Pride...

[zoopop]

Hearing Bono & the band talk about how "Pride" met so much to them to play it on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where MLK gave his "I have a dream" speech made me think.

U2 should never play this song again.

If a song ever came full circle wouldn't it be "Pride"? Even though this song needs a much needed break I don't think U2 could ever top playing it live again.

Then again by them playing it on the Lincoln Memorial during the Obama inauguration could backfire & inspire them to keep playing it

 

[AndrewCowley]

Sunday Bloody Sunday came full circle too with peace in Ireland. In the 80's Bono would say it is a song they hope to never have to sing again. The moment for that came and went and they still played it. I thought that was wrong. Anyway it means we can't assume they'll put some sort of 'full stop' to Pride after having played it at the inauguration. That said, they really do need to retire Pride.

 

[HyperU2]

For a song to come full circle and have a rebirth seems an obvious reason to never play it again.

 

[Axver]

Actually, they initially did stop playing SBS. Bono felt they couldn't top the RAH performance of it, hence its total absence from the Lovetown Tour. It didn't reappear until the third leg of ZooTV.

 

[malcolmbeaton]

I fear pride in un-killable, its always the default TUF song

 

[monsieur fly]

Pride must go- it was even sounding tired on Zoo Tv. That says everything really. There are so many other good songs from TUF that deserve a spot- Wire, A Sort Of Homecoming, UF etc.

 

[Popmart Shopper]

I think Pride should still be played but giving it a break for a tour or two wouldnt hurt IMO.Also if they do play Pride for this tour which I think they will they should merge MLK right after it.

 

[RademR]

Pride = needs a rest, big time....it was dreadful on the last tour.

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

Pride, Streets, WOWY, MW, One, IWF all need a well deserved rest. They have been completely overplayed.

 

[Aygo]

I don't think that Pride needs any rest. I'm not tired of that song, as well as One, WOWY, Streets ir whatever. 80% of the attendees will want to hear those songs - that's why they're there for.

 

[RademR]

agree with all of that except Pride.....I think One and WOWY should be played. Maybe not every night. Would be cool if they could switch it out with "All I Want is You", "Kite", "Stuck in a Moment" (acoustic)....and so on...

 

[clip51]

Streets will never be retired, rested or anything else... It is an energy song that completely grabs the crowd... I believe Larry Mullen made a comment recently about Streets effects on the live crowd

 

[AndrewCowley]

Streets will never be retired, rested or anything else... It is an energy song that completely grabs the crowd... I believe Larry Mullen made a comment recently about Streets effects on the live crowd

Playing devils advocate, on the other hand say they did not play Streets then the crowd wouldn't depart from the concert totally (and inversely) bummed out. Some might. But in the varying setlist scenario (one that U2 have really only followed on one tour) that's the rough and tumble.

Anyway, this tour being stadiums only means it will predominately be one concert per city with only a few exceptions around the world. More than ever this will cause U2 to slip back into fixed setlist mode. So one can almost guarantee Streets will be played every night. The same probably goes for Pride as well.

 

[digitize]

Actually, they initially did stop playing SBS. Bono felt they couldn't top the RAH performance of it, hence its total absence from the Lovetown Tour. It didn't reappear until the third leg of ZooTV.

Lovetown was better for it... and ZooTV's SBS performances were probably that song's worst. Which is saying something... I don't hold live performances of the song in very high regard... but the song's just one big undeveloped promise to me, anyway.

But yeah, Pride needs to go. Fine song on the album, but they've never played it well live.

 

[Axver]

Incidentally, I've posted this before, but Pride HAS been dropped, albeit briefly. It missed the first eight Elevation gigs, plus two more later on in the first leg, then on the second leg it was in rotation with The Fly as the main set closer and was played at only approximately half of that leg's gigs. It was only on the third leg that it regained its status as a nightly staple.

Bono also wanted to ditch the song before Popmart.

Lovetown was better for it... and ZooTV's SBS performances were probably that song's worst. Which is saying something... I don't hold live performances of the song in very high regard... but the song's just one big undeveloped promise to me, anyway.

But yeah, Pride needs to go. Fine song on the album, but they've never played it well live.

I'd say ZooTV SBS was considerably better than either of the last tours, but either way, it was not exactly a memorable version of the song. Giving up on it after JT was a good move and I wish they'd stuck to it.

 

[Yahweh_OMG]

Pride should go forever

SBS should be played the way they did in 87

Streets should never go

One only randomly (will never happen)

Bullet randomly

NYD randomly

I will follow randomly

 

[camiloj]

Pride, Streets, WOWY, MW, One, IWF all need a well deserved rest. They have been completely overplayed.

I totally agree with you but it will never happen. I mean, look at all the tours. When it boils down to it, their sets are pretty predictable. I could see MW and IWF getting a rest, MAYBE even WOWY, but probably not Pride, Streets, and One.

 

[edgeplaytheblue]

Pride, Streets, WOWY, MW, One, IWF all need a well deserved rest. They have been completely overplayed.

agree except streets .. streets must never die ...

 

[Rob33]

Pride = needs a rest, big time....it was dreadful on the last tour.

umm, not really...it was infinitely better than elevation and popmart.....

 

[Mauwer]

I won`t mind to see Pride finally get dropped.
The studio version is just compared to the live versions.

But I also won`t mind to see ISHFWILF & SBS & WOWY & One go
The two warhorses that should stay are NYD & Streets.

Cheers ,

Mauwer
p.s. Also a tour without Mysterious Ways can be quite refreshing?

 

[U2387]

Pride needs to stay. This song is on the upswing for sure and the Vertigo tour performances were the best since Conspiracy of Hope in 1986. Dont give up on this U2 classic people, every performance of this song since 2005 has gotten better and better.

The inaguration was spectacular, and that was after an EVEN BETTER rehearsal the day before. The Edge finally is close to studio tone on this, and Bono is really nailing the notes again.

That being said, no need for anything but Streets every night. The rest of the classics, Pride included, can rotate. We will not see a "heart of darkness" political mini set requiring pride to lift back up out of it every night. Not in stadiums.

WOWY is the other classic I really want to hear with Bono's improving voice.

As for some other comments:

SBS ZOO TV is actually one of the times it kind of worked so to speak. The same could not always be said for I will follow or AOH or When Love Comes to town on ZOO TV. I really liked those performances, they beat Edge solo(still great, but not for this song) and Elevation hands down and were only toped by a couple Vertigo tour performances. Overall, this song was best on JT and War.

Mysterious Ways can take a rest except for on a handful of nights, no more than that. We need some Even Better than the real thing back, preferably right after GOYB!

 

[AndrewCowley]

Pride needs to stay. This song is on the upswing for sure and the Vertigo tour performances were the best since Conspiracy of Hope in 1986. Dont give up on this U2 classic people, every performance of this song since 2005 has gotten better and better.

From such a low base (PopMart onwards) it could only get better. But you are probably in the minority here in making a case for it to stay.

 

[U2387]

Sure, I am in the minority, but still, U2 fans need to remember how great a song and how defining of U2 Pride is. Plus, I take a moderate position- I am not calling for U2 to continue playing this song every single night, just dont drop it off the 360 tour.

Listen to the studio versions a few times. Not only are recent performances improved from the Popmart low base(point well taken there), the 2006-09 versions of the song are the closest to studio quality since 1986.

So, Pop and Elevation tours aside, Pride since Vertigo has sounded better than JT, LT and Zoo TV Pride.