Letterman - Breathe Performance (3/2/09)

[Clawgrabber]

Clawgrabber, if Couric didn't hold herself out as a serious NEWS-woman, rather than an editorial/opinion journalist/pundit, you'd have a point. But Couric is supposed to be representative of serious, hard news in this country - it's a sick joke.

I get what you are saying. I just don't really see her as the bastion of truth. I look to other outlets besides the big three networks for more hard hitting news. I mean for years she was on the same program that brings us "to catch a predator"

that's not exactly a serious news-woman. i highly doubt we will ever see her moderating any presidential debates. did you see her backstage vlog? Charlie Rose doesn't have a camera crew follow him into the green room to see what cookies are in the fridge. i get where you are coming from, but i just don't see her in that light at all. (by that i mean i don't take her seriously)

 

[pika]

They nailed Breathe. Boys are on form

 

[adam3000]

i like the part when bono motions for the audience to stand on their feet and applaud ... um, lame ... other than that, pretty good performance ... better than the "breathe" performance in france/berlin (?).

 

[stray dog]

I wish Katie had asked Bono one of those biased questions like "What do you like to read?" Breathe was fantastic live...looking forward to the rest of the week of DAVE!

 

[Clawgrabber]

i like the part when bono motions for the audience to stand on their feet and applaud ... um, lame ... other than that, pretty good performance ... better than the "breathe" performance in france/berlin (?).

i thought he was trying to get people to clap clap clap along. like when they play new years day. either way its the most i've ever seen the audience involved on letterman

 

[Lemonfix]

i like the part when bono motions for the audience to stand on their feet and applaud ... um, lame ...

err, Bono was just getting them to clap along with the song. He has done this many times before.

 

[cmaly]

This performance had energy and it felt like a stride was truly hit... it reminded me of the promo performances for ATYCLB: energy, swagger, and tight, tight music w/ power. I wasn't excited for the pending tour until now. It is on.

 

[EmitFlesti]

I get what you are saying. I just don't really see her as the bastion of truth. I look to other outlets besides the big three networks for more hard hitting news. I mean for years she was on the same program that brings us "to catch a predator"

that's not exactly a serious news-woman. i highly doubt we will ever see her moderating any presidential debates. did you see her backstage vlog? Charlie Rose doesn't have a camera crew follow him into the green room to see what cookies are in the fridge. i get where you are coming from, but i just don't see her in that light at all. (by that i mean i don't take her seriously)

I got gotcha. Yeah, I don't think anybody takes her - or network news in general - seriously any more, at least not "real" people outside the media bubble. But I think she and others among the media-class do think of themselves as serious, hard-hitting news, and the fact that she and other sin the media apparently don't see that self-image as being in conflict with their obvious political bisaes is troubliing. Fortunately, more and more people are turning away from the standard corporate network-dominated news sources in this country and looking to alternate sources for real news and information.

 

[marcosdd]

david should've said: "22 grammy awards... 22 grammy awards!!! SUCK THAT PITCHFORK!"

 

[EmitFlesti]

I wish Katie had asked Bono one of those biased questions like "What do you like to read?"

If you're implying that I and others here are defending Palin vis-a-vis Couric, you're mistaken. Couric's biases are evident in multiple ways, but mere soft-ball questions that Palin was too inept to handle, is not one of them. It's not her handling of Palin that makes Couric biased, it's the whole tenor of her coverage in general, and that was amply evidenced in her opinions on Letterman last night.

Palin was simply a joke. Actually the entire political and media class in this country - Left and Right - is an joke.

 

[mikeuk]

wow they nailed it - bono sounds great by the way

yes but not as good (imo) a performance as all the BBC performances - because Bono's voice wasn't as strong, so an issue maybe iro the tour and rumours aboiut only 3 shows in one week ? Mike

 

[The Passenger]

Great performance.

I rarely watch Letterman anymore, but he can still be very funny. He skewered Rob Blagojevich a few weeks back. Funny as hell. Take a look...

YouTube - Late Show - Rod Blagojevich: Part One

 

[adam3000]

err, Bono was just getting them to clap along with the song. He has done this many times before.

ok... maybe i'm just being a cynical jerk... it was a really good performance.

 

[dpd93933]

hey guys, i know this is off topic but I just got my rolling stone issue and U2 is on the cover. long article about the new album and also- the next album will be released next year and will be called Songs of Ascent. First single- Every Breaking Wave. pretty cool, huh?

 

[cdirani]

hey guys, i know this is off topic but I just got my rolling stone issue and U2 is on the cover. long article about the new album and also- the next album will be released next year and will be called Songs of Ascent. First single- Every Breaking Wave. pretty cool, huh?

Cool! Can you get us a scan of it? Would love to read it.

BTW, it seems someone else already has chosen this title: http://ellenmwilson.com/products.html

 

[Lila64]

The cover is posted elsewhere on the site (PLEBA). See below:

 

[cdirani]

Great! I think it even deserves its own thread, huh!
Thanks a lot for posting it!

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

Larry looks rather old there

 

[powerhour24]

"Breathe" for the next single?

They've been playing it a lot, and it preempted "Boots" getting played first. Breathe would make an awesome iTunes ad.

 

[dpd93933]

Bono also says "Songs of ascent will be quieter than No line in many ways, its that ghost album of hymns and Sufi singing. We're making a kind of heartbreaker, a meditative, reflexive piece of work, but not indulgent." Every Breaking wave is described as a surging anthem too.

 

[powerhour24]

MOS/WAS style album, with the more meditative experimental tracks?

Although a surging anthem doesn't seem to jive with that concept, but I suppose you'd need some like EBW to make it live up to the title.

 

[OrARoundabout]

Bono also says "Songs of ascent will be quieter than No line in many ways, its that ghost album of hymns and Sufi singing. We're making a kind of heartbreaker, a meditative, reflexive piece of work, but not indulgent." Every Breaking wave is described as a surging anthem too.

Are they just gunna chuck this thing out in the middle of the Tour like Zooropa?

 

[Catman]

Bono also says "Songs of ascent will be quieter than No line in many ways, its that ghost album of hymns and Sufi singing. We're making a kind of heartbreaker, a meditative, reflexive piece of work, but not indulgent." Every Breaking wave is described as a surging anthem too.

Seriously. Really? Are you fucking with me?

This is fantaaaaaastic news! I love U2's more meditative work - there's a whole other side to the band that most people (who aren't fans) have no idea about. When most people hear U2, they think anthemic, stadium-rock (Pride, Beautiful Day, Vertigo, etc...) - *not* Stateless, One Step Closer, Slug, The First Time, Cedars of Lebanon, The Unforgettable Fire, Walk to the Water, etc.,.


EDIT: Clearly, I am very excited about this

 

[mrex]

They need to follow the Bowie formula. On the Eno produced Bowie albums, there was always one shit-hot radio hit amid the experimental work.

Heroes had Heroes
Low had Ashes to Ashes
Station to Station had Golden Years

I can't believe there's an actual title for the next album!

 

[PowerSurge]

yes but not as good (imo) a performance as all the BBC performances - because Bono's voice wasn't as strong, so an issue maybe iro the tour and rumours aboiut only 3 shows in one week ? Mike

I agree.

He quite hasn't figured out that tough "these days..." bridge at the beginning. I think he's trying to hit the high note early in the song and his voice is not in concert form yet. I totally expect him to nail it come the tour.

The scary part about the song Breathe and a couple others that they've already played with some success (NLOTH & GOYB) is that once they've played them about 30-40 times they'll be a million times better than now....and they've been pretty good NOW, so just wait till mid tour

One song that I'm dying to hear live is MOS. x2

 

[PowerSurge]

"Breathe" for the next single?

They've been playing it a lot, and it preempted "Boots" getting played first. Breathe would make an awesome iTunes ad.

Well, they played COBL alot in the beginning for their HTDAAB promo tour and they released it as the third single I believe...so who knows?

Bono also says "Songs of ascent will be quieter than No line in many ways, its that ghost album of hymns and Sufi singing. We're making a kind of heartbreaker, a meditative, reflexive piece of work, but not indulgent." Every Breaking wave is described as a surging anthem too.

I so wish they just threw caution to the wind and released the two LP's as a complete double album piece of work. It would have worked so well to have two distinct feeling records in one release. Again, this topic has been debated already....so no use rekindling that topic again....but still something that's been lingering in my mind again lately with the recent news.

 

[redhill]

I agree.

He quite hasn't figured out that tough "these days..." bridge at the beginning. I think he's trying to hit the high note early in the song and his voice is not in concert form yet. I totally expect him to nail it come the tour.

The scary part about the song Breathe and a couple others that they've already played with some success (NLOTH & GOYB) is that once they've played them about 30-40 times they'll be a million times better than now....and they've been pretty good NOW, so just wait till mid tour

One song that I'm dying to hear live is MOS. x2

Can't wait to see that! Seems a shame to do it without Eno and Lanois as their contribution was so important and Eno is so proud of his playing (and the fact that he loves the song so much.)

 

[Gilead12]

I agree.

He quite hasn't figured out that tough "these days..." bridge at the beginning. I think he's trying to hit the high note early in the song and his voice is not in concert form yet. I totally expect him to nail it come the tour.

The scary part about the song Breathe and a couple others that they've already played with some success (NLOTH & GOYB) is that once they've played them about 30-40 times they'll be a million times better than now....and they've been pretty good NOW, so just wait till mid tour

One song that I'm dying to hear live is MOS. x2

I think MOS will become one of those holy live moments.

I'm sort of fearing it will become a new OTH/Red Hill...

 

[Mr. Person]

They need to follow the Bowie formula. On the Eno produced Bowie albums, there was always one shit-hot radio hit amid the experimental work.

Heroes had Heroes
Low had Ashes to Ashes
Station to Station had Golden Years

I can't believe there's an actual title for the next album!

Ashes to Ashes was from Scary Monsters. Low had Sound and Vision.

I would love a slower album...the ballads from NLOTH are some of the best they have ever written.

 

[U2FloridaFan]

I got gotcha. Yeah, I don't think anybody takes her - or network news in general - seriously any more, at least not "real" people outside the media bubble. But I think she and others among the media-class do think of themselves as serious, hard-hitting news, and the fact that she and other sin the media apparently don't see that self-image as being in conflict with their obvious political bisaes is troubliing. Fortunately, more and more people are turning away from the standard corporate network-dominated news sources in this country and looking to alternate sources for real news and information.

Is this the Katie Couric forum now??? Am I in the wrong place.