An Cat Dubh: Is it the song or is it the crowd?

[mikal]

i've been hearing a lot of negative comments about this song so far this tour. i must say, from listening to the bootlegs, An Cat Dubh sounds great!

so i'm wondering, is it the crowd that is bad, or U2's performance?

my guess is that the crowd is just lame during the song because the majority of the crowd doesn't know the song. if that's the case, then i sure hope U2 keeps playing it. we all wanted rarities this tour, and U2 is giving us one, so let's enjoy it, right?

 

[zoopop]

I was going to say the same thing. I'm sure a majority of the crowd doesn't know the song. There lose, not ours.

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

I think that the ones that don't like this songs being played are just a bit more vocal than the ones who do. Even if a crowd doesn't know a song if the song is good then they eventually will get into it as it is played. Of course they won't sing the lyrics cause they don't kow it but they will still enjoy it. I think if U2 saw that the crowd is simply not getting into those two songs at all then they would probably stop playing it as it probably would bother them, that's what I think.

 

[ultraviolet353]

the song does sound good, but hey, we're U2 fanatics--the real problem with the song is the pacing. It really puts the arena to sleep and grinds the show to a halt--by comparison Electric Co. (which is another song that most casual fans do not know) really rocks and the crowd seems to be more into it. My opinion has always been that if you play unknown songs, they must be uptempo. Out Of Control is a great example. Another song not well known by the casual fan, but the way they did it on Elevation was incredible.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

I'm not crazy about the song.

 

[mikal]

out of curiosity, how was "Gloria" accepted by the crowd?

 

[paultjr]

Gloria had a great reaction in Phoenix. I don't think too many recognized the drum intro, but once it kicked in, people got into it. Besides the song sounding great after all these years, the audience eats it up when Adam and Edge play their mini-solos and Bono intoduces the band. Why they don't play this one every night boggles my mind.

 

[paultjr]

U2 is so big they are going to attract a large amount of very casual fans, the type who at best own the best of's and the last 2 albums. Combine that with all the hype surrounding the band this time around and it's the place to be attracting even more casual fans. Personally I can care less if the crowd isn't into An Cat Dubh or Electric Co. I'm digging every minute of it in my own world. The casual people can have thier moment when they play Elevation (which by the way is kind of fun when you're there as opposed to listening to the bootlegs).

 

[broken toy]

You know, there used to be a day when audiences, yea verily at rock concerts, sat quietly and listened, and applauded politely at the end of songs.

Hell, Led Zeppelin, arguably one of rock's greatest (and most prolific) live acts, would actually "shush" people at early concerts for making too much noise. And that wasn't just during their acoustic numbers.

There's no need for EVERY song to be up-tempo, driving and spastic. If people are actually listening to An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart, instead of squealing the whole time, that's OK.

I really don't think the band should ever pander to the lowest common denominator. Keep challenging the audience.

 

[mikal]

You know, there used to be a day when audiences, yea verily at rock concerts, sat quietly and listened, and applauded politely at the end of songs.

Hell, Led Zeppelin, arguably one of rock's greatest (and most prolific) live acts, would actually "shush" people at early concerts for making too much noise. And that wasn't just during their acoustic numbers.

There's no need for EVERY song to be up-tempo, driving and spastic. If people are actually listening to An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart, instead of squealing the whole time, that's OK.

I really don't think the band should ever pander to the lowest common denominator. Keep challenging the audience.

great post!

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

You know, there used to be a day when audiences, yea verily at rock concerts, sat quietly and listened, and applauded politely at the end of songs.

Hell, Led Zeppelin, arguably one of rock's greatest (and most prolific) live acts, would actually "shush" people at early concerts for making too much noise. And that wasn't just during their acoustic numbers.

There's no need for EVERY song to be up-tempo, driving and spastic. If people are actually listening to An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart, instead of squealing the whole time, that's OK.

I really don't think the band should ever pander to the lowest common denominator. Keep challenging the audience.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

mikal, I agree with Broken Toy. ACD/ITH sound great and who cares about the pacing. We get three pretty uptempo songs to start so it's about that time in the set where the pace slows a bit.

I think the problem is with the song's age. It hasn't been played since War or early UF Tour and it's not a "monster" hit. So most casual fans don't know it, or care for it. It sounds gorgeous, it's played and sung beautifully so who cares if the crowd sits on their hands for this one? The hard core fans love it for its inclusion and the step back in time to the days when U2 were young up and comers.

 

[kromeis]

I think its just always been a boring song.

 

[whasjoewahn]

Love the song, but it seems ´wrong placed´ in the setlist. Also think that Electric Co. and Gloria is amuch better flow. I would love to see a setlist with these two!

 

[Zooropa man]

AN CAT DUBH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Zooropa man]

ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!

 

[No spoken words]

ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!

Amen.

I could not care less about how the crowd needs their good time spoon fed to them. I love this song to death, pace be damned.

I don't even see the crowd and their reaction during this song, I'm too busy letting the song wash over me.

 

[ruffian]

^what no spoken words said, up there. It's AMAZING and performed beautifully. If the majority of the crowd don't recognize it and can only get excited over hearing Elevation and Vertigo, screw 'em. And the comment about pacing is a great one...it's such a sexy, smokey song. The change in tempo is fantastic.

 

[anitram]

I'm a diehard fan and on the one hand I'm excited they have dug deep and brought these songs back.

On the other, An Cat Dubh has never been my favourite of the oldies or anywhere even close to that live. It's just....okay. I'd rather hear Electric Co or Gloria every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

But I won't bitch about its inclusion either.

 

[-macphisto-]

Fantastic SONG!

 

[Zooropa man]

say goodnight, she wait for me to turn out the light, really still, she wait to break my will!!! WOAH-OH!!!!!

 

[Celticfc]

I couldnt care less about the casual fan not knowing the song. They are playing it for the long term & die hard fans IMO.
An example of a fan I came across was outside the LA sports arena. I turned up too late to get in. I asked a guy after the show if they played "an cat dubh" his reply "whats that"
arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[nanavancouver]

I heard them play An Cat Dubh in '83. It wasn't one of my favorites then and isn't now. However, I love the fact that they are reaching back into the song book and playing things that us more "mature" fans remember.

 

[Muad'zin]

ACD/ITH are two of the best tracks of Boy and some of Edge;s finest guitar playing of the era. U2 are da man for bringing it back and I'll be thanking my lucky stars if they still play it by the time I'm around. F*** casual fans! If they don't like it get lost so real fans can go instead.