The Next Stage?

[Lemonboy]

I saw something on a Rolling Stones DVD where the band had fans vote every night for a song for the Stones to play.

Which later was admitted to have been rigged.

 

[Joey788]

Ah, I didn't know that.

Well, rigged or not, it's still a good idea.

 

[Saracene]

Personally, I appreciate it when the bands throw some nice eye-candy my way along with great music. Most of the gigs I go to are smallish and minimalist anyway; when a truly big band with a sizeable budget like U2 comes along I want some frills.

 

[mysterious_jen]

u2


on a stage


in this country.






anything else is BONUS SUPERWIN.

 

[4U2Play]

Top 10 Ways To Improve A U2 Concert

10. Cannons during "Elevation"

9. Bono stagediving

8. No security barriers, let fans lean on the stage, like at Bruce

7. Adam speeches

6. Reverse setlists on back-to-back dates

5. Hats

4. "U2" in big, flashing lights at the back of the stage, like KISS

3. Edge front and center singing "Seconds" or "Van Diemen's Land" again

2. Ellipse lottery over the net the day before the show, no waiting around all day in line

1. Flying drumkit

 

[luna_lovegood]

Top 10 Ways To Improve A U2 Concert

10. Cannons during "Elevation"

7. Adam speeches

1. Flying drumkit

100% behind this!!

 

[major_panic]

Top 10 Ways To Improve A U2 Concert

10. Cannons during "Elevation"

9. Bono stagediving

8. No security barriers, let fans lean on the stage, like at Bruce

7. Adam speeches

6. Reverse setlists on back-to-back dates

5. Hats

4. "U2" in big, flashing lights at the back of the stage, like KISS

3. Edge front and center singing "Seconds" or "Van Diemen's Land" again

2. Ellipse lottery over the net the day before the show, no waiting around all day in line

1. Flying drumkit

Win, especially numbers 10 and 1.

 

[4U2Play]

Do you like AC/DC and Motley Crue?

 

[luna_lovegood]

u2


on a stage


in this country.






anything else is BONUS SUPERWIN.

Fat fucking chance though. We won't get then back for another tour or two.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Axver, big stage productions don't do anything to the music, literally...it's not like UTEOTW sounds better when there is a ZooTV like stage production haha...i mean, a big production simply adds more to the experience...I'd bet 80% or more of U2's entire fanbase would rather see ZooTV like production over a small, carpets and bullshit production...

Haven't got time to read all 7 pages here and don't know if Axver's mentioned it already but Lovetown (which to my mind are the best U2 gigs I've ever seen) didn't have to rely on all the ZooTV hoopla. Just the guys on a stage, big colourful backdrop yes, but no gimmicks, no flashy OTT light production. Just 4 blokes playing the songs. And guess what, we the crowd were captivated. Maybe you Gen Y'ers have a short attention span

Oh and good to see Moser here, I loved him on Inspector Rex

 

[The Sad Punk]

4. "U2" in big, flashing lights at the back of the stage, like KISS

Yes.

 

[schnumi]

Im sure we would all agree if U2 would do a tour just without any screens etc etc.

But if you want to create something big, attracting new fans etc etc you need to have a big stage and effects etc.

And just face it it has to be standard these days, there is no excuse for having no screens etc.

 

[MooMoo!]

I agree with what some have said about the enclosed spaces on Elevation and Vertigo. It creates too much of a frenzy for people getting in there. Id like to see something along the lines of a catwalk rather than a circle.

 

[theFly51]

Levitating catwalks?

 

[mofo82]

I agree with what some have said about the enclosed spaces on Elevation and Vertigo. It creates too much of a frenzy for people getting in there. Id like to see something along the lines of a catwalk rather than a circle.

I just watched an hour-long special of the Foo Fighters at Madison Square Garden, I think from late 2007. They had one straight walkway running from the stage all the way to the rear of the arena, and then they cut to a song where they played in the round right in the center of the arena. I liked it because it didn't segregate the crowd as much as the setup of inner circle>outer circle.

Still, the band created the heart/circle ticketing system so they didn't have the same people in front night after night. I wonder how that system could be initiated without sectioning off people like the heart did. It would be a near free for all again without a heart/ellipse.

 

[pepokiss]

Top 10 Ways To Improve A U2 Concert

9. Bono stagediving

no way... too fat

 

[Moser]

no way... too fat

Yes, but the "2/3" of fat America can cushion the fall.

 

[pepokiss]

Yes, but the "2/3" of fat America can cushion the fall.

Americans... like always, thinking they're the only people in the world

 

[Miringeltje]

Id like to see something along the lines of a catwalk rather than a circle.

I just watched an hour-long special of the Foo Fighters at Madison Square Garden, I think from late 2007. They had one straight walkway running from the stage all the way to the rear of the arena, and then they cut to a song where they played in the round right in the center of the arena. I liked it because it didn't segregate the crowd as much as the setup of inner circle>outer circle.

Still, the band created the heart/circle ticketing system so they didn't have the same people in front night after night. I wonder how that system could be initiated without sectioning off people like the heart did. It would be a near free for all again without a heart/ellipse.

Here's what I was thinking :

 

[The Sad Punk]

Yes, but the "2/3" of fat America can cushion the fall.

But what will happen in the inevitable tour of east Africa?

 

[mysterious_jen]

Fat fucking chance though. We won't get then back for another tour or two.

2010 . im counting on it.

 

[adypole]

Big stages with elaborate lighting and visuals:

1. Up the ticket price.
2. Constrain the setlist, at least in U2's mind.
3. Take the focus off the band.
4. Can be used by the band as a crutch.
5. Are unnecessary.

It might not be necessary but it makes is more of a show, more of an experiance. if I wwanted only the band at a show I may as well just play one of there CDs!

 

[perrypickwick]

the stage that's the most imporant thing for me - even a litte bit more important than the setlist.

I think Williams will not dissapoint us. When I look at his last work - his installations and the George Michael Stage (which was absolutly great) I think it could be that he wants to bring the third dimension more into the U2 stage. Perhaps he is planning something with 3D-Scress. Phillips has developed some sceens you don't need 3D glasses for - but it's not perfect yet - something like that maybe.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

It might not be necessary but it makes is more of a show, more of an experiance. if I wwanted only the band at a show I may as well just play one of there CDs!

What about seeing bands in pubs?

Music is after all an AURAL medium, visuals are a nice icing on top of the cake but if the cake itself is shite, no amount of icing is gonna make it taste any better

U2 managed to play on stage without the extra frills for over a decade. Did them no harm.....

 

[phillyfan26]

if I wwanted only the band at a show I may as well just play one of there CDs!

I could not disagree more with what you just said.

 

[No spoken words]

They should play on a train that constantly zig-zags across North America. Put them in the middle car, so it's theater in the round. This will be a double decker train as well, so the car above them will have a transparent floor, so fans can look down Larry's shirt to see his Moobs. The train will figure out a way to cross the Atlantic, stopping at Zoo Station and going around Europe/Asia from there. Hey, Axver, fuck you, they're not coming to Australia or New Zealand, sorry.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

they can play on my deck. i'll decorate it with lights and stuff beforehand to make it look all festive. i can even do strings to make it resemble the curtain used during the vertigo tour

but i get to pick the guest list

 

[mofo82]

they can play on my deck. i'll decorate it with lights and stuff beforehand to make it look all festive. i can even do strings to make it resemble the curtain used during the vertigo tour

but i get to pick the guest list

That is honestly the best idea yet

It could be the setting for our private Interference show!!!

 

[brooklynmike]

I just watched an hour-long special of the Foo Fighters at Madison Square Garden, I think from late 2007. They had one straight walkway running from the stage all the way to the rear of the arena, and then they cut to a song where they played in the round right in the center of the arena. I liked it because it didn't segregate the crowd as much as the setup of inner circle>outer circle.

I was at the Foo Fighters show you're talking about. The show was actually only about 3 weeks ago at the Garden. (Feb 19th).

Fuse network recorded it and started showing it right after the show. Dave told us to go home and Tivo it. lol

Anyway, we were on the floor for the show, and I gotta say the setup sucked compared to the ellipse (which I've gone to 12 shows).

Here's the thing, there was one long thin ramp that connected the main stage to a smaller stage ALL THE WAY at the back of the arena.

I was about 20 rows from the main stage, so when they ran down to the other stage for the acoustic set, our section could barely see what was going on.

If you're a real fan who got there early to be close to the stage, you got screwed a little. Great for those in the shitty seats though.

 

[BEVERLY56]

They tried minimalist as best as they could on Elevation, and failed miserably.

Hmm, I would respectfully disagree with that!