Setlist Speculation / Hopes / Desires / Fantasies

[ascender_RS]

I've no doubt that the setlist will be AB & Greatest Hits - with their usual plan of making the single best show they can, assuming everyone is only going to see them once. Maybe swap out a couple of songs during the "acoustic/stripped-down" section as the visuals will maybe be more direct coverage of the band?

I'll be honest, I'd happily add Pride, New Years Day, I Will Follow and I Still Haven't Found to the list of songs that could happily be retired at this stage. I'm all for Beautiful Day being given a rest too.

 

[PopFly]

Like the I&E/E&I and Joshua Tree tours, I suspect the show will start with U2 playing 3-4 songs in relatively "stripped-down" form, with minimal screen activity. Atomic City, Beautiful Day, and Vertigo or something. Then, the screens start to kick in, and we get the full-blast Sphere experience for Zoo Station.

 

[gvox]

I can’t see them passing up the opportunity to open with Zoo Station. There’s no better time. And no better opener (contextually).

 

[Hewson]

I can’t see them passing up the opportunity to open with Zoo Station. There’s no better time. And no better opener (contextually).

I concur.
Figure Atomic City will be encore/possible closer material.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I can’t see them passing up the opportunity to open with Zoo Station. There’s no better time. And no better opener (contextually).

[emoji35]

 

[djerdap]

My humble and hopefully realistic wishes:

- Full band, electric versions of all Achtung Baby tracks
- The album arrangement of Even Better Than the Real Thing, which includes Edge's guitar solo
- Mysterious Ways with the guitar solo
- The ZooTV arrangement of Love is Blindness, with a big Edge guitar solo (this is the most important wish)
- A song from Zooropa, as it is the album's 30th birthday

Not so realistic wishes:

- Let the Zooropa song be Lemon
- A Pop song. Any Pop song, but if it should be one, let it be Mofo
- Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me would be great in that venue

See you in Vegas.

 

[DeVaul]

I’ve said it before. I’m saying it again.

If they don’t play Discotheque inside a giant ball in Las Vegas, they’re even dumber than we thought.

 

[clerks]

Vertigo
Beautiful Day
Pride
Streets
W or Without You
I Still Haven't Found
Sunday B. Sunday
Bad
Numb
Lemon
Discotheque
Desire
City of Blinding Lights
Stuck In A Moment
Everything Breaking Wave
Breathe
Stay

 

[DomCobb]

Figured it'd be fun to lay down a setlist prediction. I'm sure I will be very wrong but will be interesting to see what (if anything) I get right. This isn't what I hope they'll do, but probably some biases are coming in.

Decided on a 25 track show just like JT30. Start off with a short set that doesn't fully utilize the screen yet (as some others have speculated/imagined). Minimal visuals or perhaps only a fraction of the screen, letting the hard rocking songs carry.

1. Atomic City
2. Vertigo
3. Desire
4. The Blackout

"When the lights go out" - all the lights go out. Then we slowly enter a set of 90s songs, primarily AB focused with a couple nods to Zooropa and Pop. Here's when the full extent of the sphere is unleashed.

5. Zoo Station
6. The Fly
7. Even Better Than the Real Thing
8. Mysterious Ways
9. So Cruel
10. Lemon
11. Mofo
12. Until the End of the World
13. Acrobat

After the sensory overload of all of that, we tone way down (perhaps even an intermission). Enter, the acoustic set. In my version, they play 4 songs, with the first two being rotated every night between a number of regular options (this is probably the least realistic aspect, if they have rotating songs it's probably from like a 4 song pool max). I figure more likely than not if they play something acoustic it will be something from SOS.

14. and 15. are 2 of the following
- I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
- Every Breaking Wave
- Stay (Faraway, So Close)
- City of Blinding Lights
- Bad
- The Little Things that Give You Away
- Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of
- Sometimes You Can’t Make it on Your Own
- All I Want is You
- If God Will Send His Angels
- Get Out of Your Own Way
- Sunday Bloody Sunday
- Your Song Saved My Life

Then these two round out the acoustic set, and are played every night
16. Walk On (Ukraine)
17. Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses

Then back to full sound and screen

18. Beautiful Day
19. Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
20. Tryin to Throw Your Arms Around the World
21. Where the Streets Have No Name
22. Pride (In the Name of Love)

Encore:

23. With or Without You
24. Love is Blindness
25. One

 

[clerks]

It's Vegas. We are getting 20 songs max. Maybe 19. Hell they may only play snippets of AB at this point...

 

[JWR1992]

I would assume 22-23 songs minimum. What was the average during Josh Tree Tour 2017?

 

[clerks]

Honestly, though, 22-23 is their usual. I was thinking with more casual fans and new drummer, i could see them doing a bit less and of course who knows what it's like to do all The Sphere things... could be a tight 1 hour and 50 minutes like a Broadyway Play (just not spiderman).

 

[DomCobb]

JT 2019 they played 24-25.

E+I they played 21-26 (higher end for the US leg, lower end for international).

 

[innominata8]

I’m holding out for 24ish songs (maybe even 1-2 more). With the world having shut down for 3 years, these guys (and the rest of us) are really due for a fun show. That, and the fact that this ‘residency’ is so short, there is less likelihood of tour burnout. #fingerscrossed

 

[prbiker15]

I’m betting on 24 songs, no more than 26 if they want to be generous.

 

[clerks]

I changed my mind. 35 songs.

 

[U2387]

Figured it'd be fun to lay down a setlist prediction. I'm sure I will be very wrong but will be interesting to see what (if anything) I get right. This isn't what I hope they'll do, but probably some biases are coming in.

Decided on a 25 track show just like JT30. Start off with a short set that doesn't fully utilize the screen yet (as some others have speculated/imagined). Minimal visuals or perhaps only a fraction of the screen, letting the hard rocking songs carry.

1. Atomic City
2. Vertigo
3. Desire
4. The Blackout

"When the lights go out" - all the lights go out. Then we slowly enter a set of 90s songs, primarily AB focused with a couple nods to Zooropa and Pop. Here's when the full extent of the sphere is unleashed.

5. Zoo Station
6. The Fly
7. Even Better Than the Real Thing
8. Mysterious Ways
9. So Cruel
10. Lemon
11. Mofo
12. Until the End of the World
13. Acrobat

After the sensory overload of all of that, we tone way down (perhaps even an intermission). Enter, the acoustic set. In my version, they play 4 songs, with the first two being rotated every night between a number of regular options (this is probably the least realistic aspect, if they have rotating songs it's probably from like a 4 song pool max). I figure more likely than not if they play something acoustic it will be something from SOS.

14. and 15. are 2 of the following
- I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
- Every Breaking Wave
- Stay (Faraway, So Close)
- City of Blinding Lights
- Bad
- The Little Things that Give You Away
- Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of
- Sometimes You Can’t Make it on Your Own
- All I Want is You
- If God Will Send His Angels
- Get Out of Your Own Way
- Sunday Bloody Sunday
- Your Song Saved My Life

Then these two round out the acoustic set, and are played every night
16. Walk On (Ukraine)
17. Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses

Then back to full sound and screen

18. Beautiful Day
19. Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
20. Tryin to Throw Your Arms Around the World
21. Where the Streets Have No Name
22. Pride (In the Name of Love)

Encore:

23. With or Without You
24. Love is Blindness
25. One

Good job!

Very well thought out and GREAT CALL on The Blackout!

Like a lot of people, I've been thinking of a short , high energy appetizer set along the lines of I&E/JT 30 as one option. I had Desire in every version in my mind, but was trying to fit other 80s tracks into it. Struggled to find a transition to Zoo Station.

I like your way a lot better!!

Blackout, thematically and sonically, would be a perfect way to introduce the 90s sensory overload/world at a dark, chaotic yet exciting crossroads vibe!

I agree with you on length, too. I think we'll get 25 songs minimum and as high as 28 possibly!

The I&E/E&I recent history you mentioned as well as innominata8 pointing out the shorter residency reducing chances of burnout!

They aren't travelling and likely will be going into a period of holiday rest followed by a relatively low stress recording/mixing/etc stretch that they've stated is very manageable even for Larry these days.

 

[dan_smee]

Anyone else moderately surprised that U2songs haven’t posted any more rehearsal spoilers?

 

[dan_smee]

Here’s my final prediction, borrowing from a few other posts:

1 - Desire
2 - Stories For Boys / 11 O’Clock Tick Tock
3 - Vertigo
4 - The Blackout

5 - Zoo Station
6 - The Fly
7 - Even Better Than The Real Thing
8 - Mysterious Ways
9 - One / Unchained Melody
10 - UTEOTW
11 - TTTYAATW
12 - So Cruel
13 - Ultraviolet
14 - WGRYWH

Acoustic mini set
15 - Pride / Bad / WOWY
16 - EBW / Lights of Home / Little Things

17 - Bullet the Blue Sky
18 - Running to Stand Still
19 - Streets

20 - Atomic City
21 - Discotheque (played Vertigo Style) / Last Night on Earth
22 - Beautiful Day

23 - Acrobat
24 - Love is Blindness
25 - Can’t Help Falling in Love

They HAVE to play can’t help falling in love - zootv, Vegas, Elvis… I mean - they don’t really have a choice.

 

[DomCobb]

Good job!

Very well thought out and GREAT CALL on The Blackout!

Like a lot of people, I've been thinking of a short , high energy appetizer set along the lines of I&E/JT 30 as one option. I had Desire in every version in my mind, but was trying to fit other 80s tracks into it. Struggled to find a transition to Zoo Station.

I like your way a lot better!!

Blackout, thematically and sonically, would be a perfect way to introduce the 90s sensory overload/world at a dark, chaotic yet exciting crossroads vibe!

I agree with you on length, too. I think we'll get 25 songs minimum and as high as 28 possibly!

The I&E/E&I recent history you mentioned as well as innominata8 pointing out the shorter residency reducing chances of burnout!

They aren't travelling and likely will be going into a period of holiday rest followed by a relatively low stress recording/mixing/etc stretch that they've stated is very manageable even for Larry these days.

Thanks. Yes it took me a sec to think of what would round out that sort of mini pre-show set, but yes you’re right The Blackout definitely seems to have some shared DNA with their 90s sound so it makes a good transition. And I think they’ll probably want to include at least one I or E song as a mainstay, and that one seems a good fit for Gavin Friday’s description of a rock n roll U2 show. And it killed when they played it live before.

I’m hoping they could push the set list into the higher numbers for the same reason, less shows overall/no travel/etc plus a couple weeks of break for F1. But who knows what sort of processes go into making a set list. If the band has ever spoken on something like that I’d love to see it.

Here’s my final prediction, borrowing from a few other posts:

1 - Desire
2 - Stories For Boys / 11 O’Clock Tick Tock
3 - Vertigo
4 - The Blackout

5 - Zoo Station
6 - The Fly
7 - Even Better Than The Real Thing
8 - Mysterious Ways
9 - One / Unchained Melody
10 - UTEOTW
11 - TTTYAATW
12 - So Cruel
13 - Ultraviolet
14 - WGRYWH

Acoustic mini set
15 - Pride / Bad / WOWY
16 - EBW / Lights of Home / Little Things

17 - Bullet the Blue Sky
18 - Running to Stand Still
19 - Streets

20 - Atomic City
21 - Discotheque (played Vertigo Style) / Last Night on Earth
22 - Beautiful Day

23 - Acrobat
24 - Love is Blindness
25 - Can’t Help Falling in Love

They HAVE to play can’t help falling in love - zootv, Vegas, Elvis… I mean - they don’t really have a choice.

This seems pretty plausible. I guess a question would be, how far do they lean into Zootv sequencing/song selection? I figure not as much based on Friday’s recent comments but there will have to be some nods. The Elvis connection is compelling. Hard to imagine there isn’t a snippet at the very least somewhere I guess.

And I hope your right re: Stories for Boys/11 O’Clock Tick Tock.

 

[ascender_RS]

Genuinely no idea what the opener is going to be. Zoo Station is still the obvious, or something like Zooropa - both would lend themselves to an intro video of some sort, but they might go a different way - Desire? Even Better Than The Real Thing?

I guess we'll know in a few days...

 

[dan_smee]

I’ve revised my list:

1 - Atomic City
2 - Stories For Boys / 11 O’Clock Tick Tock
3 - Vertigo
4 - The Blackout

5 - Zoo Station
6 - The Fly
7 - Even Better Than The Real Thing
8 - Mysterious Ways
9 - One / Unchained Melody
10 - UTEOTW
11 - TTTYAATW
12 - So Cruel
13 - Ultraviolet
14 - WGRYWH

Acoustic mini set
15 - Pride / Bad / WOWY
16 - EBW / Lights of Home / Little Things

17 - Bullet the Blue Sky
18 - Running to Stand Still
19 - Streets

20 - Beautiful Day / COBL
21 - Discotheque (played Vertigo Style) / Last Night on Earth
22 - Desire

23 - Acrobat
24 - Love is Blindness
25 - Can’t Help Falling in Love

 

[clerks]

maybe U2 will pull out a random goodie...

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

continue setlist discussion here - https://www.u2interference.com/foru...nter-at-your-own-risk-223257.html#post8399424