Setlist Discussion Part II - Spoilers Allowed, Enter At Your Own Risk

[womanfish]

Not sure why everyone is still putting Lemon out there.
No way Bono is going to do an almost full falsetto song live.

If they do Zooropa:
Stay
Wanderer
The First Time
Dirty Day
Numb

POP:
Velvet dress
Wake up dead man (please god)
Staring at the Sun
Please

 

[DomCobb]

Would it be weird for Edge to sing Lemon? I mean, maybe yes if he’s doing Numb too. But he could do the Bono part and Bono could do the Edge part.

 

[womanfish]

Would it be weird for Edge to sing Lemon? I mean, maybe yes if he’s doing Numb too. But he could do the Bono part and Bono could do the Edge part.

Let's be honest, it would have to be Edge doing the Bono part on Lemon.

 

[U2387]

How about this? Add just one song to the set now that they're warmed up!

AB break up: Keep 4 slots. No one knows exactly how this develops and anything is fair game to speculate until we get about 8-10 shows in.

So I'll just throw something realistic out:

Stay
First Time
Pride (SOS)
All I Want is You

Encore:

City of blinding lights (rotate Elevation)
Vertigo
Atomic City

**Some short video or graphic interlude short of a full encore break, we all get the idea. Thematically relevant somehow**

Please (rotate Bullet, even New Year's Day)
Streets
With or Without You
Beautiful Day

 

[clerks]

I'm going with they take away one song from the mini 4 set. That will show us for dreaming out loud!

 

[lazarus]

So I'll just throw something realistic out:


Please

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

Opportunity to play Daddy’s Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car with footage of fender benders from people looking at sphere on the highway

 

[U2387]

Yeah, way to ignore the rest of what I wrote.

Is Bullet or New Year's Day unrealistic? COBL?

1 more song on a 22 song set when they've done 25-26 recently?

And how is Please more out there than Acrobat on E&I or full band Zooropa on 360? October and Scarlet on recent tours? How about Two Hearts on I&E or ASOH on JT 30?

 

[Irvine511]

That was gorgeous and deeply satisfying and has huge potential to get even better.

Supposedly Gaga was there.

Collecting thoughts.

So Cruel!

 

[dan_smee]

That was gorgeous and deeply satisfying and has huge potential to get even better.

Supposedly Gaga was there.

Collecting thoughts.

So Cruel!

So glad you have experienced it now and there’s no more spoilers!!!

Can’t wait to hear your collected thoughts.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

That would make a good name for a Tracks style release

U2 - Collected Thoughts vol 1

 

[Irvine511]

Collected, but still stream of consciousness:

They really know how to make an entrance. Zoo Station was such a recall and update of Sydney (watched that hundreds of times in the 90s) that I got emotional.

The Fly, EB overwhelmed in exactly the right way. One slightly underwhelmed. It’s such a big song it almost belongs at the end even if it was played relatively early in 92/93.

The falsetto is kind of back!

Edge was great tonight. AB seems inarguably his best album.

The rest treat for me is hearing the B-side of AB as, for me, it’s depth and quality is what makes it surpass JT as an album.

So Cruel a huge highlight. At many times in my life it’s a top 3 AB track for me. They nailed it.

Acrobat slays, maybe slightly less than on e/I.

Didn’t love the bug thing on LIB, but that was a first for me live so loved it.

SOS Pride was lovely, honestly. I love the SOS version and this worked so well for me. Had they played SOS Bad I might have died.

First AOH for me (and I’m pushing 20 shows).

I’m now firmly a fan of Atomic City. Great live. People were swinging to it, and they sound like a band with real chops

Slightly disappointments were the greatest hits song selections. Very rote. But people came to Vegas for this so they deserve Streets. They’re all great, and I forgive Elevation because it slays live (I skip it on AttyCab). I also think they can push the screen dynamics in the desert section — time lapse that sky or something to make the visuals interact with the music more. They do this perfectly in WOWY, however. Euphoric.

I’m also unclear on the white smoke flag visual — beautiful that they have a burning flag (so play Bad?) but it goes through several iterations and I’m not sure it’s coherent? But perhaps I’ve missed something.

Overall show doesn’t have a thesis or TIGHT NARRATIVE, like Zoo TV (mass media) or Popmart (consumerism) or I/e (Bono’s da). But maybe this is not the time for that. I guess there’s an environmental message at the end? Final visual is transcendent.

9/10. Would see again.

 

[Irvine511]

Also, I stayed away from spoilers as much as I could — still hard to do! — so much of this may have already been discussed.

 

[plp]

Collected, but still stream of consciousness:

They really know how to make an entrance. Zoo Station was such a recall and update of Sydney (watched that hundreds of times in the 90s) that I got emotional.

The Fly, EB overwhelmed in exactly the right way. One slightly underwhelmed. It’s such a big song it almost belongs at the end even if it was played relatively early in 92/93.

The falsetto is kind of back!

Edge was great tonight. AB seems inarguably his best album.

The rest treat for me is hearing the B-side of AB as, for me, it’s depth and quality is what makes it surpass JT as an album.

So Cruel a huge highlight. At many times in my life it’s a top 3 AB track for me. They nailed it.

Acrobat slays, maybe slightly less than on e/I.

Didn’t love the bug thing on LIB, but that was a first for me live so loved it.

SOS Pride was lovely, honestly. I love the SOS version and this worked so well for me. Had they played SOS Bad I might have died.

First AOH for me (and I’m pushing 20 shows).

I’m now firmly a fan of Atomic City. Great live. People were swinging to it, and they sound like a band with real chops

Slightly disappointments were the greatest hits song selections. Very rote. But people came to Vegas for this so they deserve Streets. They’re all great, and I forgive Elevation because it slays live (I skip it on AttyCab). I also think they can push the screen dynamics in the desert section — time lapse that sky or something to make the visuals interact with the music more. They do this perfectly in WOWY, however. Euphoric.

I’m also unclear on the white smoke flag visual — beautiful that they have a burning flag (so play Bad?) but it goes through several iterations and I’m not sure it’s coherent? But perhaps I’ve missed something.

Overall show doesn’t have a thesis or TIGHT NARRATIVE, like Zoo TV (mass media) or Popmart (consumerism) or I/e (Bono’s da). But maybe this is not the time for that. I guess there’s an environmental message at the end? Final visual is transcendent.

9/10. Would see again.

Thanks for this. Great recap! Can't wait to go on 10/20

 

[dan_smee]

Just posted night 3 audio in the setlist party thread. Sound is amazing as with others. Less crowd than CPS or Loughney from night 2.

 

[dan_smee]

Collected, but still stream of consciousness:

They really know how to make an entrance. Zoo Station was such a recall and update of Sydney (watched that hundreds of times in the 90s) that I got emotional.

The Fly, EB overwhelmed in exactly the right way. One slightly underwhelmed. It’s such a big song it almost belongs at the end even if it was played relatively early in 92/93.

The falsetto is kind of back!

Edge was great tonight. AB seems inarguably his best album.

The rest treat for me is hearing the B-side of AB as, for me, it’s depth and quality is what makes it surpass JT as an album.

So Cruel a huge highlight. At many times in my life it’s a top 3 AB track for me. They nailed it.

Acrobat slays, maybe slightly less than on e/I.

Didn’t love the bug thing on LIB, but that was a first for me live so loved it.

SOS Pride was lovely, honestly. I love the SOS version and this worked so well for me. Had they played SOS Bad I might have died.

First AOH for me (and I’m pushing 20 shows).

I’m now firmly a fan of Atomic City. Great live. People were swinging to it, and they sound like a band with real chops

Slightly disappointments were the greatest hits song selections. Very rote. But people came to Vegas for this so they deserve Streets. They’re all great, and I forgive Elevation because it slays live (I skip it on AttyCab). I also think they can push the screen dynamics in the desert section — time lapse that sky or something to make the visuals interact with the music more. They do this perfectly in WOWY, however. Euphoric.

I’m also unclear on the white smoke flag visual — beautiful that they have a burning flag (so play Bad?) but it goes through several iterations and I’m not sure it’s coherent? But perhaps I’ve missed something.

Overall show doesn’t have a thesis or TIGHT NARRATIVE, like Zoo TV (mass media) or Popmart (consumerism) or I/e (Bono’s da). But maybe this is not the time for that. I guess there’s an environmental message at the end? Final visual is transcendent.

9/10. Would see again.

Amazing - thanks Irvine.

Yeah, the central theme thing is an interesting observation - lots of the chat from interviews and pre show was that climate change features strongly - like UTEOTW water and lightning, desert filling up with water on WOWY, extinct animals, but I wondered how strongly those themes really came through for those in attendance, because they aren't explicit in Bono's banter.

 

[Irvine511]

Amazing - thanks Irvine.



Yeah, the central theme thing is an interesting observation - lots of the chat from interviews and pre show was that climate change features strongly - like UTEOTW water and lightning, desert filling up with water on WOWY, extinct animals, but I wondered how strongly those themes really came through for those in attendance, because they aren't explicit in Bono's banter.

Ah. Good call. The water rising via ice caps melting makes sense and I may have thought that in the moment.

It’s there, but I’m not sure the point really hit … but maybe.

Fwiw, my husband has seen Vertigo, 360, and JT, and this was by far his favorite.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I think the climate change theme is only obvious if you know what you're looking for. So U2 decided to wait until they were in the biggest spectacle of their careers to be subtle.

 

[dan_smee]

Ah. Good call. The water rising via ice caps melting makes sense and I may have thought that in the moment.

It’s there, but I’m not sure the point really hit … but maybe.

Fwiw, my husband has seen Vertigo, 360, and JT, and this was by far his favorite.

Really great to see some enthusiasm back for the band outside the hardcores. Positive media coverage, lots of casual (not sure if your husband is a big fan or not) appreciation and general acceptance of their place rather than overt hatred against them. This was a great move, and Atomic City was a great vehicle for it.

 

[Irvine511]

Really great to see some enthusiasm back for the band outside the hardcores. Positive media coverage, lots of casual (not sure if your husband is a big fan or not) appreciation and general acceptance of their place rather than overt hatred against them. This was a great move, and Atomic City was a great vehicle for it.

He is fine with them. Also, everyone in town — locals and tourists, and we’re going out and meeting folks — is positively buzzing about it, and not just the hipsters in the hipster coffee shop.

This is as good as they could hope for. And they’ve created an entirely new experience for some very old songs in a venue that really is from the future. They met the moment — it will be in a career highlights reel along with Live Aid, JT album, Zoo TV, and the post-9/11 Super Bowl.

It was the right call so to do this without Larry, honestly.

 

[cm]

A relative of a very good friend of ours does 40-50 big shows a year as a VIP and has done this for many years. They did VIP GA for the show last night and he said this was a top 3 show of all shows they have ever seen. Decision to do these Sphere shows was probably one of their best decisions ever. I will be seeing 1 show GA October 18 but I am hoping they will decide to do it again with Larry in a couple of years!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I absolutely am hoping this isn't a one and done thing for them. Shit, come back for JT40. Whatever. Just play it to play it.

 

[clerks]

Just replace the DJ with Penn and Teller -- perfect.

 

[Miroslava]

I agree that the theme is there but is veeeeeery shuttle. Not sure if Bono has mentioned it at other shows, but the ending collage with the fauna is comprised of native endangered animals.

 

[Irvine511]

I agree that the theme is there but is veeeeeery shuttle. Not sure if Bono has mentioned it at other shows, but the ending collage with the fauna is comprised of native endangered animals.

One could also see the window shield bugs in LIB as a representation of species collapse?

By far my least favorite visual, but favorite Edge moment.

 

[lazarus]

I agree that the theme is there but is veeeeeery shuttle.

 

[Miroslava]

Lol. Stupid auto correct.

 

[Chizip]

One could also see the window shield bugs in LIB as a representation of species collapse?

By far my least favorite visual, but favorite Edge moment.

Agreed, that Edge solo at the end is screaming for some amazing visuals, not static endangered bugs on a windshield. I thought at the very least they would all start flying once the solo hit to create some movement.

 

[rosephile]

Agreed, that Edge solo at the end is screaming for some amazing visuals, not static endangered bugs on a windshield. I thought at the very least they would all start flying once the solo hit to create some movement.

So I'm the only one who thought it was us inside a tent and the bugs are all landing on the outside?

 

[Chizip]

I'm also a little surprised they didn't use more of the spacial sound effects. I mean you have 160,000 speakers might as well use them to their capabilities. The sound can move wherever you want it to, we kind of felt that with the helicopters. Even if it was just a simple Hello Hello at the beginning of Vertigo where it sounded like each Hello was coming from one side or another.

I really feel like they tamed things down to not overwhelm people, or maybe afraid all of the technology of the Sphere could overshadow the band, but I hope after they have their little break they turn it up a notch and really use all the capabilities of the Sphere.