What live versions can't beat the studio recording?

[Catman]

I respectfully disagree.

It rocked my socks off in Amsterdam.

Well, if a song is played that isn't part of the normal rotation, I'd be thrilled even if the band totally botches the performance (or, somewhat oddly enough, even if it's a song that I just don't care for)--I'd feel a little special that I got to experience something out of the ordinary (also jealous that you got to hear Sweetest Thing--always had a bit of a soft spot for that tune ).

Now excuse me, Zee-Gnat, for I am going to check out that Magnificent performance on the ol' youtube

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[Babydoll]

Well, if a song is played that isn't part of the normal rotation, I'd be thrilled even if the band totally botches the performance (or, somewhat oddly enough, even if it's a song that I just don't care for)--I'd feel a little special that I got to experience something out of the ordinary (also jealous that you got to hear Sweetest Thing--always had a bit of a soft spot for that tune ).

Now excuse me, Zee-Gnat, for I am going to check out that Magnificent performance on the ol' youtube

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Dude. Those and Zoo Station last night!

Spoiler

Btw, the second part isn't pronounced Gnat

 

[Hollow Island]

Every NLOTH song bar Magnificent is better on the album. Same with Pop, except for Please and Gone.

 

[wolbersu2]

Every breaking wave
Mercy
Pride
Gone


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[bobsaget77]

Every NLOTH song bar Magnificent is better on the album. Same with Pop, except for Please and Gone.

Last Night On Earth was a monster live on Popmart, that outro/extended solo was epic. And with the exception of a few great MOS performances, I agree. Most of NLOTH and Pop didn't work great live.
However, in Pop's defense, those songs haven't been featured enough on the tours that followed it to redeem themselves.
For instance, Real Thing was great on ZooTV and Popmart, but was taken to new heights on 360. Same with the Elevation performances of The Fly, which were incredible. If they would've given some time to that version of Discotheque on Vertigo, it could've been amazing. The 2 versions we heard were great, but it had a lot of untapped potential.



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[Hollow Island]

You're right, I forgot about Last Night on Earth. It was awesome live. Miami was great too. So was Discotheque. And songs do improve on tours. The Elevation Fly and Zoo TV Bullet (and I&E Magnificent) show this. Too bad they don't give more songs the chance to grow.

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[mikal]

Running To Stand Still on its own I find to be superior on the album, it already has a live feel that I'm not sure they can ever recapture. The combo with Streets on Zoo TV is amazing but if the songs did not lead into each other in such a perfect manner I'm not sure how much I would enjoy the latter.

I struggled on this one because the move version you mentioned is one of my all time live moments. With that said. Fuck! That studio version!

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[TheLoungeFly]

For me, I think that the live versions of Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me don't top the studio version. The coughing at the beginning of the live versions is pretty good, and the actual music is pretty decent, but... I've got to say, I wasn't blown away by the live performances like I thought I'd be. I did like the 360 version better than the PopMart version in some ways, but I miss the miscellaneous breathy vocalizations/moanings from the studio version. The live version is still good, don't get me wrong, but I think it lacks a little in spunk.

 

[david]

The only thing that bugged me about the live version of Streets is that it didn't end the way the studio version did but instead Bono just ohhhhh ohhhhh'd it.


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[pepokiss]

Do You Feel Loved

If you (and maybe everyone) have the Vegas version as reference, maybe, but just 3 days later after that, they kicked ass with Do You Feel Loved

https://youtu.be/f5IFYdyE9Sw?t=18m2s



Regarding the topic, I think the album versions of this songs are unmatched:

One
Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
All Because Of You
Zooropa
The Unforgettable Fire
Staring At The Sun

 

[xtrmx]

Every Breaking Wave (not hard lol).
Moment Of Surrender. (This song really needs headphones to appreciate the fullness of the bass/melody)
Zooropa. (Sucks I believe it can be easily done, imagine bono and co doing it like this https://youtu.be/CqRMxgGMvE0?t=3m55s)

 

[The Panther]

It's kind of a strange question because there are so many 'versions' of live tracks to choose from.

I really feel U2 are a band that compartmentalize the different parts of their existence. So, "live U2" is a completely different thing to "studio records" U2 and "marketing U2" and so on. They treat each aspect almost as something unrelated to the others.

(On a similar note -- with completely different results -- think of The Beatles during 1964 to mid-1966: there was the "studio Beatles" moving from A Hard Day's Night to Revolver, and there was the live Beatles 'freak-show' of 4 moptops on stage for 30 minutes playing outdated songs to screaming hordes who didn't listen.)

Mostly, when I want to listen to U2 (which increasingly, is not often -- but on the plus-side I probably appreciate their unique aspects more now than before), i want to listen to the "studio U2". So, when I'm in that mood, I prefer the studio recordings almost universally (yes, even "Where the Streets Have No Name").

Occasionally, I prefer to listen to a live recording.

 

[Galeongirl]

Thought of another one... Mysterious Ways ever since ZooTv. Just.. lacking something. The slide solo did a lot good, but there is just something missing.. and now, MW without slide solo live? Mehhhhhh.

 

[djerdap]

Mysterious Ways on Popmart and Elevation was fantastic.

Sao Paulo 1998

 

[lemonfly]

For me, I think that the live versions of Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me don't top the studio version. The coughing at the beginning of the live versions is pretty good, and the actual music is pretty decent, but... I've got to say, I wasn't blown away by the live performances like I thought I'd be. I did like the 360 version better than the PopMart version in some ways, but I miss the miscellaneous breathy vocalizations/moanings from the studio version. The live version is still good, don't get me wrong, but I think it lacks a little in spunk.

I agree, it works much better with its studio components. In particular, Bono's operatic "kill meeeeeeee" at the end with the accompanying strings outro (and even his moanings/groanings) kinda makes the song for me. When I experienced it live in '97, it struck me as a little flat.

 

[superchuk5]

Zooropa. (Sucks I believe it can be easily done, imagine bono and co doing it like this https://youtu.be/CqRMxgGMvE0?t=3m55s)

Wow that sounds so awesome and funky.

 

[unclejosh]

With or Without You. Despite some great versions, especially with extended tags, nothing will ever top the studio version of this song for me. I very rarely listen to studio versions of any songs as I almost exclusively prefer live. In fact I would guess I listen to about 90% live music for all bands not just U2. It's why I have thousands of bootlegs from back in the day and terabytes of live recordings now. Anyway, there is just something about the groove and feel of WOWY studio version that has never been surpassed in a live setting in my opinion.