Aussie Support Act

[Arcadion]

There'll be more than one support act. I'm sure you'll get your guitars as well.

Yeah, and it'll probably be Jet

 

[MacHat]

This weirds me out big time

 

[fingal77]

I'm glad I bought seated tickets now - I will enjoy a meal in the city and not get there early as once thought - how and oh why is it Keane West??? At least last time we got sidewinder and the time before we got Big Audio Dynamite...I would rather see the wiggles up there than that crap!!!

 

[Popmartijn]

This is inhumane.

As a comfort, you'll probably have a double dose of Vertigo to look forward to.


*wouldn't have minded seeing Kanye West*

 

[dazzlingamy]

OH GOOOOOOOOD!

Jet would have been brilliant!

Oh im so going to love the rabid "hip hop" GA fans now....all slutty girls trying to flash their bling ring at kaaaaaanyeeeeeeeee *laughs*

 

[brownda7]

I suppose it can't be as bad as in 1993 when we had kim salmon (and the surrealists) who sang some song about cockroaches.....or could it be worse...............

 

[Axver]

Bloody hell, it's been confirmed: http://www.u2.com/news/index.php?mode=full&news_id=1850

14.12.2005
Kanye For NZ and Oz
Kanye West will play support on dates with U2 in New Zealand and Australia.

The news is pretty timely as the Grammy winning producer and rapper from Chicago opens for U2 on their final four shows in the US starting tonight in St Louis.

In March Kanye will rejoin the band for dates in New Zealand and Australia.

Kanye was nominated for another eight Grammy Awards last week including Album of the Year for Late Registration - up against an album called How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb!

More on U2's Vertigo 06 dates here

Geez, Kings Of Leon looks good now. They just had to bring us a useless sack of drivel now didn't they?

The worst part of all this is that if you're going GA, you're going to have to endure this crap. I'd love to trade in my GAs for seats now, but with decent seats being more expensive (and with me not trusting Australian audiences to stand up and get into it), that's not going to happen, and once U2's on stage, I'd much prefer GA anyway. Well, I'll be taking the biggest earplugs known to man for Kanye's set, that's for sure.

Really, what idiot thought Kanye is a good choice to open for U2?

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Jet??? You pay $100+ for a ticket to see U2 and you'd be happy for them to book a crappy cover band as the support act???

 

[Axver]

I can't figure out what would be worse, Kanye or Jet.

 

[neilm]

This better not be true.

I'm afraid it is Axver. I'm far from happy too.

 

[neilm]

Jet??? You pay $100+ for a ticket to see U2 and you'd be happy for them to book a crappy cover band as the support act???

To be fair, I'd rather see a crappy rock cover band than crappy Kanye West.

Still, each to their own if you like that kind of thing. I know where I'll be when he's on, and it won't be in my seat.

 

[timothius]

Kanye West isn't that bad.

It could have been a lot worse. I haven't heard a lot of his stuff, but Jesus Walks was great. I watched an interview with him and he seems reasonably atriculate and more interested in social justice and humanity than crack and hoes.

Open your minds guys with support acts, you never know when you might actually enjoy somthing a little left of center.

 

[Axver]

It could have been a lot worse.

Like how? I really struggle to see what could be worse, excluding other rap/hiphop acts.

I mean, geez, I'm going to a rock show, I'd like it to be opened by a band that can play music rather than something to give me a headache.

I wish I could reserve my spot in GA and vanish elsewhere during Kanye's act.

 

[timothius]

Like how? I really struggle to see what could be worse, excluding other rap/hiphop acts.

I mean, geez, I'm going to a rock show, I'd like it to be opened by a band that can play music rather than something to give me a headache.

Easily. Part of the beauty of festivals or big tours with multiple supports is that you get to experience artists and genres you otherwise wouldn't.

For example Silverchair has never been my cup of tea. I liked one or two of their tunes but never dug deeper - I passed them off as trash rockers. Saw them at WaveAid (whilst waiting for Midnight Oil/Finn Brothers) and was completely blown away... they were brilliant. Same with Ben Lee at Homebake as well, I thought he was nothing more than a one hit goose with a heavy folk sound (not my natural style), but he was aweeeeeeeeesome live.

There is nothing less bareable than watching some hack rock acts just strum random sequences of power chords for 45 minutes - I'm looking at you Jet, Grinspoon, COG. I would much rather somone who is at the top of their craft... even if its one that isn't naturally up my alley.

 

[DignityPassesBy]

I agree wtih tim on this one ... i usually hate hip hop and rap but after watching interviews and listening to his album he seems pretty good. I would have rathered The Killers or Snow Patrol but this will do fine ... I don't care anyway i'm going to see U2 and i dont care how i have to do it

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Kanye is a very long way from the bling/gangsta hip-hop that otherwise dominates our radio. He plays up to that market a bit, via some of his clips etc, but if you read through his lyrics, or find online some interviews with him, you'll find he's a completely different thing. At one end of hip-hop you've got the very socially conscious, forward thinking/acting, musically interesting groups like Jurassic 5, Blackalicious etc, and at the other end you've got the fucking awful gangsta/bitches morons like 50 Cent. Kanye sits smack in the middle. He uses the slick pop production, and like I said plays up to some of the MTV Hip Hop imagery, but seriously, listen to his lyrics or the general subject matter of his songs for starters.

Of all the above named acts, Jet/Arcade Fire/Kings of Leon etc, it's actually Kanye that is the closest cousin of U2.

Also, personally, I far prefer seeing a mini-mixed bag of acts in one hit rather than 2 or 3 times the same thing. I love it when a support act is a completely different genre or style to the main act. Expecially if it's someone I wouldn't necessarily buy a ticket to otherwise.

I suspect overall Kanye will go down very very well. My only concern would be how well it translates into a stadium. But if there's a hungry excitable crowd all there during his set, his upbeat ass-shaking style may be the perfect tonic. An opening act is also in a sense the party starter, and a moody rock act doesn't always come across well.

 

[DignityPassesBy]

I can't wait anylonger ... why can't it be tomorrow

 

[neilm]

As I said earlier it's very much each to their own. I have a very open mind when it comes to music and if you saw my music collection you'd know that. I've also played in and with many different styles of bands, so I'm pretty easy going when it comes to most styles of music.

I'm one who has heard Kanye's latest offering and I can honestly say that I'm simply not a fan. Whether he's 'up market' hip hop or not, it's just not the style of music I'm particulary in to. He may well be one of the biggest hip hop artists on the scene at the moment, but that isn't enough to convince me to like his music.

I will probably catch some of his set out of interest and if I come away liking what I hear live then fair play. However, in general I honestly believe he'll be "up against it" with a U2 audience, and the reason I say this is because I've seen it happen to far bigger acts supporting U2 over the years.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

I'm one who has heard Kanye's latest offering and I can honestly say that I'm simply not a fan. Whether he's 'up market' hip hop or not, it's just not the style of music I'm particulary in to. He may well be one of the biggest hip hop artists on the scene at the moment, but that isn't enough to convince me to like his music.

That's completely cool, I was more referring to those who seemed to be writing him off, maybe because they simply lump him into a commercial FM radio/MTV type stereotype of what all hip-hop is.

 

[neilm]

Cool with me too Earnie!

 

[pepokiss]

give him that giant boot used to kick Bart Simpson

 

[ShoutLikeStars]

Kanye is da man ya'll.

Nah seriously, he's good. And I don't generally like much hip hop, not the commercial US stuff anyway.

 

[Axver]

He uses the slick pop production, and like I said plays up to some of the MTV Hip Hop imagery, but seriously, listen to his lyrics or the general subject matter of his songs for starters.

Whatever lyrical depth he may have is totally lost for me by his style. It grates and I simply don't enjoy it. I love a whole truckload of stuff and I normally can't get enough of new music of all shapes and styles, but Kanye's is not for me.

Also, personally, I far prefer seeing a mini-mixed bag of acts in one hit rather than 2 or 3 times the same thing. I love it when a support act is a completely different genre or style to the main act. Expecially if it's someone I wouldn't necessarily buy a ticket to otherwise.

Personally, I just want someone who's good. I can't think of the last time U2 had a truly good opening act.

 

[indra]

Whatever lyrical depth he may have is totally lost for me by his style. It grates and I simply don't enjoy it. I love a whole truckload of stuff and I normally can't get enough of new music of all shapes and styles, but Kanye's is not for me.

I must say I agree with you on this.

Rap/hiphop/etc. in general is just not appealing to me at all. It's like seafood. I don't like seafood -- not the way it tastes, not the way it smells. I don't mind that other people like it, but I don't. No matter how perfectly prepared it is, I simply do not like it.

Kanye might very well be quite good in his genre, but it's not a genre I care for at all.

 

[DignityPassesBy]

Personally, I just want someone who's good. I can't think of the last time U2 had a truly good opening act.

Rage Against The Machine, The Killers, Snow Patrol theres 3 good ones

 

[Axver]

Rap/hiphop/etc. in general is just not appealing to me at all. It's like seafood. I don't like seafood -- not the way it tastes, not the way it smells. I don't mind that other people like it, but I don't. No matter how perfectly prepared it is, I simply do not like it.

My thoughts exactly. I appreciate that others enjoy it and that there's sometimes talent involved (I say 'sometimes' considering your usual commercial rap/hiphop on MTV is nonsense), but that doesn't make it pleasant for me to hear.

Rage Against The Machine, The Killers, Snow Patrol theres 3 good ones

The Killers? I think they're one of the worst bands ever.

Snow Patrol have done nothing for me, and I've no real opinion on RATM.

 

[DignityPassesBy]

go and listen to rage against the machine ... NOW lol ... they're great. I know you don't like the killers i do that partly to annoy you and because i like them ... Snow patrol are good though

 

[timothius]

RATM's first album is a classic, in all meanings of the word.

 

[boomchabono]

kanye west will be remembered by the music industry as a great artist. ive seen u2 at manchester, and have now booked two tickets to see kanye next feb also in manchester - and to be honest, im not a rap fan (50 cent, eminem, dre etc...) but lyrically and politically kanye west is one to watch. ive seen him at live 8, and he was without doubt one of the highlights.

i think its unfair that certain members of this forum are childish, as i for one do not go round slagging off other acts.

mr. west has only gone from strength to strength, and i salute him for that.

 

[neilm]

RATM's first album is a classic, in all meanings of the word.

I couldn't agree more.