Finally a break from 'Bullet'

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I make a subtle but important distinction between some of the hit singles. I think Streets and One (along with recent hits B Day and Vertigo) are "requisites"...the U2 concert experience includes these songs and fans young/old, veteran/casual need them. Also, Streets and One still resonate live, the former as a showpiece in any set and One generally as an encore, emotional performance. Consequently, these two have aged better than the next set of songs.

The remaining "warhorses" are Bullet, SBS, Pride, and WOWY. Bullet has been shelved, and thank goodness. It was great on TJT, Lovetown, Zoo, Pop, and Elevation leg I, but since then has been very, very stale. SBS was absent for much of the 1990's, it's reinsertion in Elevation was OK cause we hadn't heard it in awhile. But they are still trotting out the Red Rocks version, only with 1000% less emotion. They basically let the fans sing half the song these days. Definitely needs to go or at least rotate in and out with PRIDE, which has never gotten an extended break and could use one. By the way, it was absent in Miami for the opener in 2001 and being on the floor both nights, nobody said "hey, where is Pride?" It was NOT missed. With a good dose of TUF represented in the current set, why not now for a break?

As for WOWY, I wouldn't recommend U2 drop it - if Bono could still sing the song properly. Unfortunately, listening to ANY Vertigo version of this song next to the Rosemont Horizon 1987 or Rattle & Hum DVD or Paris 1987 or Dublin 1989 version is absolutely painful. It's still a great song...if Bono is feeling it on a particular night, absolutely go for it. So Bullet, keep on the shelf for the whole tour. These other three...I won't go so far as to suggest totally dropping ANY of them, I just think all 3 could rotate and need a break. Play EITHER SBS or PRIDE, and then do WOWY when Bono's vocals are in good shape.
 
Not true, the Mark Chapman version is amaaaaaaaaaaaaazing.

:up: That was a great Bono-rant, or whatever you want to call it. Loved the Patti Smith reference in it as well.

The song as a whole I'm pretty "meh" about these days, but even on the Vertigo tour, there were little things about it that I liked, such as the "johnny comes marching home" and "hands that built america" inserts.

So ... I guess I like the stuff Bono throws into the song and not so much the song itself. :lol:
 
Hate to say it, but Bullet will find it's way back onto the setlist eventually... Sunday Bloody Sunday, Pride, Bullet and With Or Without You won't go away...
 
I just joined this board and I'm amazed at the amount of people who want to see the older material dropped. I'm assuming or I could be wrong that most of these people have not been fans for more than 10 years. The first setlist of this tour contained only 8 song prior to 2000. U2's best music was before 2000 ie War, The Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree and even Achtung. I've seen people post that U2 should can Pride, With or Without You, One... I mean thats kind of like the Stones canning Satisfaction or Bruce canning Born to Run. U2 is still an awesome band but is nowhere near the band pre-2000. The passion from the shows of the Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree, and Zoo Tv will never be matched.

I think its a shame that Bad isnt even played much anymore. Whens the last time U2 wrote a song like Bad. I mean its awesome.

welcome and your assumptions would be quite off. these songs sound worn out. i mean look at "bullet", it's been reworked so many times the only version they haven't done is a celtic version. they don't need to play the "warhorses" every single night. bring it out a few times each tour and that would make it "memorable" verses "this again? how many years now?"
i love born to run, it's my favorite bruce song. touches my heart deep inside, but it's a warhorse. a crowd pleaser. the live versions from the last 2 tours sound flat and forced, but i still love hearing it.
 
I :love: Bullet, it's such a rocking song, and Edge's solo :drool: esp. Zootv version; that song will be missed but I can do without Still Haven't Found, SBS & Pride.
 
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