Los Angeles II Setlist Watch and Thread Party.

[Axver]

On Zoo simple they varied in other areas, such as the Interference, Confessional & Phone Call Portions. They also varied the B-Stage and McPhestio sets greatly. By Zooropa everything changed.

PopMart...tho. The only variable was the ending.

Well, the confessional bit, they didn't play, it was just encore break entertainment.

The b-stage didn't change much at all. Some rotation, but it was only minor. MacPhisto's set stayed exactly the same until they came down here and brought in the Zooropa material. There was some alteration in Europe as the Zooropa material was brought in, but again, it was minor. The sets, essentially, didn't change very much.

Popmart did have a few alterations. IGWSHA making way for NYD (and WGRYWH for NYD on Zoo should be noted), moving Pride/ISHFWILF further down the set, replacing Miami with SBS, et cetera.

But on the whole, the two tours were very stale when it came to setlist change. I don't know how they did it. I would have gotten horrendously bored.

 

[Axver]

Closing in on 10,000 views for this thread...some type of record for a few hours here?

These parties definitely inspire a lot of traffic.

I think this is about to be our longest party thread. If we hit 66 pages, I know it'll be the longest.

 

[timothius]

Where else would we have the biggest party?

LA baby!

 

[U2DMfan]

Zoo and Popmart had a lot of theatrics. I'm sure the band got a kick out of them, maybe that helped inspire some freshness.

As for a straight up (basically) rock set, with little theatrics, I think they might get bored.

But it's early on, this is what? show #6 out of 100? It will be a problem if they are doing this shit in June.

 

[Westport]

But on the whole, the two tours were very stale when it came to setlist change. I don't know how they did it. I would have gotten horrendously bored.

Take some chances, show us you have some balls...the tour is sold out, swing for the fences!! Do something off the wall.

 

[Axver]

Where else would we have the biggest party?

LA baby!

We should so try to have the biggest party for the concert in the most obscure location.

Like ... the GOLD COAST! Like they'd ever play here ...

 

[knox]

Oh
Oh my love
Oh my darlin'
I've hungered for your touch
A long lonely time

And time
Goes by
So slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine?

I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love
To me

 

[Westport]

Yahweh, 40. Yawn.

 

[knox]

Wasn't part of the deal with ZooTV and PopMart that the technology pretty much dictated a constant setlist?

 

[timothius]

Chattanooga, Tenasee?

 

[Axver]

Zoo and Popmart had a lot of theatrics. I'm sure the band got a kick out of them, maybe that helped inspire some freshness.

As for a straight up (basically) rock set, with little theatrics, I think they might get bored.

But it's early on, this is what? show #6 out of 100? It will be a problem if they are doing this shit in June.

I wonder if they got bored on Elevation? The setlists changed a bit, but it's not as if they changed a LOT except on a couple of occasions. And that tour was much like this one, so maybe that's why they are talking about more variable sets - and hopefully they'll come through on that.

 

[Westport]

I still don't they'll play UTEOTW until the 2nd or 3rd leg of the tour if at all. It just doesn't fit in with the theme of this tour. Bombs and the End of the World??

 

[ImOuttaControl]

You people are hillarious! Bitching about the setlist being too predictible...what, like 6 shows in?! I swear you'd think that U2 was playing the show just for people on the web to trade notes about

The fact is that probably about 95% of the people going to U2 show don't sit on online forums studying each and every setlist. For the vast majority of people going to the shows, anything will be a suprise because they don't sit here and constantly check it out.

If it becomes boring and predictible, sorry to say, it's only your fault.

 

[tsweeney]

Wasn't part of the deal with ZooTV and PopMart that the technology pretty much dictated a constant setlist?

Even Bono said the hardest thing was to make it look spontaneous.

 

[Axver]

Yahweh, 40. Yawn.

One night, as Bono sings "take this heart ... and make it break", Larry should kick in with the Gloria drumming.

Yahweh/Gloria/40 would be awesome.

 

[U2DMfan]

Take some chances, show us you have some balls...the tour is sold out, swing for the fences!! Do something off the wall.

U2 have a serious confidence problem with live gigs, which is probably their ultimate irony as they are seen as such egotists.

I can see the two sides. Stay consistent and get polished. Change things up and just play it by ear.

I guess they figure 'people are paying a nice amount of cash to see us, lets give them the best, most interesting show possible" as opposed to the most interesting.

Whatever, I say play October, Rattle and Hum, and Zooropa track for track, but that's just me.

 

[Axver]

You people are hillarious! Bitching about the setlist being too predictible...what, like 6 shows in?! I swear you'd think that U2 was playing the show just for people on the web to trade notes about

Who's bitching? I see discussion of static sets - mainly in the past - but no bitching. Unless, of course, you're talking about the Elevation bitching that occurred earlier on.

 

[jachba]

Definitely, Knox. Co-ordinating constantly changing setlists with the technology would have been a nightmare.

 

[timothius]

Elevation was deeply musical and spiritual...unlike this tour.
I don't quiet think they've figured out what this tour is.

I think by the end of the 3rd leg they may have been a tad over it, after the 9/11 thing wore off.

 

[Axver]

I still don't they'll play UTEOTW until the 2nd or 3rd leg of the tour if at all. It just doesn't fit in with the theme of this tour. Bombs and the End of the World??

Well, how does The Fly fit, with "the universe exploding"?

I think we're in for UTEOTW soon. It sounded damn good at the RARHOF. Each show, I expect it, and each show, it hasn't been played, much to my surprise. One day soon, before the end of the first leg, I'm sure I'll be right!

 

[knox]

Last night, Bono sang "take this heart, don't let it break", which was a nice variation on the tune.

 

[Axver]

Definitely, Knox. Co-ordinating constantly changing setlists with the technology would have been a nightmare.

I don't really see how. If they had specific footage and lighting for each song, couldn't they just shuffle it? I mean, I doubt it would have made a difference to the ZooTVisms during The Fly if it was done before or after EBTTRT.

 

[Westport]

Who's bitching? I see discussion of static sets - mainly in the past - but no bitching. Unless, of course, you're talking about the Elevation bitching that occurred earlier on.

I'm just saying that if I were the band, I'd make it more fun for themselves...shit, they have enough material to choose from.

 

[ImOuttaControl]

Who's bitching? I see discussion of static sets - mainly in the past - but no bitching. Unless, of course, you're talking about the Elevation bitching that occurred earlier on.

Okay, maybe not bitching..but plenty of whining about the setlists already being predictible. My point is that I'm sure the setlists are a probably huge suprise to people who aren't sitting online reading over reviews of every single show.

 

[knox]

Argh, you people and your damn acronyms.

What the hell is a rarhof?

 

[djerdap]

Nope, always followed by The Fly.

Actually, on one occasion, Even Better Than the Real Thing followerd Zoo Station and The Fly was transfered to a 4th slot in the setlist. It was in Hampton on March 7th 1992.

About the setlist, inclusion of The Ocean is very interesting, but it's not a big surprise since it was rehearsed in Vancouver.

 

[Axver]

I'm just saying that if I were the band, I'd make it more fun for themselves...shit, they have enough material to choose from.

And I agree. I really do wish they would take advantage of the massive wealth of material in their catalogue and play a variety of it. Not only does it make it more interesting for us, and not only does it demonstrate their diversity of music, but it would, I imagine, keep things a whole lot more interesting for them and keep them from playing robotically.

 

[*Ally*]

Elevation was deeply musical and spiritual...unlike this tour.
I don't quiet think they've figured out what this tour is.

agreed. i don't think elevation was boring, b/c for them, it was something new again- they were playing to smaller crowds, GA... there was something very special about that. and then 9/11 changed the entire 3rd leg, made it feel almost like a different tour.

as for this tour, i think it's starting to take shape... and i think the main theme is going to be nostalgia. they have played songs that haven't seen the light of day in nearly 25 years... i think the band is looking back, reflecting on what they've accomplished, reliving some of it, but also relishing the present. i hope that this theme only gets stronger as time goes on, and that they pull MORE songs out of their catalog.

 

[*Ally*]

Argh, you people and your damn acronyms.

What the hell is a rarhof?

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (yup, huge U2 nerd here!)

 

[Axver]

Argh, you people and your damn acronyms.

What the hell is a rarhof?

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

And to djerdap, you got me there. I hadn't even noticed that 7 March 1992 set!