U2 Live on SNL Review

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nurse chrissi said:

yes - that was slightly hard to watch the skits
but then again the musical act more than made up for it:)
It sad because SNL could be so relevant these days - The Daily show has kind of picked up that mantle


I remember once upon a time when It was great to watch, now I don't look forward to saturdays anymore.
 
Rusty James said:
I was lucky enough to attend the taping of the show in person. "All Because of You" was simply amazing, with Edge's guitar BLISTERING the roof off the place. The entire audience was on their feet, clapping and dancing along, while the show's cast members jumped around onstage. After they finished that one, Bono said "You want one more?" and they tore into "Vertigo" one more time, this one sounding a lot better than the first one that they played on the air. Bono seemed to be in great spirits and went into full Lizard-King mode, writhing around on the floor and striking all kinds of great rock-star poses. The sound in the studio was VASTLY superior to what you heard over your TV set. Judging from tonight's set, this tour is going to be one for the history books.

First of all you're fuckin lucky to be in the audience and to be lucky to hear another version of Vertigo.
 
No it was Sometimes. ABOY was cut from the tv performance. I do agree. His voice wasn't really on, but it was a definite improvement over the Radio 1 performance. Listening to "Sometimes" on that was almost unbearable. However, isn't it true that he was like this on the atyclb promo tour? If so, I'm sure his voice will be up to par in good time. I even think it really improved by the time they did I will follow.
 
isabelle_guns said:
I am probably going to get shot for this post by U2 fans reading this but I'm going to write the TRUTH that most U2 fans are afraid to admit or realize.

I've been a die hard U2 fan since I was 13, therefor my opinion is unbiased. Yesterday's performance was crap. Bono was clearly struggling with vocals.

I really wish that Bono had lip synced. He needs to stop drinking all that damn beer and chain smoking 'cause it ain't helping his vocals as the years progress. I wanted to cringe during the bridge of "Vertigo". If his voice doesn't improve, I'm not sure if I want to see U2 on more than one date this year.

It's one thing to be at a U2 concert 'cause of the energy and environment which U2 are known for creating over the years However, I want a good show in the end besides hearing the hits that I grew up with.

I should've taken his rough vocals on the Boston DVD during the song "Stay, Far Away So Close" as an indication that Bono has had his time vocally.

I am glad that U2 performed not 2 but 3 songs last night. "Vertigo", "All Because of You" and before the credits rolled "I will Follow". During "I Will Follow" Bono did his audience charming and sat in the lap of the lady in the front row. I wish I was her having Bono's crotch in my face :p

Bono even hugged some of the SNL cast while singing, most of whom CRIED. How is it that Bono is able to make everyone cry, myself included?

U2 performed a FOURTH song but it was cut off obviously since it was a live broadcast and the networks have to adhere to an airing shedule.

Now I am off to post my personal opinion on the U2 fan clubs and watch the flaming and the denial come in.

P.S. Larry Mullen looked fuckin' hot on the drums and I'm glad that the cameras focused on Larry a good number of times. He has changed his hair style! He looks older and I saw a few wrinkles during the close ups however, he ages gracefully and is still the hottest guy in music.

Okay, we all realize that Bono's voice isn't what it use to be. With that said, this is as good as he's sounded since ZooTV ended. He has range, he has clarity, and a good amount of strength. He doesn't have the strength he use to, and sometimes he has problems hitting the high notes, but he does have more strength and a better ability to hit those high notes than he has in years. If you compare this performance to their last SNL visit, you'll be amazed by how much better he sounds.

Sure, he doesn't sound how he use to, but he still sounds damn good. I wish to god he would stop smoking so that his voice stays where it is, because this truly is the best it's been in quite a few years.

I'll be the first one to comment on his voice when it sounds pretty bad (ala Superbowl), so I'm not being a fanboy here.
 
bonosrage said:


I dunno... I was in tears and I wasn't laughing. I mean... surely they must know Bono by now. Unless one has lived in a closet their entire life, I can't see them being surprised at the lap dance shenanigan. Call me crazy, but that was vintage Bono.

I almost fell into that trap myself. Good thing I kept the VCR going. I have all 3 on tape, and have listened to Sometimes like 5 times now.

And thoughts about Bono's voice at the end when it cracked, I'm wonderin if maybe some of it wasn't emotion getting caught up in his throat. How he could have sang that song at his Pop's funeral and make it all the way through is beyond me.

All I can say is unfuckingbelievable performance. All night I stayed away from this place so I wouldn't know what the second song would be, hoping it would be Miracle Drug. I was disappointed when Sometimes started playing, but that lasted about 3 seconds. I could sit all day and listen to Edge just soar over mountains and valleys like he does. I could never hear another Bono lyric and still listen to this dude play.

And honestly, I know alot of times (well most times for that matter) he doesn't get enough credit, but Adam's bass just really wraps these songs up in an emotion filled package and sends it home...his bass just gets to the soul of you, especially on that Sometimes performance last night.

Great job. Good luck getting tickets people....lol.
 
SYCMIOYO was absolutely beautiful, and very touching. It was interesting to see Edge's face at the end of the song because he seemed to know that Bono had put a lot into the song.
 
Erin go bragh said:

And honestly, I know alot of times (well most times for that matter) he doesn't get enough credit, but Adam's bass just really wraps these songs up in an emotion filled package and sends it home...his bass just gets to the soul of you, especially on that Sometimes performance last night.

Erin I'm with you 100%. I was thinking the exact same thing too... Adam looked so beautiful and elegant but he didn't move around much during Vertigo which would've been the high-energy song to do that. AND he never gets enough face time on camera :(

But I'm just dying over here knowing I missed Adam by like 15 minutes last night outside the NBC studios after waiting outside till 2am. :sad:

At 11:30pm when all hope of ever getting upstairs was over my two friends and we ran down the street looking for the nearest sports bar or pub and we found Rosie O'Grady's it's this fancy restaurant but they've got tv's on ESPN. We run in out of breath and beg the bartender to put one on SNL, I'm screaming "It's an Irish band, this is an Irish pub!" and he says ok the one at the back, but he wouldn't put the volume on! So I SAW the first two songs but have only HEARD them today.

I missed Adam by 15 minutes. :( I was walking up 6th avenue and he was getting out of his car on 48th street :banghead:

mishkAA
OUT OF CONTROL
 
I missed the show last night! I had it in my iCal on my Mac and still missed it! Can someone please, please point me to some video links for the performance. I would be eternally grateful. I saw a post for .wmv files in this forum, but they weren't working.

Thanks in advance,
GG
ggulley@ameritech.net
 
agreed...Vertigo was a little un-polished.....Sometimes was great - - Bono and Edge both were on the verge of tears at the end of the song.
Help!!!!! These links don't work!
 
Hewson said:

I know Pearl Jam played 3 songs in April of 1994...I imagine there have been a few others, but don't watch the show unless there's a musical guest worth seeing on cause the skits have been crap for years. I assume Lorne Michaels is smart enough to realize his audience last night was tuning in almost exclusively to see U2 so they got 3 slots.
Though I did laugh at the Falconer skit when Donald the Falcon and Clancy the dog were at the state fair.
Though the biggest laugh of the night came when Edge realized he was on a leash during I Will Follow...he's used to raoming around untethered and suddenly came to the end of his cord and was like whoops, step bnack.

in the old days music was a much more important element of the show (e.g. when paul simon used to be on in the '70s he could do 8-10 songs per show with various "friends" like art garfunkle and george harrison sitting in with him on some of the songs). more recently there was the above referenced pearl jam show in april '94 and and an r.e.m. show in november '94 and i think there was a sting show in '91 :)madspit: you can't win 'em all), all with three songs. they've also moved the musical slots back in the show. they now come later in the show. as lorne michaels has gotten older he seems to care less about music (many of the types of acts that are on today would never have made it in the '70s, plus the whole allowing of the lip synching thing). when he was younger he was a great champion of music (not necessarily the hippest music (see his love of paul simon), but music nonetheless), but now even that that seems to be gone.
 
Bono's American Wife said:
Michelle that SUCKS!!!! :( :hug:

Yes, yes it does BAW. Thanks for the :hug: I really needed that. I'm so happy for the ones that were blessed enough but I'm filled with "if only I'd waited a little longer...". :sad:

And yes please - the wav files didn't work for me either - I must see the vids pleeeease. After the second song we ran out of the pub back to wait outside the NBC studios again - so I also missed at least SEEING I Will Follow. OMG I could die. I need to take a break from all this it's all too much right now.

mishkAA
OUT OF CONTROL
 
I thought they did good last night. I'm certainly not one to wear rose colored glasses when I hear/see U2 but I think there are a lot of people being WAY to hard on them. I mean, people are picking every little thing apart. For heaven's sake, U2 are not perfect and aren't without flaws. No concert I've ever been to has been perfect yet. I think everyone there (including the cast) were really into it. The band looked happy and like they were having fun, isn't that all that matters.... the band and the audience were having fun?
 
God, did you guys hear Bono's voice breaking up during sometimes? He was really struggling up there.

Still, they came up with a nothing short of amazing performance.
 
Bono's voice HAS changed over the years...there's no doubting that. But at the same time, I think changes can add another dimension to performance. The band is tighter musically like never before...they are better songwriters too in my opinion. Wasn't it Bono who once said he sounded like a girl? Well, he's certainly moved on to man level sonically. There's a texture to a song like "In a little while" that wasn't there before, a kind of ragged raspiness full of character--coming from a character who has lived and seen a lot.

Even though I'm saying this, the other thing worth pointing out is that Bono has no equal out there in rock-land at the moment. So, essentially, we're comparing new Bono to old-school Bono, and if that isn't a mark of
greatness, I don't know what is!:wink:
 
East 17 said:
I thought Bono gave up smoking? Pshaw, how naive I am.

I thought it absolutely adorable how Edge hit that sour note in "I Will Follow," they both laughed, and Bono said, "I'll follow you anyway." Kinda hard to have that kind of spontaneity with a vocal track isn't it ASHLEE??!!!


:laugh:
 
michelleontheair said:


Yes, yes it does BAW. Thanks for the :hug: I really needed that. I'm so happy for the ones that were blessed enough but I'm filled with "if only I'd waited a little longer...". :sad:

And yes please - the wav files didn't work for me either - I must see the vids pleeeease. After the second song we ran out of the pub back to wait outside the NBC studios again - so I also missed at least SEEING I Will Follow. OMG I could die. I need to take a break from all this it's all too much right now.

mishkAA
OUT OF CONTROL

Sorry you missed them Mish :( :hug:...maybe you'll get lucky at the secret gig tomorrow :)

Anyway, I just sent a link to AliEnvy to d/l the IWF video...I'll ask her to forward it on to you (or you can contact her and ask her :))

Still haven't seen in you chat lately ;)
 
Can someone please put up a link so I can see the SNL performance, its not on here in Australia!

Thanks
 
The direct download link is:

ttp://homepage.mac.com/elevationusa/.Movies/SNL%20I%20Will%20Follow.mov

Could someone post/email me the links for the mp3s of the SNL songs?? thanks!

ewetoo@yahoo.com
 
I thought they did a great job. I imagine Vertigo is tough to belt out! It get's pretty high and intense at time.

The Edge was solid as usual.

I give it a 4.5 outta 5 at least!!!
 
Vertigo = not bad, needs some work still. I can see why they had to use a track for Top of the Pops, they still haven't really figured out how to make the song live.

SYCMOYO = as a HTDAAB, this is the first time I heard this song. it's so beautiful! great performance, Bono was at the top of his game.

I Will Follow = rocked hard core. an interesting choice, when you figure it's not really well known in the US. I bet a non-U2 fan would never guess that I Will Follow is 25 years older then Vertigo!

Overall, a great job by our boys. They got better as the night went along. I can't imagine what the songs we didn't hear sounded like!
 
I was shocked edge actually screwed up a note for once (when bono was leaning on his shoulder)
 
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