ZooTV=PopMart tour, Elevation=Vertigo tour?

[PopMartian33107]

Hello. Please hear me out before you slam my theory.

ZooTV was a slight jab at all the television junkies, while PopMart went a step further and was an all out assault on commercialism. ZooTV was spectactualr for it's time, but PopMart was grandiose and even bigger. It was even better than the tour before, ZooTV. Just my opinion.

When it came time for Elevation, they stripped things down a bit. Sure, there were lights and tvs, but nothing of the spectacles of old. The special message for this one was human rights and anti-war. Now that Vertigo is coming around, we see an illuminated stage, more lights, and a revolutionary light-up curtain concept. The special message here is human rights and Africa. It's a more pumped up Elevation.

Coincidence? I doubt it. For one tour, U2 comes up with a great concept; for the next, they borrow ideas from the previous tour and make it even bigger. That theory in mind, the next tour should be very original, with no concepts from the past, and even more ground-breaking.

Any thoughts?

 

[KUEFC09U2]

why do they need to be so ground breaking all the time? whats up with them just being U2 for a change?

 

[PopMartian33107]

why do they need to be so ground breaking all the time? whats up with them just being U2 for a change?

That wasn't my point, sorry if I misled you. We all know U2 is a groundbreaking bad, so it's only natural to expect great things at their live shows.

If anything, the Elevation and Vertigo tours showed just that: U2 being U2. And it's awesome, of course!

But I sure wouldn't mind an elaborate stage production for their next tour...like someone else said, when you pay so much for these ticket prices to see a show, you really want to see a SHOW!

 

[KUEFC09U2]

That wasn't my point, sorry if I misled you. We all know U2 is a groundbreaking bad, so it's only natural to expect great things at their live shows.

If anything, the Elevation and Vertigo tours showed just that: U2 being U2. And it's awesome, of course!

But I sure wouldn't mind an elaborate stage production for their next tour...like someone else said, when you pay so much for these ticket prices to see a show, you really want to see a SHOW!

it will be an elaborate production in europe? hence the stadiums

 

[zoopop]

Yeah, wait until the stadium production. From what I've seen of the Vertigo visuals and lights they look pretty awesome. I don't know what more U2 or anybody touring do to be groundbreaking.

 

[PopMartian33107]

it will be an elaborate production in europe? hence the stadiums

Great, now all I have to do is move there.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Great, now all I have to do is move there.

well you guys do still have ALOT more shows than us, we have 6 shows all together here in the UK :-(

 

[PopMartian33107]

well you guys do still have ALOT more shows than us, we have 6 shows all together here in the UK :-(

That's true, very true. Sorry for your luck KUEFCO9U2.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

That's true, very true. Sorry for your luck KUEFCO9U2.

ah not to worry, least i still get to see them

 

[OffAxis]

why do they need to be so ground breaking all the time? whats up with them just being U2 for a change?

U2 is groundbreaking! That's what they do. They have always forged ahead. If they stop pushing the envelope they might as well change their names to The Rolling Stones Part II.

EDIT - U2 isn't U2 if they aren't doing something groundbreaking.

 

[PopMartian33107]

U2 is groundbreaking! That's what they do. They have always forged ahead. If they stop pushing the envelope they might as well change their names to The Rolling Stones Part II.

Very true, OffAxis. Very true.

 

[If you shout...]

U2 isn't U2 if they aren't doing something groundbreaking.

You're damn right. That's the point. Or at least I think it is...

 

[Utoo]

Theory: U2 was originally planning something much bigger than they ended up with.

In Larry's interview with Jim Derogatis (http://www.interference.com/u2125507/index.html), he talks about how they had been thinking big but had to scrap the plans after the "tour might not go on, now it's back on" incident. He's partly talking about ticket sales, but I think he's also talking about the show in general. It might be that the current Vertigo tour isn't what they intended, and they went to a basic Elevation-like setup because it was easy & still effective. Further, Larry says something like plans for the first leg had to be scrapped---making me think that the later legs may give us vastly different show.

 

[Yahweh]

People wanted to see U2 in an arena in the US they got their wish....and the new tour has elements of the previous 5 tours by my calculation, with elements going back as far as the War Tour...this tour is much more like a retrospective and a discovery of U2 for people that may have not got to see the other tours.

People in the end I think dont really care what the show looks like as long as the music sounds good to them and in the end I think the music still sounds great to the majority.

 

[Squire]

"People in the end I think dont really care what the show looks like as long as the music sounds good to them and in the end I think the music still sounds great to the majority."

You can surely talk by yourself, because that's not the way i think.

 

[Yahweh]

Really, ZooTV and Popmart were great concept shows that fit those albums well, but in the end do you remember or even care what was on those screens 10 and 15 years later....I highly doubt it...the thing that lasts is if there is emotion put into the show and if the songs were good.

 

[Squire]

Well i might not remember what was on those screens, but i do remember and care about the lights, the gigantic stages, the concept, etc... and of course the music.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

While the Zoo TV concept fit Acthung Baby and the changing times perfectly, Popmart was a concept that never fully caught on. The production was spectacular for sure, but the show lacked something special. I was there on opening night and then 2 months later, the magic was barely flickering. Sure, U2 poured their hearts out into the shows, but the set and the setlist didn't jibe for me. Pop, the album was far more spiritual and introspective than the Popmart Production. Also, it is my opinion that Zoo TV was just a better show, showcasing a better album.

Elevation was beautiful, a return (mostly) to the U2 show of days gone by (think Joshua Tree/Lovetown). It was personal and emotional. The magic was there at the three shows I saw, and the second show in San Jose on 4/20/01 might have been the best concert I've ever attended.

The two shows I saw on the Vertigo Tour so far, lacked a bit of the personal level for me. I enjoyed them both, and really love this album, but my feeling is U2 is holding back something, but I don't know what it is.....I'm hoping the second and third legs let the cat out of the bag.

 

[The OOTS]

Zoo TV > Popmart
Elevation > Vertigo....thus far

 

[bonojr62]

BRING BACK THE 40 foot lemon!.

 

[LuvandPeace1980]

I think your all in for a very 'large' suprise on the European Leg.
I think it will mimic the Popmart stage more than Elevation. I think the idea was always to have a huge tour this time around. I think they know that it's better to start a tour on a smaller scale. They like to test things out a bit..
Looking at the new stage design for this leg it appears it may be huge, they are arena shows after all..

 

[LuvandPeace1980]

oops i meant stadium shows

 

[typhoon]

How about this: Boy Tour=October Tour=War Tour=Unforgettable Fire Tour=Joshua Tree Tour=Lovetown Tour?

Just a theory.

 

[ajsearls]

oops i meant stadium shows

Think your right,the stadium shows are gonna be huge!! Big video screen and lighting etc, think it will be like popmart I hope!

 

[Pero]

I got your point, but wrong title of the thread.
You should have called it ZOO TV=Elevation, PopMart=Vertigo

 

[PopMartian33107]

I think your all in for a very 'large' suprise on the European Leg.
I think it will mimic the Popmart stage more than Elevation. I think the idea was always to have a huge tour this time around. I think they know that it's better to start a tour on a smaller scale. They like to test things out a bit..
Looking at the new stage design for this leg it appears it may be huge, they are arena shows after all..

That's very true, LuvandPeace. If one remembers, the first leg of the ZoTV tour wasn't as extravagent as the later stadium shows...

 

[Utoo]

That's very true, LuvandPeace. If one remembers, the first leg of the ZoTV tour wasn't as extravagent as the later stadium shows...

I wonder what they'll bring back for the 3rd leg...

I can't believe I've got half a year before I see a show...