[RS] 13 Tours We'd Like To See In 2013

[elevated_u2_fan]

Well if thats the case then way to copy the very first thing on the article:

There's no possible way for U2 to top the size and scope of their 2009-2011 stadium tour. It grossed $736,000,000 over 110 shows. That's a record that may never be broken. They shouldn't even try.

 

[djerdap]

I think u2girl means they wouldn't be able to top how huge the tour was.its the biggest tour ever and will never be topped.

Ah, in that case, the answer would be that I couldn't care less.

 

[nathan1977]

Tough one here. I agree that U2 can and should drop some of the warhorses. U2 by now have played to so many that they run the risk of becoming a "greatest hits" tour if they just keep recycling the same old stuff. Was glad to see them drop "Pride," "New Year's Day" and "Bullet the Blue Sky" for this last tour. Wondering which songs will drop next time? (Wasn't there speculation at one point that "City of Blinding Lights" was going to be a new generation's "Where the Streets Have No Name"?) At the same time, there are staples that people expect to be played at every show. I remember reading during the PopMart tour that at one point they weren't planning on playing "Pride" or "Still Haven't Found", and McGuiness talked them into it, saying it would be like watching Led Zeppelin play without ever hearing "Stairway to Heaven."

 

[silkensky]

So if they do arenas next tour, what can they do differently without it being an Elevation Part III? Not that there'd be anything wrong that especially with more variety in the setlists, but production wise Elevation and Vertigo were fairly similar (heart or eliptical shaped stages with video screens above), so doing something different from that would be cool. Any ideas for something fresh and new, but would still lend itself to varied setlists, spontaneous performances, etc.? Though to honest they could perform on soapbox stage for all I care...

 

[Galeongirl]

Why would they have to top it?

Just play a stadium, play your new and old songs to a fuckload of people. Go to the next city. Repeat.

I don't need them to top their game, or whatever. To get an even bigger, more spectacular stage, fuck that! I just want to see them live, hear the songs, have the experience.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

Why would they have to top it?

Just play a stadium, play your new and old songs to a fuckload of people. Go to the next city. Repeat.

I don't need them to top their game, or whatever. To get an even bigger, more spectacular stage, fuck that! I just want to see them live, hear the songs, have the experience.

I agree, while I am interested in them breaking new ground musically, I really don't care how elaborate their live shows are at this point.

 

[BWU2Buffs]

Why not try to mix arena's and stadiums on the same tour? Take the Claw-esque big gear around to US stadiums and put a sort of stripped down, arena tour on the road at the same time.

Some markets can't support a stadium, but an arena works for them; and this might save the expense of hauling around and planning two Claw type gigs -- which I think they did last time out.

Soldier Field one night, an arena in St. Louis, Madison, WI or Minneapolis the next.

 

[The_acrobat]

Why not try to mix arena's and stadiums on the same tour? Take the Claw-esque big gear around to US stadiums and put a sort of stripped down, arena tour on the road at the same time.

Some markets can't support a stadium, but an arena works for them; and this might save the expense of hauling around and planning two Claw type gigs -- which I think they did last time out.

Soldier Field one night, an arena in St. Louis, Madison, WI or Minneapolis the next.

... or in Columbus...

I think they said that on the Joshua Tree tour it was difficult to do stadiums and arenas at the same time, and they've never done it since. But pretty much EVERY other big band does that to some degree. It may be easier to just have one setup, but I think your idea sounds like a more efficient way. Have the stadium and arena stage leapfrog each other, instead of trying to play to an 80,000 seat stadium in Norman, OK.

 

[lazarus]

Bring on the arena tour! Since it means more multiple nights in places, it means 1. more shows and 2. probably more setlist variation.

Very good point.

Is there really any point in doing stadiums beyond 360 ? They can't top that.

My first thought was to agree with this, but then I realized it's probably not wise to underestimate the creativity of Willie Williams and Co.

While the next stage show won't be necessarily bigger, who knows what the hell they can come up with to make it a more unique experience?

 

[popacrobat]

Very good point.



My first thought was to agree with this, but then I realized it's probably not wise to underestimate the creativity of Willie Williams and Co.

While the next stage show won't be necessarily bigger, who knows what the hell they can come up with to make it a more unique experience?

perhaps they'll try to bring a stadium-sized spectacle to the intimacy of the arena, sort of the opposite of 360.

 

[rennowba]

What ever happens i hope they dont charge what the rolling stones are charging £406 for a seat anywhere on the floor,£356 for a good tired seat and £106 for the worst seat in the house.

Cant ever see u2 charging that much. Would you still go if it was £400 for a ga ticket?

 

[Axver]

Would you still go if it was £400 for a ga ticket?

Hell no.

I don't give a toss about the spectacle, I just want to hear tunes, so if they stripped things right back to the bare essentials and let tickets be cheaper, I'd be a very happy man.

 

[rennowba]

Hell no.

I don't give a toss about the spectacle, I just want to hear tunes, so if they stripped things right back to the bare essentials and let tickets be cheaper, I'd be a very happy man.

I know what your saying but i saw the glastonbury show that was stripped down and to me it wasnt a patch on the 360 shows i saw.

I didnt see the elevation tour which is always high up on peoples greatest show lists but im just going off what i saw at glasto

 

[Galeongirl]

Saw those prices, man that's dire.


I'll never pay more than 100 euros for a concert. Not even for u2. Unless, of course it means I get to sit on stage or get a backstage meeting and shit like that.

 

[zoopop]

It would be easy for U2 now to do the arena & stadium tour. I think they could promote the tour this way too.

Arena: play rarities, a few hits, & new songs
Stadiums: play hits & new songs

And on top of that mix it up. Especially on the hits. The past 2 tours have seen U2 dig deep in their back catalog and the band has even talked about it. Its on their mind and if U2 were able to have 50 songs ready to go at any moment they would receive praise from the media & fans.

Thinking back on them playing Your Blue Room, In A Little While, Zooropa, & UF in a stadium is pretty ballsy. Especially Your Blue Room. I'm not even sure you can play that song at a club.

 

[djerdap]

I know what your saying but i saw the glastonbury show that was stripped down and to me it wasnt a patch on the 360 shows i saw.

I didnt see the elevation tour which is always high up on peoples greatest show lists but im just going off what i saw at glasto

I don't think the Glastonbury show is what Axver had in mind, since that was a festival show with 100,000 people; the more intimate arena shows with less spectacle would be nothing like that, along with the bonus of possible multiple shows in one city with more setlist variation, would be more than welcome in any part of the world.

 

[U2girl]

Why would they have to top it?

Just play a stadium, play your new and old songs to a fuckload of people. Go to the next city. Repeat.

I don't need them to top their game, or whatever. To get an even bigger, more spectacular stage, fuck that! I just want to see them live, hear the songs, have the experience.

Well, why not ? The goal was to top Zoo TV with Popmart, and now they topped them both with 360. So, the next time when/if they go to stadiums the logical step would be to try and top 360. Even if it's just technology-wise and not necessarily stage-size related.

That said...something smaller next time, please. 360 was good but I'd like to see them in arenas.

 

[silkensky]

All I really care about is them making a great album. Not just making an excuse to tour. Music that can stand on its own, without any kind of need for flashy visuals or presentation gimmicks. And whatever they do...MAKE THE PLACE RED FOR STREETS!

 

[Globo14]

A very basic Elevation-esque stage would be great. Some video screens and lights, of course. But this is a concert, and the music is the main focus.

 

[Galeongirl]

And whatever they do...MAKE THE PLACE RED FOR STREETS!

 

[Popmartijn]

All I really care about is them making a great album. Not just making an excuse to tour. Music that can stand on its own, without any kind of need for flashy visuals or presentation gimmicks. And whatever they do...MAKE THE PLACE RED FOR STREETS!

I think they learned their lesson with the Vertigo Tour, as the red was back on 360. It's the first thing I noticed when I heard the opening of Streets in Barcelona. The red is back!

 

[Galeongirl]

Yeah, the Vertigo version is pretty much the worst live version of Streets. The flags and Bono's african babbling through it, sorry but it does ruin the song for me.

 

[AndrewCowley]

Right so it's simple... Walk on stage... Play music... Blow our minds... Walk off stage.

Really the staging, as fun as that has been for U2 over the ages, has nothing to do with it.

 

[cobl04]

All I really care about is them making a great album. Not just making an excuse to tour. Music that can stand on its own, without any kind of need for flashy visuals or presentation gimmicks. And whatever they do...MAKE THE PLACE RED FOR STREETS!

I'm not even really interested in an album at this point. I'm all up for them becoming a nostalgia band, touring round the world in arenas, doing four or five shows a city, changing the setlist every night.

 

[AndrewCowley]

Surely setlist rotation is something they can now consider. Something they have NEVER really done. They did it a little on the Lovetown tour. But even back to the early 80's its never been their thing. So as far as challenging themselves goes, why not give it a try? It might link in nicely with downsizing (can't play stadiums forever) and finding a new theme.

 

[digitize]

I may be in the minority, but I really enjoy big, interesting production.

 

[Galeongirl]

I may be in the minority, but I really enjoy big, interesting production.

Same here, I loved The Claw and all the crap that came with it. It was amazing to see in person, eacht ime again.

Then again, if that's what stops U2 from touring again. I coul ddo without it, of course. But it wouldn't hurt. Either way I just want them to tour again.

 

[mama cass]

i can take or leave the production side of things... i just love to hear the songs really...

 

[Blue Room]

My "prediction"/"guess":

U2 will most likely follow the Vertigo tour model in 2014-15. N. American arena tour in the spring, European summer stadium tour, N. American arena tour in the Fall. Stadiums in the rest of the world beyond that. IF the new album has a "hit" or "hits" they will consider a Summer stadium tour of N. America in 2015, but will most likely decide not to, just like Vertigo (excuse will be to work on a new album that will never be released! ).

The production will be scaled back, but will be similiar in size and scope to the Elevation/Vertigo stage with some tweaks. I hope they do not decide to do the "in the round" stage in the center thing, they have toyed with the idea previously, doubt it will happen though. I just do not think this would work for U2, "might" be interesting but they will stick to what they know. I think they will have some type of round screen at the top of the rig, similiar to what they used for 360 that may do something "different" at times. The stadium stage will be the arena stage expanded, like Vertigo. The screen will sort of be more of a half ellipse/band that scrolls accross the top of the PA stacks and bows out "over" the stage section (if that makes sense).

Setlist wise, there will not be massive variation, no more than there was on Vertigo (which wasn't too bad by U2 standards). I few suprises, my guess would be a few deeper Acthung cuts like "Love Is Blindness" and maybe "Trying To Throw Your arms..". I could also see "Gone" making a comeback. Bullet will most likely be back as well. My dream would be for God Part II, could happen.

BlueRoomstradamas Book it!

 

[trevgreg]

i can take or leave the production side of things... i just love to hear the songs really...

Very true. I don't really mind it either way. But I can still enjoy concerts with just instruments, a stage, and some video in the background (if that even). Like others here have said, I'm sure if the band does do arenas again, they'll find a happy compromise between the basics and production aspects of the show.