SPOILERS - Vancouver Rehearsals Part 2

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Mt issue with the the new song closing isn't really about the new song per se, nor do I have any issue with them breaking out Miss Sarajevo... but if the set sticks this way they're closing out the encore with three straight ballads, the last two ranging from lesser known to completely unknown. It seems like they're asking for the casuals to stream to the exits after One.

 

[AndrewCowley]

My fear with them playing a new song last is that they will note the lack of reaction from the audience and yet again start double thinking and doubting the new material in general. Expecting anyithing other than a no-reaction is unrealistic in my view. But look at the recent history with The Troubles. A strong song that was moth balled after only a few live outings. Killed by being played as the last song and falling short of what U2 wanted.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

The Troubles was never played as the last song in an i/e set

 

[dan_smee]

My fear with them playing a new song last is that they will note the lack of reaction from the audience and yet again start double thinking and doubting the new material in general. Expecting anyithing other than a no-reaction is unrealistic in my view. But look at the recent history with The Troubles. A strong song that was moth balled after only a few live outings. Killed by being played as the last song and falling short of what U2 wanted.

But the troubles was never the last song...

Also, they were stoked with the reaction to North Star on 360, with people even singing it back to them despite it not being released - on one show, Bono even stopped and listened, and then said "that would be the internet". They still dumped it.

 

[AndrewCowley]

But the troubles was never the last song...

Also, they were stoked with the reaction to North Star on 360, with people even singing it back to them despite it not being released - on one show, Bono even stopped and listened, and then said "that would be the internet". They still dumped it.

Shite, my I&E setlist knowledge is seriously lacking. I'll stick to my point though. New song is bad since they'll unfairly judge the lack of audience reaction as an excuse to bring in another round of producers.

 

[cobl04]

But the troubles was never the last song...

Also, they were stoked with the reaction to North Star on 360, with people even singing it back to them despite it not being released - on one show, Bono even stopped and listened, and then said "that would be the internet". They still dumped it.

Pretty sure that was Mercy.

No one in their right mind would sing back a song as fucking awfully boring as North Star.

 

[BVS]

He did do a snippet of Beyonce's Single Ladies during Glastonbury (look it up) so its ine step away from that.

:facepalm:

 

[trevgreg]

It was North Star.

 

[dan_smee]

Pretty sure that was Mercy.

No one in their right mind would sing back a song as fucking awfully boring as North Star.

It was North Star - the crowd was singing "for your love" over and over.

Shame they didn't play Stop (the Poverty)...

 

[BVS]

Shite, my I&E setlist knowledge is seriously lacking. I'll stick to my point though. New song is bad since they'll unfairly judge the lack of audience reaction as an excuse to bring in another round of producers.

I guess if there was black cloud, you'd be the one to find it.

They're damned if they do, damned if they don't.

 

[Hollow Island]

there's a tendency here to bemoan U2's pandering and reliance on warhorses while being concerned that playing non-hits will alienate casual fans.

it's very strange.

Closing the show with 40 is an obvious move, but it's obvious for a reason, especially if they open with SBS. Power to the People/40 would be an awesome and fitting end to the show, but closing with three ballads would be unsatisfying. I prefer a more rousing final song (It's the End of the World as We Know It, Never Let Me Down).

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

there's a tendency here to bemoan U2's pandering and reliance on warhorses while being concerned that playing non-hits will alienate casual fans.

it's very strange.

Closing the show with 40 is an obvious move, but it's obvious for a reason, especially if they open with SBS. Power to the People/40 would be an awesome and fitting end to the show, but closing with three ballads would be unsatisfying. I prefer a more rousing final song (It's the End of the World as We Know It, Never Let Me Down).

agreed - i readily encourage them to play new songs and mix up the setlist more often... heck, i'm even perhaps one of three people on these boards who doesn't think Miss Sarajevo is a "waste of a setlist spot." but three ballads, one of them lesser known and one of them unknown to close out a show is, as you put it, unsatisfying and is asking for the crowd to start heading to the exits early. if you're going to player a lesser known song in the encore at least have it be something uptempo that'll get the crowd jumping up and down.

i'd love to see them try hitting us over the head for the final song... why not throw out Electric Co, or Gloria or Two Hearts. As much as I love Moment of Surrender, closing with Out of Control at MetLife just brought another level of excitement out of the crowd.

 

[kabigon]

Encore 1

The Little Things That Give You Away
Ultraviolet
Miss Sarajevo


Encore 2

Electric Co./Gloria/Two Hearts
One
Beautiful Day

 

[corianderstem]

Or they see people leaving and think "hm, maybe we should get a different closing song." Which would be the logical response, so clearly the response the band will have.


LOLOLOLOLOLOL

 

[zoopop]

Anyone know if Bono is playing guitar?


5 days till opening night I'm sure U2 will add a few more songs. Think the song total will be 23-24. I'm sure the focus is getting the Joshua Tree songs down.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Did Bono ever really play guitar? I kid I kid.

Interesting question... Something that should be asked if anyone bumps into anyone invovled with the band. Some of the arrangements for JT call for two guitars... so yea. Good question.

 

[Axver]

- Will any songs before War sow up?
- Will the new song slot in at the end, as expected?
- Will ASOH, SBS, or a song as yet unrehearsed open the set?
- Will they add to the 21 that have been rehearsed?

- Yes, I bloody hope so. You'd think IWF and OOC will find their way into the show.
- No. No way it closes.
- If they open with an early eighties song, SBS or IWF will do it. I don't see ASOH as an opener myself. To me the natural spot is as a segue to Streets. Trying to revive the clunky Pride segue of the Vertigo Tour is just baffling.
- You'd bloody expect them to. I assumed this show would clock in at 24 songs minimum.

I wonder how prepared U2gigs mods are to include Bieber's "Baby" as a snippet, in UltraViolet.

Frankly, I'm more unhappy about logging UV performances on U2gigs than I would be about any Bieber snippet. Snippets like that are just funny.

My favourite odd snippet, by the way, is Come On Eileen in SBS: U2 Montreal, 2005-11-28, Bell Centre, Vertigo Tour - U2 on tour / The most evil U2 setlist article ever written - U2gigs.com

Mt issue with the the new song closing isn't really about the new song per se, nor do I have any issue with them breaking out Miss Sarajevo... but if the set sticks this way they're closing out the encore with three straight ballads, the last two ranging from lesser known to completely unknown. It seems like they're asking for the casuals to stream to the exits after One.

Yep, agreed. This is like 360 all over again. I just don't get why U2 in recent years have gone for soft ballads in these big shows rather than the stadium anthems and rockers that are made for the setting.

The encore needs more energy. Hopefully it will get it as rehearsals progress. On that note, it's very interesting there's no sign of Vertigo, which I expected in the encore.

The Troubles was never played as the last song in an i/e set

For at least one show it was on the printed setlist as the last song of the main set. But I think that was one of the nights in late May 2015 when it simply wasn't played at all. Its four IE Tour performances all came second-last, between BD and WOWY.

 

[Hollow Island]

i'd love to see them try hitting us over the head for the final song... why not throw out Electric Co, or Gloria or Two Hearts. As much as I love Moment of Surrender, closing with Out of Control at MetLife just brought another level of excitement out of the crowd.

Man, closing with Out of Control

Must have felt pretty good leaving the venue!

 

[Hollow Island]

Here's Depeche Mode's current encore:

Somebody
Walking In My Shoes
"Heroes" (!)
I Feel You
Personal Jesus

I'm not huge on the last song, but that's how you end a stadium show!

 

[Zoomerang96]

considering what this (mini) tour is all about, i think this is a pretty fantastic setlist judging by their rehearsals.

genuinely wish i could check this tour out

 

[zoopop]

considering what this (mini) tour is all about, i think this is a pretty fantastic setlist judging by their rehearsals.

genuinely wish i could check this tour out

I'm just excited ( I know not to get too excited) but no Elevation or Vertigo


But looking at the set it just kind of has this ballsy, yes we wrote the JT & many other hits, but were also U2 & this is who we are now/feel.

BD
Ultraviolet
One
Miss Sarajevo
New Song


That is a pretty different encore than years past. It will have a different feel. No Streets or WOWY

 

[Anu]

I would love love love love to see a rotation of JT87 era cover songs such as Help, Helter Skelter, Watchtower, People Get Ready, Maggie's Farm (with nods to #45 or #brexit). Also a Streets reprise late in the set would work.

 

[Hewson]

The listed start time for the US shows is either 6:30 or 7:00 depending on venue.
Normally concerts have a 7:30 start time listed.
There will definitely be more than 21 songs. Unless they are allocating 2 hours for the Lumineers.

 

[prbiker15]

I think the special guests will play for an hour this time around, as they are all well-known bands. It will still give U2 enough time to play a 135-150 minute set.

 

[superchuk5]

Unless they are allocating 2 hours for the Lumineers.

Good God they better not

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I think the special guests will play for an hour this time around, as they are all well-known bands. It will still give U2 enough time to play a 135-150 minute set.

fuck that noise. nobody needs to hear an hour of one republic.

 

[PhilsFan]

Did Bono ever really play guitar? I kid I kid.

Interesting question... Something that should be asked if anyone bumps into anyone invovled with the band. Some of the arrangements for JT call for two guitars... so yea. Good question.

Running to Stand Still, In God's Country, and Exit are the three big ones. The only arrangement in which Bono has not played guitar on any of those three is on the ZooTV version of Running to Stand Still in which Edge played guitar instead of piano.

Obviously Bono has also played guitar at times on other songs, namely the better live versions of With or Without You, but I think that's been fully abandoned since about 1993.

 

[corianderstem]

I really, really, really do not want them to pull out the old "pull up someone to play People Get Ready." Snooze. Not everything old has to be new again.

 

[jimyc]

Running to Stand Still, In God's Country, and Exit are the three big ones. The only arrangement in which Bono has not played guitar on any of those three is on the ZooTV version of Running to Stand Still in which Edge played guitar instead of piano.

Obviously Bono has also played guitar at times on other songs, namely the better live versions of With or Without You, but I think that's been fully abandoned since about 1993.

Could there be an "extra" musician for this tour?

 

[zoopop]

WOWY being so early in the set he might play with the guitar (if he can play/strum guitar).

WOWY has kind of been the show stopping/visual fest/encore song since Zoo TV. Its gonna feel different having it in the middle of the set.