Complain & regret: Why so many songs sound worse on 360 ...

[ZOOTVTOURist]

I'm not sure about that. Yes, U2 have songs they seem to play every tour, but so does Bruce. Born To Run, Thunder Road, Badlands, She's The One, The Promised Land, Dancing In The Dark, Lonesome Day seem to be played about every time.

Yes, but when you play up to 30 tunes, you are allowed to play 6 warhorses, aren't you? By the way "Thunder Road" is not a standard anymore, only played occasionally...

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

Complain & regret: 360 tour is U2's greatest failure – and end?

So, folks, following the rules of the forum: This thread is not about 360 tour in general, defending or praising it (there are many others) nor about the (imposant) stage design.

It is exclusively designed only for the people, that like to share their complain, regret and worries about the 360 tour regarding U2's present time and future (legs 1 & 2 plus the presale for the upcoming legs).

In my eyes and ears U2 have made an even bigger failure than in 1997/98, when they wanted to top ZOO TV with POPMart (which was spectacular by lokking great, too, but had the much better tour album ...).

Now U2 still have 10 years to go, before their deal with Live Nation is fullfilled and U2 may retire as a band. This at least is something, that can be underlined by band members like Larry, who said in interviews ("Q") he will have much more time ...
This means: Within the current standard U2 time windows, we have this tour, which will be finished in 2010. Then a gap, an album, a new tour. Then a gap, an album, a new tour – which already may be their last one. In other words: We are in the final chapters of U2's career, we arrive in their last decade!

The kick-off for this could not have been more comfortable. With excellent and crticalal/economical successful albums like ATYCLB and HTDAAB the band had gained new fans and had won back old fans, that were lost during their 90ies extravaganzas. Two tours with near to perfect, rotataing setlists rocked sold out places around the world.

But with NLOTH & 360 the times changed again – for the worse:

1. The choice of new songs: Bono said before the tour, now we want to play for a 'younger audience'. The same guy, who now seems to be disappointed, that the fans do not the get the album's message, when the 'new' tracks are played – with an obvious rather lacklustre reaction in the crowds. A statement, I really dislike. Are us fans really too stupid to get it, Bono? Or are your tunes worse than they were? Is your performance of them too uninspired? Did we lose it or did you lose, too?
And: Where are the gems like WAS and COL in the setlists? Where is a rocker like SUC, desperately needed for the flow? Why is a big part of the album completly neglected?

2. The choice of old songs: The band promised (as usual) setlist surprises. And, yes, they were: UV, TUF, ES (rare), YBR (as rare). Okay, and now? Compared to the outpouring and spontaneity in 2001 and 2005/06, this tour disappoints.

3. The singing style and the musical performance: Bono has cultivated a new way of singing this tour – that I really not appreciate that much. Take tunes like "Mysterious Ways" or "With Or Without You" – he urges himself (and me in the audience) for new melodies of these old classics. With this he mostly sounds off-key and sloppy. And, no, he is not Frank Sinatra.
Who thinks, the band is better, I am not sure. While I judge the band as an instrumental unit never sounded better, this is also a problem. It sounds clean, polished, CD-like. But I did love the raw guitar, the scratching, the up front riffs – now it is one wall of sound, too artificial, too composed.

4. The concept: There is no concept at all, just the spectacular stage, with U2 losing themselves upon, apart from muchh too choreographed staging around to certain songs. The machine has overcome the music.

5. The ticket prices: With selling themselves with heart & soul to Live Nation, we see U2 playing in every stadium, where money might be made within two years. Even when there are tickets available for a reasonable price, the big chunk of good seats and standing tickets are a rip off, pervertive prices for a 2 hour show. Even more so, when you think of the disastrous economical crisis in the world. U2 may have shown a wiser attitude to keep it simple this time a– and not to need own power stations to kepp their stage monster alive.

6. The credibility: U2 were always much more than just a stage, the music, the lyrics. They were a kind of mass phenomenon oppsosition, they were against establishment. Now they are the establishment. And I do not see, how, you can fill this gap ever again.

With following this path, I can not see, how the U2 I loved, can walk on. What do you think?

 

[Ellay]

I wanted to disagree with everything you said, But I'm struggling to.

Think the problem with this last album/tour in particular was the lack of focus. And I agree, the setlist could have been rotated more as well.

Your comments about being the establishment are poignant, However would you want them to just repeat the cycnical days of ZooTV, if they didnt move on, they be criticised for that as well.

 

[Diemen]

All of your points have already been brought up and discussed in your other complain & regret thread. I fail to see why we need more than one of these threads.

 

[Chrisedge]

I love how you ask...

What do you think?

But no one is allowed to say anything positive. This tour, like all other U2 tours has some issues, and has some greatness. Is this their best tour? Is this their worst tour? (I would say no, to both those questions)

 

[U2girl]

So, folks, following the rules of the forum: This thread is not about 360 tour in general, defending or praising it (there are many others) nor about the (imposant) stage design.

It is exclusively designed only for the people, that like to share their complain, regret and worries about the 360 tour regarding U2's present time and future (legs 1 & 2 plus the presale for the upcoming legs).

In my eyes and ears U2 have made an even bigger failure than in 1997/98, when they wanted to top ZOO TV with POPMart (which was spectacular by lokking great, too, but had the much better tour album ...).

Now U2 still have 10 years to go, before their deal with Live Nation is fullfilled and U2 may retire as a band. This at least is something, that can be underlined by band members like Larry, who said in interviews ("Q") he will have much more time ...
This means: Within the current standard U2 time windows, we have this tour, which will be finished in 2010. Then a gap, an album, a new tour. Then a gap, an album, a new tour – which already may be their last one. In other words: We are in the final chapters of U2's career, we arrive in their last decade!

The kick-off for this could not have been more comfortable. With excellent and crticalal/economical successful albums like ATYCLB and HTDAAB the band had gained new fans and had won back old fans, that were lost during their 90ies extravaganzas. Two tours with near to perfect, rotataing setlists rocked sold out places around the world.

But with NLOTH & 360 the times changed again – for the worse:

1. The choice of new songs: Bono said before the tour, now we want to play for a 'younger audience'. The same guy, who now seems to be disappointed, that the fans do not the get the album's message, when the 'new' tracks are played – with an obvious rather lacklustre reaction in the crowds. A statement, I really dislike. Are us fans really too stupid to get it, Bono? Or are your tunes worse than they were? Is your performance of them too uninspired? Did we lose it or did you lose, too?
And: Where are the gems like WAS and COL in the setlists? Where is a rocker like SUC, desperately needed for the flow? Why is a big part of the album completly neglected?

2. The choice of old songs: The band promised (as usual) setlist surprises. And, yes, they were: UV, TUF, ES (rare), YBR (as rare). Okay, and now? Compared to the outpouring and spontaneity in 2001 and 2005/06, this tour disappoints.

3. The singing style and the musical performance: Bono has cultivated a new way of singing this tour – that I really not appreciate that much. Take tunes like "Mysterious Ways" or "With Or Without You" – he urges himself (and me in the audience) for new melodies of these old classics. With this he mostly sounds off-key and sloppy. And, no, he is not Frank Sinatra.
Who thinks, the band is better, I am not sure. While I judge the band as an instrumental unit never sounded better, this is also a problem. It sounds clean, polished, CD-like. But I did love the raw guitar, the scratching, the up front riffs – now it is one wall of sound, too artificial, too composed.

4. The concept: There is no concept at all, just the spectacular stage, with U2 losing themselves upon, apart from muchh too choreographed staging around to certain songs. The machine has overcome the music.

5. The ticket prices: With selling themselves with heart & soul to Live Nation, we see U2 playing in every stadium, where money might be made within two years. Even when there are tickets available for a reasonable price, the big chunk of good seats and standing tickets are a rip off, pervertive prices for a 2 hour show. Even more so, when you think of the disastrous economical crisis in the world. U2 may have shown a wiser attitude to keep it simple this time a– and not to need own power stations to kepp their stage monster alive.

6. The credibility: U2 were always much more than just a stage, the music, the lyrics. They were a kind of mass phenomenon oppsosition, they were against establishment. Now they are the establishment. And I do not see, how, you can fill this gap ever again.

With following this path, I can not see, how the U2 I loved, can walk on. What do you think?

They do have 10 years left with Live Nation. Who says they'll stop when the current contract expires ? I agree we are in the latter stages of their career but I'm not sure they'll quit at 60, as long as Bono's voice and Larry's back/wrists hold on.

ATYCLB and HTDAAB (and their respective tours) had/have plenty of critisism. This isn't exclusive to NLOTH/360.

1. NLOTH did get more mixed reviews compared to other 00's albums. Why should that not be true live ? Personally I think the crowds did respond to new songs, Crazy and NLOTH were among the most popular songs in the entire show.

2. 2 legs done. Give it time. SUC, more rarities...it may yet happen.

3. He's sounded similar on the last two tours before 360.

4. The irony of this one is not lost...ever heard of the gigantic 90's tours ? Choreographed ? Spectacular stage ? And there is a concept.

5. Best tickets at 50 dollars (inflation aside, is that not the same they had with Elevation/Vertigo ?). Not bad for such an elaborate production.

6. You can't fight the establishment once you're the biggest band, and they have been since 1987.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

I wanted to disagree with everything you said, But I'm struggling to.

Think the problem with this last album/tour in particular was the lack of focus. And I agree, the setlist could have been rotated more as well.

Your comments about being the establishment are poignant, However would you want them to just repeat the cycnical days of ZooTV, if they didnt move on, they be criticised for that as well.

Thanx for sharing – I'm thinking about this

 

[BVS]

Zoo, here's a suggestion for a new avatar :

 

[gvox]

Ah the thread that just keeps on giving and giving...

 

[U2387]

So, folks, following the rules of the forum: This thread is not about 360 tour in general, defending or praising it (there are many others) nor about the (imposant) stage design.

It is exclusively designed only for the people, that like to share their complain, regret and worries about the 360 tour regarding U2's present time and future (legs 1 & 2 plus the presale for the upcoming legs).

In my eyes and ears U2 have made an even bigger failure than in 1997/98, when they wanted to top ZOO TV with POPMart (which was spectacular by lokking great, too, but had the much better tour album ...).

Now U2 still have 10 years to go, before their deal with Live Nation is fullfilled and U2 may retire as a band. This at least is something, that can be underlined by band members like Larry, who said in interviews ("Q") he will have much more time ...
This means: Within the current standard U2 time windows, we have this tour, which will be finished in 2010. Then a gap, an album, a new tour. Then a gap, an album, a new tour – which already may be their last one. In other words: We are in the final chapters of U2's career, we arrive in their last decade!

The kick-off for this could not have been more comfortable. With excellent and crticalal/economical successful albums like ATYCLB and HTDAAB the band had gained new fans and had won back old fans, that were lost during their 90ies extravaganzas. Two tours with near to perfect, rotataing setlists rocked sold out places around the world.

But with NLOTH & 360 the times changed again – for the worse:

1. The choice of new songs: Bono said before the tour, now we want to play for a 'younger audience'. The same guy, who now seems to be disappointed, that the fans do not the get the album's message, when the 'new' tracks are played – with an obvious rather lacklustre reaction in the crowds. A statement, I really dislike. Are us fans really too stupid to get it, Bono? Or are your tunes worse than they were? Is your performance of them too uninspired? Did we lose it or did you lose, too?
And: Where are the gems like WAS and COL in the setlists? Where is a rocker like SUC, desperately needed for the flow? Why is a big part of the album completly neglected?

2. The choice of old songs: The band promised (as usual) setlist surprises. And, yes, they were: UV, TUF, ES (rare), YBR (as rare). Okay, and now? Compared to the outpouring and spontaneity in 2001 and 2005/06, this tour disappoints.

3. The singing style and the musical performance: Bono has cultivated a new way of singing this tour – that I really not appreciate that much. Take tunes like "Mysterious Ways" or "With Or Without You" – he urges himself (and me in the audience) for new melodies of these old classics. With this he mostly sounds off-key and sloppy. And, no, he is not Frank Sinatra.
Who thinks, the band is better, I am not sure. While I judge the band as an instrumental unit never sounded better, this is also a problem. It sounds clean, polished, CD-like. But I did love the raw guitar, the scratching, the up front riffs – now it is one wall of sound, too artificial, too composed.

4. The concept: There is no concept at all, just the spectacular stage, with U2 losing themselves upon, apart from muchh too choreographed staging around to certain songs. The machine has overcome the music.

5. The ticket prices: With selling themselves with heart & soul to Live Nation, we see U2 playing in every stadium, where money might be made within two years. Even when there are tickets available for a reasonable price, the big chunk of good seats and standing tickets are a rip off, pervertive prices for a 2 hour show. Even more so, when you think of the disastrous economical crisis in the world. U2 may have shown a wiser attitude to keep it simple this time a– and not to need own power stations to kepp their stage monster alive.

6. The credibility: U2 were always much more than just a stage, the music, the lyrics. They were a kind of mass phenomenon oppsosition, they were against establishment. Now they are the establishment. And I do not see, how, you can fill this gap ever again.

With following this path, I can not see, how the U2 I loved, can walk on. What do you think?

I have no problem with you giving your opinion on things, and in some places, I agree with you.

However, how could you possible argue that this is a bigger failure than 1997/8, when stadiums were sometimes 1/3 full? Have you not seen the stories about 360 setting attendance records everywhere? Also, you keep asking how U2 can continue as a viable band on this path. That is just a stupid question, I am sorry! There are things to criticize, maybe they kind of lost the plot with the tour and to a lesser extent, the album, but the numbers for both show U2 is still easily the biggest draw in the world!

1.)All of the Horizon songs with the possible exception of a just adequate Magnificent have, in my opinion, been performed extremely well. Tell me which songs you would like them to improve on? They are playing 7 of 11 new songs, a lower total than Zoo or Pop or early Vertigo, but remember, all of those tours ended up dropping some current album songs. Remember the end of Vertigo in Fall 2006, very little HTDAAB. ATYCLB, I believe, is almost as well represented now as it was at some Elevation gigs! 4 songs is not neglecting a big part of the album! Of course, I would like them to try some more NLOTH songs, but there are 2, possible even as many as 4 legs left on 360 for this to happen! Remember, Bruce and AC/DC, just to name 2, played much less new material than U2 on their recent tours.

2.)Agree 100%- thank you, U2 for TUF, Ultraviolet and ES, but lets not have 5 ATYCLB songs and crap versions of MW every night. Just the same level of rotation as on Vertigo would liven things up alot. I know they want to look forward, not backwards, but no need to completely neglect early 80s material. Would also be nice if they brought back some previous regulars like IGC, Real Thing, 2 Hearts, Trip Through, ASOH to rotate in. And no need to treat almost all 90s material as the equivalent of poison. Some Pop songs would fit the claw perfectly.

3.)Allow for the usual fatigue in the last few shows of Leg 2- the legs were consecutive. This was the only real issue I saw with Bono's voice on all of 360 so far(particularly UF from the Rose Bowl). He has otherwise sounded spectacular, singing songs like UV, UF, NLOTH, SBS and MOS with no problem. Still Haven't found sounds pretty damn good as well. Explain what you mean with the band being different, I don't see any real change in them at all from Vertigo. Maybe it seems they are on a less raw form of autopilot because of the more static set lists, and not because of the way they are playing necessarily? The only issue I notice with performance is the horrible versions of MW this tour- I chalk those up as 25% blame to each of them!

4.) You contradict yourself. First, there is no concept, then the machine(stage, concept, visuals, etc) is overcoming the music?? Which is it? Maybe it took a little bit for the space and time theme to develop itself fully(visuals, etc), but it was there from the beginning. How did Zoo TV and Pop, which had smaller stages, but definitely bigger concepts and "machines" pass this same test you are giving to 360? As for choreographing to songs, Pop and Zoo had more static set lists than 360, and lighting arrangements for a song rarely change throughout a tour's duration.

5.)The goal of U2 has always been to make money! LiveNation has plenty of problems, believe me, I work for them, but they are by far the biggest global live music promoters. They signed on by necessity and on their own terms, McGuiness is way too smart to do anything different. Remember when U2 put a right to sell LiveNation shares @spring 2008 market prices whenever they wanted?? They did this in Dec 2008 and saved a ton of money. Rest assured, U2 is in control here, and are better business people than LiveNation.

As for ticket prices, seeing U2 is reasonable compared to alot of other big acts. How is selling half or more of most markets for $55 or less a rip off?? U2 has always had tiered ticket prices so that the GA stage front was reasonably priced for real fans. It follows that in a stadium, you will have to have a steeper high-low gap, and in a recession, a gap that is steeper still in order to make tickets affordable and still make money. U2 planned to play stadiums long before the recession(Bono had the idea for the claw @end of Vertigo, according to many accounts) and they adapted to economic realities once it hit. As a result, they are still selling out shows while other acts struggle to fill venues. Again, they are extremely smart business people. I think there is alot of misconception out there about U2 ticket prices, mostly spread by people who buy in the secondary market after the primary sells out. Since the primary sells out in 15 minutes, that leaves a significantly higher percentage of people at U2 in the secondary market than would be true, say, at the Killers. This is how alot of the widespread belief that U2 sells very high gets started!

6.) I am trying to be nice, but TOTAL BULLSHIT! U2 have always been U2! Listen to Bono talk in 1980! He talks about a movement, a change of heart, making things better, but within, not against the establishment. There is an interview with a Madrid TV station in 1987 when Bono talks about opposing revolution and "down with the system" talk as it is widely interpreted. He says he sees revolution as a change of heart, and goes on to say how U2 is into changing the way we think and act within the system, not necessarily rebelling against it. Bono's work with world leaders throughout his career has confirmed this view. In 1980, U2's biggest concern was to get a record deal, to make it big in the industry. Same motivation for risking it all to get Red Rocks on a pro shot, pro released film! In 2008, at the World Economic forum, Bono says that he got over the "artists good, businessmen bad" idea when he was about 20! In a 2005 interview, defending the I-Tunes promotion, Larry says that no band can sell out if their living is made by making music and selling it. Once you sign on the dotted line of the record company contract, you make a choice to sell your music for money. Anything else subsequent is just continuing in that vein.

Stop pretending that U2 was something they never were! They were always too smart and in possession of too much real world experience with difficult issues like poverty, drugs and war to buy some indie rock down with the system bullshit peddled by spoiled upper middle class and rich kids!

You are going beyond just criticizing some of the flaws that we can all clearly see in 360. You clearly dislike everything about the entire tour, and that is fine. However, I think all of us get the point by now! We would also appreciate it if you would not resort to extending your dislike of 360 into wildly untrue accusations about them having "lost it" or "sold out."

 

[Chrisedge]

^^ Great post...Especially this last part

...You clearly dislike everything about the entire tour, and that is fine. However, I think all of us get the point by now! We would also appreciate it if you would not resort to extending your dislike of 360 into wildly untrue accusations about them having "lost it" or "sold out."

 

[Galeongirl]

Agreed, it's a good post. Well thought arguments too.

 

[digitize]

Yeah, U2387, I don't agree with all that you said, but in general.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

I have no problem with you giving your opinion on things, and in some places, I agree with you.

Thank you – and thanx for sharing your opinion.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

Is this their best tour? Is this their worst tour? (I would say no, to both those questions)

So, if this is not their worst tour – what was their worst tour?

 

[BVS]

So, if this is not their worst tour – what was their worst tour?

Post JT? Depends on paremeters...

I would say either Popmart or Elevation.

 

[Chrisedge]

So, if this is not their worst tour – what was their worst tour?

IMO, it was Popmart.

I think the dropping of songs on that tour got rid of decent songs, and what they added was worse. Very little changes to the setlist, and after their greatest tour (Zoo) the stage seemed boring.

Still, a bad night with U2, is better than 99.99% of other shows.

TO ME.

 

[Galeongirl]

So, if this is not their worst tour – what was their worst tour?

PopMart. It was way too rushed, bad marketing, too little people to fill up a stadium, too little practice so new songs got dumped pretty soon... It'd have been much better if there was more time.

That said, I still love Popmart and the dvd from mexico. Yet I do think it was probably their worst tour.

 

[U2girl]

You know you're having the worst tour if you can't even play your own songs on the opening night...

 

[digitize]

You know you're having the worst tour if you can't even play your own songs on the opening night...

Then every tour is U2's worst.

 

[mikal]

You know you're having the worst tour if you can't even play your own songs on the opening night...

umm....yeah....

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

That is a quite interesting discussion. So I want to compare in a kind of K.O. competition the POPmart opening in Las Vegas with the 360 one in Barcelona –both shows, I did attend.
Both gigs hat a stage machine concept, some may prefer the 1997 stage (me for example), some may prefer the 2009 design. Some may not be able to compare, some haven't seen it live, some may simply do not care. But I want to concentrate on the songs and their performances.

Both tour opening gigs had 22 song slots as a setlist:

1. Mofo vs. Breathe (1:0)
- This IMO is a competition as Mike Tyson boxing against me. A heavyweight tune, excellent lyrics, experimental sounds, perfect light show, a climax tune drawing you in the concert. This is all what the POP tune has as the gig opener. On the other corner is a NLOTH tune, that has none of this, except a rather nice melody.

2. I Will Follow vs. No Line On The Horizon (2:1)
- Even if the then new, abbreviated version of the BOY classic left me a bit disappointed, it was fitting perfectly after "Mofo",regarding the theme and the 'from now to our roots' full circle aspect. Apart the tune really rocked the crowd. Something the NLOTH title track never achieved in this way. But Barcelona gets a credit , too: Because the guitar posing, playing and jumping Bono gave there the best NLOTH title track performance, I witnessed. It was energetic!

3. Even Better Than The Real Thing vs. Get On Your Boots (3:1)
Well, what to say: An AB rocker, a hit single, also lyrically one of the best U2 tunes ever – against a failure single, that is pointless apart from a catchy melody and some nice music elements. This battle is over, before it started.

4. Do You Feel Loved? vs. Magnificent (4:2)
A POP tune, I estimate very high, performed in a very good manner, pushing Bono to the limits of his voice. He gave it all, folks. Plus the joy of inserting snippets of "Into the Groove" and "I feel Love" against a very good NLOTH tune, that is played as on CD. But it is not only about a tune here, but also about its performance. On the other hand, the NLOTH raised crowd reaction, it did connect. The first time really in the gig, so en par.

5. Pride (In The Name Of Love) vs. Beautiful Day (5:3)
Two U2 war horses & crowd pleasers played as such – with the fact, that the Las Vegas version was a full "Pride" version with the choral voice & drum ending. En par.

6. I Still Haven't Found ... vs. I Still Haven't Found ... (6:4)
Yes, now some of you may see how calculated U2 setlists are, hm. Two very emotional versions, so two credits.

7. Last Night On Earth vs. Angel Of Harlem (7:5)
Here you have the two shows going separate ways. The POPmart one dived deeper into the dark corners of music & soul. While in 2009 you had the party sing-along element with the also rather serious MJ tribute. With me personally prefering the 1st road and the excellent POP tune, there have to be also here two credits.

8. Gone vs. In A Little While (8:5)
While I do understand the effect of the ATYCLB tune being a kind of love lullaby to many in 2009, the effect of the POP tune was something different. Pure rock music, two guitars, Bono improvising, belting it out in the end – rocking the band and the crowd. While on the other hand IALW was a beer stopper for too many ...

9. Until The End Of The World vs. Unknown Caller (9:5)
Tough fight? No. While you have on the one hand one of the top U2 songs ever, performed 1997 in a breathtaking way of light lightnings plus guitar, drum & bass thunder, on the other you have a catchy nice NLOTH tune with the idea to get everybody sing along to the karaoke lyrics on the screen. This was a rather stupid idea IMO. Plus the fact, that The Edge really ruined the guitar solo. So, no way, AB wins!

10. If God Will Send His Angels vs. The Unforgettable Fire (9:6)
Though I do like the POP ballad and especially the way, it was played kind of underrehearsed as a full band jam with Bono improvising, there is this real TUF gem in the other corner. One of the best U2 songs ever, played 2009 again after a 20 years absence. A great light show from the claw moving, a great band performance and a vocal highlight from Bono giving it all and doing something new to the tune. Here I feel emotionally connected: "Stay, stay now ..." Excellent, 360 tour!

11. Staring At The Sun vs. City Of Blinding Lights (9:6)
We arrive at the infamous part of 1997. A brilliant POP tune, the wish of a now obviously complete underrehearsed band to play the complicated tune as on the album, the failure and absolute inability to do so. Several attempts, different tempi and finally they struggle through a full band version (now a rarity, friends!). It was funny, human, but also a pity. The later acoustic version did more justice to the song pearl.
On the other hand we have a song, that sparkled in 2005/06 especially as the tour opener. And on the current tour, you name it, is only a shadow of this performance – with a rather lazy, sloppy vocal energy. No credits here for both!

12. Daydream Believer (Edge Karaoke) vs. Vertigo (9:7)
Even when I do not like the current live outing of the excellent HTDAAV lead single (somehow the old punch is missing ...), it still is "Vertigo". Back then there was this 'funny' (?) Karaoke thing, a laugh, but hey: 360 wins!

13. Miami vs. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight (10:8)
Yes, U2 setlists are not casual. Here we have the experimental slot. While many of you adore the current remix, boom chac "Who Let The Dogs Out" pose of U2 chopping down any seriousness in 360, it was kind of the same in 1997, the performance stage acting did not please everybody
But when most today is playback, back then most of it was played live and it rocked. I prefer the POP tune live a lot, but I do not understand, why "Crazy Tonight" is not played as the rather nice album song it is. Two credits.

14. Bullet The Blue Sky vs. Sunday Bloody Sunday (11:9)
Two classics protest songs. Though I prefer the 1997 newly arranged BTBS with the light dome show & its snippets to the rather 'Greatest Hits' played WAR horse of 2009, SBS still is an energetic performance in 360 – also when it is only a shadow of the epic performences in former times.

15. Please vs. Pride (In The Name Of Love) (12:9)
Now here we come to real new horizons. The performance of the POP tune was definetly one of the highlights of the concert in '97, plus the small SBS teaser in its coda. Wow! While the TUF single in 2009 was just this: a single to be played in a cut short version, perfunctory, a crowd pleaser. The subtle POP tune with its emotionally delivered message versus a juke box thing. Sorry, 360, here we go downhill ...

16. Where The Streets Have No Name vs. MLK (13:10)
Here you can not really comepare: A re-invented vintage live song, maybe the TJT anthem ever. A TUF song full of intimacy and conviction, sung as such (though shaky in Barca ...). En par ...

17. Discothèque vs. Walk On (13:10)
Yes, in Vegas the guitar did not work, then it did. But the great rocker tune did not take off on the tour's starting night. Too heavy the weight on the underrehearsed guys. In Barca we had an excellent ATYCLB tune delivered as a show element: Masks, people on stage, protest lines read from Bono's teleprompter, no 2nd guitar anymore. Hm, where is the punch of this 2001 live breaker gone? I have not found it on this tour again. Lucky 360 tour, that "Disco" did not work in Vegas – no credits for both.

18. If You Wear That Velvet Dress vs. Where The Streets Have... (14:11)
Pure intimacy, an outstanding full band version of one of U2's most beautiful ballads, a POP poem with music against the live TJT classic. Two credits!

19. With Or Without You vs. One (14:11)
Yes, yes, the setlists and their structure ...: the 'ballad' slot has arrived. Two undeniably great songs, but both played to death. In 1997 U2 were rethinking the TJT tune, wanting to add a new drum rhythm –which did not convince – and was tried out only in Vegas. A new performance, the 'puppet dance' was tried out one time only. The tune was sung excellent, but stopped too early. In 2009 we had the probably worst performance of the AB anthem: Bono started talking, commanding to the other band members, stopping the tune, killing it. No credits for such performances ..

20. Hold Me, Thrill Me,... vs. Ultra Violet (Light My Way) (15:12)
Two tunes with the same effect: Rocking the house, and so they did. The ZOOROPA outtake and the AB gem – excellent tunes, performed very fine ...

21. Mysterious Ways vs. With Or Without You (16:12)
Easy task: An inspired full band dance orgy, with piano, with The Edge soloing it with an upfront guitar, inspired singing. In the other corner there is IMO a really painful to listen version of one of my most beloved U2 songs. Shabby, sloppy, mumbling, being Tarzan on the rope. You call it a long and winding road. Yes. There are many levels to 360, this is the lowest.

22. One vs. Moment of Surrender (17:13)
Two great songs, played as such. Ending in an anthemic way, here you have it.

So, POPmart the worst tour? No way. You name it: The worst tour in my eyes and ears is 360. One of the many reasons why, some of you may think about again with the ideas I wrote here ...
By the way: I hope for the better in 2010 – and wish you all the best for the new year!

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

So, if this is not their worst tour – what was their worst tour?

i know this wasn't directed at me, but i thought i'd answer anyway. i think their worst tour was lovetown, easily.

 

[U2girl]

Then every tour is U2's worst.

Actually that was Popmart.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

Actually that was Popmart.

Why? What was better on 360 compared to POPmart?

 

[U2girl]

Umm...they didn't need to restart songs like Pride or a new song (like they did with SATS) ? And the viewers actually came to see the show ? And the media liked it ? And Bono's voice was having a really bad time (say what you want about 360, he's easily better than he was on Popmart) ?

 

[coolian2]

Umm...they didn't need to restart songs like Pride or a new song (like they did with SATS) ? And the viewers actually came to see the show ? And the media liked it ? And Bono's voice was having a really bad time (say what you want about 360, he's easily better than he was on Popmart) ?

YouTube - U2 - One (360 tour - Barcelona 30/06/2009)


glad your opinion is fact though.

 

[U2girl]

Good one coming from you.

I'd take starting over an old song compared to having to restart a brand new song.

 

[coolian2]

Good one coming from you.

I'd take starting over an old song compared to having to restart a brand new song.

when have i actually repeatedly stated my opinion as fact? you don't have much of a sense of self awareness, do you?

nice change of argument, by the way.

 

[U2girl]

Frequently. Everyone does it, that's the point.

edit: the above were actually facts but nice try.