Why do you think I'm talking about them being physically tired? because I'm not, perhaps they were physically tired at the end of the 2nd European leg, but they had time to recover, after that, as you say, the shows have been spread over a long period of time and that is what can have caused this tiredness, I think they must be tired of the concept, why? because when you're a creative person you find really difficult to go on repeating the same for such a long time, much more if you doubt your idea is connecting to the public and we know they do.
What is the evidence I find of this being a possibility? Well, the 360 tour concept is that of a space oddysey (it is curious that Ulysses journey is also enlarged against his will), the claw being the spaceship, and them the astronauts, they were coming out onto the stage with Space Oddity, the exact words when they appeared are "now it's time to leave the capsule if you dare", then the theme emerges at different times during the show, with Magnificent (where are we going?, etc...), elevation (time to lift off), in a little while (the international station), the astrobaby and well, some other, till the second encore that starts saying this is just a rock show (what time is it in the world? show time!), Well, for me dropping Space Oddity has a meaning, a very clear meaning that they are tired of this concept, but they can't drop it all together at once, or they'll lose the sense of show they have been producing since Zootv (I know many other acts go onto the stage and just play their songs, but U2 don't).
They thought about releasing a new album, so the tour could be refreshed, but for whatever reason the new album is not being released now, I really think it is because releasing it would involve to have at least another European leg, you can tell me they can tour only the US with it, but I don't think that idea has even crossed any of their minds. I think that at this point with all the Spiderman problems Bono and Edge are facing, with no time to rehearse any new songs, they just prefer to wrap the tour now and make a new start next year. Then, who knows? maybe the new album doesn't go that well with the 360 concept, the Edge described it as having very happy songs, I doubt that we're going to get this axact album he was talking about though.
When they released Zooropa they were 20 years younger, that's true, but it is also true that they had no option, if they didn't go on on tour they would have got ruined, fortunately, this is not the case now, they can stop and think things twice.
I understand what you say about Bono's injury having had a possitive effect on the band, I've been very lucky this tour and I've been able to follow them quite more than in any other one, I saw them in Barcelona, I could see they were nervous, then I got to see them in Dublin and London, the shows were very good, but then something happened between the show in Cardiff and the US shows, they weren't as much confident and it showed. Then, after Bono's problem Turin was incredible, I had never seen the band so happy just to be together playing for us, I was following the tour for the first month and this feeling never disappeared, getting new songs every few shows, I feel I was so lucky just for being there, perhaps Moscow was a bit different, so many millitia, all the problems with ONE and AI, maybe it was me, but I didn't get the joyous feeling I got in the other gigs. I went back to Paris and Rome, again the shows were really good, but they had gone more into a routine.
I'm sorry Bono had that problem, it was a serious one and I know how much he was risking in those first shows, he was very brave deciding to go for it, he did it for the band, but, as a fan, I'm very grateful to him for doing it.
Never top Zoo TV? Different era mate. This tour and stage setup has been amazing.
