The Acrobat problem

[djerdap]

Edge, I don't think you are aware how much is Acrobat popular in the U2 world. I know a lot of U2 fans and about 90% of them have Acrobat in their top 10 list. I mean, Larry's performance on it is fantastic. One of his best. And your riffs and your solo is just breathtaking. I really think this would be amazing to play live. Why didn't you play it on the ZooTV tour? I think that was one of U2's most bizarre decisions ever. You said in another thread that there is no plan to play Acrobat. But, please, change your mind. It is an incredible song and many fans would feel complete if you played this song.
Just try and rehearse it.
In the name of a great number of U2 fans, DJerdap from Croatia.

 

[starsgoblue]

Why don't you post this in the questions section for Edge?

 

[RademR]

I understand if it never gets played on the next tour, but why wasnt it played on ZooTv? By the way, it is on my top 10 list also.

 

[djerdap]

Why don't you post this in the questions section for Edge?

I actually did, but Edge's response in "The goodness of Electrical Storm", triggered this thread.

 

[starsgoblue]

Oh ok, gotcha


I understand how you feel about Acrobat....In A Little While is such an amazing song and I'm near postive it won't be played this upcoming tour-makes me sad

 

[U2Kitten]

Remember, Bono said on the last tour that he and Edge would have to meditate in a tree for a month to play it live. We don't want them up in a tree that long, what if they fall and get hurt and they won't get to tour?

 

[EPandAmerica]

Remember, Bono said on the last tour that he and Edge would have to meditate in a tree for a month to play it live. We don't want them up in a tree that long, what if they fall and get hurt and they won't get to tour?

I've never heard that one! Did he say that to a fan?

 

[U2Kitten]

Yes, he did. The story goes it was a girl's birthday and she asked him to play it and he told her that.

 

[Tip Top Prince]

Edge posted in another thread that Acrobat won't be played this tour, and is unlikely to be played in the future - although never say never.

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

Edge, I don't think you are aware how much is Acrobat popular in the U2 world. I know a lot of U2 fans and about 90% of them have Acrobat in their top 10 list.

I think you're a little off there, 90% it's too much. I don't think so many people want this song played live. It's a good song and I would be thrilled if they did play it live but personally I think there are others more interesting. However I think it would be really cool if Bono could sing parts of this song at the end of Bad and maybe the rest of the band could join in and play a part of the song. That would kick ass for sure! I can totally see that happening!

 

[Phalanx]

I just can't comprehend why they won't play it. It doesn't seem too complicated to play...I play it on guitar and it isn't hard at all.

 

[Tip Top Prince]

I just can't comprehend why they won't play it. It doesn't seem too complicated to play...I play it on guitar and it isn't hard at all.

They are people too. Maybe they just don't like it much.

Gloria will probably never be played again because Bono hates the lyrics. Pity.

 

[U2Kitten]

They do like it, Bono told the girl it was one of his favorite tunes.

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

They do like it, Bono told the girl it was one of his favorite tunes.

Are you talking about Gloria or Acrobat?

 

[kellyahern]

I would give my first (naked born) child to hear Gloria played live

 

[ShellBeThere]

Wait, I thought the in-the-tree bit was in reference to In a Little While?! I'm getting confused and dazed spending too much excited energy here...

I love In a Little While...I would love to hear it live, in a sort of Acrobat sandwich with Spanish Eyes on the other side, it would be so delicious. And then closing with Love is Blindness. a bit schizophrenic, but sooo sexy!

But I can't imagine doing that in a stadium or an arena, it would have to be like on a cabaret stage and I'd believe the stuff about meditating for a month in a tree to pull it off (I love that line!)...

On Acrobat, I don't have an official personal U2 top ten, but it's definitely one of my favorites. I don't think it would work well, at least at first thought, in a big show though...

cheers all!

 

[u2bonogirl]

what about so cruel? i love that song and it seems pretty simple to do live, even with tweaking it a little to make arena friendly.
i am sooooo glad they decided to change love is blindness and add it to the set in zootv. not that i didnt like the original version , but just hearing it live and so passionate, bono in mac garb makeup streaming down......
time to throw myself into a bucket of cold water again

 

[Axver]

A lot of you are whining about how Acrobat was not played on ZooTV, but could you please tell me, where would you put it on the ZooTV setlist? There just wasn't any room for it so it wasn't played. Also, if they played it today, the majority of the crowd would sit down and ask each other "what song is this?"

 

[ShellBeThere]

Oh yes yes...So Cruel is really high on my list too...close to Acrobat and even exceeding if my mood is right!

And it does seem like it'd be simple to do, but I also think it wouldn't work well in a big show...

I recently bought the VHS of what-was-it-Sydney? (forgive my newbie-ness and general ignorance!) ZooTV actually and have watched it so far only with the sound off (long story) so I've *seen* the bono as mac singing Love is Blindness but not *heard* it yet lol!

I feel like that one worked (i assume from the visuals!) because 1. they could make it 'intimate' enough visually fairly naturally and 2. it has a soaring aspect at times that can fill a big space.
I guess I'll have to listen to notice how its changed from AB!


Any technical aspects of playing the music aside, seems to me it would be hard to find a way to get Acrobat to fill the space artistically...where would Bono go with 'what happened your face of melting snow?' or even the wailing "don't let the bastards get you down"without seeming like a victoria's secret catwalk model you know?

In a Little While can't fill a big space even sexy as Bono can be, maybe not even a decent-sized club! Spanish Eyes can maybe fill a club, but I can imagine not wanting to play it at this point in life..a gorgeous postcard from youth though, my my.
And they're both too personal for anything, like notes to oneself rather than statements.

I feel that Acrobat (and So Cruel as well) is like that too lyrically ...a note to oneself or to one other, and to sing it to a stadium would feel weird maybe?!

okay, to the shower with me...

cheerio all!

 

[sv]

An acoustic version of Acrobat WAS rehearsed extensively in Hershey before the fall Outside Broadcast leg of the 1992 Zoo TV tour. The soundcheck was bootleged commercially ("The Hershey Tapes") - I have it and I'm sure many others Interferencers do also. It sounds great to me. From the recording, it appears they were considering using it as the opener, transitioning smoothly into Zoo Station.

It's a great tune and I wish they'd play it also.

 

[Tip Top Prince]

A lot of you are whining about how Acrobat was not played on ZooTV, but could you please tell me, where would you put it on the ZooTV setlist? There just wasn't any room for it so it wasn't played. Also, if they played it today, the majority of the crowd would sit down and ask each other "what song is this?"

I'm getting pretty tired of your self-annointed expert opinions. "What song is this?" - uhhh... a song from the same album as Zoo Station, Ultra Violet - to name two non-singles from AB.

It could easily have been played where Ultra Violet was played. Dirty Day could have been rested. An extra song could have been added.

Give it a rest already - you aint getting the job.

 

[ShellBeThere]

An acoustic version of Acrobat WAS rehearsed extensively in Hershey before the fall Outside Broadcast leg of the 1992 Zoo TV tour. The soundcheck was bootleged commercially ("The Hershey Tapes") - I have it and I'm sure many others Interferencers do also. It sounds great to me. From the recording, it appears they were considering using it as the opener, transitioning smoothly into Zoo Station.

It's a great tune and I wish they'd play it also.

That's so interesting to me...

Was that the only indication of it possibly making an appearance in ZooTV? So, it maybe was going to open, transitioning into Zoo station, which ultimately was the opener right?
(please forgive me if I have that wrong..)
my initial feeling is that it would have to be made more intimate to work and you could maybe maybe do that before you even turn the lights up much but once you got the show going it would be hard to pull off, if that makes any sense at all...

cheers all!

 

[U2Kitten]

Are you talking about Gloria or Acrobat?

Acrobat

 

[u2valleygirl]

I love Acrobat and would be so happy to hear it live. But, no offense, maybe it has too many words for Bono to remember.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Acrobat, So Cruel and Love is Blindness - any one of those would be good. But a new song in that mood and pacing would be even better.

 

[ShellBeThere]

Yes, good point A_Wanderer...
I'll bet we get at least one like that on HTDAAB, and it would therefore stand a better chance of getting on the tour setlists!

cheers all...

 

[phommel]

Re: Re: The Acrobat problem

I think you're a little off there, 90% it's too much. I don't think so many people want this song played live. It's a good song and I would be thrilled if they did play it live but personally I think there are others more interesting. However I think it would be really cool if Bono could sing parts of this song at the end of Bad and maybe the rest of the band could join in and play a part of the song. That would kick ass for sure! I can totally see that happening!

90% seems to me too much also. But it's in my top 12.. maybe we can start a thread again about our personal top 10. And then making a final top 10 out of those personal top 10's so we have the interference top 10. Then Edge can take a look and maybe he will be surprised!

 

[brownda7]

What problem? People will probably throw rotten fruit at me but..............................


its not in my top 10 I even skip it when playing AB.

Ouch! That wasn't rotten, that was unripe!

 

[starsgoblue]

In a Little While can't fill a big space even sexy as Bono can be, maybe not even a decent-sized club!

You must not have seen it performed on the Boston DVD then.... Edge's and Bono's vocals together on that are like a siren's song. It gave me the chills. It can definetly fill a space.

 

[starsgoblue]

I think the main problem is there is no way to play "the song" that every single fan wants to here. For me that song is One Tree Hill....I would give my leg to hear that live, from the looks of it I will die a biped.