Is Under a Blood Red Sky Better Live?

[PhilsFan]

There is often discussion on this forum about which U2 albums are better live. But there is almost never a mention of Under a Blood Red Sky when those discussions occur. Thus, this thread exists for discussing that very question.

 

[indra]

I grant you that U2's live recordings are usually very good, but in this case the studio version of this album is far better. Definitely.

 

[MrPryck2U]

Under a Blood Red Sky is a live album, so how could it be better live?

 

[mikal]

So basically, if they played the live versions of these songs live, would I like them more?
Absolutely!

 

[phommel]

Under a blood red sky is per definition live.
The question could be: would 'under a blood red sky' be better if the songs were in studio version? De answer is NO!!!

And concerning all U2's live registations, uabrs is the BEST!!!

 

[LemonMelon]

Under a Blood Red Sky is a live album, so how could it be better live?

I was hoping we could at least make it a page without someone pointing out the obvious. Indra had us off to a good start.

 

[LemonMelon]

The studio version of the Chicago Vertigo DVD is way better. I don't have to watch Bono play with a ball of yarn during An Cat Dubh.

 

[cobl04]

I was hoping we could at least make it a page without someone pointing out the obvious. Indra had us off to a good start.

Don't UBAPryck2Him.

 

[LemonMelon]

ICWhatUDidThere

 

[The Panther]

It's worth pointing out -- in this utterly purposeful and fascinating thread -- that several so-called "live" albums are really more like a hodgepodge of live and studio recordings, with added crowd noise. Indeed, there are said to be "live" albums that are anything but (this charge has been leveled at, for example, the "live" cuts on Wide Awake in America).

Thus, we must be willing to actually ponder whether a "live" album would, in fact, be better live.

 

[Von Schloopen]

Thus, we must be willing to actually ponder whether a "live" album would, in fact, be better live.

hysterical? isn't it? Put away your Carlin records.

 

[LemonMelon]

No, Panther, we aren't an oil painting.

 

[trevgreg]

This question is blowing my mind as we speak.

 

[LemonMirrorSky]

Spoiler

Would 'War' have been better as a studio album, guys?

 

[Vlaco]

Under a Blood Red Sky is a live album, so how could it be better live?

It's a live album? Really? How did I miss that?

 

[AndrewCowley]

I always found UABRS somewhat perplexing...

Only 8 songs.
Only 2 songs from the Redrocks concert.
The studio voice over before SBS.

All a bit odd.

 

[The Panther]

Worry not, Panther is on your case.

Only 8 songs.

I think the original vinyl LP was marketed, maybe in the UK and Ireland, as a sort of "mini-LP" or "budget LP" or something. That is, it cost less than a regular LP in 1983.

Only 2 songs from the Redrocks concert.

Well, that's easily explainable -- the video was the big deal, and the video was filmed (and marketed as being) at Red Rocks, Colorado. Thus, the contemporaneous live LP could not really be advertised with photos of Bono in Boston and Germany, or wherever the tracks are from. Today this would be called "marketing synergy" (also known as "B.S.ing the consumer").

The studio voice over before SBS.

I didn't know it was a voice-over, but we all know Bono can't resist a bit of grand-standing... They probably were a bit shocked by some right-wing enthusiasm for 'Sunday Bloody Sunday', so they put that on to clarify that they did not, in fact, want to blow people up in the name of Republicanism.

 

[Popmartijn]

The studio voice over before SBS.

All a bit odd.

Which studio voice over? There isn't any, as far as I can hear.
Bono did introduce SBS at the German Lorelei festival with the phrase "This song is not a rebel song. This song is Sunday Bloody Sunday." The video footage confirms that.
Only, he did not say this (or say it exactly like this) at the Red Rocks concert. They took that introduction from that German show and put it on the audio of the Red Rocks concert. Hence the out of place visuals at the start.

 

[AndrewCowley]

Bono's spoken intro to SBS at the German Lorelei was said in German. What we hear on the album is therefore a voice over. It's funny that for such a big 'moment' they did not use an actual piece of real dialogue from a concert! It was often the case however that Bono would stumble over the spoken intro to SBS during the War tour. So the reality was rather different to the big bold statement that they cooked up for the album.

No matter though... It's a fine performance.

 

[Galeongirl]

I was hoping we could at least make it a page without someone pointing out the obvious. Indra had us off to a good start.

Well that was sadly short lived.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Worry not, Panther is on your case.

 

[gvox]

The Red Rocks concert as it was performed on the day they actually played there IMO is superior to the commercially released recording for a good many reasons, which most of us should be aware of. For example I Fall Down, Electric Co, Two Hearts, etc

If one's "education" about that show was limited to what we were presented on Under A Blood Red Sky (LP) and the Live at Red Rocks VHS releases, one would be missing some key gems imo.

So yes, it was "better" live.

U2 felt that the versions of the songs they included, however, were "better" than the ones they actually performed that day. I'm not sure I totally agree, but that's their prerogative to package it the way they want, I suppose.

 

[The Panther]

Well, I could have said "Panther is on your jock".

Nice gif there...

 

[corianderstem]

Are you taking my name image in vain?