole thing, including Bullet, I'll be a little disappointed.

Agreed, except that even a heavy-handed denunciation of fascism is a useful denunciation of fascism. At the end of the day, I don't give a shit what U2's "excuse" is for this tour. They're touring good music, and making it the centrepiece. That's all I've wanted for years, a tour to celebrate just how good their back catalogue is.
 
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