Reason For Set List Complaints

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Hi U2girl, you have a valid point.
the question however is, is it our fault that we grave for information or is the bands "fault"that they do not seem to alter their concerts to changing times. When I went to Zooropa for the first time in Rotterdam I was blown away, I knew a bit what they would play but it was still mesmorizing. second night even more so and they changed it up quit a bit for that time. (3/4 songs difference). Zootv was more of a concept just like popmart so these tours have an "excuse"of being stale(iternet was still in its childfase so that too) Anyone who says that they change it up more than Vertigo seems to be misinformed. The first 6 songs changed up quit a bit on that tour. What I also do not understand: A lot of people go to 2 concerts so it would be kinda nice of a band of this stature to change it up for those people. The people who only see them 1 night and do not know what will be played can never be dissapointed because they do not know the setlist. I am not talking about throwing away SBS or Pride because I am too aware of the fact that a lot of people want to sing along to these songs and rightfuly so, this is what made U2 the biggest band in the world.

What I simply refuse to applaud is the fact that
A: DM still has not been played but hinted on a website where you pay for as a fan. This is just annoying to say the least
B: The setlist still is a bit stale eventhough they have had PLENTY of time to rehearse.
C: The Claw isnt used to its full potential. I dont know but it looks like an alien and there must be more thye can do with this.
D: Electrical storm seems to be a replacement (most of the times) for UF which is just silly
E: WOWY sounds like shit
F: especially with the stupidest of ideas. The steeringwheel. :huh:

Again, no one is demanding Daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car for instance but with some tweaking each night could be a surprise without throwing away your warhorses and without going completley obscure with the risk that people are dissapointed. this can also be done by just changing the order of the songs.

Just my 2 cents anyway

Have a great day everyone :wave:

Well, they did have a brand new album on that tour so more new songs came. However you might have been less impressed if you had seen the pics and the videos and the setlists back then.

360 tour is also a concept so the stale setlists are valid perhaps..? There was a statistic in this forum that said the first 13 shows now had more variety than other tours. :shrug: Between Zagreb shows there were three different songs in the setlist (Elevation/Stay/UTEOTW vs I still haven't found/MW/Stuck). More regrettably, the screen didn't expand on the second night.

A: maybe it will come, if they make it work in the set. they rehearse a lot of things but obviously not everything can make it.
B: we're only through leg 1. no doubt the set will change as time goes on - if nothing else songs from SOA will be premiered live next year.
C: looked great even from the trenches in GA and with a tall guy right in front of me. with new songs in the set they will develop new visuals.
D: really ? ES was only played 3 times so far, and UF is way more regular in the set.
E: it has been weak since 1993.
F: steering wheel ? :huh: I really liked that hanging microphone, and wished he had used it for MOS, as well as the laser suit.
 
360 tour is also a concept so the stale setlists are valid perhaps..? There was a statistic in this forum that said the first 13 shows now had more variety than other tours. :shrug: Between Zagreb shows there were three different songs in the setlist (Elevation/Stay/UTEOTW vs I still haven't found/MW/Stuck). More regrettably, the screen didn't expand on the second night.

A: maybe it will come, if they make it work in the set. they rehearse a lot of things but obviously not everything can make it.
B: we're only through leg 1. no doubt the set will change as time goes on - if nothing else songs from SOA will be premiered live next year.
C: looked great even from the trenches in GA and with a tall guy right in front of me. with new songs in the set they will develop new visuals.
D: really ? ES was only played 3 times so far, and UF is way more regular in the set.
E: it has been weak since 1993.
F: steering wheel ? :huh: I really liked that hanging microphone, and wished he had used it for MOS, as well as the laser suit.

I list my objections to this post below but thank you for taking the time to put over your point of view.

1) I don't think the tour has a theme, certainly not to the same extent as Zoo TV (television and the postmodern world), PopMart (consumerism) or even Elevation (returning to our roots). So I don't think the setlists can be defended on those grounds.

2) It depends on what you mean by "variety". The first 13 shows might have had more songs, but Vertigo had Electric Co, An Cath Dubh and Into The Heart. Does recycling Elevation, Stuck In A Moment, SHF and Angel of Harlem constitute "variety" in a qualitative sense?

3) I would say WOWY was still good in '93- Popmart was probably the point at which it started to go downhill and even so, it sounded better than it does now. I know people support its inclusion because its supposedly what casual fans respond to but that can only hold so much sway when the performance is so poor.
 
the steering wheel might be good for Breathe too WRT the opening banter

oh well

i agree to some extend of the things U2girl and zwervers say, but I'll add:

would you feel the same with a fairly new well-known band knowing that they may only have 12 odd songs under their arsenal? would you care not to go see them because they too may have a stale setlist?

for my entertainment purposes, for those bands currently on tour, I still would rather see U2 in concert.

putting things into perspective.

(I'm still holding out for 24-26 song setlists though as the tour progresses. a 3 song encore is a sore spot for me right now.)
 
There is nothing wrong with wanting to hear a song and expressing that. But some have made bitching about the setlists into a sport.

Regardless of the fact that some might not like that they are playing 'such and such' song YET AGAIN... I have yet to see one person in any of the video footage out there that was not happy to be in said stadium hearing/seeing U2 play any song.
 
There is nothing wrong with wanting to hear a song and expressing that. But some have made bitching about the setlists into a sport.

I have yet to see one person in any of the video footage out there that was not happy to be in said stadium hearing/seeing U2 play any song.

If that is the case U2 should mix it up even more so. Since everbody is happy about any song they play why not change it up to please your more critical (which doenst mean lesser) fan.

It is the (creative) deathstab for a band if your public doesn't realy care what you play as long AS you play. :)
 
1) I don't think the tour has a theme, certainly not to the same extent as Zoo TV (television and the postmodern world), PopMart (consumerism) or even Elevation (returning to our roots). So I don't think the setlists can be defended on those grounds.
I don't know why anyone would try to defend a setlist because of the tour theme
I would be very interested in anyone showing a 5 or 3 or any number setlist sequence from ZOO TV, POPMart or Elevation that shows the overlying "theme"

I'm sure the current setlist can be improved
I'm also quite sure there's nothing wrong with the current setlist
 
I list my objections to this post below but thank you for taking the time to put over your point of view.

1) I don't think the tour has a theme, certainly not to the same extent as Zoo TV (television and the postmodern world), PopMart (consumerism) or even Elevation (returning to our roots). So I don't think the setlists can be defended on those grounds.

2) It depends on what you mean by "variety". The first 13 shows might have had more songs, but Vertigo had Electric Co, An Cath Dubh and Into The Heart. Does recycling Elevation, Stuck In A Moment, SHF and Angel of Harlem constitute "variety" in a qualitative sense?

3) I would say WOWY was still good in '93- Popmart was probably the point at which it started to go downhill and even so, it sounded better than it does now. I know people support its inclusion because its supposedly what casual fans respond to but that can only hold so much sway when the performance is so poor.

1) You didn't see all the "space" references during the show ?

2) 360 has Ultraviolet, MLK and Unforgettable fire.

3) It was, until Macphisto took over.
 
3) It was, until Macphisto took over.

Seriously. WOWY Rotterdam 1993 is still one of my favourite concertmoments ever. He had so much confidence in his voice back then and rightfully so, he was fantastic, still is on UV by the way which is remarkable to say the least.. I remember him as Mac, thunderstorm above us, rain pouring down and the make up washed from his face as edge began his solo. This version is a heaven on its own and a creation of wonder compared to the diaria-version "performed"at the last couple of tours.
 
1) You didn't see all the "space" references during the show ?

2) 360 has Ultraviolet, MLK and Unforgettable fire.

3) It was, until Macphisto took over.

1) Yes but the space chat was ditched after a handful of performances In A Little While, which documents rocket ships being sent into the sky, is only played sporadically. I don't think anyone would walk out of that show and claim, "this show's theme is space." What, for instance are they saying about space? Not much from what I've gathered.

2) That is true but three songs from a setlist of 24 isn't much to write home about. Vertigo also had Miss Sarajevo, Zoo Station, Wild Horses and even The First Time at various stages- not merely songs from Boy.

3) No, I disagree. The Sydney DVD version is one of the strongest performances I've seen- a different rendition for sure but with an equally impassioned vocal. To blame the decline on him is puzzling because even if you couldn't appreciate the brilliant and tragic characterisation, Bono did not perform it "as Macphisto" on subsequent tours but as a middle-aged man with throat nodules.
 
Seriously. WOWY Rotterdam 1993 is still one of my favourite concertmoments ever. He had so much confidence in his voice back then and rightfully so, he was fantastic, still is on UV by the way which is remarkable to say the least.. I remember him as Mac, thunderstorm above us, rain pouring down and the make up washed from his face as edge began his solo. This version is a heaven on its own and a creation of wonder compared to the diaria-version "performed"at the last couple of tours.

Hear hear- I thought Macphisto brought a tragic element to the song. After he did it, no one could mistake WOWY for a wedding song.
 
1) Yes but the space chat was ditched after a handful of performances In A Little While, which documents rocket ships being sent into the sky, is only played sporadically. I don't think anyone would walk out of that show and claim, "this show's theme is space." What, for instance are they saying about space? Not much from what I've gathered.

2) That is true but three songs from a setlist of 24 isn't much to write home about. Vertigo also had Miss Sarajevo, Zoo Station, Wild Horses and even The First Time at various stages- not merely songs from Boy.

1) Not talking about the space chat.

2) Well, 360 is only in its first leg. Give it time - at the least we can look forward to Songs of ascent live next year.
 
monsieur fly all those songs you mention (apart from electric co and miss sarajevo, and an cat dubh in dublin) they where not played during the european stadium show,
 
There is nothing wrong with wanting to hear a song and expressing that. But some have made bitching about the setlists into a sport.

Regardless of the fact that some might not like that they are playing 'such and such' song YET AGAIN... I have yet to see one person in any of the video footage out there that was not happy to be in said stadium hearing/seeing U2 play any song.

EXACTLY!!!
....and the ones who made the bitching into a sport are (mostly) the ones that go and see 20 shows on tour. Some fans seem to expect 8 dif. versions of the concert. Just ain't gonna happen... and you should know that by now... so when next tour comes around don't buy tickets for 20+ shows, but maybe 2 instead... chances are they will play 2-4 different songs between the concerts you are attending and then there will be no reason to bitch and complain.
 
EXACTLY!!!
....and the ones who made the bitching into a sport are (mostly) the ones that go and see 20 shows on tour. Some fans seem to expect 8 dif. versions of the concert. Just ain't gonna happen... and you should know that by now... so when next tour comes around don't buy tickets for 20+ shows, but maybe 2 instead... chances are they will play 2-4 different songs between the concerts you are attending and then there will be no reason to bitch and complain.

Finaly, an end to his endless debating. We can all go on with our lives :up:
 
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