Songs Most Improved Live

[Peterrrrr]

....not forgetting bad of course, especially on wide awake in america!!!

Bad 1993-08-28 - Dublin, the second time he sings faaaaade he have never sing faaade like that before and after.

And ofcourse Bad from 2005-09-14 from Toronto, Wide Awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake

 

[yeter]

Bad
Love and Peace
11 O'clock Tick Tock

 

[YBORCITY]

40
Bad
ASOH
One Tree Hill
RTSS
Exit
The Fly
Ultraviolet
UTEOTW
Dirty Day
Please
Elevation
Walk On
COBL
Vertigo

 

[SunBloc]

Please
Bad
40
Mofo
Love and Peace or Else
Out of Control
Elevation

(in fact, I don't know of any that haven't improved live - possibly, If You Wear that Velvet Dress)

 

[MumblingBono]

Every U2 song except Pride.

 

[Joey788]

Out of Control
Electric Co.
Gloria
Sunday Bloody Sunday
40
ASOH
Bad
Streets
WOWY (I love the "shine like stars" add-on)
BTBS
RTSS
IGC
Exit
Desire
AOH
AIWIY
God Part 2
Zoo Station
The Fly
EBTTRT
Mysterious Ways
One
UTEOTW
UV
LIB
Lemon
Daddy's Gonna Pay
Dirty Day
Pop (all of it)
Beautiful Day
Elevation
Vertigo
SYCMIOYO
COBL
LAPOE
OOTS
HMTMKMKM

 

[WhiteWolf]

I agree with SunBloc. IF YOU WEAR THAT VELVET DRESS is probably the most drastically improved song from studio to stage, but like a lot of songs on POP you could say that it was hurried and unfinished, so the new arrangements from that album were all better, including DISCOTHEQUE and GONE. But VELVET DRESS went from a muddled song that would have fit better on the PASSENGERS album to a good tie in after DISCOTHEQUE. The guitar is more defined, and Larry and Adam thankfully pick it up a lot more than the studio version. Bono as well finds a more clear voice for this song live, where as on the studio track he seems to mumble and stumble rather than croon. It's a good song really, and deserves a new version for release as a b-side somewhere down the line.

I would also say that I liked the accousitc arrangement of STARING AT THE SUN and STAY better than the album tracks, but not so much that they are overshadowing.

 

[pgv]

City of blinding lights..it think it only really comes across best live.

 

[IanIinTheSky]

I enjoy Yaweh much more live then the HTDAAB version.

 

[prmdbr]

ZooTV's

Trying to throw you arms around the world - edge's droning melody is sublime

Bad (Stockholm 1992, night 2)

Running to stand still into Where the streets have No Name - The harmonica solo fading into the gentle synth that transitions in the powerful opening. My god, still brings tears.

 

[schnumi]

The first two that come into my mind are:

Miami and If your wear that velvet dress.

 

[Goocher100]

I just found it and I'd almost forgotten but even though I have no gripes with the studio edit, The Last Night on Earth was stellar live in my opinion.

 

[schnumi]

I just found it and I'd almost forgotten but even though I have no gripes with the studio edit, The Last Night on Earth was stellar live in my opinion.

I can fully agree with this.

I also liked the studio version (the single version also) but Live it rocked even more.

Especially the end with The Edge just overdriving that guitar.

 

[adrball]

I'm still amazed with how fresh The Electric Co. sounded live during Vertigo.

 

[Peterrrrr]

I'm still amazed with how fresh The Electric Co. sounded live during Vertigo.

The 2005-07-29 - Gothenburg version is one of the best ever.

 

[Kildare]

#1, I think, is Bullet the Blue Sky. Streets is up there too.

 

[theFly51]

The Fly (Elevation)
Gone (Popmart; Elevation)
Mysterious Ways
Running To Stand Still (ZooTV)
Dirty Day
Exit

 

[Snowlock]

Vertigo
Bad
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Staring At The Sun
Stay

 

[BWU2Buffs]

1. UTEOTW - kinda dull and drony on the album; then bang knocks your socks off live - "is this rock and roll" -- especially during the Zoo TV era.

2. Bad - it's good on UF, great live; and so many fun snippets -- "please to meet you, hope you guess my name"

3. SBS - War version not as good, like the guitars over the strings.

4. 40 is up there, not sure a sing along song should count though -- I think the sing along is why many of us like it live.

5. TTTYAATW -- an odd choice, but I thougt it was a big jump.


6. MLK - more powerfl live, even though not necessarily many changes to the song

7. OOTS & Wake Up Dead Man -- for me anyway.

Not sure I'd put Electric Co. on this list -- the album version is strong; could some of us be influenced by how fresh it sounded on the Vert. Tour which is partly driven by how long its been since it was played.

Cool thread -- the topic is one of the main reasons I love a new tour -- hear the album, prepare to be surpised and blown away in concert.

 

[zepher25]

im not sure about every performance but Beautiful Day at Live8 was absolutely amazing, so was one, it was cool when the crowd sang along to unchained melody snippit

 

[vaz02]

if u2 played later on in the day it would of been so much better

 

[zepher25]

they had a vertigo concert that night somewhere out of britan so unfortunatly they had to open, should have played more songs though

 

[junkydog]

I cant believe no-ones said Dirty Day!!!

 

[clifedge]

Streets...and it's good to begin with.

 

[LMBLover]

THe Fly from Elevation baby!