We did another full run-through this evening, which has brought us very close to the set that I think we'll play on Tuesday. It's working well overall, with only a couple of things still proving troublesome. Drowning Man is one of these and I am beginning to wonder whether my judgement has been clouded by my sheer delight and joy at hearing this being performed live after 25 years waiting in the wings. Everybody really wants it to work and it sounds great but it's proving to be a very difficult mood to recover from. We tried going into Bad afterwards but by the end of that double-whammy of beautiful melancholy the set didn't recover for about half an hour. This may well be why U2 never performed this song in '83. I remember we tried a set which opened with it (brave move) but as far as I recall this was never unleashed on the public. We were all a bit too post-punk at the time, I think. The plan is to rehearse bits and pieces tomorrow night then do a final dress rehearsal on Monday at which point we'll make the call. We're going to shuffle its place in the show a little too, so it may not be over for Drowning Man just yet.
Those hoping for Drowning Man, from Willies Diary (all Drowning Man discussion here)
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No spoken words
Blue Crack Supplier
I love the band a ton but, fuck, they obsess over so much....just fucking play it and see what happens.
coolian2
Blue Crack Supplier
qft. if it fails, it fails. they can try pairing it with something else or just give up and move on.
zoopop
Rock n' Roll Doggie
Sounds like the perfect song to replace "One"
No spoken words, I agree. U2 songs just work live and the general public will enjoy hearing some rarities/rockers. U2 is great playing songs live and for them to worry about losing an audience for 30 minutes because they play 1 song is a bit ridiculous.
No spoken words, I agree. U2 songs just work live and the general public will enjoy hearing some rarities/rockers. U2 is great playing songs live and for them to worry about losing an audience for 30 minutes because they play 1 song is a bit ridiculous.
U2Girl1978
Blue Crack Addict
Was there ever a video for Drowning Man?
last unicorn
Blue Crack Addict
I don't get the big fuzz over DM, I'm not keen on hearing it, I like the song but totally think it wouldn't fit the set or the show.
And it's good they're trying to do things right. If they don't, fans will complain afterwards, like they did when Electrical Storm was played.
And it's good they're trying to do things right. If they don't, fans will complain afterwards, like they did when Electrical Storm was played.
DRay9911
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
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there was a short clip of DM...it was the last clip on the site during the countdown.
how old is that post? when he says "tuesday", it sounds like he's referring to 06/30 (opening night). i don't think there's any more/less chance now than 3 weeks ago.
-dan
how old is that post? when he says "tuesday", it sounds like he's referring to 06/30 (opening night). i don't think there's any more/less chance now than 3 weeks ago.
-dan
They are still catching up on u2.com, todays where from the tour rehearsals i think around the 27th,
Mr. V
Refugee
Who says it has to recover?
---
Streets
Walk On
Drowning Man
Bad
UV
WOWY
MOS
?
---
Streets
Walk On
Drowning Man
Bad
UV
WOWY
MOS
?
Personally, anything into Bad is a good segue. 
mama cass
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
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- Aug 16, 2004
- Messages
- 6,293
Wait... they tried a segue of Drowning Man>Bad and haven't liked it?
Jesus!
lmfao! yeah that would've been just totally stunning, the sillies hahaha 
seriously though, they should have more faith in their audience and not worry about "losing" them... we'd just go with the flow and enjoy whatever journey it takes us on
I think the "wouldn't recover for 30 minutes" thing is really interesting.
I guess I hadn't envisioned the guys scrutinizing the emotional impact of each song and trying to decide whether the moods of the next songs can be preserved in light of what's come before... you know, U2 is thorough as hell. That has to be one of their defining characteristics.
On the other hand, DM would be cool but please just play Bad
I guess I hadn't envisioned the guys scrutinizing the emotional impact of each song and trying to decide whether the moods of the next songs can be preserved in light of what's come before... you know, U2 is thorough as hell. That has to be one of their defining characteristics.
On the other hand, DM would be cool but please just play Bad
Maybe they worry because all of the threads they read from the internet spectators complaining about how they've lost them with the CT, SBS segue or the Pride, MLK, Walk On transition or the Breathe intro, etc. etc. etc.
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
I think they underestimate the crowd's reaction to Bad. Even though it's a dark song, the live performances are high energy and thrilling - what's there to recover from?
Now, if they segued from Drowning Man into Cedars of Lebanon .... hell, I'd need a good hour to recover from that.
Now, if they segued from Drowning Man into Cedars of Lebanon .... hell, I'd need a good hour to recover from that.
mama cass
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
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...Now, if they segued from Drowning Man into Cedars of Lebanon .... hell, I'd need a good hour to recover from that.
good point!
LyricalDrug
Rock n' Roll Doggie
I think the "wouldn't recover for 30 minutes" thing is really interesting.
I guess I hadn't envisioned the guys scrutinizing the emotional impact of each song and trying to decide whether the moods of the next songs can be preserved in light of what's come before... you know, U2 is thorough as hell. That has to be one of their defining characteristics.
On the other hand, DM would be cool but please just play Bad
Yeah, they do this every tour. They even stress about the colors of the lights ("we need blue lights for this song to match the mood" etc.) It's a strength in that their setlist rolls well and moves in an "emotional arc" (I swear Bono's used that term before, lol) but it's a weakness in that they get so nervous about shaking things up. Even when they "shake things up," that means either letting a fan onstage to sing/play, bringing a girl up to dance, etc. They're not a very spontaneous band really.
Acrobat51829
War Child
Acrobat51829
War Child
Does anyone have a link to Willie's diary?
djerdap
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
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- 7,605
Pardon my pessimism, but it looks like they really pulled the plug out of this one. That article is almost one month old and there isn't a report that Drowning Man was even soundchecked since that night, let alone played. There's still hope that it makes an appearance during the Dublin shows though.
zoocarolina
Refugee
Cmon guys, just playing the farking thing!!! Into Bad would be awesome, end an encore with it and then go into Ultra Violet, we don't mind the melancholy!!!!!!!!!!
Spoiler: Why they're not playing 'those' songs
I'm concious that some people may still be 360 set list virgins (is there anybody left?)
But according to Willie's latest entry on U2.com from the rehearsals in Barcelona, here's the story with 'Drowning Man' and 'Bad':
We did another full run-through this evening, which has brought us very close to the set that I think we'll play on Tuesday. It's working well overall, with only a couple of things still proving troublesome. Drowning Man is one of these and I am beginning to wonder whether my judgement has been clouded by my sheer delight and joy at hearing this being performed live after 25 years waiting in the wings. Everybody really wants it to work and it sounds great but it's proving to be a very difficult mood to recover from. We tried going into Bad afterwards but by the end of that double-whammy of beautiful melancholy the set didn't recover for about half an hour. This may well be why U2 never performed this song in '83. I remember we tried a set which opened with it (brave move) but as far as I recall this was never unleashed on the public. We were all a bit too post-punk at the time, I think. The plan is to rehearse bits and pieces tomorrow night then do a final dress rehearsal on Monday at which point we'll make the call. We're going to shuffle its place in the show a little too, so it may not be over for Drowning Man just yet.
I'm concious that some people may still be 360 set list virgins (is there anybody left?)
But according to Willie's latest entry on U2.com from the rehearsals in Barcelona, here's the story with 'Drowning Man' and 'Bad':
We did another full run-through this evening, which has brought us very close to the set that I think we'll play on Tuesday. It's working well overall, with only a couple of things still proving troublesome. Drowning Man is one of these and I am beginning to wonder whether my judgement has been clouded by my sheer delight and joy at hearing this being performed live after 25 years waiting in the wings. Everybody really wants it to work and it sounds great but it's proving to be a very difficult mood to recover from. We tried going into Bad afterwards but by the end of that double-whammy of beautiful melancholy the set didn't recover for about half an hour. This may well be why U2 never performed this song in '83. I remember we tried a set which opened with it (brave move) but as far as I recall this was never unleashed on the public. We were all a bit too post-punk at the time, I think. The plan is to rehearse bits and pieces tomorrow night then do a final dress rehearsal on Monday at which point we'll make the call. We're going to shuffle its place in the show a little too, so it may not be over for Drowning Man just yet.
Screwtape2
Blue Crack Addict
:facepalm: The band overthinks things far too much.
Can't recover from it? Hello, perfect transition of Drowning Man into Unknown Caller. Lyrically and musically they fit. Unknown Caller will pick the mood up a bit too.
Can't recover from it? Hello, perfect transition of Drowning Man into Unknown Caller. Lyrically and musically they fit. Unknown Caller will pick the mood up a bit too.
Bruce
The Fly
I think Drowning Man - Bad - Where the Streets have no Name would be be awesome
ZOOTVTOURist
Refugee
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- 1,700
YES!And it was snippeted tonight – so there still is hope for Dublin. Come on, boys, just do it!
mikal
Blue Crack Addict
well, i think this article is good news. i'd rather hear that the band is not playing it because they felt that it didn't fit than them not playing it because they didn't feel like they were playing it well.
we will hear Drowning Man this tour, trust me.
we will hear Drowning Man this tour, trust me.
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