Building the show around the stage -- good, bad, or neither?

[Utoo]

With ZooTV, they built the crazy stage out of the artistic/thematic ideas of information- and media-overload. It worked. With Vertigo stadium shows, there was no theme, so the stage design was built for appearance and sound. It worked. With the 360Tour, the stage design was started 3 years before the album came out, designed for experience, and a theme was loosely tacked on. I'm on the fence about whether it works or not. The superficial theme of the stage being a spaceship kind of works fine, but I feel like for many the deeper theme of the crowd traveling as one body; transported to some other place by the band; respect and awe for the Earth (?)----I'm not sure if that deeper theme really kicks in.

The shows are fantastic, nevertheless. Does this ad hoc application of a theme have an impact at all? Is it effective? Does it matter?

 

[BVS]

I've always found these things are easier to discuss after the fact...

I remember ZooTV and people saying WTF, what's the point, this doesn't make sense, the TVs overpower the music and message.

Then afterwards it was "this is a brilliant commentary on ______".

Same with Popmart.

Give it time.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

the stage/tour is awesome. Until i saw it first hand i wasn't sure what to think other than i was excited to see it. Now that i have seen it, im impressed. And i have been to popmart, elevation, & vertigo. Sadly i missed ZOOTV and JT tour, but this one might just be the most impressive one i have seen. Im glad they arent afraid to build these massive stages and take them out on the road to all of these places and blow the roof off of stadiums. I cant even fathom the amount of money they are losing on this tour...much less what they will make when all is said and done.

I guess im still in giddy post show mode, but seeing this thing live answered a lot of questions. One more this leg and then next year i have to try and see them a few more times. This band/tour is like a drug, and i need a fix as long as its out there. And when its gone there will be the DVD.

 

[ouizy]

I actually think the 360 has been the least intrusive (no crazy 'characters' etc - the most straightforward - just a structure for the band to play under.)

That said I think the band has built its show around the stage ,concept, whatever you want to call it since ZOO - it is no longer just about the music - they are SHOWmen.

 

[Canadiens1131]

I am still a bit miffed about the architecture/design of the claw and the stage. It's a beautiful concept, live, it works amazing well, but the thing is not intergrated into a bigger tour idea or concept as ZooTV and Popmart were. Even Vertigo's stadium setup had more visual appeal and cohesiveness than 360.

I feel torn because I have come to expect more from the band and Willie because of what they've done before. It's like the Stones saying, "Okay, let's just build a video screen X feet by X feet and it'll be the biggest screen ever used in a tour and people will be blown away."

That said, to play devil's advocate, once night rolls over the stadium and you're on the floor, it is the best possible experience you could get from any stadium band, and you barely notice the claw or stage at all. It puts U2 and their music smack up against your nose, no matter where in the crowd you are.

It's also remarkable that they've somehow inverted the experience of seeing a big live show. I actually passed on the pit for being able to get a better vantage point of the entire spectacle. The experience gets better the closer you get to the soundboard, visually, and that is a remarkable achievement.

 

[mikal]

maybe i'm just being ignorant, but i didn't really care if there was an overall theme, i just thought it looked cool. i felt the same way about ZooTV and Popmart.

 

[BVS]

I am still a bit miffed about the architecture/design of the claw and the stage. It's a beautiful concept, live, it works amazing well, but the thing is not intergrated into a bigger tour idea or concept as ZooTV and Popmart were. Even Vertigo's stadium setup had more visual appeal and cohesiveness than 360.

I'm rather suprised by how many don't see the overall theme.

Hopefully the DVD will somehow put it together for some.

 

[Canadiens1131]

I'm rather suprised by how many don't see the overall theme.

Hopefully the DVD will somehow put it together for some.

Giant spider/claw
Spire
Black Eyed Peas
Stretchy canvas
Disco ball
Desmond Tutu (I still say it's Nelson Mandela)
Rotating bridges leftover from a 90s Madonna world tour
Zombie Aung San Suu Kyi

It's U2 playing in a huge stadium with a beautiful 360 degree screen and a claw. There is no theme, don't kid yourself.

 

[Zoocoustic]

I say go wtih the space theme. Play it out to the maximum.

And bring in that eyeliner "character" while you're at it!

U2 are best (and always have been) when they play up a theme. Personally I find the tours without one (Elevation, Vertigo) to be much less interesting.

They seem to be inching their way closer and closer to fully embracing the space theme.

Go for it!!!

 

[BVS]

Giant spider/claw
Spire
Black Eyed Peas
Stretchy canvas
Disco ball
Desmond Tutu (I still say it's Nelson Mandela)
Rotating bridges leftover from a 90s Madonna world tour
Zombie Aung San Suu Kyi

It's U2 playing in a huge stadium with a beautiful 360 degree screen and a claw. There is no theme, don't kid yourself.

Space and time!

I'll say it again:

Opening line starts out with a date, ends with a moment.

There's clocks throughout.

From a bird's eye view the bridges are wandering clock hands.

3:33

Blue Room.

Spaceship stage.

Space Oddity, rocketship, Rocket Man.

No Line on the Horizon.

 

[mama cass]

From a bird's eye view the bridges are wandering clock hands.

oh that's a lovely visual... thanks!

 

[mikal]

Space and time!

I'll say it again:

Opening line starts out with a date, ends with a moment.

There's clocks throughout.

From a bird's eye view the bridges are wandering clock hands.

3:33

Blue Room.

Spaceship stage.

Space Oddity, rocketship, Rocket Man.

No Line on the Horizon.

that's not a theme. it's just a unifying subject or idea of a visual work.

 

[God Part III]

Space and time!

I'll say it again:

Opening line starts out with a date, ends with a moment.

There's clocks throughout.

From a bird's eye view the bridges are wandering clock hands.

3:33

Blue Room.

Spaceship stage.

Space Oddity, rocketship, Rocket Man.

No Line on the Horizon.

This. This tour does have a theme, unlike Vertigo for instance.

 

[AndrewCowley]

Vertigo Leg 5 had a theme. Greatest Hits.

(they were excellent concerts though)

 

[digitize]

And now they have Ultraviolet/With or Without You tied in thematically. It's a beautiful piece of work, even if it took three months to get right.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I am still a bit miffed about the architecture/design of the claw and the stage. It's a beautiful concept, live, it works amazing well, but the thing is not intergrated into a bigger tour idea or concept as ZooTV and Popmart were. Even Vertigo's stadium setup had more visual appeal and cohesiveness than 360.

I feel torn because I have come to expect more from the band and Willie because of what they've done before. It's like the Stones saying, "Okay, let's just build a video screen X feet by X feet and it'll be the biggest screen ever used in a tour and people will be blown away."

That said, to play devil's advocate, once night rolls over the stadium and you're on the floor, it is the best possible experience you could get from any stadium band, and you barely notice the claw or stage at all. It puts U2 and their music smack up against your nose, no matter where in the crowd you are.

It's also remarkable that they've somehow inverted the experience of seeing a big live show. I actually passed on the pit for being able to get a better vantage point of the entire spectacle. The experience gets better the closer you get to the soundboard, visually, and that is a remarkable achievement.

The CLAW itself really can't be appreciated up close - it's all pretty much stage and giant screen down there.

If you want to be wowed by the staging and the lights on this tour you really need to get some seats, even the $250 seats may be too close to fully capture the scope of this thing.

They do some truly jaw-dropping shit with the lighting effects on whatever that material they stretch over the claw, plus all the cool stuff going on with the spotlights, the spire and the big mirror ball on the top...

 

[rastacruz]

It's a rock concert. I don't want a theme! Just play "Bad"!

 

[CTU2fan]

It's a rock concert. I don't want a theme! Just play "Bad"!

I agree. Call me a laggard, a curmudgeon, whatever...but for the U2 I fell in love with ~25 years ago the music was enough. I miss those guys. It sucks knowing with 100% certainty that we won't see Bullet or Fly this tour because they won't play those without a bunch of a/v bells & whistles, and since the "extras" aren't there the songs won't be.

 

[powerhour24]

I seriously doubt we won't see BTBS by the end of the tour.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

i apologize in advance for this, but doesn't the song Window in the Skies contain the lyric:

"the bullets quit the gun"



see what i just did there?

 

[digitize]

It's a rock concert. I don't want a theme! Just play "Bad"!

You see, this is where there is going to be a huge amount of disagreement, and it's entirely subjective. I absolutely adore having the 'more than a concert' feeling with strong themes running throughout each show, fitting the stage, the album, and the mood of the band, but others (like yourself) will strongly disagree. No one is really right or wrong; it's a matter of preference.

i apologize in advance for this, but doesn't the song Window in the Skies contain the lyric:

"the bullets quit the gun"



see what i just did there?

Congratulations, sir.

 

[powerhour24]

True, but 360 could have been a little more focused theme-wise like the 90's were, to justify the spectacle. I think the name alone takes away from that focus, something relating to the space theme or even Kiss the Future, would have been a step closer.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

space is all around you, hence 360.

i think the day u2 fans quite over-analyzing things to death is the day the earth blows up.

 

[powerhour24]

I'm not really over-analyzing, but I agree to an extent.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

way to compromise

 

[BVS]

space is all around you, hence 360.

Plus it works well with HORIZON, and leaves it open for Songs of Accent to be incorporated.

I really think they knew what they were doing...

 

[bizkitgto]

I'm not sure they're utilizing the stage to its full potential, this is a VERY big stage, I really think the show would benefit from some more 'upbeat' tunes off Pop/Achtung (the show really slows down for the last 40 min or so and it's very noticeable), seems a little off to me, anyone else feel this way that's been to 360?

 

[kohoutek]

I'm not sure they're utilizing the stage to its full potential, this is a VERY big stage, I really think the show would benefit from some more 'upbeat' tunes off Pop/Achtung (the show really slows down for the last 40 min or so and it's very noticeable), seems a little off to me, anyone else feel this way that's been to 360?

It's off. I thought the show was for the most part boring. U2 are lost on that monstrosity. I think they don't know what to do with it. It has potential (from a show perspective), but they need to use it. Part of that is getting some energy and working that damn thing.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

you guys do realize that in the last 40 minutes they play some of their biggest ever hits like One, Streets, WOWY? I dont see how that is really boring

 

[kohoutek]

you guys do realize that in the last 40 minutes they play some of their biggest ever hits like One, Streets, WOWY? I dont see how that is really boring

Because they didn't play these songs like they meant them. First of all, "hits" are not always the best songs in a concert, neither from the band's nor the hard core fans' perspective. But, they do have to play hits for the casual fans in attendance, who generally make up the majority of the audience at a show. So, that's accepted, but if a band can't put their heart into it (or at least make it appear their heart is in it), it doesn't work.

Someone who has not seen a particular band before may not notice the difference (and, I'm not at all saying you fit into that category, and, for that matter, that's really fine for them as they're excited and think what they're getting is great). All I can say is that U2 is really sucking the life out of some of these songs live. As some have pointed out, One has never been as good live as the take on Achtung! Baby. That's a rare thing in that U2 is usually better live than in the studio. WOWY has not had much power live since the JT tour. Streets has always been played with passion, but this time out (at least the show I saw), it was absolutely flat.