Why did they choose to exude little things and drop red flag day?

[sgera]

I find it really odd that two of the most sought after songs on this album are not being played as regulars.

Little things was there on the JT30 shows and from the polls is clearly the #1 record on the album while red flag day seemed to go off very well when it was played a few times earlier on this tour but then mysteriously dropped.

Thoughts?




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[Mac_Fly]

I find it really odd that two of the most sought after songs on this album are not being played as regulars.

Little things was there on the JT30 shows and from the polls is clearly the #1 record on the album while red flag day seemed to go off very well when it was played a few times earlier on this tour but then mysteriously dropped.

Thoughts?

Too slow and draggy for the most part.

It's a good song to perform in isolation -- as they did on the Tonight Show, but it's a momentum killer for a live show.

I remember during the Vertigo tour in Tampa, during the encore they launched into The First Time and it just did not work. A total nosedive. It's a great song that I love, but there's such a thing as the right time and place for every song.

Little Things is a hard one to fit into the lineup, well, that's in my head anyway. Hard to imagine the fit.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Because they're dumb.

 

[lazarus]

Because they're dumb.

 

[hasin73]

They are saving Little Things for Australia.

 

[kabigon]

Terra nullius is here

 

[lazarus]

They are saving Little Things for Australia.

The Little Shrimp You Throw On The Barbie

 

[The_acrobat]

During the final 3rd, Little Things takes off into the stratosphere the way few modern U2 songs do. I think they’re crazy to not play it.

RFD, who the fuck knows. Maybe it just doesn’t fit their precious narrative... although I can’t think of what ABOY or Gloria have in common that fill the similar spot in said narrative.

I’m just glad that I saw RFD at the one Experience show I went to. I also saw California at my only Innocence show, so that’s good too.

 

[martha]

For all their talk of relevance, nostalgia looms large with these guys. That might explain how ABOY and Gloria fit into the narrative.

 

[The_acrobat]

In my opinion, ABOY is one of the few songs in U2's catalog that needs a 2nd guitar. It just sounds weak as fuck without one. It just needs a full time rhythm guitar, while Edge plays the lead over the top of it. When Edge plays a solo, or one of the lead parts, the bottom of the song just drops out.

I've always thought U2 should just have a 2nd guitarist//keyboardist/backing vocalist onstage with them.

 

[sgera]

Just got back from the Newark show - ABOY sounded decent ... but was actually amazed at how well American Soul, GOYW and acoustic best thing worked live ... it’s a great live album ... appreciate those songs much more now


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[clerks]

The 1 song I figured had no chance to be played, opened the show.
The 1 song I was sure would be played live, hasn't yet -- The Showman.

So what the fuck do we know?

 

[Hewson]

The Little Shrimp You Throw On The Barbie

All times the beer is warm Foster's
It’s warm Foster's
Australia's beer
All times
All times, all times, all times
Sometimes when the Foster's glass shatters
Shrimp is the only thing that matters
But I can’t taste it without beers
All times the beer is warm Foster's
It’s warm Foster's
Australia's beer
All times

 

[lazarus]

Sometimes I think I'm Paul Hogan
but I'm just really a bogan
and I'm covered in beer

 

[Irvine511]

All times the beer is warm Foster's

It’s warm Foster's

Australia's beer

All times

All times, all times, all times

Sometimes when the Foster's glass shatters

Shrimp is the only thing that matters

But I can’t taste it without beers

All times the beer is warm Foster's

It’s warm Foster's

Australia's beer

All times

This was really great. Thank you.

 

[corianderstem]

Don't we all exude little things?

 

[The John Tree]

I think thematically they had a hard time fitting Little Things in. It's a song, literally, about Innocence and Experience arguing with each other. Bono's younger self challenging his current state in the verses, before the breakdown at the end seems to be Bono's confession about fearing his mortality/relevance/place in the world.

The problem with this is that, within the 'story' of the show, it fits in two places: right at the beginning, or right at the end. Love Is All We Have Left tackles the same theme and, in my opinion, is the better opener. So that leaves closing with it - which wouldn't be a bad idea. But they seem attached to 13 (which I like as well).

I suppose they could play Love Is Bigger... and then play Little Things, before finally ending with 13. If I had my way, that's what they'd do.

Edited to add: Dropping Red Flag Day entirely is ridiculous. I understand alternating it with Gloria, if that's what they want to do, but to have All Because Of You (a dud) in there over Red Flag Day is just nuts.

 

[zoopop]

I think thematically they had a hard time fitting Little Things in. It's a song, literally, about Innocence and Experience arguing with each other. Bono's younger self challenging his current state in the verses, before the breakdown at the end seems to be Bono's confession about fearing his mortality/relevance/place in the world.

The problem with this is that, within the 'story' of the show, it fits in two places: right at the beginning, or right at the end. Love Is All We Have Left tackles the same theme and, in my opinion, is the better opener. So that leaves closing with it - which wouldn't be a bad idea. But they seem attached to 13 (which I like as well).

I suppose they could play Love Is Bigger... and then play Little Things, before finally ending with 13. If I had my way, that's what they'd do.

Edited to add: Dropping Red Flag Day entirely is ridiculous. I understand alternating it with Gloria, if that's what they want to do, but to have All Because Of You (a dud) in there over Red Flag Day is just nuts.

Good idea.

Don't get me started on Red Flag Day. It went over so well. 3 minute banger showcasing U2 of old. Fits great with the IWF/Gloria rotation. I just don't understand

 

[tommycharles]

The thing is... this show is already pretty long.

I’d love it if they’d make RFD, ABOY and Gloria all regulars in the first half, played Showman before Acrobat, Summer of Love before Staring at the Sun, restored Raised by Wolves and Wild Horses. But it’s just not practical - both from the band and the audience’s standpoint.

Interestingly, even in that dream world, I still can’t find a place for Little Things in the current set.

 

[clerks]

The ocean. Iris. Cedar wood road. Sunday Bloody Sunday. I will follow. Beautiful day. All could be replaced with new songs.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

The thing is... this show is already pretty long.

I’d love it if they’d make RFD, ABOY and Gloria all regulars in the first half, played Showman before Acrobat, Summer of Love before Staring at the Sun, restored Raised by Wolves and Wild Horses. But it’s just not practical - both from the band and the audience’s standpoint.

Interestingly, even in that dream world, I still can’t find a place for Little Things in the current set.

I saw Springsteen play a 4 hour show.

Never did I say "oh my god, I wish this was show was only 2 1/2 hours, for both my sake and for Bruce's!"

 

[clerks]

Which U2 song has the lyrics "And all my innocence has died" and would fit the show perfectly?