Joshua Tree Tour 2017 - Rumors & General Discussion II

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Northside said:
For people that were there in person, how did the sound quality in Vancouver/Seattle compare to the I&E tour?

The I&E shows were insanely loud (which I liked); hoping this tour is just as loud!
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I like it loud, too!

I am eager to hear how this sounds as well. I & E was loud and high quality to me.

I got a little concerned when I saw the speaker stacks for this tour- they look a little sparse.

Though technology has advanced a ton in a few short years- I know you can pump out a lot more sound at higher volume with less stacks than you could even on 360.

So those who have seen it, how does it sound?
 
This is nowhere near as loud as I&E which was easily the loudest U2 thing I've ever attended.

It's also not as loud as 360. No way. I know this because I sat about the same distance away from the main stage at each show I attended. 360 was super loud with the rock songs like Even Better and Get On Your Boots and Magnificent...nothing like that tonight.

But it's enough. There never was really a moment where their sound wasn't filling the stadium.



Personally, I kind of found the start of I&E to be really annoying....just four rockers back-to-back with a pummeling sound system...was glad when they would get into Iris and the like since clarity would start to break through instead of just noise.
 
For shows starting at 6:30, the band will basically hit the stage at 9:00 and intend to finish at 11:00 just as they did tonight. U2 is basically notorious for not going on the stage until an eternity after the opening act has finished, so just get used to it.

Bono sounds better but it's really more because he's not pushing himself. So if the end result makes things more pleasurable, I guess that's fine, but there weren't really too many wow moments at tonight's gig. Restraint can go a long way though. Certainly clear he is running out of range, but the new material (such as SOI on the last tour or the new song on this one) clearly works very well vocally because he's only going to sing on album/generally live whatever he is actually capable of...Little Things really has a lot of great emotion packed in there, for example.

But at the same time, nobody could have ever expected him to sing Red Hill Mining Town like on the record. And to be honest, that is the one very weak point in the JT set. Everything else sounds very refreshed (see Running To Stand Still), greatly tweaked (Exit) or just really captures 1987 again (In God's Country)...but that tune is just kind of a midtempo bore and I don't think they'll be able to fix it. It always relied so heavily on Bono's vocal highs and if you can't replicate it, then in you're in trouble. Whatever they're trying to do now though just isn't working and even among the crowd near the front I could just feel the enthusiasm being sapped.
 
I think as far as the band's playing goes, you can really only compare this tour to I&E and that's really it. Bono just is no longer there vocally nor is the band really up to playing tracks like they used to...I think 360 can be considered somewhat comparable because, for me, that's really the point where Bono tended to just start shouting instead of singing, but I think that show kind of wins out given the theming, choreography, etc....but I guess the setlists could make a difference for people, and yeah, I probably loved this even more than the 360 set I saw in person.

But there's absolutely no comparing this to Vertigo or before. They aren't on that level anymore and that's ok. Age will do that to you. I just saw them perform a ton of great tunes and most of them fantastically. I'm pleased.
 
BigMacPhisto said:
I think as far as the band's playing goes, you can really only compare this tour to I&E and that's really it. Bono just is no longer there vocally nor is the band really up to playing tracks like they used to...I think 360 can be considered somewhat comparable because, for me, that's really the point where Bono tended to just start shouting instead of singing, but I think that show kind of wins out given the theming, choreography, etc....but I guess the setlists could make a difference for people, and yeah, I probably loved this even more than the 360 set I saw in person.

But there's absolutely no comparing this to Vertigo or before. They aren't on that level anymore and that's ok. Age will do that to you. I just saw them perform a ton of great tunes and most of them fantastically. I'm pleased.
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Bono's deteriorating voice is noticeable and explains the lower keys, but how about the others? Are you meaning there was less energy, not as tight, what? Seems like at least Adam is a better player these days.
 
Larry's a better player too. I didn't have the privilege to attend I&E and won't be able to hit this one either but I've been really impressed by how good the rhythm section sounds in the live clips. Edge too, really. Bono's voice obviously isn't what it was and he isn't as intense, but I've enjoyed him too, more so than on Vertigo or 360 when he seemed to be pretending to be the passionate man he once was. I think these last two tours are their best since the 90s, SOI is their first album worthy of the U2 name since ATYCLB...U2 are back, baby!
 
A random collection of thoughts:

The good:
* Larry just starting SBS was absolutely incredible. Everyone is just waiting for Adam or the Edge to come out and just BAM, spotlight on him.
* Bad :D
* I think the transition from Pride works surprisingly well.
* Streets to WoWY is so fucking good. These used the screen best too
* I'm surprised to see people not happy with RHMT. Sure, it's tuned waaaay down, but it feels almost triumphant this way. I thought it was really cute.
* In God's Country to Exit sounded fantastic.
* The encore was high energy.
* Fuck the haters, Elevation is the most fun of any concert. I've always missed it, and I finally got it and I'm so fucking happy.
* I love the new song.


The odd:
* I think for general audiences, pick NYD or aSoH, not both. Stick I Will Follow or Out of Control in there.
* I wish they would have done MORE with the screen. The visuals for Streets to WoWY, in God's Country, and One Tree Hill are so good, that I wish all of the songs had them, instead of some having camera shots or footage.
* Miss Sarajevo fell flat. I thought it was well done, but ending the show with two unknowns is risky and kinda lame.


The bad:
* Maybe it was because I did Red Zone, but no one was hyped where I was. I was like one of three singing and bobbing up and down around me, and I'm not fond of doing either.
* Red Zone in general was pretty disappointing. They're at the Bono is at the B-stage for more than half of the show. Everyone in Red Zone gets a look at either Bono's big juicy butt, OR the arm of the that stupid camera. Definitely not worth $350.
* I thought Bullet was incredibly weak. And, low-key, I really miss Raised by Wolves being played afterwards.
* I know Bono was going for a R&H-era something for Exit, but it failed hard. I'd say irredeemably cheesy, except he nailed the vocals.

Overall:
I feel like a Joshua Tree tour was not the best move. It's such a pensive and reflecting album, that of course the middle was going to sag. I talked shit all Spring, but I'm in complete agreement that they should have played the album backwards. The choices for the visuals were pretty disjointed, which is a shame because the screen was absolutely stunning. I missed some of the hype-ier songs. I'm very excited for i&e to get back on.
 
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Oh and now that I've been basically on the rail twice now, I'm ready for a more chilled out U2 experience. Next show I'm just going to roll in whenever I want, drink my little heart out and enjoy the show.
 
I know it's harsh to judge the shows from YouTube clips, but from what I've seen I'm not impressed. I saw the I&E Tour in London and it was on par with the best show I've ever seen them do. The band were absolutely on it and the production was stunning.

So we know the band were in the studio in March working on Songs of Experience and they were out and about on holiday in April. To me they seem really under rehearsed. The renditions of The Joshua Tree tracks seem really flat and like they're just going through the motions. Bono sounds like he's really struggling with his voice. U2 are perfectionists, they can't possibly be happy with how this is going.

Lets be honest, it's obvious the delay in finishing up and touring Songs of Experience has forced them into doing these gigs to keep Live Nation happy. I have my ticket for London in July and I'm sure I'll enjoy the gig, but it's sad to see the band in decline like this.

Lets hope Songs of Experience is a good set of tunes and they sign off a stunning career with leg 2 of Innocence and Experience.
 
Martinuk100 said:
I know it's harsh to judge the shows from YouTube clips, but from what I've seen I'm not impressed. I saw the I&E Tour in London and it was on par with the best show I've ever seen them do. The band were absolutely on it and the production was stunning.

So we know the band were in the studio in March working on Songs of Experience and they were out and about on holiday in April. To me they seem really under rehearsed. The renditions of The Joshua Tree tracks seem really flat and like they're just going through the motions. Bono sounds like he's really struggling with his voice. U2 are perfectionists, they can't possibly be happy with how this is going.

Lets be honest, it's obvious the delay in finishing up and touring Songs of Experience has forced them into doing these gigs to keep Live Nation happy. I have my ticket for London in July and I'm sure I'll enjoy the gig, but it's sad to see the band in decline like this.

Lets hope Songs of Experience is a good set of tunes and they sign off a stunning career with leg 2 of Innocence and Experience.
Click to expand...

Yep a few youtube clips is definitely the best place to declare a band in decline :lol:
 
BVS said:
Yep a few youtube clips is definitely the best place to declare a band in decline :lol:
Click to expand...

And don't even start me on The Little Things that Give You Away... finshing the show with a song that sounds like a 1990's b-side...
 
After attending the Vancouver show and checking out Seattle and SC on Youtube, Periscope, etc., it seems the band is picking up a bit of steam - but I agree, without the high notes on some of the JT tunes, it falls kinda flat, even though it's a treat to hear them at all. Bono is playing it very safe so far. We'll see which show eventually stands out and makes the inevitable DVD release next year.
 
BigMacPhisto said:
For shows starting at 6:30, the band will basically hit the stage at 9:00 and intend to finish at 11:00 just as they did tonight. U2 is basically notorious for not going on the stage until an eternity after the opening act has finished, so just get used to it.

Bono sounds better but it's really more because he's not pushing himself. So if the end result makes things more pleasurable, I guess that's fine, but there weren't really too many wow moments at tonight's gig. Restraint can go a long way though. Certainly clear he is running out of range, but the new material (such as SOI on the last tour or the new song on this one) clearly works very well vocally because he's only going to sing on album/generally live whatever he is actually capable of...Little Things really has a lot of great emotion packed in there, for example.

But at the same time, nobody could have ever expected him to sing Red Hill Mining Town like on the record. And to be honest, that is the one very weak point in the JT set. Everything else sounds very refreshed (see Running To Stand Still), greatly tweaked (Exit) or just really captures 1987 again (In God's Country)...but that tune is just kind of a midtempo bore and I don't think they'll be able to fix it. It always relied so heavily on Bono's vocal highs and if you can't replicate it, then in you're in trouble. Whatever they're trying to do now though just isn't working and even among the crowd near the front I could just feel the enthusiasm being sapped.
Click to expand...

Good analysis. I'd like to throw in a couple points. This is a different kind of tour, not your typical "U2 show." They're doing an album, taking some risks, being uncomfortable.. personally I enjoyed it so much, over a hit fest. I felt respected as a true fan of the band, like they were playing for us, not them. And I think that makes amends for the last two decades. It feels like a lot of negativity towards this tour. Hopefully, if you haven't been yet, you won't be discouraged. I had the best time in a long time, they were great!
 
I think Bono's voice is just warming up. I expect (hope) that they can only drop it maybe a half step after the NA leg?

The songs still sound great but the power and magic isn't there as others have alluded to.
 
If they are indeed uncomfortable with this format, let's take it as a good thing.

Next time they think of delaying an album, they might think twice, knowing that LiveNation might make them pull out another album tour. ;-)
 
corianderstem said:
If they are indeed uncomfortable with this format, let's take it as a good thing.

Next time they think of delaying an album, they might think twice, knowing that LiveNation might make them pull out another album tour. ;-)
Click to expand...

Great, we'll get Songs of Indifference in lieu of the Achtung Baby 30th anniversary tour and Acrobat will never be played live.

:wink:
 
After watching some youtube clips i cant wait to hear them perform this album live at Metlife! :hyper:

I am hyped.
 
BVS said:
Geeuzus kristo Peter, how do you come up with these nonsensical sequiturs?
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Before the 2015 rehearsals there was a fan poll of deeper cut songs fans most want to hear. 19 out of 45 were publicly heard in one way or another. Seconds was heard at the 2005 Vancouver rehearsals.

1. A Sort of Homecoming - 80 votes
2. Acrobat - 77
3. Mofo - 73
4. Please - 70
5. Gone - 64
6. Lemon - 59
6. Love Is Blindness - 59
8. Exit - 58
9. 11 O'Clock Tick Tock - 53
10. One Tree Hill - 50
11. Kite - 48
12. Invisible - 47
13. God Part II - 46
13. Heartland - 46
15. Gloria - 45
15. In God's Country - 45
17. Discotheque - 44
18. The Electric Co. - 41
18. Running To Stand Still - 41
20. Dirty Day - 40
21. Two Hearts Beat As One - 39
22. Drowning Man - 37
22. When I Look At The World - 37
22. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses - 37
25. Out of Control - 36
26. Last Night On Earth - 35
26. Wire - 35
28. Hawkmoon 269 - 34
29. Do You Feel Loved - 32
30. Like A Song... - 31
30. Red Hill Mining Town - 31
32. Electrical Storm - 29
32. Zoo Station - 29
34. The Ground Beneath Her Feet - 27
34. Lady With The Spinning Head - 27
34. Seconds - 27
37. Bullet The Blue Sky - 26
38. Another Time, Another Place - 25
39. Tomorrow - 24
40. Fez - Being Born - 23
40. Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World - 23
42. October - 22
42. So Cruel - 22
44. 40 - 21
44. Ordinary Love - 21
 
U2FanPeter said:
Before the 2015 rehearsals there was a fan poll of deeper cut songs fans most want to hear. 19 out of 45 were publicly heard in one way or another. Seconds was heard at the 2005 Vancouver rehearsals.



1. A Sort of Homecoming - 80 votes

2. Acrobat - 77

3. Mofo - 73

4. Please - 70

5. Gone - 64

6. Lemon - 59

6. Love Is Blindness - 59

8. Exit - 58

9. 11 O'Clock Tick Tock - 53

10. One Tree Hill - 50

11. Kite - 48

12. Invisible - 47

13. God Part II - 46

13. Heartland - 46

15. Gloria - 45

15. In God's Country - 45

17. Discotheque - 44

18. The Electric Co. - 41

18. Running To Stand Still - 41

20. Dirty Day - 40

21. Two Hearts Beat As One - 39

22. Drowning Man - 37

22. When I Look At The World - 37

22. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses - 37

25. Out of Control - 36

26. Last Night On Earth - 35

26. Wire - 35

28. Hawkmoon 269 - 34

29. Do You Feel Loved - 32

30. Like A Song... - 31

30. Red Hill Mining Town - 31

32. Electrical Storm - 29

32. Zoo Station - 29

34. The Ground Beneath Her Feet - 27

34. Lady With The Spinning Head - 27

34. Seconds - 27

37. Bullet The Blue Sky - 26

38. Another Time, Another Place - 25

39. Tomorrow - 24

40. Fez - Being Born - 23

40. Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World - 23

42. October - 22

42. So Cruel - 22

44. 40 - 21

44. Ordinary Love - 21
Click to expand...



Ok, I will apologize. Sorry, misread your post, a very long day.

My apologies Peter, thought you misunderstood his lighthearted post and were trying to say something else.
 
OMG. I can't believe some people! If I were Bono, reading posts like this would make me want to say 'fuck it all' and drink Guinness for the rest of my life rather than playing for underappreciative "fans".

They are in their late fifties fer Chrissake! How could Live Nation POSSIBLY be dictating that they go out on tour now? The last cycle was two years ago. A band of their stature could easily wait five years, if not more, between tours. Live Nation should just thank God U2 is not Peter Gabriel.

They are out there playing their heart out, have a huge payroll in a shitty-ass global economy, and clock in for work each show instead of offing themselves (I know, too soon--far too soon). I know I am going to savor every minute in Chicago two weeks from Sunday. Even if no one else did, I would enjoy it enough for the entire stadium!

I am so grateful to still have them.
Mike

Martinuk100 said:
To me they seem really under rehearsed. The renditions of The Joshua Tree tracks seem really flat and like they're just going through the motions. Bono sounds like he's really struggling with his voice. U2 are perfectionists, they can't possibly be happy with how this is going.

Lets be honest, it's obvious the delay in finishing up and touring Songs of Experience has forced them into doing these gigs to keep Live Nation happy. I have my ticket for London in July and I'm sure I'll enjoy the gig, but it's sad to see the band in decline like this.
Click to expand...
 
mikemiller44 said:
OMG. I can't believe some people! If I were Bono, reading posts like this would make me want to say 'fuck it all' and drink Guinness for the rest of my life rather than playing for underappreciative "fans".

They are in their late fifties fer Chrissake! How could Live Nation POSSIBLY be dictating that they go out on tour now? The last cycle was two years ago. A band of their stature could easily wait five years, if not more, between tours. Live Nation should just thank God U2 is not Peter Gabriel.

They are out there playing their heart out, have a huge payroll in a shitty-ass global economy, and clock in for work each show instead of offing themselves (I know, too soon--far too soon). I know I am going to savor every minute in Chicago two weeks from Sunday. Even if no one else did, I would enjoy it enough for the entire stadium!

I am so grateful to still have them.
Mike

Martinuk100 said:
To me they seem really under rehearsed. The renditions of The Joshua Tree tracks seem really flat and like they're just going through the motions. Bono sounds like he's really struggling with his voice. U2 are perfectionists, they can't possibly be happy with how this is going.

Lets be honest, it's obvious the delay in finishing up and touring Songs of Experience has forced them into doing these gigs to keep Live Nation happy. I have my ticket for London in July and I'm sure I'll enjoy the gig, but it's sad to see the band in decline like this.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Saying something is too soon does not excuse the comment. That is fucked.

Re the point about Live Nation - they have clearly pushed touring plans for i+e back because of delays, so it isn't out of the realms of possibility that they have been 'coerced' into the tour.

That said, I don't buy the bit about them being under-rehearsed, flat, not into it. I think these shows are going great, and they appear in really good form.
 
You're right, I shouldn't have thrown a controversial OT comment into it. This isn't social media where I can just say whatever the hell I want. I haven't "forum'ed" in ages. It may be too late for me to start now.

Mike
 
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