Thought on Setlist variety

[jphelmet]

What if U2 just bothered to take the songs they have been playing, and just mixed the order up? They wouldn't have to add anymore new songs to keep the shows a little more fresh, just mess with the order.

I just got back from seeing wilco tonight, and they opened with Misunderstood (about the equavilent of U2 opening with Bad). They still played the majority of their new album, but in a very random fashion, with mixing in rarities in no particular order. It was a great show, and made me think that if U2 would adopt this philosophy it would make a great difference. They don't really have to rehearse anymore, and it would at least make for some suprises with minimal effort. It would really help with the predictable, boring section (mainly lapoe->one) I think they transition between songs, is way overrated. I would prefer some back to back songs that may not flow great- but are a great suprise.

If they would do something like:
1. bad
2. all because of you
3. electric co
4. vertigo
5. miracle drug
6. sometimes
7. one
8. until the end of the world
9. wild horses
10. fast cars
11. yahweh
12. first time
13. bullet
14. running
15. zoo station
16 the fly
17 beatuiful day
---------
18. COBL
19. I will Follow
20 Wowoy
--------
21. Lapoe
22. Discotheque
23. Crumbs
24 Streets


Next night
1. out of control
2. electric co
3. vertigo
4. beatuiful day
5. lapoe
6. sbs
7 bullet
8. miss sarajevo /running
9. i still haven't found
10. wild horses
11. yahweh
12. crumbs
13. streets
14. pride
15. miracle drug
16. sometimes
-----------
17. disco
18. the fly
19. mysterious ways
20. bad
---------
21. COBL
22. gloria
23. 40

 

[U2girl]

People will immediately say that switching the order of songs that were played isn't variety.

 

[jphelmet]

its not really variety, but it makes for a much better show. even if they play the same songs, its still better not knowing what is coming next. along with that idea, if they would just be willing to not do a handful every night, leaving a little more variation. (like leaving out pride, bullet, etc every other night).

 

[U2girl]

Kind of hard, since Pride and Bullet are a part of two major theme sections of the show.

That said, you may not know what's coming next, but overall, you'd still know what's getting played if you look at the setlists.

 

[jphelmet]

Kind of hard, since Pride and Bullet are a part of two major theme sections of the show.

That said, you may not know what's coming next, but overall, you'd still know what's getting played if you look at the setlists.

the themed parts are part of the point, they need to go. Esp. the lapoe->miss sarajevo, really the only boring part of the show. I know U2 is into the lets make a cohesive show, that flows- but I think that is way overrated.

They have played almost 50 different songs on the vertigo tour by now. If they were willing to really mess with the order and not play all the 'hits' (just leaving out 2-3, like pride and elevation ) every night you wouldn't know what's coming and there would be suprises.

as it is there is only 2 spots in the set where there may be a suprise and its only a song or two.

 

[U2girl]

A matter of taste. I know some people enjoy SBS this tour, as well as Bullet.
(I never liked this song but I'm liking that they didn't go for the Zoo TV effects/slide solo variation like previous tours. I like the LAPOE-SBS transition too)

As far as I'm concerned there have been plenty of surprises. Or did anyone know we're getting Boy songs, Gloria, 40, Running to stand still, Zoo station, Who's gonna ride..., Miss Sarajevo, First time?

 

[jphelmet]

As far as I'm concerned there have been plenty of surprises. Or did anyone know we're getting Boy songs, Gloria, 40, Running to stand still, Zoo station, Who's gonna ride..., Miss Sarajevo, First time?

i agree. i am not really upset about the shows- they are great when you are there. i just found wilco's set very refreshing after seeing u2 so many times.

 

[clerks]

I posted a long thread in general discussion about this in another post about the MSG shows, but I thing I didn't bring up was the logistics of it all.

It looks like Edge and Adam switch guitars a lot during the show, but for some sections like the WAR TRILOGY they are able to use the same instruments. So if you messed it up too much, it wouldn't be able to flow into the other songs, because Edge and Adam would need to switch again.

So maybe that's part of the reason for the order of songs. It seems to be.

I think if we knew more about why they do certain things do to logicistics, we would all complain less.

I mean they play Miracle drug and Sometimes back to back and it's for a reason more than just that they go together. The stage setup for those songs has been rehearsed so not to lose too much time. 5 curtains or 6 go down during Miracle and then when it's almost over 2 or 3 of them go up, leaving 3 behind to display the image of the man walking in the middle.

It's all for a reason. Maybe going from MD to Streets would work, but then it wouldn't be as cool since the curtains are already down for MD.

The curtains going up and down is part of the experince.

 

[jphelmet]

my answer would be use the curtains less, or lose them all together. the unknown far outweighs the experience of the curtains imo. besides no one really care if the curtains go up or down multiple times, or if it takes a few more seconds.

i understand your point, i think the variety and order of songs would far outwiegh the exactness of the presentation.

 

[God Part III]

Esp. the lapoe->miss sarajevo, really the only boring part of the show.

I don't understand.
You all know the Pride-Streets-One combo,
Miracle Drug and Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own are always (98% maybe) being played together, it always opens with COBL-Vertigo-Elevation.

It's not the only part of the show that never changes.

For me, SBS - Bullet - Ms Sarajevo is the highlight of the main set, except for Electric Co., and maybe Streets. Clearly the strongest combo they have.

 

[God Part III]

And on the whole, as U2girl said, did you really predict

The Electric Co., An Cat Dubh/Into The Heart, The Ocean, Gloria, "40", Running To Stand Still, Zoo Station, Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, The First Time, Miss Sarajevo, Discothèque, In A Little While or Fast Cars?

Never have we been so surprised. This bitching is pointless. I'd understand about Elevation, but this tour is close to perfection in comparison to what they've done before. In average they're playing, what, 23-24 songs a night? I heard 25 in Milan. Elevation was 21 songs standard right?
This is their best tour ever.

 

[jphelmet]

Never have we been so surprised. This bitching is pointless. I'd understand about Elevation, but this tour is close to perfection in comparison to what they've done before. In average they're playing, what, 23-24 songs a night? I heard 25 in Milan. Elevation was 21 songs standard right?
This is their best tour ever.

this was in no way a "bitching" thread. i said, and have said over and over i'm extremely happy with the tour. said in the previous post, that i was happy with the sets and the songs played. I'm never said in any post that i was disappointed in what they played.
the simple point was, u2 could mix it up more in the order of songs- making each night unique with little to no extra effort on their part. thats it. just a comparison in wilco's philosophy of their live show versus u2's. i think it would improve on u2's show if they would simply mix the order. They would still be playing the songs the masses want to hear and make it better for the diehards that will see many shows.

 

[U2girl]

When was the last time U2 played various openers, closers and encores?

Seems like every single new thing they tried got bashed...first leg had complaints about slow Boy songs and (later) lights during Streets, second leg was critisized for bringing more hits (what a surprise at a stadium show) and Miss Sarajevo was too slow, third leg is now critisized for getting a new encore.

 

[Axver]

When was the last time U2 played various openers, closers and encores?

Elevation! Two different openers, three different closers. And if you want regular closer alteration, Popmart; regular opener alteration, Lovetown.

 

[U2girl]

Yes, but how many Elevation shows didn't start with Elevation and end with Walk on? (Walk on, Out of control...what's the third closer?)
I think a lot less than the number of Vertigo shows not ending with 40 and not starting with City of blinding lights. 3 openers, 4 closers.

I was getting at Lovetown.

 

[Axver]

Yes, but how many Elevation shows didn't start with Elevation and end with Walk on? (Walk on, Out of control...what's the third closer?)
I think a lot less than the number of Vertigo shows not ending with 40 and not starting with City of blinding lights. 3 openers, 4 closers.

I was getting at Lovetown.

One Elevation show opened with Beautiful Day; four did not close with Walk On (three with OOC, one with One). It's true there's definitely been more opener and closer variety this tour - though Popmart's still winning for closer variety. 93 shows, not a single closer done more than 20 times.

 

[U2girl]

Elevation show closed with One? Didn't know that ... when did that happen?

Popmart had such closer variety? Just by looking at u2setlists.com site I thought for sure more than 50% of the shows closed with One+a snippet. I know a few used 40, and S. American shows had Mothers of the dissapeared.

Combining different encores and closers and openers, does Vertigo or Lovetown win for variety?

 

[Axver]

Elevation show closed with One? Didn't know that ... when did that happen?

Popmart had such closer variety? Just by looking at u2setlists.com site I thought for sure more than 50% of the shows closed with One+a snippet. I know a few used 40, and S. American shows had Mothers of the dissapeared.

Combining different encores and closers and openers, does Vertigo or Lovetown win for variety?

The Elevation show that closed with One was 12 August 2001, Manchester. Apparently Bono was emotional all show (as this was just nine days before his father died) and when technical problems plagued One, Bono left the stage at the end and didn't return.

Popmart had quite a few closers - beyond One you have Unchained Melody, 40, MLK, Hallelujah, even one instance of Can't Help Falling In Love ...

Lovetown wins the battle against Vertigo. Off memory:

Lovetown openers = 6 (Streets, Bullet, God Part II, Hawkmoon 269, In God's Country, Stand By Me)
Vertigo openers = 3 (COBL, LAPOE, Vertigo)

Lovetown closers = 4 (40, With Or Without You, Pride, Love Rescue Me)
Vertigo closers = 4 (40, With Or Without You, Bad, Vertigo)

Vertigo's going to need to go nuts in the opener stakes. Surprisingly, the tour that comes the closest to beating Lovetown for the most openers is the UF Tour with 5 (Gloria, Wire, MLK, Out Of Control, 11 O'clock Tick Tock).