Too much claw, not enough body! - Complaints about the setlist

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

daveydave

The Fly
Joined
Dec 6, 2000
Messages
163
Location
Boston
"Originally Posted by No spoken words
I love the band a ton but, f&&k, they obsess over so much....just f&&ing play it and see what happens."

Completely agree. 3 Nights in Dublin and they really didn't pull anything special out for them. That is pathetic. Fanatics travel internationally to Dublin & they pull very little out of their back pocket for their own and the international fans.

I love the band, but they are way too conservative. They are a great band, they have great concerts, they make great music, they are my favorite, but as musicians...I can only say they are MARGINAL.

Most, if not all of their creativity goes in before the shows. You could make an argument that it's all bolted down before before a claw, heart or lemon are in place. It is starting to drive me nuts that they are more interested in large construction than pleasing their fans.

True musicians can mix it up from night to night and after 30 years, they should not be so worried about falling down. Big deal, you'll get up! Why they still act like they have been playing instruments for 3 years is beside me.

NOTE TO U2 - SHOW US YOU ARE THE GREATEST BAND ON THE PLANET, DON'T TELL US!
 
Fucking hilarious!!! It never ends...

So now "mixing it up" = true musicians?

Dumb.

Funny, one guy in the claw thread says they don't use it enough, you think they use it too much :lol:
 
Fucking hilarious!!! It never ends...

So now "mixing it up" = true musicians?

Dumb.

Funny, one guy in the claw thread says they don't use it enough, you think they use it too much :lol:

yes, being able to stray from a setlist is an important part of being an artist. When the cards are pre-determined, it's not art anymore!

My point is not that the claw is the problem. My problem is that there is an element that for years has gone unaddressed by the band. That simple element is a bit more flavor in their sets.

You can not be so ignorant to think that set lock-down is not an issue with these guys, can you? Should we not be able to expect more from a well established band after 30 years of playing together?

Love and Peace (or else!)
 
Fucking hilarious!!! It never ends...

So now "mixing it up" = true musicians?

Dumb.

Funny, one guy in the claw thread says they don't use it enough, you think they use it too much :lol:

Dude, you're a deadset asshole. All you do is ridicule other people's opinions.
 
yes, being able to stray from a setlist is an important part of being an artist. When the cards are pre-determined, it's not art anymore!
And this is your definition of art, correct?

So by your definition U2 haven't been artist since the days of JT?


My point is not that the claw is the problem.
Then why put it in your title?

Dude, you're a deadset asshole. All you do is ridicule other people's opinions.

Only when they are not based on logic. But I don't call people assholes :shrug:
 
Only when they are not based on logic. But I don't call people assholes :shrug:
Is that why you haven't said anything about LemonMelon's argument, which is the one that pretty much represents everyone on his side. Others obviously can't put it so well as he did, so are you just about picking on idiots?
 
Is that why you haven't said anything about LemonMelon's argument, which is the one that pretty much represents everyone on his side. Others obviously can't put it so well as he did, so are you just about picking on idiots?

What did LemonMelon say in this thread? :huh:

I don't know what you are talking about...
 
What did LemonMelon say in this thread? :huh:

I don't know what you are talking about...
Don't play dumb. The other thread, talking about the same shit as this one:

No one is suggesting U2 simply axe the recent uptempo hits. When you have a catalogue as impressive as U2's, it is entirely possible to perform some of them while exchanging the others for older rockers (Electric Co., Gloria, The Fly, Gone, etc.) that may be the preference of someone else in the crowd. You don't have to perform the same three rockers every single night without exception. Unfortunately, U2 seems to disagree.
You haven't addressed this argument. Is this because it is reasonable and coherent?
 
You haven't addressed this argument. Is this because it is reasonable and coherent?

No one is suggesting U2 simply axe the recent uptempo hits. When you have a catalogue as impressive as U2's, it is entirely possible to perform some of them while exchanging the others for older rockers (Electric Co., Gloria, The Fly, Gone, etc.) that may be the preference of someone else in the crowd. You don't have to perform the same three rockers every single night without exception. Unfortunately, U2 seems to disagree.

Well this is a slightly different argument. And yes I understand it, and isn't this what they are doing somewhat? I mean we've seen UTEOTW, Bad, and MW mixed in there only 10 shows in. A lot more "artistic" than PopMart, don't you think? I mean given the definition in this thread.
 
"And this is your definition of art, correct?"

It absolutely adds to the artistic equation. It is not all aspects. When it comes to musicianship, it's one of the largest factors IMO.

"So by your definition U2 haven't been artist since the days of JT?"

Actually, I never considered the JT Tour to be their most flexible in terms of setlist. Lovetown might be a better fit. 3rd Leg of Elevation was brilliant IMO - art...yes. Same set swapping out 2 songs every other night - not very create or artistic.

"Then why put it in your title?"

Claw as a metaphor.
 
Actually, I never considered the JT Tour to be their most flexible in terms of setlist. Lovetown might be a better fit. 3rd Leg of Elevation was brilliant IMO - art...yes. Same set swapping out 2 songs every other night - not very create or artistic.

So Elevation was the only real artistic time in U2's career?

How artistic were U2 during Elevation at this point in the tour?
 
yes, being able to stray from a setlist is an important part of being an artist. When the cards are pre-determined, it's not art anymore!

The personal stuff in the rest of this thread aside, this is quite the ridiculous assertion, to be honest. Most bands, if not all bands, very very rarely ever 'stray from the setlist'. You *think* they do because you don't follow them as closely as our beloved U2, however any professional artist spends alot of time thinking out how the show will go and planning setlists. There aren't alot of truly spontaneous moments in many band's shows. Even if they are spur of the moment, the songs bands pull out are ones they've played at some point in the recent past. Bands don't just yank out 20 year old songs on a whim during any given show, it doesn't just happen like that.
 
But you have thought and content? You are ignoring the fact that U2 have haven't "mixed it up" for the majority of their career. Not a whole lot of thought there.

I do have thought and content.

I was not asked if they have done a good job of mixing it up during their entire career. If you want to discuss that, I'm fine with giving your my opinion on that. I won't devote hours of time on this, but here's what I feel:

Through most of the tours, they have done a poor job of mixing up sets. In the early years, I sat back and figured it was because they were not great musicians. They simply didn't have the formal background in music. That was fine, they found their sound. Love it!

Lovetown / ZooTV / Zooropa Tours - were probably the most creative regarding setlist and surprise to fans. Not overwhelmingly creative in that aspect, but starting to show some musicianship.

Popmart / Elevation / Vertigo - not once have they shown us that they could play 3 songs outside of their lock up box of a catalog. Important to me? Not so much in the early years, I understood their musical limitations and their lack of a catalog. Important to me now? Yeah, I thought they provided some great promise in becoming musicians during the LT - Zoo years. Continuing to show more mix / musicianship would have been a nice element to their shows. One that I would have expected for a mature band.

Have they grown in the studio? Sure.
Have they grown much as musicians? I think that is what is debatable.

If U2 were to end their careers tomorrow, the one area in which I feel they have not excelled in, is in knowing their catalog well. I'm not sure if it's an important aspect in the way you view music as art. To me, it doesn't stop them from being my favorite band, but it does leave one element missing from an otherwise beautiful picture!

daveydave
 
So Elevation was the only real artistic time in U2's career?

How artistic were U2 during Elevation at this point in the tour?

BVS - It starts to get silly when you put words in my mouth.

I pointed out the 3rd Leg of Elevation as a particularly artistic period that I enjoyed. I also listed some other tours & periods that shine in their brilliant career.

Now you're making my point. At this point in the Elevation tour - they were not very creative. Unlike many bands with a fantastic catalog, they did not expand their ability to surprise you with a different setlist. Again, that's that one element that U2 has not succeeded with in their career.

Now, before you put words back in my mouth...I am hopeful that they are able to start surprising us with a more diverse set. I would hope as much for any city getting more than one show, and I am disappointed for those Irish & international fans who went to 3 nights and received little diversity.

daveydave
 
But U2 sets DO have an art to them. I think there's more "art" to constructing a set with a certain flow and mood than to play a bunch of random songs. U2 put a lot of thought into what they play, even if we don't like the results.

Ultimately this is just another setlist bitching thread. Is it really necessary? Yes, I wish U2 would bust out LNOE and Exit too, but I don't think of them as lesser musicians for not doing it. It's not that they're physically incapable of playing the songs. They could play just about any song live if they practiced it...certainly any song they've already played live, at least. They just choose not to based on what they think the majority of concert-goers (NOT fans on the internet) want to hear, and based on how well they think these given songs will fit into the experience they're trying to create, and other reasons we may never know. Hell, maybe they just don't LIKE playing the songs they're not playing. :shrug:
 
I see two, maybe three shows a tour, more than any other band. "Knowing their catalog" doesn't really show up in that kind of setting... I just enjoy the show.

I know a lot of musicians, and follow even more... and from my experience "knowing your catalog" is less about "musicianship" than it is about memory and other factors.

I know a muscian that can out solo most big time lead guitarists, can write and improv like no other, but you ask him for requests even of his own songs and if he hasn't played them recently then forget about it. I also know musicians that can play atleast one song from anyone you ask flawlessly, but you ask them to improv or collaborate on the spot and they can't do it... Musicians come in different packages. Putting art in such boxes is limiting.
 
I pointed out the 3rd Leg of Elevation as a particularly artistic period that I enjoyed. I also listed some other tours & periods that shine in their brilliant career.

Sorry, I didn't see any setlist other than Lovetown that you pointed out as being "creative".

So it wasn't till the 3rd leg? But at this point they are "mixing it up" more than they were at this point in the 1st leg, so why doesn't that give you hope?
 
Carnival,
The site flies and the threads spin,
all night and day
Set list whine that punctures the brain
Screen to screen
In a dry and humorless place
 
Carnival,
The site flies and the threads spin,
all night and day
Set list whine that punctures the brain
Screen to screen
In a dry and humorless place

I think we should change Interference so that instead of a discussion, every thread is a competition to see who can make the best post, and then when that post is made the thread is closed

we have a winner :happy:
 
Back
Top Bottom