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

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He wanted to tape the show, got the shits, evacuated, got comfortable on the john and just decided to record this instead.

The last of the rockstars indeed.
 
DeVaul said:
Larry forgive me, Shallow snippet was good
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SO good! And thank you, for allowing me to go! Wishing I could’ve stayed for longer! And thank you to my seat mates on plane if you see this, first in a long time without needing ear buds! Thank you for making the ride home so enjoyable, and fun! Have fun tonight ya’ll! ?
 
After I mentioned to someone on FB that Bono's falsetto on So Cruel was sounding amazing, they suggested he was pre-recorded like the woo woos in Elevation. Is this a thing they are doing now? Woos on Elevation are more background vocal IMO, but does Bono prerecord his main vocals now ?
 
dstalksalot said:
After I mentioned to someone on FB that Bono's falsetto on So Cruel was sounding amazing, they suggested he was pre-recorded like the woo woos in Elevation. Is this a thing they are doing now? Woos on Elevation are more background vocal IMO, but does Bono prerecord his main vocals now ?
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He looked like he was concentrating on it Wed night, and it wasn’t perfect sounding (not same length each time, etc.) so while he could easily do it in a lower range like he has adjusted for other songs, I’m leaning towards real.
 
DeVaul said:
so while he could easily do it in a lower range like he has adjusted for other songs, I’m leaning towards real.
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Yeah. He's actually done some amazing arrangements I think... like Wild Horses, it's become standard.
 
plp said:
I completely agree. The moment Streets started I couldn't have cared less what song segued into it. My only complaint about the setlist (and i feel like an ass complaining because the show was phenomenal) was Beautiful Day as the closer. Should've been Love Is Blindness. And I'll die on that hill.
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I third that. The transition into Streets is a non issue for these shows. When it starts you are already too mesmerized to really care.
 
plp said:
I completely agree. The moment Streets started I couldn't have cared less what song segued into it. My only complaint about the setlist (and i feel like an ass complaining because the show was phenomenal) was Beautiful Day as the closer. Should've been Love Is Blindness. And I'll die on that hill.
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I love LIB as a closer, but I think Beautiful Day was the right call. Nobody in my 406 area was leaving early. I was irritated enough when people were going to the restroom during it's current slot.
 
Bono identified the singer of Glorify tonight as Brittany Howard (I had thought it sounded a bit like Alabama Shakes). Considering she has an album coming out soon with Island, that probably wraps up that mystery.
 
There is a video of Love is Blindness on U2.com, but it is for subscribers only. Hopefully somebody can bring it to YouTube as well...
 
I thought the show was pure magic.

The first 7 songs were probably the strongest part of the show overall. Zoo Station was maybe the best song they did in terms balance with screen wow factor and showcasing the band. The Fly was perfect, okay to let the band take a backseat and do the Zoo TV info overload. And then keeping the crazy screen stuff going with EBTTRT but bringing the band back, perfect too. And then easing back on the screen a bit (but still doing new things with each song) and showing the band more for Mysterious Ways through TTTYAATW (with a bit more screen focus for UTEOTW) worked great.

Slowing things down with the acoustic set and entering into a more laidback and conversational style comes at a good spot I think. AIWIY and Desire play great, easy to see why they do it almost every night. It was WLCTT and LRM when I went, which were both fine, not favorites of mine, but good renditions.

I think we enter "could stand to be improved" territory with the second side of AB. Acrobat is a great way to boost the energy after LRM, and I enjoy how they turn off the screen and use the lights behind the wall to sort of turn it into a more traditional venue, with the screen on the stage being a brilliant way to keep the band in view. But from there pretty much through the end I think we just don't get enough of the band on the screen. I get the sense they wanted to prove something with no screens at all on So Cruel, and then generally they felt the venue was small enough and their music powerful enough to carry the show regardless if you were far away on all the other songs where they weren't on screen. And, as someone in the 400 section, I agree. But a lot of the fun is seeing the guys in close up, the little moments of interaction, the intricate playing, what have you.

In particular I wish we got more of the band during Elevation (which basically had nothing going on), Streets, and WOWY. I think they could have used the band on the stage screen a lot more than just Acrobat, almost wish they used that whenever they weren't on the main screen during the encore (and maybe for So Cruel and LIB too). Streets honestly was a bit of a let down. The intro is transcendent (although I do think it is a bit jarring after Vertigo and lends to a general feeling that the show is too fast paced). But I think it just becomes way too static once it lands on the white flag (lots of different ways they could have kept up the energy visually to match all the energy we're hearing).

In general I think they probably played the screen safe, which is fair enough. If they went overboard and people were getting sick and that was all the headlines, that would have just instantly killed the Sphere as a venue in the eyes of many. I don't mind the more lowkey visuals, which ultimately for many songs just feel like an incredible backdrop (rather than the draw of the show as many of said). I just think, overall, the show probably plays like the most insane and incredible show ever if you're in GA or 100 and probably 200 too. Once you get into the 400s, you're just missing out a bit by not getting as much of the band itself as you want and the people closer get.

A bit nitpicky but the show was really special and something I'll cherish for a long time and I feel really lucky to have had the chance to go. The show is so much fun and some of these performances are insane, add to that the whole Sphere stuff and it's a lot to pack and process into 2 hours. Wish I could have seen it again immediately after!
 
DomCobb said:
I thought the show was pure magic.

The first 7 songs were probably the strongest part of the show overall. Zoo Station was maybe the best song they did in terms balance with screen wow factor and showcasing the band. The Fly was perfect, okay to let the band take a backseat and do the Zoo TV info overload. And then keeping the crazy screen stuff going with EBTTRT but bringing the band back, perfect too. And then easing back on the screen a bit (but still doing new things with each song) and showing the band more for Mysterious Ways through TTTYAATW (with a bit more screen focus for UTEOTW) worked great.

Slowing things down with the acoustic set and entering into a more laidback and conversational style comes at a good spot I think. AIWIY and Desire play great, easy to see why they do it almost every night. It was WLCTT and LRM when I went, which were both fine, not favorites of mine, but good renditions.

I think we enter "could stand to be improved" territory with the second side of AB. Acrobat is a great way to boost the energy after LRM, and I enjoy how they turn off the screen and use the lights behind the wall to sort of turn it into a more traditional venue, with the screen on the stage being a brilliant way to keep the band in view. But from there pretty much through the end I think we just don't get enough of the band on the screen. I get the sense they wanted to prove something with no screens at all on So Cruel, and then generally they felt the venue was small enough and their music powerful enough to carry the show regardless if you were far away on all the other songs where they weren't on screen. And, as someone in the 400 section, I agree. But a lot of the fun is seeing the guys in close up, the little moments of interaction, the intricate playing, what have you.

In particular I wish we got more of the band during Elevation (which basically had nothing going on), Streets, and WOWY. I think they could have used the band on the stage screen a lot more than just Acrobat, almost wish they used that whenever they weren't on the main screen during the encore (and maybe for So Cruel and LIB too). Streets honestly was a bit of a let down. The intro is transcendent (although I do think it is a bit jarring after Vertigo and lends to a general feeling that the show is too fast paced). But I think it just becomes way too static once it lands on the white flag (lots of different ways they could have kept up the energy visually to match all the energy we're hearing).

In general I think they probably played the screen safe, which is fair enough. If they went overboard and people were getting sick and that was all the headlines, that would have just instantly killed the Sphere as a venue in the eyes of many. I don't mind the more lowkey visuals, which ultimately for many songs just feel like an incredible backdrop (rather than the draw of the show as many of said). I just think, overall, the show probably plays like the most insane and incredible show ever if you're in GA or 100 and probably 200 too. Once you get into the 400s, you're just missing out a bit by not getting as much of the band itself as you want and the people closer get.

A bit nitpicky but the show was really special and something I'll cherish for a long time and I feel really lucky to have had the chance to go. The show is so much fun and some of these performances are insane, add to that the whole Sphere stuff and it's a lot to pack and process into 2 hours. Wish I could have seen it again immediately after!
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Excellent write up!

It's very weird for me to also come away from something as "pure magic" but also have a shit load of notes. I don't think anything they ever do ever again can compare to the feeling of the cement blocks separating during Zoo Station to reveal the high def video feeds of the band, with Bono spinning in the middle. Just an unreal experience. I absolutely wish they did more, and I think the R&H section needed to go yesterday, but overall, just a thrilling piece of concert.
 
TinKnight said:
Excellent write up!

It's very weird for me to also come away from something as "pure magic" but also have a shit load of notes. I don't think anything they ever do ever again can compare to the feeling of the cement blocks separating during Zoo Station to reveal the high def video feeds of the band, with Bono spinning in the middle.
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Yeah, you said it. That moment was just something else, I've never experienced euphoria at a concert like that before. Will be tough for them or anyone to top!

Just an unreal experience. I absolutely wish they did more, and I think the R&H section needed to go yesterday, but overall, just a thrilling piece of concert.
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Yeah I do wish they'd switch up what they played there more (ideally it should be a three night rotation for anyone who's going multiple times in one week). But I did think the RAH set worked pretty well considering.
 
DomCobb said:
I thought the show was pure magic.

The first 7 songs were probably the strongest part of the show overall. Zoo Station was maybe the best song they did in terms balance with screen wow factor and showcasing the band. The Fly was perfect, okay to let the band take a backseat and do the Zoo TV info overload. And then keeping the crazy screen stuff going with EBTTRT but bringing the band back, perfect too. And then easing back on the screen a bit (but still doing new things with each song) and showing the band more for Mysterious Ways through TTTYAATW (with a bit more screen focus for UTEOTW) worked great.

Slowing things down with the acoustic set and entering into a more laidback and conversational style comes at a good spot I think. AIWIY and Desire play great, easy to see why they do it almost every night. It was WLCTT and LRM when I went, which were both fine, not favorites of mine, but good renditions.

I think we enter "could stand to be improved" territory with the second side of AB. Acrobat is a great way to boost the energy after LRM, and I enjoy how they turn off the screen and use the lights behind the wall to sort of turn it into a more traditional venue, with the screen on the stage being a brilliant way to keep the band in view. But from there pretty much through the end I think we just don't get enough of the band on the screen. I get the sense they wanted to prove something with no screens at all on So Cruel, and then generally they felt the venue was small enough and their music powerful enough to carry the show regardless if you were far away on all the other songs where they weren't on screen. And, as someone in the 400 section, I agree. But a lot of the fun is seeing the guys in close up, the little moments of interaction, the intricate playing, what have you.

In particular I wish we got more of the band during Elevation (which basically had nothing going on), Streets, and WOWY. I think they could have used the band on the stage screen a lot more than just Acrobat, almost wish they used that whenever they weren't on the main screen during the encore (and maybe for So Cruel and LIB too). Streets honestly was a bit of a let down. The intro is transcendent (although I do think it is a bit jarring after Vertigo and lends to a general feeling that the show is too fast paced). But I think it just becomes way too static once it lands on the white flag (lots of different ways they could have kept up the energy visually to match all the energy we're hearing).

In general I think they probably played the screen safe, which is fair enough. If they went overboard and people were getting sick and that was all the headlines, that would have just instantly killed the Sphere as a venue in the eyes of many. I don't mind the more lowkey visuals, which ultimately for many songs just feel like an incredible backdrop (rather than the draw of the show as many of said). I just think, overall, the show probably plays like the most insane and incredible show ever if you're in GA or 100 and probably 200 too. Once you get into the 400s, you're just missing out a bit by not getting as much of the band itself as you want and the people closer get.

A bit nitpicky but the show was really special and something I'll cherish for a long time and I feel really lucky to have had the chance to go. The show is so much fun and some of these performances are insane, add to that the whole Sphere stuff and it's a lot to pack and process into 2 hours. Wish I could have seen it again immediately after!
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This is an excellent review and articulates so many of my own thoughts.

I will say I was in my glory with the second side of AB since it’s very special to me and I’ve been waiting forever to hear it live.

They really do know how to open a show. Have they ever missed? It’s always, always awesome and totally distinct from the previous tour.
 


This was my big highlight of the show.

They should have posted the whole song though.
 
Irvine511 said:
This is an excellent review and articulates so many of my own thoughts.

I will say I was in my glory with the second side of AB since it’s very special to me and I’ve been waiting forever to hear it live.

They really do know how to open a show. Have they ever missed? It’s always, always awesome and totally distinct from the previous tour.
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Oh I mean whatever nitpicks I had with screen usage during AB side 2 those songs were still a major highlight for me. Probably all of the AB songs rank as my favorite performances of the night. LIB in particular took me by surprise, I mean I love it but don't rank it as highly as some of the other tracks on the album but it really killed.
 
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