SPOILERS U2 eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour Rehearsals/Soundcheck Thread SPOILERS

[CosmoKramer]

There are going to be~18k people a night that they play to. I would say on any given night there might be 2,000 hardcore fans that are going to go nuts for Acrobat and The Ocean and the other 16k are going to go take a piss. I imagine after a few shows of missing the magic and energy that those warhorses add to the show and how they help support the newer songs, they will add them back.

I get that people here are bored of these songs but the casual fan(vast majority of audience) want to hear the hits. They might be bringing their friend or family member to have them experience the awesomeness of Streets live or the really cool sing along of WOWY or ISHFWlF and when that doesn't happen....not good.

I think I might have started this 10 page shit storm about Acrobat and through several pages and Captain Sarcasms posts my point and stance may have been morphed into extreme view points on both sides of the conversation.

I’m not in camp “the majority will not know Acrobat”, I’m in camp “the majority will not care about Acrobat”

The context of that thought is U2 potentially dropping two of the biggest songs and moments in their live show and that playing songs like Acrobat are not going to bring the same energy or even close for that matter and that U2 will notice that and add them back.

I’m not saying Acrobat is a bad song or that no one knows it....just that dropping Streets and WOWY will be felt by the band.

As for Ultraviolet, it is very similar to Acrobat and it was very well received during 360. In fact, it was a highlight. However, 2009 U2 nailed that performance and the fact that there was a steering wheel microphone that Bono was swinging into the crowd on with a suit of lights, made the performance even more memorable and impactful(the shot of him swinging into the crowd is one of the most memorable of that tour).

Now speaking only for myself, Ultraviolet on JT30 was a much inferior experience vs 360 and while they played the song well it wasn’t as impactful/ memorable as the 360 performance (perhaps 360 being the return of the song helped it).

2018 U2 might be able to nail the performance of Acrobat and make it special....I hope so because when U2 nails it....they really nail it (that’s what she said). However, if they play Acrobat like they did Two Hearts, volcano, California or RHMT then not meh......

For all we know...we might get Acrobat x2 at these shows (“ARE YOU READY....for Acrobatics in Spanish...uno...”

 

[Axver]

I go back to the same Rolling Stone issue where Edge said they wouldn't play Joshua Tree songs... he also said they'd be interested in playing the Innocence songs again.

And both are coming true.

Playing the songs again, sure.

But that doesn't mean repeating most of the first set in order, or thereabouts.

And if they want to return to the Innocence songs, I'd most like them to have a go at some of the material that got short shrift last time around. If I dare bring popularity into the equation, it's not as if Raised By Wolves or Iris have any particularly greater exposure than Reach Around or The Troubles. Give a guernsey to at least one or two of those songs not done (much or at all) in 2015, guys.

 

[BVS]

I can’t believe all the cucks in here falling for fake news. The msm and deep state want you to believe that AB was some big album or something. They want you to believe that it just so happened to be released in the glory days of high school/ college of one of the bigger demographics that attend U2 concerts. They want you to believe it was still during the age of albums and people still listened to full cds(mainly because it was a pain in the ass to change while driving).

This is all elitist bias, Refugee would be much more recognized and drive the crowd into a frenzy.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I think I might have started this 10 page shit storm about Acrobat and through several pages and Captain Sarcasms posts my point and stance may have been morphed into extreme view points on both sides of the conversation.

I’m not in camp “the majority will not know Acrobat”, I’m in camp “the majority will not care about Acrobat”

The context of that thought is U2 potentially dropping two of the biggest songs and moments in their live show and that playing songs like Acrobat are not going to bring the same energy or even close for that matter and that U2 will notice that and add them back.

I’m not saying Acrobat is a bad song or that no one knows it....just that dropping Streets and WOWY will be felt by the band.

As for Ultraviolet, it is very similar to Acrobat and it was very well received during 360. In fact, it was a highlight. However, 2009 U2 nailed that performance and the fact that there was a steering wheel microphone that Bono was swinging into the crowd on with a suit of lights, made the performance even more memorable and impactful(the shot of him swinging into the crowd is one of the most memorable of that tour).

Now speaking only for myself, Ultraviolet on JT30 was a much inferior experience vs 360 and while they played the song well it wasn’t as impactful/ memorable as the 360 performance (perhaps 360 being the return of the song helped it).

2018 U2 might be able to nail the performance of Acrobat and make it special....I hope so because when U2 nails it....they really nail it (that’s what she said). However, if they play Acrobat like they did Two Hearts, volcano, California or RHMT then not meh......

For all we know...we might get Acrobat x2 at these shows (“ARE YOU READY....for Acrobatics in Spanish...uno...”

On 360 Bono belyed out that second verse of Ultra Violet man. He really knocked it out of the park. On JT30 it kind of just plodded along. The emotion was lacking and it kind of just laid there like a fart.

If Acrobat is performed the same way, it too will go over like a fart. But I think Bono will be more energized playing new music than he was on JT30. At least I hope he is still capable of being more energized than he was on JT30.

Captain signing off.

 

[gareth brown]

I won't be fully satisfied til we get a proper airing of Zooropa in Europe but right now that's looking like a fine enough set. Acrobat, Hold Me Thrill Me, some of the better moments from the IE tour, sounds great!

All that's missing is Streets, the only warhorse that actually has any life left! They picked a hell of a time to finally follow through with some remark they made in an interview!! Oh and Song For Someone can obviously fuck off too

 

[BWU2Buffs]

It's probably been mentioned, but after seeing the JT Tour version, I'm hoping they bring back Exit again.

For me it's one of those songs where casual fans might go, "wow, they can rock like that?" and long timers will enjoy seeing it again.

Probably won't happen though.

 

[innominata8]

I’m becoming less and less interested in the rehearsal news with each passing day...

That's because this thread has digressed from a discussion about rehearsals to a pissing contest of what songs people will or won't know (peppered with some obnoxious/rude trolling)....

 

[Axver]

Here's a plausible scenario:

They decide to go through with not doing any JT songs for opening night in Tulsa. The show gets good reviews, but a chorus of dismay greets the absence of the Big Three.

In St Louis they do a couple of JT songs to make up for last year's cancellation, this being the plan all along. It's meant to be a one-off.

It goes so well that the JT songs stick around and Tulsa becomes a new answer to multiple trivia questions.

The JT songs, incidentally, are the karaoke ISHFWILF and the limp WOWY, displacing two really awesome rarities.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Here's a plausible scenario:

They decide to go through with not doing any JT songs for opening night in Tulsa. The show gets good reviews, but a chorus of dismay greets the absence of the Big Three.

In St Louis they do a couple of JT songs to make up for last year's cancellation, this being the plan all along. It's meant to be a one-off.

It goes so well that the JT songs stick around and Tulsa becomes a new answer to multiple trivia questions.

The JT songs, incidentally, are the karaoke ISHFWILF and the limp WOWY, displacing two really awesome rarities.

This is a plausible situation.

It's also possible that they're not rehearsing any JT songs cause they feel they don't have to, since they just played it every night for a year (although that's a more unlikely scenario).

Alas, I am but a rude and obnoxious troll, so I don't know what I'm talking about.

 

[innominata8]

Here's a plausible scenario:

They decide to go through with not doing any JT songs for opening night in Tulsa. The show gets good reviews, but a chorus of dismay greets the absence of the Big Three.

In St Louis they do a couple of JT songs to make up for last year's cancellation, this being the plan all along. It's meant to be a one-off.

It goes so well that the JT songs stick around and Tulsa becomes a new answer to multiple trivia questions.

The JT songs, incidentally, are the karaoke ISHFWILF and the limp WOWY, displacing two really awesome rarities.

LOL. This actually sounds fairly plausible...

 

[Hollow Island]

This is a plausible situation.

It's also possible that they're not rehearsing any JT songs cause they feel they don't have to, since they just played it every night for a year (although that's a more unlikely scenario).

Alas, I am but a rude and obnoxious troll, so I don't know what I'm talking about.

They'd have to rehearse so the songs sync up with visuals.

 

[Hewson]

They'd have to rehearse so the songs sync up with visuals.

Only if the songs are using the cage.
B stage songs and encores they don't need to sync up.

 

[kabigon]

Only if the songs are using the cage.

 

[blueskies]

But I think Bono will be more energized playing new music than he was on JT30. At least I hope he is still capable of being more energized than he was on JT30.

Captain signing off.

On Exit he was pretty damn energized. And I can see him perform songs like Acrobat or An Cat Dubh (if that makes it to the set) in a similar, very theatrical fashion. The songs certainly lend themselves to it.

This is a plausible situation.

It's also possible that they're not rehearsing any JT songs cause they feel they don't have to, since they just played it every night for a year (although that's a more unlikely scenario).

Don't forget that there are plenty rehearsal days ahead of us. They certainly feel confident playing songs like Streets or WOWY, so if they decide to add them to the set, they can rehearse them a few times and they're good. This being said, I do think that the intention is to drop TJT entirely. Whether they stick with that idea once the tour starts is a very different question. I guess they at least have a visual backup plan to potentially bring Streets back into the set if they feel the show needs it.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

They'd have to rehearse so the songs sync up with visuals.

Nah.

Streets visually is fairly simple, no matter if they use the background from JT30 or from i/e... same goes for With or Without You. Still Haven't Found didn't have visuals on i/e.

If they were going to bring out Bullet? Sure, that would need some rehearsing to sync things up. But the visuals on the main 3 are fairly simple and would need minimal rehearsal.

If they planned on having Streets roll right off another song, they'd need to rehearse it to practice the timing. But short of that,nit would take minimal work.

 

[Hewson]

Simultaneously hilarious and disturbing.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

That's fucking frightening.

 

[CosmoKramer]

You just won the thread!

 

[kabigon]

I like how everyone keeps quoting this terrifying image

 

[trainmaniac]

What you see cannot be unseen...

 

[jphelmet]

Following this rehearsal cycle, since Elevation, I am always excited about possibilities of sets and then it always settles into the predictable, and ultimately is fairly disappointing. This seems to be no different.

From the rehearsal reports, I bet it shakes out something like this:

00-Intro- Love is All have left
01 Blackout
02 Lights of Home
03 B.D.
04 I Will Follow / (Rotated: other older warhorses)
05 The Ocean
06 Iris
07 Cedarwood Road
08 Song for Someone
09 SBS
10 RBW
11 Until the End
----
12 Elevation Or HM,TM,KM,KM / The Fly
13 Desire
14 Vertigo
--- b-stage
15 The Showman
16 Staring At the Sun
17 Acrobat / Wild Horses
18 Best Thing
19 Pride
--Encore 1
20 Get Out
21 American Soul
22 COBL
--Encore 2--
23 One
24 Love is Bigger
25 13

 

[YBORCITY]

While I wouldn't miss most of the "warhorses" I will say a U2 show without Streets is almost incomprehensible (to me). I love Streets, there's been only 3 shows I didn't see Streets - War Tour, TUF Tour x2.

I also agree with the poster who said them not playing Landlady would be a shame.

 

[prbiker15]

http://www.u2tour.de/news/article5962.html
Seems that they’re trying to work out The Ocean leading into Iris. While that entire opening section was amazing in 2015, I would like some change...it’s 2018.

 

[Wide Awake n AZ]

That's because this thread has digressed from a discussion about rehearsals to a pissing contest of what songs people will or won't know (peppered with some obnoxious/rude trolling)....

I tried going to the middle ground and saying a little of both A and B.

No one wants to be a centrist...or a Radical Centrist. I thought I was the man this thread didn't want, but needed. But the extremes have taken over.

Me? I am just thrilled to be possibly hearing Acrobat. Everyone can go piss for all I care. It'll just be me and the band, and I will make solid eye contact and show them my approval through properly timed lip synching of every word and occasional air guitar. And it will make up for the casuals.

 

[Hollow Island]

the top of this page is a nightmare

 

[popacrobat]

I do think they'll give the Joshua Tree songs a rest, for sure.

But I still think they dust off Streets at the last minute. Even if they can't really find a place for it, they can tack it on toward the end of the show somewhere.

Also expecting Every Breaking Wave to get dusted off too. That's something they don't need to rehearse much in the venue.

 

[popacrobat]

And yes, back to protect this damn house now that it's nearly tour time.

 

[The_acrobat]

I'm a big fan of SOI, actually. But I am very surprised that they're going to repeat the whole Iris > UTEOTW segment from the 2015 tour. I would've figured that part would be used to showcase SOE songs instead of the same SOI songs.

But whatever, I don't really care what they play, AS LONG AS THEY DON'T CUT ACROBAT!!!!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

And yes, back to protect this damn house now that it's nearly tour time.

CLICK.

CLACK.

#iwill

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

These guys are bat shit crazy if they think they can get away with charging $350 a ticket to play a show where 2/3rds of the set list are from the last two albums, and the last third contains zero songs from the Joshua Tree.