Streets.

[scrumpyjsk]

I haven't felt its punch since Elevation, and I've never been able to put my finger on why. Segues have always seemed such an important part of the song's liftoff - ZooTV being the pinnacle, Popmart being very good and Elevation probably somewhere in between the two.

I mentioned in an earlier thread about the fact that I don't like Edge coming in before Larry, then I stumbled across an old bootleg video of Streets from Popmart in Dublin. I thought I'd do a little experiment.

I paused the video at the moment the organ begins and then did the same for Stefan's video of Vancouver 1. 30 seconds from organ to opening note on both occasions. Then from opening note to lights, another 27ish seconds. The only discernable difference between the two performances of the song is that Larry doesn't count in behind the Edge in Vancouver (pretty sure it was the same on 360).

My point is - I feel like the gravitas of both performances are very different, yet the actual investment into the introduction of the song is virtually the same between the two.

Feel free to ignore/agree/discuss.

 

[CosmoKramer]

I would rank them in the following order that I have seen in person(best to worst):

1-Elevation Tour(opening and lighting throughout were perfect) and the arena setting made it feel like a monster in a box
2-U2 360
3-POPMART
4-Vertigo(the lighting sucked with no explosion of light during the opening peak, build up was ruined by the "Africa" speech)


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[chrissybaby]

They understand the power of the song and to me the segue is the biggest gift the song gives them. Every tour, it's the first thing I look for, but the creativity during the past three tours has been lacking IMO. I know we're only two dates in, but the talking break between Bad and Streets is criminal.


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[Axver]

the talking break between Bad and Streets is criminal.

Seriously, what were they thinking.

Oh wait, they can't have been.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Africa africa africa!!!!

 

[LemonMelon]

Bono might sincerely believe that the sound of his own voice is the best way to fill the space. Look at all the "solos" he sings over.

 

[scrumpyjsk]

Bono might sincerely believe that the sound of his own voice is the best way to fill the space. Look at all the "solos" he sings over.

I love Bono, I truly do. Less is more where he is concerned in concert though.


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[Chrisedge]

I think the snippet/intro/cover is one of their best and fits right it...from last night...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZnkr-cnkcI

 

[prbiker15]

I like the Mother and Child Reunion snippet. It's probably going to be this tour's Amazing Grace...snippeted almost every night.

 

[Vlaco]

Great video! Thanks Chrisedge!

 

[CosmoKramer]

I think the snippet/intro/cover is one of their best and fits right it...from last night...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZnkr-cnkcI

I can't rank it....yet, because I haven't seen this tour version in person. With that said, the guitar is very crisp and the lighting seems pretty good. I would say this could easily be my 2nd favorite version behind Elevation Tour.

Of course Bono changing the lyrics all over the song only lowers its appeal for me.

Lastly, awesome video work mate!


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[Tommy WM]

It's moments like this I lovingly despise Bono's thought process. I'm not the biggest fan of Paul Simon's solo stuff so I'm still finding it quite difficult that this reggae song about the passing of his pet dog is opening Streets.

As soon as I heard Playboy Mansion was being rehearsed I immediately thought that's the segue into Streets for this tour.

 

[thavidesco]

This is absolutely dreadful. The worst Streets segue ever. By anyone. When the organ starts, the chords don´t match with that dull snippet at all. It´s a dreadful mishmash. Did they lost all their common sense? That´s what happens when Bono wants to put in his campaigning at all costs. There is no excuse for that.

 

[mikal]

I don't know how you can rank this below the Vertigo Tour version while keeping a straight face.


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[prbiker15]

This is absolutely dreadful. The worst Streets segue ever. By anyone. When the organ starts, the chords don´t match with that dull snippet at all. It´s a dreadful mishmash. Did they lost all their common sense? That´s what happens when Bono wants to put in his campaigning at all costs. There is no excuse for that.

Not as bad as Vertigo. This transition is quite good.

 

[thavidesco]

360 was also horrible with Amazing Graze in tuning Bono couldn´t sing, but at least it fitted with Streets, but this? Is their tour team scared to give them some feedback?

 

[Chrisedge]

You have no taste. This is probably the best "transition" since PopMart, but since you seem to have the opposite opinion of everyone else, it figures.

 

[cobl04]

I have to say I'd like to see them give it something more powerful.

I was just thinking before, imagine Love is Blindness, that huge Edge solo, then Bono sings a couple lines of Can't Help Falling in Love, then the red screens... how cathartic would that be? From one of their darkest songs into Streets.

 

[Rob33]

I have to say I'd like to see them give it something more powerful.

I was just thinking before, imagine Love is Blindness, that huge Edge solo, then Bono sings a couple lines of Can't Help Falling in Love, then the red screens... how cathartic would that be? From one of their darkest songs into Streets.

Fuck yes

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[Chrisedge]

I have to say I'd like to see them give it something more powerful.

I was just thinking before, imagine Love is Blindness, that huge Edge solo, then Bono sings a couple lines of Can't Help Falling in Love, then the red screens... how cathartic would that be? From one of their darkest songs into Streets.

More powerful than the idea of saving babies lives with the (RED) campaign? And basically re-do two back to back songs from ZOOTVs closer?

I get fans that missed prior shows want to see stuff that they used to do, but lets move forward with some new things/ideas. The day Bono brings back Macphisto is the day I lose a ton of respect for the band.

 

[Galeongirl]

I've always felt it was odd that Larry doesn't tick in anymore. It adds to the atmosphere, really missed that on 360 and as it's not happening now I will miss it again.


Nothing is worse than Africastreets though. NOTHING.

 

[Nick66]

The Elevation Streets is by far my favourite.

While the Boston DVD isn't exactly the best Elevation tour performance in general (I prefer Slane), the version of Streets on there is through the roof...flat out spectacular. I love that tour in general, they were playing like they had something to prove.

So yeah, I'd rate live Streets this way (so far)...

Elevation
Joshua Tree
360
ZOOTV
Vertigo (though I'm tempted to rate it last because flags and probably the worst speechifying ever, and the arrangement is relatively uninspired)
Popmart

Too early to say on I+E, but I haven't been blown away by either of the Vancouver performances...it feels very perfunctory, misplaced in the setlist, and the transition...well, there's no transition, and there's really nothing special about the arrangement as far as I can tell. Though admittedly that's just judging from crappy cell phone footage, and it's very early in the tour, so I might (and probably will) feel differently when I see it in Boston & London. What might skyrocket this up my list is if that Fields of Gold transition happens...now that would be sublime.

 

[bobsaget77]

Lovetown versions are my favorite. The Point Depot versions are out of this world.
For just the performance of Streets....
1 Lovetown
2 Elevation
3 JT
4 ZooTV
5 360
6 Popmart

7 Vertigo

Best Streets combo...

1 Popmart - Please/Streets
2 ZooTV - Running/Streets
3 Elevation - Bad/Streets
4 360 - Hallelujah/Streets
5 Elevation - All I Want Is You/Streets
6 360 - Amazing Grace/Streets

7 Vertigo - Pride/Africa blah blah/Streets

Lovetown and JT didn't have segues besides Bono occasionally snippeting a poem or book passage, but that doesn't really count. So I didn't include them on this.
But Please-Streets will remain supreme for eternity. What an amazing combo that was....

The key to Streets is almost always how well they nail the intro. If the intro is amazing, then the performance will be great. But when you throw in some incredible Bono vocals, like in Lovetown and JT, it takes the song to another level.
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[Chrisedge]

...Fields of Gold transition happens...now that would be sublime.

This is comedy to me. They didn't switch transitions and build new animation with a week to go, someone heard wrong.

And nothing will ever beat the JT version. Perfect opener.

 

[Vlaco]

Lovetown on top. 26/12/1989 is out of this world.

 

[The_acrobat]

I can't imagine anything thinking the Popmart version of Streets is bad. Between the Please segue and the Playboy Mansion outro, it's absolutely sublime!

 

[digitize]

All of the segues into Streets have been good: RTSS, Please, Bad, AIWIY, and One. During the Joshua Tree and Lovetown tours, they could get away with not doing a segue. But it sounds really weak without a segue nowadays (I+E/Vertigo). Vertigo was the worst, of course.


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[cobl04]

More powerful than the idea of saving babies lives with the (RED) campaign? And basically re-do two back to back songs from ZOOTVs closer?



I get fans that missed prior shows want to see stuff that they used to do, but lets move forward with some new things/ideas. The day Bono brings back Macphisto is the day I lose a ton of respect for the band.

Um yes. By that logic Vertigo was powerful too with the nine million flags and 14-minute speech about Africa during the intro. Charity is great but I don't need it belted over my head. I'm not sure where I suggested bringing back Macphisto. Just that a combination with Love is Blindness would be dope.

 

[CosmoKramer]

And nothing will ever beat the JT version. Perfect opener.

This sums up the whole "segue" conversation for me. Streets is THE live song, so much so that it doesn't need a segue to enhance it. It would be a great opener, closer or anywhere in between song.

While I enjoy a good segue with any "war horse" U2 song (Lemon into With or Without you was epic) and I did enjoy Please into Streets, 40 into Streets, AIWIY into streets, I would just as much prefer a cold opening for Streets.

The only thing that can hurt Streets is not a weak segue but Bono talking over the opening build up(after the song as began). If he is singing something that fits the sound then great but if he is talking about something random and drowning out the moment when Larrys drums, Adams Bass and Edges guitar all meet with say..."AFRICA!"then he has fucked the opening of the song!!!

But that would never hap...oh.


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[Catman]

I always thought it'd be great following Moment of Surrender, so to close every set w/ that song during 360 was peculiar, IMO.