Bullet circa 1987

[quasi1970]

A lot of people are calling for dropping "Bullet" from the setlist for the 3rd leg...and I couldn't agree with them more. It's just been played to death.

I put on an old U2 bootleg vinyl this morning "The Cork Connection" recorded on August 8, 1987 (ironically almost 18 years ago...didn't notice that).

Anyway, the version of Bullet is incredibly more passionate. I had been listening to so many bootlegs from the current Vertigo tour (not to say those versions were bad), but you can really hear the difference listening to the 1987 performance. Obviously, the song was really fresh for them at the time but I was amazed how different it sounded energy wise. I know it's a no-brainer, but when you actually hear it, it's so glaringly obvious.

All this just reaffirms by belief that the song should be dropped from the setlist. Or at least give it a nice long break.

 

[theu2fly]

I think Bullet was in it's heaviest form during the Elevation tour, the solo was more longer and Bono was really passionate about it.

I wish it was done like the Elevation tour style, but then again, I'm wishing for more.

 

[Muad'zin]

Personally I prefer the Zoo TV version when the song got a total revamp. Anything since is mere cosmetic change to the Zoo TV version.
At first the new Bullet version didn't do anything to me, but now I've grown to like it. Especially now that Edge uses more distortion for the 2nd half of his solo. But Bullit is a difficult song to perform in the sense that the band has to passionately connect to it in order for it to shine. If they cannot connect thematically to it, it just doesn't sparkle. It also doesn't help that since Popmart its tempo has dropped below that of previous tour. Slower speed means less energy.

 

[Princey]

i saw bullet live for the first time during the current tour and i have to say it was a great moment. i was expecting it to be somewhat of a boring point for me in the show as i have to admit it is not one of mky favourite u2 tunes, however i was pleasantly surprised by the way it was performed, it seemed really atmospheric and at times even haunting... in my opninon it is far better than popmart and elevation BTBS

 

[JulioArca]

Bullet ca 1987 sounds almost acoustic compared to the 90/00's versions!

Imo, U2 has taken Bullet to yet another place on this tour, perhaps the best performances since the glory versions of the Zoo era.

Its the one song that U2 change from each tour and allows Edge to improvise more than on any other song.

Keep it in I say.

 

[U2FanPeter]

I think they should bring back the umbrella!!!!! j/k

I like the live 1993 version from the Stay single.

u2fp

 

[MTEdge]

Muad is spot on with the slowing down of the tempo. The energy is still there, it's just spread over a longer song. If Bullet was sped up to the Popmart/ZooTV speed, then all hell would break loose!

 

[quadcaster]

Personally I prefer the Zoo TV version when the song got a total revamp. Anything since is mere cosmetic change to the Zoo TV version.
At first the new Bullet version didn't do anything to me, but now I've grown to like it. Especially now that Edge uses more distortion for the 2nd half of his solo. But Bullit is a difficult song to perform in the sense that the band has to passionately connect to it in order for it to shine. If they cannot connect thematically to it, it just doesn't sparkle. It also doesn't help that since Popmart its tempo has dropped below that of previous tour. Slower speed means less energy.

agreed! zoo tv bullet was the best version......

 

[the tourist]

Zoo TV is good. So is Vertigo's version. It's the one chance Edge can rock out with a blues solo.