Are U2 "Abusing Their Position" With The Vertigo Tour?

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The fallacy in J's argument is that not playing the hits will lessen their popularity. If they ONLY played stuff from the Best of, why would a newer fan even bother looking for older albums? They might sell another collection (which the person probably has if they're only into those songs), but this way maybe they sell a copy of Boy AND Achtung Baby.

One of the best things about going to shows is hearing a great song you aren't familiar with and buying older albums or researching the band more to find out. It is creating bigger fans that will ensure their longevity, not appeasing the lowest common denominator. People share and pass down the music they truly love.

By showcasing lesser-known moments from their earlier albums, they are inviting casual or newer fans to dig a little deeper. It's not like they played something like Red Light which wouldn't inspire much interest. And I'd argue that even people who weren't familiar with Electric Co. were blown away by it.

And since you're a stickler for detail, J, the reason Elevation wasn't on the Best of 1990-2000 was because the single was released in 2001. But you probably new that, and intentionally distorted the facts as usual to back up your weak argument.


laz
 
lazarus :up:

There were some people sitting near me Monday who didn't seem to know some of the older stuff but I could tell by their reactions that they loved it. They might not have known the words but they were dancing along and cheering with everyone else. And yes, they did seem blown away by Electric Co, just not for the same reasons a long time fan would be.

Those are the same people who will go out and buy the back catalogue. I don't see anything wrong with that. It benefits the hardcore fans as well as the casual fans.
 
Jick, I will say it again - YOU ARE FULL OF SHIT. Everybody sees through your BS. Stop wasting your time with this crap. It's pathetic. Congrats though, you're getting your attention, and that's your whole point anyway. I seriously can't believe you got 60+ replies with this crap, nor can I believe I'm actually adding to it. I think the Mods will be getting a complaint from me if you don't stop this soon.

Oh, and for the record, I would rather hear Gloria, An Cat Dubh, Into The Heart, The Electric Co., Zoo Station, and The Fly, then to hear 'When Love Comes To Town' live, but then that's not right because WLCTT was on the Best Of, right?

:rolleyes:
 
beatlesboy said:
C'mon! These are funny and there are people who fall right into it and get steamed everytime one of these threads appear!

C'mon now!

Laugh it off! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

:yes:

Or if like me, you are not always able to laugh it off before having your blood pressure skyrocket... just don't read... that's what I usually do... :wink:
 
jick said:
They give us a setlist full of songs that don't even belong among their "Best Of" of either era. We get Electric Co, An Cat Dubh, Into The Heart, Bullet The Blue Sky, Running To Stand Still, Zoo Station, The Fly, and 40 - that adds up to 8 songs or more than 1/3rd of their songs of their setlist are devoted to non-Best Of songs.

Looking at the setlist for night one (since that is what you're going by)


City of Blinding Lights (New Song/next single?)
Vertigo (New Song/single)
The Electric Co (unknown/fan song)
An Cat Dubh (unknown/fan song)
Into the Heart (unknown/fan song)
Beautiful Day (single)
New Year's Day (single)
Miracle Drug (New Song)
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own (New Song/single)
Love and Peace or Else (New Song)
Sunday Bloody Sunday (single)
Bullet the Blue Sky / Hands That Built America (unknown/concert fav)
Running to Stand Still (unknown)
Zoo Station (unknown)
The Fly (single)
Elevation (single)
Pride (single)
Where the Streets Have No Name (single)
One (single)
All Because Of You (New Song/single)
Yahweh (New Song)
40 (unknown/huge fan song)

Out of 22 songs (not counting the snippet of THTBA, which would stregthen my arguement):
12 were Singles
7 were new songs
15 were either a new song or single
So 7 remain (Not new or a single), what's left?

The Electric Co (unknown/fan song)
An Cat Dubh (unknown/fan song)
Into the Heart (unknown/fan song)
Bullet the Blue Sky / Hands That Built America (unknown/concert fav)
Running to Stand Still (unknown)
Zoo Station (unknown)
40 (unknown/huge fan song)

Zoo and 40 are big songs that many fans would have loved to have seen, as lots of younger fans never saw them do ZOO (missed ZOO TV) or never got to see a show in the day with them swapping instruments and playing 40.

Bullet is a huge concert favorite, and has been played every major tour since it was released.

That leaves us with 4 songs:
The Electric Co (unknown/fan song)
An Cat Dubh (unknown/fan song)
Into the Heart (unknown/fan song)
Running to Stand Still (unknown)

4 great songs done better than most of the old "hits" like SBS, Pride and NYD.

Nice try, but Jick, you are on crack.
 
Jick, what about the fans that are tired of hearing the same "Best Of" songs over and over and over again? Isn't what U2 is doing right now good for their huge fanbase that wants to hear more of their back catalogue?
 
Just to add one note to this.... I think that jick is overseeing their efforts a bit. What other person or band for that matter, has gotten the attention of the media and people across the globe like they have and actually mean it and are doing something about it...? huh. Nobody has come that close. Whether they do it on stage or off it's working. And I'm glad they are making people realize how important it is. It affects everyone.....:eyebrow:
 
This is all just silly, because of course the lads get to have artistic control over what they play in concert. Should jick decide? Should there be a poll?
The whole 'abusing' one's position regarding the putting out of the Fly was about marketing strategy. Would people have played it were it not for U2's current fame, was the issue, would it have gotten any airplay. Sure, I suppose you can think of concert setlists in terms of marketing strategy, but like you said the tickets are sold, it's assumed nobody is being forced to go, it's assumed that you're there because you want to see their vision, hear their voice. They didn't sell you a ticket with a setlist attached, did they? Without getting into the value/merit/vision I see in their setlist choice so far (which I think is indeed interesting and fits in with what they might have wanted for this tour and at this point in their careers),
I feel like just saying that all they can be said to be 'using' (Not abusing) is their free will and artistic expression!
cheers all!
 
I think Jick is right in a way. 8 songs, who are unknown for the bigg masses, out of 21/22/23 played songs each night is a bit much. But on the other hand, Running To Stand Still is played many times before, it's not like it's never been played... Also, "40" is a regular concert closer since the "WAR" tour, and Bullet The Blue Sky is played all the time after the release of The Joshua Tree on concerts.
 
namkcuR said:
Jick, I will say it again - YOU ARE FULL OF SHIT. Everybody sees through your BS. Stop wasting your time with this crap. It's pathetic. Congrats though, you're getting your attention, and that's your whole point anyway. I seriously can't believe you got 60+ replies with this crap, nor can I believe I'm actually adding to it. I think the Mods will be getting a complaint from me if you don't stop this soon.

Then why did you reply? If his goal was to get people's blood pressure roaring and to stir shit, then bitchy posts like this one only encourage him to keep doing it. If you despise him so much then why give him the satisfaction of getting all pissed off?

I agree that most of Jicks posts are only a couple bricks shy of a load, but the posts are civil and often bring up discussion. Sometimes the best discussions come from someone who plays devils advocate.
 
BassTrap82 said:
I think Jick is right in a way. 8 songs, who are unknown for the bigg masses, out of 21/22/23 played songs each night is a bit much. But on the other hand, Running To Stand Still is played many times before, it's not like it's never been played... Also, "40" is a regular concert closer since the "WAR" tour, and Bullet The Blue Sky is played all the time after the release of The Joshua Tree on concerts.

And speaking of 'Running To Stand Still', if you dont own the Joshua Tree, what the hell are you doing at a U2 concert to begin with?? lol. Thats am album thats in most any persons music collection, U2 fan or not lol.
 
theblackcat said:
I would rather hear U2 play songs such as An Cat Dubh than to turn into another Rolling Stones/Eagles greatest hits band.


I agree with this. To me a "Best of" set would smack of "nostalgia act" and I don't think U2 really wants that. I know that's not what I would want.
 
ImOuttaControl said:


Then why did you reply? If his goal was to get people's blood pressure roaring and to stir shit, then bitchy posts like this one only encourage him to keep doing it. If you despise him so much then why give him the satisfaction of getting all pissed off?

I agree that most of Jicks posts are only a couple bricks shy of a load, but the posts are civil and often bring up discussion. Sometimes the best discussions come from someone who plays devils advocate.

I know I usually read (and occasionally reply) to jick's posts because they are bound to be at the very least fun, and sometimes really interesting. Plus it's amusing to watch so many people line up to attack him and complain about his threads getting so many posts. That would be kind of pathetic if it wasn't so hilarious.
 
indra said:


I agree with this. To me a "Best of" set would smack of "nostalgia act" and I don't think U2 really wants that. I know that's not what I would want.

That's pretty much what the Elevation Tour was...there weren't too many complaints about that.

Its awesome to have some rarities played, but too many in one set can lead to momentum killers. I think SD2 was a huge improvement over SD1.
 
While U2 has a lot of new fans, they also have a huge dedicated fanbase (this site speaks for itself) and for people going to multiple concerts, to hear the same setlist night after night with lots of "Best ofs" isn't going to be as exciting. Bono said they were going to be "mixing up the setlist" from night to night. Since they only have so many "best of" songs, they'd have to delve a little deeper in their catalog and maybe play some songs they haven't played in a while. Bono made a promise, and now he is delivering on that promise.
 
PhoenixGNX said:


And speaking of 'Running To Stand Still', if you dont own the Joshua Tree, what the hell are you doing at a U2 concert to begin with?? lol. Thats am album thats in most any persons music collection, U2 fan or not lol.
Just what I was thinking! :up:
 
jick, you're the biggest asshole in interference. if you continue to pour out negative criticism on U2, then why are you still here? if you hate them more than you love them, then get the hell out of interference.
 
Jick,

The whole premise is laughable, that a song is of lesser quality because it's not a hit. That IS your premise, and I would quote you if I wanted to take an extra minute on your tired act.

Care to take issue that this IS your premise?
 
Some here try to exagerrate my point.

There is nothing wrong with a few non Best Of (or "unknown" or "obscure") U2 songs here and there.

But to have 9 of them in one setlist is just waay too much.

Personally, I am overjoyed that Running To Stand Still is there. Some may not be. But to have 9 of those songs is overkill.

I think as the tour progresses, some of these 9 songs will slowly be replaced in favor of more Best Ofs.

Cheers,

J
 
Ok there is just too much name calling in this thread.
For the billionth time, if you dont like jick's threads dont even OPEN them!
 
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