Spider-Man 2.0 discussion...

[mama cass]

Even though I was rather against this in the beginning, they've won my heart over. I finally caved on opening day and bought a ticket for the 8pm showing on July 15.

cool!

if i was nearby, i would definitely go and see it, just to see for myself, for sure...

 

[Earnie Shavers]

No choice. Ignore and push on.

There's literally nothing else they can do about it. Make a scene or try and argue against the reviews, and it continues, and it no doubt gets worse. Just ignore it for a little while.

People will remember that Spiderman had bad reviews and all this shit going on and delay after delay after delay and it was all bad, but then they sacked people, and they re-wrote and re-set it all didn't they? And then it opened? Wasn't that the story?

Basically, if they can make the second round of shit reviews remain as quiet as possible, and have this phase pass as quickly as possible, then people might get the story a bit muddled, as above, and then they might be able to get past it. So that means Bono/Edge need to shut up for a while too. Just let it pass, and then get back to hitting up Mr and Mrs Ohio Average for their patronage.

 

[bonocomet]

the jokes and jibes do bother me though because people are not laughing with them, they're really laughing at them, and it gets a bit wearing after a while... they must be incredibly thick-skinned...

Yeah and like Bono said in that recent interview, he's used to it, but Edge, not so much!

"The Edge is probably not used to so much custard pie, I am, and I quite enjoy it in some sick way. If we weren't in a corner, we'd paint ourselves into one. That seems to be who we are. I love the chaos - you have to put order on it." The duo have found plenty to enjoy in the process, and, Bono jokes, they've learned some new things about themselves: "Being in a band with Edge for all these years, to discover he's gay now is just wonderful. He's so into these dance routines. Who knew?"

Rolling Stone June 23, 2011

 

[roy]

cool!

if i was nearby, i would definitely go and see it, just to see for myself, for sure...

Exactly, don't let other posters put you down because of this. The fact that you haven't seen it makes absolutely no difference to your evaluation of the musical.

 

[Jeannieco]

I am going to see it next time I am in NY if it is still there that is!
This will be a monetary success. They mentioned it's already making 1 million a week.
Critics pan popular shows all the time and some turn out to be the longest running on Broadway. I think Cats fits in this category.
Plus shows that have gotten critical acclaim have closed early. So who cares...

 

[Earnie Shavers]

I understand that things like Brian Williams and whatnot are big ticket/huge audience promo opportunities, but they should push for younger too. AI did that, but that was just a song. I don't really know why adults would necessarily ever really consider this. They should do more on targeting kids, and highlighting the action aspect of it. That renders the reviews (*cough* and music *cough*) pretty much irrelevant.

Lots more interesting or exciting little things, less big ticket Bono/Edge talking things (you know, I suspect most nine year olds probably don't really give a toss about how writing for this compared to writing for a U2 album, but they'd probably love a bit of high wire Spidey shit.) Now that the performers don't seem so much at risk of dying, do things like a Discovery special on how it all works or something. Think of some element of it that could be taken to kids. I don't mean big like a musical tour, I just mean something simple and promotional. Little inch by inch stuff. Like buying two dozen of these things - Midlands Funfair Hire - Hire fair rides - Midlands Fair Equipment Hire - branding them, and sending them to any/every fair or similar opportunity they can find. Stick them in shopping malls or something. At least in Broadways wider north-east-of-the-US 'hood. Think of a dozen little tricks like that, and get on it.

 

[mama cass]

Exactly, don't let other posters put you down because of this. The fact that you haven't seen it makes absolutely no difference to your evaluation of the musical.

ahhh i see, so if i haven't seen the musical i'm not allowed to comment on how the trainwreck of S-M 1.0 was mismanaged? or other general theatrical aspects that i am actually qualified to comment on? right...

 

[mama cass]

I am going to see it next time I am in NY if it is still there that is!
This will be a monetary success. They mentioned it's already making 1 million a week.
Critics pan popular shows all the time and some turn out to be the longest running on Broadway. I think Cats fits in this category.
Plus shows that have gotten critical acclaim have closed early. So who cares...

it will have to sell out for a long time in order to be a financial success... they have to bring in something like 1.5 million a week just to cover running costs... hopefully they will be able to do it!

i loved Cats

 

[mama cass]

Yeah and like Bono said in that recent interview, he's used to it, but Edge, not so much!



Rolling Stone June 23, 2011

that is a great quote BC!

yeah B-man must love it - they keep knocking him down but he keeps getting right back up, and that's why we love him

 

[mama cass]

Lots more interesting or exciting little things, less big ticket Bono/Edge talking things (you know, I suspect most nine year olds probably don't really give a toss about how writing for this compared to writing for a U2 album, but they'd probably love a bit of high wire Spidey shit.)

that's what i mean, Earnie, i think the target audience don't really give a shit about Bono and the Edge talking their talk tbh - they need to focus on the thrills and dynamic of the show, make it look exciting to the younger crowd to make them want to see it... for instance, my daughter is a big AI fan, and we saw the Spider-Man performance the other week and she asked me why on earth Bono and the Edge were on stage seeing as they're not in the actual show... she had a point!

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Yeah, seriously. All the promo seems to be songs (fine) and Bono/Edge talking about themselves. No action!

 

[U2DMfan]

They had a high-wire Spidey stunt on AI. Dude tried to kiss J-Lo.

The PR is just for people who otherwise don't care about the nuance of Julie Taymor/who is to blame for what/when/how. It's just selling it to the masses who aren't necessarily tapped into the current negative pop culture zeitgeist.
In other words, a lot of middle-aged people with 10 year old kids.

 

[mama cass]

They had a high-wire Spidey stunt on AI. Dude tried to kiss J-Lo.

that was the best bit

 

[roy]

ahhh i see, so if i haven't seen the musical i'm not allowed to comment on how the trainwreck of S-M 1.0 was mismanaged? or other general theatrical aspects that i am actually qualified to comment on? right...

Not at all and re-reading my last post I can see how I could be considered disingenuous.

You haven't seen it which you sound totally devastated about. However you're obviously qualified so despite this you're ideally placed to pontificate.

 

[Irvine511]

it's interesting ... the more i listen to the soundtrack, the more it grows on me musically, and the more i think "rise above" and BFFTS are probably smashing live. there's some good work here.

and the more i realize that the lyrics are pretty shit. and i tend to like Bono's lyrics, even post-2000 (they're quite underrated).

but here? i have no idea what the fuck the characters are singing about.

 

[mama cass]

Not at all and re-reading my last post I can see how I could be considered disingenuous.

You haven't seen it which you sound totally devastated about. However you're obviously qualified so despite this you're ideally placed to pontificate.

oh sorry roy, i really thought you were being sarcastic in your other post...

i do like to pontificate, qualified or not!

 

[bonocomet]

I realized yesterday morning that I had that song from the Tony's stuck in my head, "If the World Should End" I think? And I haven't listened to the soundtrack yet, only heard the song on TV that night, and the next morning when I recorded it, so it kind of made me go when I realized that song was playing in my head without me even realizing it.

 

[EdgeFest]

I realized yesterday morning that I had that song from the Tony's stuck in my head, "If the World Should End" I think? And I haven't listened to the soundtrack yet, only heard the song on TV that night, and the next morning when I recorded it, so it kind of made me go when I realized that song was playing in my head without me even realizing it.

I've had a real bad jones for Rise Above lately. In my head for a week straight. Strangely it seems to have gone away as soon as I bought my Spiderman ticket.

 

[corianderstem]

Rise Above is really good. It keeps getting stuck in my head.

Well, the chorus does, as it's the only part I actually know. So I should listen to the whole thing more often, so I can move on from the chorus.

Still really like the gentler cast version. So lovely.

 

[bonocomet]

Yeah it's the chorus from If the World Should End that I keep hearing too, when they sing that part together, I really find I like it more than Rise Above! I thought so right away when I heard them sing it on the Tony's, and even now just from memory I think that chorus is kind of haunting and beautiful. I guess I should listen to the soundtrack that arrived from Amazon a couple days ago!

 

[roy]

oh sorry roy, i really thought you were being sarcastic in your other post...

i do like to pontificate, qualified or not!

Non post

 

[bonocomet]

Ok just listened to it on the soundtrack, and I prefer the song WAY over Rise Above. It is beautiful. I wish it was a duet now though since seeing it that way first! Gorgeous song though. Bono and Edge you did good.


(And the more I listen, actually it's growing on me with just JD singing. Uh oh, I'm kind of getting really smitten here! )

 

[EdgeFest]

I'm purposefully staying away from the soundtrack right now because I want to see everything at the actual show first, and THEN I want to come back and revisit the versions on the CD. Is that backward?

 

[Popmartijn]

On @U2 there's an interview with Steve Lillywhite about the making of the album (plus a tidbit about the new U2 songs). Quite interesting.
How Steve 'The Closer' Lillywhite Helped Spider-Man Turn On The Music

 

[bonocomet]

I'm purposefully staying away from the soundtrack right now because I want to see everything at the actual show first, and THEN I want to come back and revisit the versions on the CD. Is that backward?

Whatever works for you! Personally I enjoy ANY show way more, whether it's a band, concert, musical, when I know the songs and can hum or sing along even in my head, or at least recognize them. I've found in the past when a band does a song I don't recognize and later I know the song, I always wish I'd known it earlier so I would have enjoyed it more live. I will definitely be listening to this soundtrack a lot more before I see the show next month.

 

[Utoo]

I'm really, really digging BFFTS. I actually think the first 3-4 songs make a great start to the album, even if Bono's part in Picture This sounds like an unfinished demo of an unfinished demo version of Smile I also really like Sinistereo, if for nothing else than hearing some Creepy The Edge. And I've actually been sold on Freak Like Me just because I'm liking Patrick Page, despite the fact that it sounds corny every time they sing "New York City" and Bono used the words "weirdos" and "freaks" too many times in each verse.

Overall, it's neither a U2 record nor an earth-shattering musical soundtrack, but it's not bad & there's definitely some enjoyable stuff. Seeing as how BFFTS is perhaps the best song on there, it makes me wonder how good the show would be if all of the music was written by U2 instead of just Bono & Edge.

 

[purpleoscar]

Highlights for me:

Boy falls from the sky
Rise above (1 & 2)
Picture this
Turn off the dark (great earworm)

This to me is slightly higher than Captive and The Million Dollar Hotel soundtrack and below Passengers. Time for the band to get back to work on their "strengths" as Adam says.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

This to me is slightly higher than The Million Dollar Hotel soundtrack

Yikes!

 

[powerhour24]

MDH was brilliant.

 

[Bonogirl777]

Just listened to it again. Sinistereo is just so good.

Most definitely.