who starts the backing tracks?

[marik]

I was listening to Denver 11.08.87 today started wondering who is in control of the backing tracks?

I always assumed it was someone under the stage or at the mixing console (a removed party), but now i'm not so sure.

listening to this concert specifically, i was amazed how WOWY started with the backing track and Larry at the exact precise same moment. I listened to it a couple times and it seems too perfectly timed for an outside party to be pressing play and for Larry to react at that exact split second.
The logic behind it dicates it must be a band member. I mean how would an outsider know when the band needs an extra few seconds to catch their breath, or a sip of water.

In conclusion, i think it makes sense that it is either controlled by a footpedel on Edge's unit, OR perhaps by Larry. (i have seen u2 tribute bands where the fake Larry was the one starting the tracks- but in the end i guess this means nothing)

Anyone know for sure????

 

[major_panic]

For Larry to be doing it makes the most sense to me - the drummer is the core of the group and in most cases has the ultimate say on when a song begins and ends. Also, the drummer keeps the beat and would be best positioned to know how things are going.

 

[mandrake]

It's the Edge for the most part I believe. If you watch the very beginning of City of Blinding Lights on the Chicago Vertigo concert DVD, there is a top down camera angle on the Edge and he clearly taps a sequencer with his foot for the backing track.

 

[marik]

Very true. I remember that scene very vividly.

 

[digitize]

Edge and Des Broadbery have control over sequencers.

 

[ahittle]

And Larry is hearing a click track with a count in for songs like WOWY.

 

[JOFO]

Edge and Des Broadbery have control over sequencers.

Right.
And Larry was still hearing a countoff before he gave his countoff.

 

[digitize]

And Larry is hearing a click track with a count in for songs like WOWY.

Larry's not the only one with click tracks and counts-in. I think it varies song-per-song, but you get the picture if you listen to a raw IEM feed from Bono or Edge. For instance, Bono's IEM, One Tree Hill, Vertigo Saitama (night two):

YouTube - U2 One Tree Hill Saitama 11/29/06 - IEM mix by U2mixer

 

[BVS]

Wait!!!

They use backing tracks?


















My guess would be Jesus.

 

[digitize]

Wait!!!

They use backing tracks?

And Auto-Tune! They sold out to the big audio-enhancement industry after War!

 

[lmixristhebest]

I know of a band that just uses an ipod for backing tracks. They have their whole set programmed into the ipod, so they only press play to start the first song, then they don't have to think about it again, it's all programmed in for them to play along with for their entire set without hitting start or stop any more. And yes, the drummer gets the click track so he can count in the band at the appropriate time. But U2 seems spontaneous enough that I'm sure they just have a crew member who's able to start and stop their tracks for them.

 

[LarryMullenFan]

This question should be somewhere in the FAQ's

U2 has a lot of people under the stage. None of the bandmembers start these backing tracks themselves. So, not Edge, not Larry.

There's actually someone playing live piano under the stage, called Terry lawless. Could very well be that either he or one of the techs start the tracks.

The IEM recordings have a clicktrack to keep the whole band in synch, as it is very hard on big stages to do so.
The count in's are there for Bono. Especially on One Tree Hill it is difficult to start at the right time due to lack of other bandmembers playing. It's just a computer voice, not Paul McGuinness chatting into a mic

 

[popshopper]

Edge can start them, there's a video of Dallas talking about the Edge's effects system during the Elevation tour and he points out to seperate pedals at the top of the Edge's floor board, one green, one red which he said were used (infrequently) to start and stop the keyboards loops.

 

[dr.dae]

Back in the old analogue days you even could see the "backing tracks".
It was a multitrack tape machine standing on The Edges Guitar FX Rack.
You can see it in the WOWY-Video and i think it is onstage in the Rattle & Hum Movie as well.

 

[digitize]

Edge can start them, there's a video of Dallas talking about the Edge's effects system during the Elevation tour and he points out to seperate pedals at the top of the Edge's floor board, one green, one red which he said were used (infrequently) to start and stop the keyboards loops.

Yeah, Edge has control of some of the loops (mainly for Bad, where timing for the keyboard loop is impossible to keep exact). Also, during the Zoo TV and PopMart tours, I know he played some sort of keyboard with his feet... I'm not sure what that entailed, but I've heard it on several interviews from the era. It could have just been an expanded role of enabling keyboard loops like he does for Bad, or it could have truly been (as Bono says in U2 ATEOTW) Edge playing something different with every appendage.

Also, I forgot about Terry. He occasionally comes out on stage. Also, I know Des occasionally will play a second guitar that they don't sequence in, and Dallas has a duplicate of the Edgeworld console in the underworld, and will occasionally trip some of Edge's effects for him when Edge can't, so it stands to reason that Dallas might have the same control over loops as Edge, and might occasionally enable/disable a loop or pick up a guitar and play. But that's just pure conjecture on my part.

 

[ahittle]

I know of a band that just uses an ipod for backing tracks. They have their whole set programmed into the ipod, so they only press play to start the first song, then they don't have to think about it again, it's all programmed in for them to play along with for their entire set without hitting start or stop any more. And yes, the drummer gets the click track so he can count in the band at the appropriate time. But U2 seems spontaneous enough that I'm sure they just have a crew member who's able to start and stop their tracks for them.

Jesus - do they even have to show up? They could just hang at the bar while the ipod rocks the stage.

(I guess you mean the ipod contains backing tracks. )