This is NOT what we wanted

[miryclayu2]

SBS was fine both nights I saw it in 201. I just think the entire opening has a "I guess this will do" vibe beyond the work needed for ASOH. They tried another opener the week before the Vancouver show.

EVERYTHING about this tour is thrown together. Merch/vidoes/lighting/setlist etc... They didn't even know about it until after x-mas. Corbijn filmed one of the screen videos in the BC Place parking lot 36 hours before opening night.

There's no "story" I can see beyond playing the songs in loose chronological order. Pride/Streets seems to be the only transition that stand outs to me. I still dont' know why the tour exist beyond some vague "more relevant than ever" PR quote fluff and some live nation arm twisting.

All of the narratives post zoo and pop have been questionable and dubious.

 

[BVS]

All of the narratives post zoo and pop have been questionable and dubious.

This really makes no sense to me. What were the narratives pre zoo?

I think iE was one of the most solid narratives they've ever had.

 

[miryclayu2]

This really makes no sense to me. What were the narratives pre zoo?

I think iE was one of the most solid narratives they've ever had.

The abuse and harrassment continues from BVS. Could it be that you accept general ill-fitting narratives that don't really apply to songs in a coherent manner? Indeed, nothing makes sense anyone.

 

[Hewson]

This really makes no sense to me. What were the narratives pre zoo?

I think iE was one of the most solid narratives they've ever had.

The abuse and harrassment continues from BVS. .

Seriously, where is there "abuse and harassment" in BVS' post?
Clearly you have an issue with him from whatever your former screen name was.

 

[BVS]

The abuse and harrassment continues from BVS. Could it be that you accept general ill-fitting narratives that don't really apply to songs in a coherent manner? Indeed, nothing makes sense anyone.

Stop playing victim. There was no harassment.

Dumbass, idiot; these are words of harassment. Guess who has used those? Not me.

I just said it doesn't make sense to me, if you'd like to explain further, please feel free and actually engage, but stop with this bs.

 

[BVS]

My whole point about "narratives" is that yes it's U2 and they often try and build a narrative, most of the time it's a very loose one, others it's just odd(I'm looking at you spaceship), but iE and JT have been some of the strongest they've done.

But it's odd isn't it, how many bands just tour to play songs?! So I found Peter's criticism very strange. Nothing feels slapped together, the setlist may not be perfect but the second night was solid, filming visuals during the tour is not anything new, so the whole thing felt like a stretch.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I think Ax's comments about SBS' stature are spot on -- it IS a huge, iconic U2 song.

For me this is partially why it seems odd as an opener. Don't think I've ever seen a concert by anyone open with one of their biggest, well known hits right out of the gate.

I've seen Springsteen play Badlands as the apex of the first set, and I've seen him open the show with it.

I've never once thought "aww shit the song has lost something being this early."

I know U2 fans are conditioned to expecting a very theatrically set up entrance for Streets at the peak of the show, but honestly it isn't that big a deal. Acts that play rotating setlists do this all the time.

 

[Anu]

I am pretty happy with the song selection other than *some* of the encore, and I agree with the "where's the Rattle & Hum" camp.

There seems to be a respect for the iconic and enduring motives for the show, social and spiritual. Bands digging back catalog and playing whole albums has become "a thing," and I am hoping this thing gets better with more shows.

But then there is the fear that this is a cynical, Live-Nation-driven late-career grab. I agree with the band's creative commitment to the values that brought us JT & our need for them now.

But tucked in the complaint about SBS opening was the remark about Bono's voice. His range sounds clipped in the video clips, & I miss the soaring. He seems a little stuck with a little
grit in his singing. Right now that is my biggest worry with this show. I hope he takes care of himself!

That & the synthy switch to the Sort Of Homecoming opening, which is a song I am still itching to hear live!!!

 

[U2FanPeter]

Visually speaking you can tell it was very slapped together

Visuals for the opening songs have a "this will do" vibe to them.

Sight lines for every GA ticket are wonky no matter where you stand. Most of the sight lines from the stands have little to clearly see band wise without binoculars. My neck is still a bit sore from Seattle.

8k on a 200 foot screen may be nifty, but it doesn't change the fact it's just a half dozen Corbijn screen savers you payed hundreds to see. Do 90% of the audience know why grannies are holding candles? The crew just pressed the pause button on the grannies when Bono did stage banter in Vancouver.

Willie does pre production on U2 tours years before opening night. This tour didn't exist until a couple weeks before tickets dropped.

I face palm when I see Lena Dunham's face next to Maya Angelou, Melinda Gates....etc.

 

[BVS]

Visuals for the opening songs have a "this will do" vibe to them.



Sight lines for every GA ticket are wonky no matter where you stand. Most of the sight lines from the stands have little to clearly see band wise without binoculars. My neck is still a bit sore from Seattle.



8k on a 200 foot screen may be nifty, but it doesn't change the fact it's just a half dozen Corbijn screen savers you payed hundreds to see. Do 90% of the audience know why grannies are holding candles? The crew just pressed the pause button on the grannies when Bono did stage banter in Vancouver.



Willie does pre production on U2 tours years before opening night. This tour didn't exist until a couple weeks before tickets dropped.



I face palm when I see Lena Dunham's face next to Maya Angelou, Melinda Gates....etc.

You could say this about any u2 stadium tour; you could reduce it down to just screensavers, did the audience know why the ladies faces were censored and rotating, sightlines , nothing you're saying is unique to this show. It reads like you're just bitching to bitch.

 

[Iggy Fizz]

Visuals for the opening songs have a "this will do" vibe to them.

Sight lines for every GA ticket are wonky no matter where you stand. Most of the sight lines from the stands have little to clearly see band wise without binoculars. My neck is still a bit sore from Seattle.

8k on a 200 foot screen may be nifty, but it doesn't change the fact it's just a half dozen Corbijn screen savers you payed hundreds to see. Do 90% of the audience know why grannies are holding candles? The crew just pressed the pause button on the grannies when Bono did stage banter in Vancouver.

Willie does pre production on U2 tours years before opening night. This tour didn't exist until a couple weeks before tickets dropped.

I face palm when I see Lena Dunham's face next to Maya Angelou, Melinda Gates....etc.

Is Lena also married to a billionaire who can give a swift kick to Bono's charities? That would help explain that one.

I face palmed the Melinda call out.

 

[Northside]

Willie does pre production on U2 tours years before opening night. This tour didn't exist until a couple weeks before tickets dropped.

When conceiving a show from scratch, he needs lots of time. In this case, they had the original tour's aesthetic as a starting point. I dig it.

 

[U2FanPeter]

You could say this about any u2 stadium tour; you could reduce it down to just screensavers, did the audience know why the ladies faces were censored and rotating, sightlines , nothing you're saying is unique to this show. It reads like you're just bitching to bitch.

Worlds biggest tv screen in Seattle and not a single frame of real time colour video was seen by the crowd. Mumford or U2.

90% of the GA floor have no sightline at all for the b-stage.

There's at least 3 band interviews saying a couple JT shows known at Christmas turned into a full stadium tour. 5 month turn around including working on a new album and then April when band members were on different continents. I still don't know why THEY are doing this tour.

Corbijn is an acquired taste and IMO only has an artistic success rate 40% of the time. All of JT visuals were basically handed over to him.

 

[U2FanPeter]

When conceiving a show from scratch, he needs lots of time. In this case, they had the original tour's aesthetic as a starting point. I dig it.

They handed Willie/Anton a dusty vinyl copy of JT and asked them to do an hour of video like that?

Maybe 12-15 of the JT shows in 1987 had screens. I think all were colour.

 

[DeVaul]

Worlds biggest tv screen in Seattle and not a single frame of real time colour video was seen by the crowd. Mumford or U2.



90% of the GA floor have no sightline at all for the b-stage.

Nosebleeds and $300 seats alike get no video close-ups. GA gets limited sightlines. Red Zone gets a camera crane in the way.

Guy Oseary gets a boat.

 

[BVS]

Worlds biggest tv screen in Seattle and not a single frame of real time colour video was seen by the crowd. Mumford or U2.



90% of the GA floor have no sightline at all for the b-stage.



Corbijn is an acquired taste and IMO only has an artistic success rate 40% of the time. All of JT visuals were basically handed over to him.

I think you've reversed your numbers, I would say about 40% of GA has a limited view of the bstage, but once again, not exactly new to stadium shows.

Corbijn about 90%, makes sense he had the visuals

I'll have to watch again regarding no live color footage.

 

[BVS]

Nosebleeds and $300 seats alike get no video close-ups. GA gets limited sightlines. Red Zone gets a camera crane in the way.

Guy Oseary gets a boat.

What do you mean by close ups?



Once again though, not unique to this tour.

 

[miryclayu2]

CloseUps is the name of Oseary's boat. So much doubt BVS.

 

[BVS]

CloseUps is the name of Oseary's boat. So much doubt BVS.

Well I saw plenty of closeups, but not from Oseary's boat. But I wasn't sure if he was wanting I-can-see-your-fillings closeups, or if he was saying those seats couldn't see the closeups?

 

[miryclayu2]

It's a boat BVS. Everybody knows that. Your boat should be called 'are you sure that's a boat'?

 

[corianderstem]

I laughed watching Beautiful Day from GA on Sunday - when their heads are on the screen, I had no idea all 4 were actually there. From the seats on the side, Larry was in the "fold" and was completely invisible. Heh.

 

[DeVaul]

Well I saw plenty of closeups, but not from Oseary's boat. But I wasn't sure if he was wanting I-can-see-your-fillings closeups, or if he was saying those seats couldn't see the closeups?

Oh, I'm just saying things to make a joke. But apparently not much in the way of live (color) video according to U2FanPeter.

 

[BVS]

Oh, I'm just saying things to make a joke. But apparently not much in the way of live (color) video according to U2FanPeter.

Oh, whoops

 

[Iggy Fizz]

of all the things to not like about the show, the video screens were not on my list. For the most part I thought they were stunning. I was in GA, towards center of the floor to the right (facing stage) of the B Stage.

I agree sight lines were poor of the B Stage. Also some head scratching moments for some of the songs (e.g. RHMT very odd choice; TTYW girl in bikini was a bit cringe worthy as it went on way too long; BD was a mishmash and just terrible...)

there were others but I don't want to be too negative, as they show also had a few brilliant moments.

 

[BVS]

It's a boat BVS. Everybody knows that. Your boat should be called 'are you sure that's a boat'?

Why not the U.S.S. Persecution?

 

[miryclayu2]

That was taken.

U2 should do a 'What time is it in the world?' segment for this tour and just have a direct line to BVS forum questioning.

 

[BVS]

So I gave most of it a watch again, and there is very little color live footage but yes it exists. I wonder if it was an aesthetic decision based on the JT era or how they superimposed the live footage on the other.

Oh, and you half a dozen screensavers comment is even more laughable now.

So which footage did you think he shot the day before the show?

 

[georgemccauley]

I think the setlist and the flow of the show works. Having SBS as the opener gets the crowd going, and the energy up. Bono has those opening notes to warm his voice up. Where I think it gets a bit sticky is the transition from Pride into Streets.

I credit Tim from atu2 for coming up with a genius idea that i'm surprised they haven't done. MLK into Streets, it goes perfectly.

The majority seem to be a little disappointed with the encore and so far lack of rotation. Beautiful Day sounds incredibly fresh and recharged (not that it needed it) and proves to be a real highlight of the show. But Miss Sarajevo is a real mood killer and with Bono not singing the Italian parts it's not the best moment. I like them ending on a new song, and the new song is great so it's a balsy move.

If I could say anything it would be to vary up the encore, they still might do this as the tour progresses but after they play MOTD, they have so much freedom and a massive pallet of great songs to choose from for the encore.

I hope they play Zoo Station at least once as an encore opener or show closer, they could potentially thow in some Zooropa, plenty of Achtung and some Pop...... Yes Pop!.... although i'll have to pinch myself if they do!

 

[Iggy Fizz]

I think the setlist and the flow of the show works. Having SBS as the opener gets the crowd going, and the energy up. Bono has those opening notes to warm his voice up. Where I think it gets a bit sticky is the transition from Pride into Streets.

I credit Tim from atu2 for coming up with a genius idea that i'm surprised they haven't done. MLK into Streets, it goes perfectly.

The majority seem to be a little disappointed with the encore and so far lack of rotation. Beautiful Day sounds incredibly fresh and recharged (not that it needed it) and proves to be a real highlight of the show. But Miss Sarajevo is a real mood killer and with Bono not singing the Italian parts it's not the best moment. I like them ending on a new song, and the new song is great so it's a balsy move.

MLK>Streets is not exactly genius, this is what they did at the Super Bowl show. But I agree it would be awesome (or do Bad>40>Streets as on the Boston DVD)

were you at either show? BD was a dud. The sound was off and it was just flat. I haven't watched the video so maybe it translates differently.

 

[georgemccauley]

MLK>Streets is not exactly genius, this is what they did at the Super Bowl show. But I agree it would be awesome (or do Bad>40>Streets as on the Boston DVD)



were you at either show? BD was a dud. The sound was off and it was just flat. I haven't watched the video so maybe it translates differently.

I tuned in to both shows live and have checked out the YouTube videos multiple times. they sound fantastic, the crowd really don't seem to dig it much anymore though which is a big shame. I can guarantee constant hands in the air and jumping from my end! [emoji6]