Performing full album sequences

[phommel]

I know it will probably never ever happen, since for U2 changing the order of two songs is already concerned as 'mixing up the setlist', but wouldn't it be cool if U2 did something like this?

Imagine Achtung Baby or The Joshua Tree performed from beginning till end~!

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND TO PERFORM FULL ALBUM SEQUENCES DURING GIANTS STADIUM RUN
 'Born To Run,' 'Darkness On The Edge Of Town,' 'Born In The USA' Each To Be Performed In Their Entirety

 In response to the overwhelming fan enthusiasm at Chicago's Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band live performance of the album 'Born to Run,' Springsteen has decided to perform one classic album each night at Giants Stadium:
Sep 30 E. Rutherford, NJ Giants Stadium 'Born To Run'
Oct 2 E. Rutherford, NJ Giants Stadium 'Darkness on the Edge of Town'
Oct 3 E. Rutherford, NJ Giants Stadium 'Born In The USA'
Oct 8 E. Rutherford, NJ Giants Stadium 'Born To Run'
Oct 9 E. Rutherford, NJ Giants Stadium 'Born In The USA'

In Chicago, Bruce began with a varied set list, performed the album portion of the show in the middle of the concert, and continued the show through its grand finale. Said long time manager Jon Landau, "Chicago convinced us that this was really worth doing. The audience was so supportive of the concept that it convinced us to go ahead with this at Giants Stadium."

Chicago Tribune's Greg Kot called that city's performance "epic," continuing, "they delivered and then some."

 

[BVS]

I can't really think of too many albums(U2 or not) that I would want to hear played in entirety.

Even the greatest albums have some moment that doesn't necessarily need to be played live.

JT works as an album but live I think it would start to get weird towards the end.

AB might be one of the few albums that would work this way for me...

 

[mikal]

if it went in this order:

NLOTH
TUF
Achtung


i would see that concert any day of the week.

 

[trinx]

AB

 

[Galeongirl]

I'd like to see NLOTH in full. AB would be okay too.

JT would mean sitting through a cringefest that is Trip. I'll pass.

 

[david]

During Zoo TV, at least in the early part of the tour, they kicked off concerts with 8 songs off the album before even touching their older material, before playing a couple more songs off the album during the encore.

 

[mapender]

I actually like the idea and think it would be a fun, different thing to see. However, I know many Bruce fans are not into this at all b/c it is going to make the setlist too static.

If I had to pick one to hear all the way through I think I would also go with AB.

 

[badu2fan]

I really don't think U2 could pull it off or even random requests by fans. This band is not able to play all their own songs with out lots of rehersals etc.
IT would be fun to watch them have to play random songs never played live from there albums with out practice.
But if I had to pick one it would be JT or Pop.....
or the first 3 non stop back to back......

 

[BVS]

I really don't think U2 could pull it off ... This band is not able to play all their own songs with out lots of rehersals etc.

No one really suggested doing it without rehearsal.

That would be the worse U2 concert ever.

 

[mikal]

No one really suggested doing it without rehearsal.

That would be the worse U2 concert ever.

lol, right?

 

[nielsgov]

Imagine them playing the whole of NLOTH first. The stadium would probably be half empty about halfway through the show.

 

[ouizy]

This is the latest trend.

Roger Waters did Dark Side of the Moon last tour
Motley Crue did Dr. Feelgood last tour
NIN closed thier live run with The Downward Spiral
Bruce is doing 5 albums...

If U2 did it, it would have to be Joshua Tree and I think I would shit myself if they did it. The B-Side (for we old folk) of that album are my favorite collection of U2 songs.

It would be brilliant.

 

[digitize]

If U2 played all of TJT live in one show that I was at, I would walk up and leave. Actually, I'd probably be tempted to go even if they played AB or NLOTH, my two favorite albums.

U2 live shows are about discovering new creative nuances of their songs, and weaving them together. Ultraviolet and TUF are really amazing examples of that on this tour.

 

[tsweeney]

No one really suggested doing it without rehearsal.

That would be the worse U2 concert ever.

It would definitely be an interesting concert.

 

[Axver]

If I saw U2 play just the eleven tracks off JT and that's it, I'd still think it'd be the best setlist I've ever seen the band play.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

yeah, this trend definitely isn't new. in addition to other bands mentioned, i remember last year sparks did that as well to commemorate their new album. their previous gigs were one album each night in chronological order, leading up to the live premiere of their new songs.

though i don't believe anyone who's jumped on this bandwagon has played the songs in order, or at least that hasn't been mentioned. so i wouldn't expect for say a show for boy that they'd open with i will follow and close with shadows and tall trees. plus it's been the album's tracks along with their other hits.

though to answer the original question, i think it would be amazing. it would be interesting to see such a thing, and i'd admit i'd try my best to see shows of certain albums, even if the cities where they'd perform them weren't the closest to me. like basically if they were playing, say, saint louis and houston, but the houston show was the album i really wanted to hear i'd go to that one. oh hell, who are we kidding? i'd go to both!

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Isn't there the "Don't Look Back" series of gigs, where bands play their classic albums in full? I'm going to see the Pixies next year do Doolittle in full, ooh yeah..

 

[kingofsorrow]

This is the latest trend.

Roger Waters did Dark Side of the Moon last tour
Motley Crue did Dr. Feelgood last tour
NIN closed thier live run with The Downward Spiral
Bruce is doing 5 albums...

add "the cure" to that list. they performed 3 albums each night on a 2 night stint at the Tempodrom Berlin

 

[theFly51]

I would love to see AB-Zooropa performed in order back to back. Real big chill fest during Zooropa

 

[An Cat Gav]

I saw David Bowie do the whole of the Low album once, that was incredible. SImple Minds did it last year as well with New Gold Dream 81,82,83,84. I loved both gigs.

Achtung Baby would be out of this world.

 

[phommel]

No one really suggested doing it without rehearsal.

That would be the worse U2 concert ever.

haha yes that's true!

For playing songs without (or with few) rehearsals you have to go to Bruce & E-street

 

[blueeyedgirl]

SImple Minds did it last year as well with New Gold Dream 81,82,83,84. I loved both gigs.

Seriously???? Oh man I would have loved to have seen that, I can't tell you how much I love that album! :faints:

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Seriously???? Oh man I would have loved to have seen that, I can't tell you how much I love that album! :faints:

same here!

 

[mikal]

* crosses fingers for Creed's "Human Clay" to be performed in full!!111

 

[Achtung Ya'll]

Pop. If they did it for Pop, I'd be wholly supportive.

 

[mazzel]

R.E.M. did this on the last show of the Green tour back in '89. Played Murmur and Green and then some encores.

 

[mellow moog]

If this happened with Acthung Baby (playing the whole album), you would get half of this board in E.R.!!! (The shock of hearing Acrobat!!!)

 

[powerhour24]

Yeah they could pull off all of AB, except Acrobat. But I agree with the post about U2 enjoying weaving their different eras together and promoting the new, cool idea, but I'll take moments like the ZooTV encore on Vertigo rather than a full out album.

 

[ouizy]

If I saw U2 play just the eleven tracks off JT and that's it, I'd still think it'd be the best setlist I've ever seen the band play.

I agree and you are the setlist master...

 

[gump]

U2 should just do like Wilco. A 5-night residency where you play your entire catalogue.