Why no live Acrobat?

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EStreetShufflur

Babyface
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
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Apologies if this is the wrong place.
Apologies if this has been asked and answered a thousand times.
Thanks.
 
It has been asked about a thousand times, to all band members. And we've only had vague answers, like

Bono: Well in order for us to play it the Edge has to meditate in a tree for a week

or something like that.

So yeah, I do not have a clue WHY they won't play it. Perhaps they're afraid they can't live up to the expectations now since it's pretty much a legend amongst fans. Then again, they did rehearse it for the Outside Broadcast leg of ZooTv.
 
It's really frustrating that they can't just admit why they won't play it, and give us some bogus story instead. It's already annoying enough that they don't play their best song ever live. :lol:
 
I guess probably because it's not that well known to the general audience like Beautiful Day, for example. The band prefers to play more well known songs instead of Acrobat.
 
well, if they do ever play the fecker live they better give us all a heads up so we can duke it out for the most hotly contested show ever ~ I am reasonably sure that I would sell my kids, my car, unwanted body parts if necessary to get there . . . :D :wink: :wave:
 
well, if they do ever play the fecker live they better give us all a heads up so we can duke it out for the most hotly contested show ever ~ I am reasonably sure that I would sell my kids, my car, unwanted body parts if necessary to get there . . . :D :wink: :wave:


No truer words have ever been spoken! :lol:





:shifty:
 
well, if they do ever play the fecker live they better give us all a heads up so we can duke it out for the most hotly contested show ever ~ I am reasonably sure that I would sell my kids, my car, unwanted body parts if necessary to get there . . . :D :wink: :wave:

:up::up:
 
I remember seeing U2 in an 'unplugged'-type setting, where they played songs and answered questions. This question came up. The reason given was that it is written in a different time (musically) than any other song they've done. Somewhere else I heard mentioned that they attempted to do this song in rehersals before the AB tour, but could never find a live arrangement they liked.
 
Yeah, but they played Breathe live without problem. So that argument doesn't stand anymore.


:grumpy: Dammit boys, just play it!

They did attempt it in rehearsals, Hershey Broadcast tapes are floating around on the internet. They tried to segue it into ZooStation.
 
I don't care if I'm as far back from the band as possible, I'll be sure I'm at a show where Acrobat is played (if it is ever to be played that is). I just don't see them playing it. Which will be sad if they never play it, then I'll have that "well, what IF they played Acrobat?" going in my head. I wonder how much of the studio track was recorded all at once.
 
The version on the AB outtakes is very nearly identical to the released version. If I recall correctly, it's a full band version as well.
 
I think Bono said at some point in time last year that he would difficulty hitting those high notes and that's why they're not playing it, but hell, if Zooropa, Scarlet, almost Drowning Man, etc. can be resurrected, there's always hope! :)

Sincerely,

Bored Out of My Skull Waiting for any news on a new album or just bloody new rumors of any recording!!! :drool:
 
There is nothing in the singing preventing them from playing it. Bono may have said that, but he's the politician for the band...that's just another way of him saying "I know you guys want to hear it, but we - as a democracy - don't feel like playing it".

Others are correct, they were going to open ZooTv with it (segue into ZooStation) and scrapped the idea when the arrangement didn't work. They put it on the shelf -essentially permanently - because Edge couldn't remember how he played it and it was in a fast 3/4 (I think Breathe is much slower). Edge is using a particular slide-style (maybe even a literal slide) with an odd chord structure for the big 'riff'. I am guessing that is what he can't remember. I've written songs myself that I can't remember how I played. Sometimes you just try shit...

That said, they could play it, easily, if they really wanted to. But let's face it, it is only a bone to throw to hardcore fans. And they've become, increasingly, more of a 'greatest hits' band. But shit, if they can break out Zooropa, they can do Acrobat.

So the answer to the question is, regardless of what Boner or anyone else is saying, they (collectively) have had no recent desire to go back and rehearse it.

My motto is to blame Larry first and ask questions later. :wink:
 
Where did you hear that? What high notes would he be talking about?

I may have misremembered the high notes part, perhaps it was the arrangement portion that was difficult live, thinking it was a question or an interview around the time of the debut of From the Sky Down in Canada, but I can't be sure. Anyone else remember or is my memory failing me?? :doh:
 
I always thought that notes-too-tough-to-sing excuse was used for Red Hill Mining Town, not Acrobat
 
yeah careful U2DMfan, or you'll upset Larry Mullen's saviour/BEST MATE here. :wink:

ps. beautiful avatar you've got there.
 
I have always wondered why they never played RHMT live. It's not that hard to play, and the singing isn't harder than fx ISHFWILF.

I would die for seeing Acrobat live.
 
Maybe they don't like to play it because it hits a little too close to home thematically. It makes me think of that bit in U2ATEOTW where Flanagan talks about Bono's reluctance to do the vocal on The Wanderer. Bono is giving all sorts of reasons why Johnny needs to sing it, but really Flanagan thinks that Bono just doesn't want to because he feels it would reflect on him personally rather than sounding like a character. I wonder if it would be the same with Acrobat?

Incidentally, I'm glad to see someone else say "their best song ever". When I went back to AB after like a 20 year hiatus that was the one that got my attention most. Just blood and guts all over the floor. Given the fact that Bono has said he can't perform a song without 'going there' emotionally, I might not want to sing it either if I was him.
 
If I can remember way back to RHMT - I thought originally that was going to be a single but Bonor found it too hard to sing especially every night in concert if it were a single.


But Acrobat is something else, definitely my alltime fav and I hate to say this but seeing U2 cover bands actually nail the song (see Youtube, Lemon from Chile and UF), the reasoning that either Edge forgot how to play it or Bono would have to put Edge in a tree for a week before he could play it seems kinda hollow now. I mean I really think they could do it, in fact there was a supposed leak on another thread that the guitar playing sounded like Acrobat to me even with the chord changesand all.

Jeevey may be on to something though, maybe it does hit way too close to home to Bono.

Or as someone else said they know we want them to play it so they are just f*****g with us.
 
The narrator in the song is essentially owning up to being a hypocrite ("I must be an acrobat/ to talk like this/ and act like that"). I guess singing those lines in front of fifty thousand people may make Bono feel a leedle bit uncomfortable. Especially if there are those in the crowd brandishing "Pay your taxes, Bono!" flags :wink:
 
The narrator in the song is essentially owning up to being a hypocrite ("I must be an acrobat/ to talk like this/ and act like that"). I guess singing those lines in front of fifty thousand people may make Bono feel a leedle bit uncomfortable. Especially if there are those in the crowd brandishing "Pay your taxes, Bono!" flags :wink:

All the more reason to sing it / play it as it would help deflate the hypocrite accusations.

Much like roasts often help a celebrity move past a lot of crap (for lack of a better word) that the public often throws at them.

Once you're in on the joke it's a lot harder to be the butt of it...
 
Others are correct, they were going to open ZooTv with it (segue into ZooStation) and scrapped the idea when the arrangement didn't work. They put it on the shelf -essentially permanently - because Edge couldn't remember how he played it and it was in a fast 3/4 (I think Breathe is much slower). Edge is using a particular slide-style (maybe even a literal slide) with an odd chord structure for the big 'riff'. I am guessing that is what he can't remember. I've written songs myself that I can't remember how I played. Sometimes you just try shit...

time to bring a hypnotist in for Edge! :lol:
 
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