Bono's teleprompter at Philly 5/14

[kikehisy]

Tonight I had seats directly behind the stage for the first time this tour and was shocked to see that Bono had a "teleprompter"! It was on the floor directly in front of his microphone to the right. In red letters on a black background it showed the name of the song and then slowly scrolled the lyrics during the song, stopping during instrumental breaks, so there must be someone in the sound booth operating it.

One of the most interesting things was that it put up the name of the next song very early, sometimes before the song in progress was fully over. At the end of One, "Zoo Station" came up even before they had left the stage. At the end of Yahweh I was almost sure there was a 3-letter word on there for a while (Bad? Or just my imagination after Chicago 4?) - then it switched to 40.

 

[Lila64]

 

[Liesje]

I watched Bono pretty closely at the two Chicago concerts I went to and honestly I never noticed him using the teleprompter anyway.

 

[greenslimer]

um... what are you insinuating with your 2nd paragraph?

also, i think the man has the right to use one of those. so, its there if he needs it if he forgets a line or something. nothing wrong with it. i dont get why people are making such a big deal out of this thing.

 

[GG_The_Fly]

He's not the president. . . c'mon - he should know his lyrics - that's all he has to know - far less stuff to remember than the other three. . .

 

[victor_f]

i saw that in phoenix and denver...

but it didn't help him... he sang 'miracle drug' wrong and forgot a verse in 'one'.

 

[sociopathetic]

i saw that in phoenix and denver...

but it didn't help him... he sang 'miracle drug' wrong and forgot a verse in 'one'.

Mangled lyrics either on purpose or accident are a Bono trademark.

 

[cleazer]

I was directly behind the stage for 2 of the Chicago shows, and I was able to read the teleprompter for both shows.

I think he may have glanced down at it once, but maybe he was looking at the crowd instead.

Also, during Chicago 4, Larry had trouble with his earpiece, and between songs, he and one of his techs spent a few seconds fiddling with it. I could see them adjusting the volume.

You guys should know that putting on a concert like this isn't just 4 guys getting up and playing a song. Everything needs to be perfectly choreographed.

The teleprompter is there as a backup. Bono has been known to get lost during songs, like say, oh, ... during The Ocean just 2 nights ago! After all the yapping about Park West and Mexico, its a miracle he remembered what song they were still playing.

 

[discothequeLP]

You guys should know that putting on a concert like this isn't just 4 guys getting up and playing a song. Everything needs to be perfectly choreographed.

yes. there is SO much that goes into each song, from the instruments to the backing tracks to the click tracks and band monitors to the lights. . . this is a major major production and they probably want to cover as many bases as they can

 

[U2girl]

Wasn't there a comment he has been using lyrics screens since Zoo TV?
(I know on the last tour, at the very first versions of Stay, he had a sheet with lyrics)

 

[U2 Blinky Light]

yes. there is SO much that goes into each song, from the instruments to the backing tracks to the click tracks and band monitors to the lights. . . this is a major major production and they probably want to cover as many bases as they can

click tracks and sequencers.

 

[nbcrusader]

Bono used sheet music as well in LA.

At least it was there - perhaps it is just a safety net. It's not like he sits there and reads for us....

 

[madonna's child]

Maybe Bono doesn't spend all of his free time listening to U2 cds like certain other people...

 

[scottyT]

yeah he had it in Philly but i was sitting right there and he never really looked down at all.

 

[Catch22]

How was the concert from behind the statge?

 

[ireallyheartu2]

If you look for flaws and errors that is what you will percieve. If you look for the beauty and truth in the band that is what you will experience. I was at the Philly show last night and it was a fantastic time for my husband and I who have been U2 fans since before we could legally drink! (20 some years ago!) Loved the show, love the band, loved the experience!

 

[BonoIsMyMuse]

Maybe the teleprompter will save the day when all the PLEBAn girls rush the stage and Bono forgets all the lyrics?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

WHO CARES... tons of major acts use some sort of teleprompter as a safety net, just in case... elton john, the stones, david bowie... all have used teleprompters. for thoe most part they're not there to read the lyrics... they're there as a safety net, just in case... and the amount of time that bono spends running around the damn place, it's not like the damned thing does much good anyway.

 

[U2Cowboy]

Funny related moment from Austin 2001. Bono was using a lyric sheet for Wild Honey, but someone in the crowd grabbed it. He had to stop the song and acknowledge that those were in fact the lyrics. He saved face pretty well by telling the person there would be a test on the lyrics in the morning. Didn't ruin the moment at all. This is also all on the bootleg.

 

[kikehisy]

A few responses:

In starting this thread, I was not implying any criticism of the teleprompter. It's just that I was surprised to see it - last night was my 9th U2 show and I had never seen it before - I even had almost identical seats at Chicago 10/15/01. I didn't see Bono look at it once last night.

Regarding the 2nd paragraph of my post, I really was wondering if they omitted a planned playing of Bad after Yahweh. I know that I saw a three-letter word on the screen at the end of Yahweh, and I don't think it was the last lyrics of the song, which ends with "break" - although last night he changed it to something like "take this city's heart and keep it safe." I wasn't close enough to definitively make out every word, but I knew what it said when I knew what it was supposed to say, if you know what I mean.

The concert was pretty good from behind the stage. The light curtains definitely got in the way some, but it was also funny to see Edge bump into them during Zoo Station as he completed his trip around the Ellipse and returned to the main stage. The light/sound rig does block the view of a lot of the rest of the crowd, which diminishes the experience of seeing everyone else go nuts during Streets, etc., a little bit. But it's a great place to admire Larry's drumming from!

 

[ruffian]

Bono has been known to get lost during songs, like say, oh, ... during The Ocean just 2 nights ago! After all the yapping about Park West and Mexico, its a miracle he remembered what song they were still playing.

I was there...that was hysterical!!

 

[thatsnotmypuppy]

This is common - at the REM show in Melbourne during the Monster tour Michael Stipe had a lyric book open in front of him. After each song he ripped out the page and threw it in the audience. I now own a slighty spat on copy of the lyrics of 'Bang And Blame'.

That was ten years ago. At the recent show in Melbourne he had a scrolling teleprompter as well.

 

[BWU2Buffs]

A few responses:


I know that I saw a three-letter word on the screen at the end of Yahweh

Maybe the three letter word was "END"

Teleprompter schmeleprompter -- he uses one, OK by me. If President Bush can use one, Bono can too.

Bono's cooler anyway; and let's not get started on who is smarter.

 

[kikehisy]

Maybe the three letter word was "END"

That's possible, or at least plausible, although I don't remember seeing it on any other songs - but of course I wasn't watching the teleprompter most of the time! Something for people with seats behind the stage to check out though.

 

[trevster2k]

In Vancouver 2, I was side back stage and saw him glance at it a few times. Near the end of the show, he kicked it away from the mic stand towards the front of the stage.

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

I got the impression from comments Bruce was making last night that he is using one. And i don't blame him. The man changes up setlists SO much he deserves it. My issue is this: if Bono's using a teleprompter, and Bono's usually the reason rare songs don't fly well (ASOH on last tour)... why not play more rare songs w/ telempromter?

 

[karmic_postmark]

Maybe the teleprompter will save the day when all the PLEBAn girls rush the stage and Bono forgets all the lyrics?