Will Boots get the Boot?

[LemonMelon]

I'm sure Unknown Caller will be back on the second leg, i'm not getting too freaked out at its absence. It'll be back.

This IS the second leg.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

I forgot to mention that The Unforgettable Fire is my ALL TIME favorite U2 song. It's the first non single I heard by the band and it's the song that got me into U2. I love the fact that it was added to the setlist and I think it sounds so much better now live than it did in the 1980's. That being said, I think it's only fair to allow some other rare U2 songs the chance to be played.

the unforgettable fire was a single

seriously though, i agree with what you said.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

This IS the second leg.

I meant the third leg.

 

[Galeongirl]

Um hello, Elevation isnt played every night. Your theory is gone

SMB

Where did I state it was played EVERY night? All I said is that they keep PLAYING it.

Your argument is gone.

 

[vaz02]

Boots is a stomper of a live song.

 

[Mr. Millennium]

the unforgettable fire was a single

seriously though, i agree with what you said.

Hahaha you are right! And the sad thing is I knew it was a single, too. Ooops.

So... I'll revise... even though The Unforgettable Fire was a single, it was the first U2 song I downloaded and didn't hear on the radio. So, in other words, it was the first non New Year's Day, Desire, Beautiful Day, Mysterious Ways, etc. U2 song I heard.

 

[U2387]

If SOA as a mediative experimental album actually got released its likely that a lot of it wouldn't be played live, I think they'd try and do a ZooTV like mix of both albums, instead of dropping NLOTH down to just a few songs. Boots is the one getting the most excitement out of the crowd, it'll be UC, MOS and Breathe are the ones that are the likely first victims, but I think some ATYCLB would fade out too. Magnificent will likely take on the lasting life COBL has seen so I don't see them dropping it. NLOTH will probably remain on this tour to keep that name in the air.

I agree with this. If we are in fact getting the kind of album that SOA is reported to be, then there will either be a Zooropa leg type mix or maybe even just a couple SOA songs in the setlist.

I think ultimately, we have to wait and see what the album looks like before we can safely predict setlist overhaul or not. For one, it would certainly be nice to see some ATYCLB go. I am hoping that losing some ATYCLB for the SOA leg leads to connections with JT songs like RTSS, Trip and IGC, R&H Heartland and AB songs like LIB. This coupled with a recognition that the claw needs more rockers would make for a much better setlist next leg. The only thing in the current set I would really be pissed about losing is the UF, UV duo.

I think the current set needs a long look even if SOA does not bring in a lot of live material. This tour just has way too much unmet potential.

 

[cleazer]

Boots gets a far better fan reaction than Breathe or NLOTH. I'd be surprised if they drop it.

If you're wondering which songs will be dropped, look no further than the current setlists. Unknown Caller is clearly in danger of being permanently dropped. It'll probably show up a few more times on Leg 2, but by the time Legs 3 and 4 roll around next year, it'll almost certainly be gone. Breathe and NLOTH have both been given a night off from the setlist. I doubt that was an accident. They'll probably see more nights off in the future. Meanwhile, IGCIIDGCT, MOS, GOYB, and Magnificent have all made every show so far, and may well continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

And that's the way it should be. IGCIIDGCT, MOS, GOYB, and Magnificent have been the 4 strongest live songs from the new album so far.

 

[kramwest1]

This tour just has way too much unmet potential.

This is SO true.
Sad to say, because the tour has been great so far. But, with a few more rockers in the set, U2 would be leaving demolished stadiums in their wake.

Boots will stay, but throw in SUC, EBTTRT and HMTMKMKM, and keep UTEOTW.
Make it a RAWK CONCERT!!!


Mark

 

[jphelmet]

Boots won't be dopped this tour. i don't really like the song that much, but it was very good live and got a big reaction. i could see it not surviving after this tour though. its not ever going to be considered a greatest hit, and no one will really care about hearing it in the future (i think most of the casual fans will just forget about it).

 

[Blue Room]

No. Boots is one of their best live songs and rocks very hard. It stands next to songs like Vertigo and Elevation when it comes to audience participation. I've never been a big fan of the song, but it's amazing live.

I would have to agree with this. My exact feelings on it.

I guess Breathe going could happen depending on what type of songs are on SOA. There may not be a good opening song on the album worthy of opening a show (although I dont think Breathe is a good opener either so who knows).

Dropping NLOTH the song is a mistake IMO also. But I could see it getting the axe since it was the first to go when they had to shorten the setlist in DC.

 

[powerhour24]

Boots won't be dopped this tour. i don't really like the song that much, but it was very good live and got a big reaction. i could see it not surviving after this tour though. its not ever going to be considered a greatest hit, and no one will really care about hearing it in the future (i think most of the casual fans will just forget about it).

I dunno, 'Let Me in the Sound' is a huge live moment... it could be the Vertigo/Elevation of NLOTH, even without the airplay.

 

[AndrewCowley]

To me it has always seemed very out of place for a band of 47 & 48 year olds to make a song like boots. They need to understand that this sort of thing is best left for younger bands. Playing it live probably only highlights this issue even further.

 

[U2opra]

I love boots. I loved the single, I love it live. I love everything about it. The song has so many flavours and sounds.

 

[jphelmet]

I dunno, 'Let Me in the Sound' is a huge live moment... it could be the Vertigo/Elevation of NLOTH, even without the airplay.

or most likely it will suffer the same fate as discotheque (which was actually did much better on the charts), which is a much more valid comparison in terms of lasting in their live set.

boots is very good live, and i have enjoyed it a lot. i really don't get the love for the let me in the sound break down though, its cool but nothing really groundbreaking. i would much rather a song like the fly be brought back than keep boots in the set. reaction was great to boots, but certainly not a highlight of the show for me. that and the reaction to elevation was just as good, and vertigo blows them both away (in terms of crowd reaction).

 

[gman]

Well, gman, you might have listened to the bootleg, but have you been to the show?

Because in FedEx Field on September 29, Washington DC went fucking crazy for Get On Your Boots, and so did the band.

It was a clear highlight of the show, to me.

yes John...i have seen the live show. You have to understand this....for a guy who grew up, since 1981, listening to u2 songs such as Electric Co, I will Follow, SBS, NYD, Pride, UF, Streets, One etc etc......its very hard to accept its the same band that gave birth to GOYB!

 

[Vlaco]

Boots was full of energy when I saw it in person. The crowd response was huge and the band loved it. Edge and Adam seemed to enjoy themselves when they walked the bridges.

 

[Hewson]

Boots won't be dropped...in fact in 2010 it will be played twice most nights, once early in the set and once to close the show, a true encore.

 

[Moser]

yes John...i have seen the live show. You have to understand this....for a guy who grew up, since 1981, listening to u2 songs such as Electric Co, I will Follow, SBS, NYD, Pride, UF, Streets, One etc etc......its very hard to accept its the same band that gave birth to GOYB!

Don't worry,
Everything's just fine.

Just fine.

 

[Canadiens1131]

They'll drop NLOTH form the early setlist and it will kill me

 

[coolian2]

They'll drop NLOTH form the early setlist and it will kill me

no no no, it'll kill them.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

anyone else notice that they dropped the "sexy" from boots? it's just "get on your boots... get on your boots..."

no sexy... which was the most cheesey part of the entire fucking song, and it's nice to see it taken out.

 

[LemonMelon]

I don't think there is a way Boots could realistically NOT be cheesy. They need to bring sexy back.

 

[Galeongirl]

anyone else notice that they dropped the "sexy" from boots? it's just "get on your boots... get on your boots..."

no sexy... which was the most cheesey part of the entire fucking song, and it's nice to see it taken out.

I noticed, and didn't mind at all. It takes away the major complaint people have with the song. Sounds much better without it!

 

[monsieur fly]

Boots works very well on this tour- it's the nearest thing to seeing U2 emerge from a giant lemon pod to play Discotheque so it should stay!

 

[dal975]

Also, it's one thing to have similar setlists when there is only a few months between legs (IE the first and third legs of the Vertigo Tour). However, I think people coming to their second (or third or whatever) shows when there is, in some cases, going to be almost a year between shows will be really pissed if they are essentially seeing the same show with a few new songs thrown in. And I'm not even really talking about die hard U2 fans, I'm talking more about the casual U2 fan who might've seen them this year and were blown away by the production and want to see U2 again with a new album to promote.

But U2 has a history of doing just that. Thats exactly what happened with Zoo TV and Zooropa.

On anohter note, there is very little chance that more than a handful of "casual" fans will have even heard of Songs of Ascent, never mind be familiar with the songs. Crowd reaction in the U.S. to Songs of Ascent tracks will make NLOTH seem like The Joshua Tree.

 

[Niceman]

It sounds to me like some people on here are confusing Songs of Ascent with Passengers...

We really don't know what that album will be like! Not really.... It could turn out to be the most popular U2 album ever! We just don't know.

 

[Mr. Millennium]

But U2 has a history of doing just that. Thats exactly what happened with Zoo TV and Zooropa.

But in the history of U2, this is the only example of another album being released during a tour. And if you read some quotes from the band members, they viewed Zooropa as more of an interlude than a full album.

If SOA turns out to be more than what U2 considers an interlude, then it is possible that the set will be more mixed up. Regardless of what a lot of people here like to think, U2's setlists in the 1990's were a hell of a lot more static than they are now.

On another note, there is very little chance that more than a handful of "casual" fans will have even heard of Songs of Ascent, never mind be familiar with the songs. Crowd reaction in the U.S. to Songs of Ascent tracks will make NLOTH seem like The Joshua Tree.

I have no idea how you could even make a statement like that about an album that isn't anywhere close to being released, let alone finished. And saying it's because of the statements U2 have made about it is not a valid reason because the album will change 100 times over between those comments and its eventual release.

 

[Niceman]

Sorry, U2's setlists have NEVER been this static! Not Popmart, not ZOOTV. At least they used to experiment with covers.... Changing the song ORDER is not changing the setlist!

 

[dal975]

I have no idea how you could even make a statement like that about an album that isn't anywhere close to being released, let alone finished. And saying it's because of the statements U2 have made about it is not a valid reason because the album will change 100 times over between those comments and its eventual release.

I can make a statement like that b/c I have been a U2 fan and attending U2 shows for over 20 years and U2 are nothing if not predictable.

Everything I have heard from the band's camp leads me to believe that SOA will be a relatively mellow, non-pop, experimental, non-mainstream album. I have experienced U2 for long enough to have a good sense of which way the wind is blowing with respect to SOA. Personally, I welcome it, I love the spectrum of all they produce.

Unless and until I learn that SOA surprisingly transforms into a pop or radio rock friendly album, I stand by my statement. When I looked around Giants Stadium for both NY I & II three weeks ago, I saw thousands of "fans" who gave the impression that not only were they not familiar with any of the NLOTH songs (and those were the pop/rock songs on NLOTH!) but were merely killing time in between JT-type warhorses. Nothing I have heard about SOA leads me to believe the dynamic would be any different if and when tracks off that album are included in 2010 360 shows.