Axver said:
Uh, no. You're totally wrong.
1. I never suggested U2 need to play more songs. Someone else said U2 could solve the problem of "bored diehards" by varying the sets more and I said that'd require more effort on U2's behalf.
2. Varied setlists does not necessarily equal more songs. Throw the set in a blender and see what it spits out. A different order is surprising, not to mention very feasible in parts.
1 and 2 don't really go together, first of all you're saying that varying the sets more would require more effort from U2, and then you're saying that only a different order would do, surely requiring little to no effort. But we both know that a different order would not suit the show at all.
A typical Vertigo show isn't a collection of songs, that could be played in any order. Something like Zoo Station can only open an encore (which makes it more surprising that U2 used it in the middle of a set in the early shows), COBL is a fantastic opener, and the best they have for this tour, and LAPOE->SBS->Bullet is (IMO) awesome. U2 have spent the whole tour refining this formula for their shows (Couple of Bomb songs -> Older stuff -> MD/Sometimes/LAPOE/SBS/Bullet/MS/Pride/Streets/One -> Encores). They could mix this up, but it wouldn't have the same impact, especially not for newcomers. Which is, let's face it, who U2 play for.
But you're right, in some parts variation is very feasible, which is what we're getting mainly in the encores.
Atlanta I
Until The End Of The World
The Fly
With Or Without You
Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
Yahweh
All Because Of You
40
Tampa
The First Time
Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
With Or Without You
All Because Of You
Yahweh
40
Miami II
Until The End Of The World
The Fly
With Or Without You
All Because Of You
Walk On
Bad
Miami I
Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
With Or Without You
All Because Of You
Yahweh
40
I'd say that's prett varied, both with new songs and different orders. And then with the opening 6 songs:
Atlanta I
City Of Blinding Lights
Vertigo / Rockaway Beach (snippet) / Rock 'N' Roll ****** (snippet)
Elevation
Beautiful Day / Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (snippet) / Blackbird (snippet)
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / In A Little While (snippet)
Mysterious Ways
Tampa
City Of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
Elevation
Mysterious Ways
Until The End Of The World
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / In A Little While (snippet)
Beautiful Day / Many Rivers To Cross (snippet)
Miami II
City Of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
Elevation
I Will Follow
The Electric Co.
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Beautiful Day / Blackbird (snippet)
Miami I
City Of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
Elevation
Mysterious Ways
Until The End Of The World
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / In A Little While (snippet)
Beautiful Day / Here Comes The Sun (snippet)
Again, quite a few changes, not nearly as much as the encores though.
NB: I posted this because you said U2 needed some variation, here's some variation. But it isn't really relative to the topic.
So if they don't want to tour, they shouldn't tour. I'm bloody happy they're touring and thrilled at the prospect of shows down here. I really don't see what this has got to do with anything. All I said is that U2 would have to put in a bit more effort if they want to vary their sets!
I must have misunderstood then, as "But this requires more effort on U2's behalf. They may have to have less holidays to the beach. " sounds like if you saw U2, and they played a normal set, you'd be disappointed. Or you were saying that U2 should play for people not at the arena as well, who only read the setlists. So remember, they might not be playing at all.
I have no idea what you're going on about here. We're not talking about fans sitting at home. We're talking about how the band had problems with diehards who followed the band around to multiple shows, took the front row, and supposedly killed the energy because they could easily predict the set and were not excited. Someone then said that instead of a lottery to randomise who's in the ellipse, U2 could solve the excitement problem by varying their sets.
But like I said before, a Vertigo show is a tight show, mixing up the sets too much would result in a mismash of ideas, and would sound horrible (say Vertigo -> COBL). Anyone who goes to a Vertigo show (who has been to one before) knows that the main set will have few (if any) changes in it.
But, for varying sets, see above. For U2, this is quite a bit of variation. Maybe not enought for you though.
But this whole argument is totally irrelevant to the topic, and I propose we stop it now.