should u2 stop it with hamish

[jeffschmid]

true, that still doesn't change the fact that U2 still approved the video before it was released.

oh, so you're a personal friend?

 

[bono_man2002]

its time for a change, he has to go. maybe he can hook up with billy piper, if he can find the tardiss. wanker

Going by the Divx (cause its not out here till sunday) I'd say he has to go too.
If i wanted to get dizzy, i'd go on a rollercoaster!

 

[indra]

well in essence, Hamish is telling US how to see a U2 show, when I'd much prefer to just watch a dvd with a few angles and let my mind do the editing....

This is why I don't really like music dvd's and videos in general. I like to use my imagination to come up with my own images. Once in a while I enjoy watching a live show, but I tend to want to edit it differently that whoever did the actual editing did.

 

[Neilz]

Besides the arty and flashy style of Hamish (which I don't like!) it's also the show itself that disappoints me...

- Hamish failed to make this DVD a feast for the fans!
- It becomes painfully abvious how similiar Vertigo is to Elevation indoors!
- The crowd is thát bad in Chicago that Hammish ignores them the entire time during the DVD...
- The 2nd DVD in the deluxe set is disappointing! Elevation's 2nd DVD had better features by far!

It is really up to U2 to change their next tour and film the DVD in a non-American city...

Or is it luck that Popmart Mexico and Zoo-TV Sydney are by fan U2's best live VHS/DVD shows ever?

Then again; U2 are very aware of what fans think and also demand the best from theirself... That's why I really think that U2 know that doing a Elevation part 2 wasn't the best idea...

 

[u2wedge]

Looks like Madonna has issues with Hamish also as noted by the info below obtained from Google:

Madonna sued by director Hamish Hamilton Added 2005-04-23

British director Hamish Hamilton and production company Done and Dusted have sued Madonna for failing to pay expenses racked up during the making of a television show. Hamilton is claiming the pop star refused to pay his director`s fee after employing him to direct a two-hour concert special. He is seeking £91,000 ($175,000) in damages. In the same lawsuit, filed in a Los Angeles court, London based production company Done and Dusted is seeking the same amount for production costs after filming various concerts and rehearsals in the making of the programme. "Despite acknowledging that the money is owed, Madonna refuses to pay Mr Hamilton his $175,000 director`s fee and refuses to reimburse Done and Dusted Ltd for approximately $175,000 for expenses incurred," the suit reads. Hamilton claims he was employed in May 2004 to direct a two hour programme about Madonna`s European Re-Invention tour. At her request, he said he attended shows around the world but the singer has failed to pay the costs as promised. Madonna's publicist has yet to comment on the case. Mr Hamilton has directed several music television shows including the 2004 Brit Awards, Britney Spears Live from Miami and Robbie Williams Live at Knebworth.


I'd love to get the copy of the legal papers to see Madonna's reasons for not paying.

 

[Lila64]

 

[Neilz]

I'd love to get the copy of the legal papers to see Madonna's reasons for not paying.

There must be more to this than described in that article! Why on earth would Madonna not pay Hamish that 175.000 Euro's!

For Madonna, that amount of money if peanuts! Not even worth getting in the papers for!

 

[djerdap]

Well, for me, this DVD was further proof the Vertigo Tour is far from being Elevation part II...

 

[Neilz]

Well, for me, this DVD was further proof the Vertigo Tour is far from being Elevation part II...

You've got to be kidding me

 

[chrissybaby]

Sunday Bloody Sunday actually had me feeling quite ill last night. If you once get it into your head to wait for the next shot change you're screwed, you can't concentrate on the show. Well done Hamish, you've proved that you can direct lots of cameras from lots of angles. What week was that on your film course?

 

[djerdap]

You've got to be kidding me

Let me elaborate on that.
Imagine the stage design of ZooTV and Popmart in an early stage... only a skeleton.
It would look, just as Elevation & Vertigo, the same.
Yet the two tours are completely different.
You have a big main stage with a huge screen (or screens in the case of ZooTV) and a bridge that leads deeper into the audience with a B-stage at the end of it.
Elevation & Vertigo are the same case - a small main stage surrounded by a circled catwalk.
The only thing that seperates the two cases are the fact that the Elevation/Vertigo stage setup is a pretty original and unique way to present the stage.

I've watched Boston DVD and Chicago DVD in a row to compare the two tours.
They are almost the opposite. The stage skeleton and the lightning setup are the only thing these two have in common.
Vertigo is much more ambitious and heavier in terms of production (the ellipse is changing colors, the LED screens behind, the lights that surround the arena - only for the DVD, I know), but the overall message and mood are the show are the complete opposite of Elevation.
Elevation was about "soul", reapplying for the "best band in the world" job, hardly a rock show (with a few exceptions).
Vertigo is a dark, rock and roll, paranoid journey (a very personal one for Bono), where the real world is presented in a very truthful way. The setlist has a story and it deals with dark themes as losing innocence, death, war, poverty and the evil side of showbusiness.

So, yeah, Vertigo is far from being Elevation II in my book.

 

[amniar]

Nearly all of you are desperately sad individuals.

 

[Chizip]

So the two big changes in production are the lights that surround the ellipse change color instead of just being white, and the screens that drop down. And the screens are down for what, 4 or 5 out of 23 songs? And oh wait, Elevation had screens that dropped down too, but now instead of projecting things on them they light up. Wow, way to be innovative U2.

Definitely Elevation Pt II in terms of production.

 

[Tyagu_Anaykus]

Let me elaborate on that.
Imagine the stage design of ZooTV and Popmart in an early stage... only a skeleton.
It would look, just as Elevation & Vertigo, the same.
Yet the two tours are completely different.
You have a big main stage with a huge screen (or screens in the case of ZooTV) and a bridge that leads deeper into the audience with a B-stage at the end of it.
Elevation & Vertigo are the same case - a small main stage surrounded by a circled catwalk.
The only thing that seperates the two cases are the fact that the Elevation/Vertigo stage setup is a pretty original and unique way to present the stage.

I've watched Boston DVD and Chicago DVD in a row to compare the two tours.
They are almost the opposite. The stage skeleton and the lightning setup are the only thing these two have in common.
Vertigo is much more ambitious and heavier in terms of production (the ellipse is changing colors, the LED screens behind, the lights that surround the arena - only for the DVD, I know), but the overall message and mood are the show are the complete opposite of Elevation.
Elevation was about "soul", reapplying for the "best band in the world" job, hardly a rock show (with a few exceptions).
Vertigo is a dark, rock and roll, paranoid journey (a very personal one for Bono), where the real world is presented in a very truthful way. The setlist has a story and it deals with dark themes as losing innocence, death, war, poverty and the evil side of showbusiness.

So, yeah, Vertigo is far from being Elevation II in my book.

agreed. I didn't like the Boston DVD and I loved this one. And stop complaining and just enjoy the show. If you don't its because you're trying too hard to see the flaws.

But all in all... ITs just a opinion.

 

[U2girl]

good post, but no one will change anyone's mind about this

Let me elaborate on that.
Imagine the stage design of ZooTV and Popmart in an early stage... only a skeleton.
It would look, just as Elevation & Vertigo, the same.
Yet the two tours are completely different.
You have a big main stage with a huge screen (or screens in the case of ZooTV) and a bridge that leads deeper into the audience with a B-stage at the end of it.
Elevation & Vertigo are the same case - a small main stage surrounded by a circled catwalk.
The only thing that seperates the two cases are the fact that the Elevation/Vertigo stage setup is a pretty original and unique way to present the stage.

I've watched Boston DVD and Chicago DVD in a row to compare the two tours.
They are almost the opposite. The stage skeleton and the lightning setup are the only thing these two have in common.
Vertigo is much more ambitious and heavier in terms of production (the ellipse is changing colors, the LED screens behind, the lights that surround the arena - only for the DVD, I know), but the overall message and mood are the show are the complete opposite of Elevation.
Elevation was about "soul", reapplying for the "best band in the world" job, hardly a rock show (with a few exceptions).
Vertigo is a dark, rock and roll, paranoid journey (a very personal one for Bono), where the real world is presented in a very truthful way. The setlist has a story and it deals with dark themes as losing innocence, death, war, poverty and the evil side of showbusiness.

So, yeah, Vertigo is far from being Elevation II in my book.

Also, the Europe stage this time looks more different compared to the arena production as opposed to Boston vs Slane on the previous tour.

Interesting to note, where Popmart failed to upgrade and be better than Zoo TV (bigger is not always better), I'm not sure most fans here would say Elevation was a better tour than Vertigo.

 

[jd45177]

And stop complaining and just enjoy the show. If you don't its because you're trying too hard to see the flaws.

But all in all... ITs just a opinion.

You don't have to try hard at all.

I have watched the Chicago DVD twice now. There is one song that was brilliantly done, "An Cat Dubh/Into The Heart". Like "Bad" on the Boston DVD, it brings tears to my eyes. If you'll notice, on both of the songs mentioned above, Hamish Hamilton's bouncing style is not used. Beyond that, the video pretty much sucks, primarily for these reasons:

- UNLIKE Sydney and Mexico City, I'm not drawn into the performance. The flashing bits just don't get it, there is no time to get the "feel" of the moment, with the exception of the aforementioned songs. Of the Boston and Chicago DVD's, the only song Hamish Hamilton's bouncing style works on is "The Fly".

- UNLIKE Sydney and Mexico City, what I see on the screen does not match what I'm hearing. As an example. when I expect to see Edge because of a part being played in a song, I see Adam, or Larry, or something that has NO relevance whatsoever.

- Adam's bass is heavy in the mix, much better than Boston, but Larry is barely heard.

- I get the feeling from watching the video and the extras that the DVD is all about Hamish Hamilton and not U2.

- At first I thought the sound was horrible but I found that you can't listen to this DVD at low levels, it MUST be cranked up. I must have listened to "An Cat Dubh" five times last night and at low levels, while the performance was great, the sound was nothing to write home about. I have a pretty decent home theater system and I first tried to see if there was much difference between DTS and DD, which there wasn't. Then I thought, well, I can take the glaring looks from my wife and I cranked it up, oh my God what a difference, MUCH better than Boston!!!

Overall, except for a few songs, the sound and seeing much more of Larry and Adam, I'm disappointed with the Chicago DVD. I just don't think it comes close to making me feel anything like I felt when I saw the Pittsburgh show.

 

[tommycharles]

- It becomes painfully abvious how similiar Vertigo is to Elevation indoors!
- The crowd is thát bad in Chicago that Hammish ignores them the entire time during the DVD...

You know, almost every concert video I've seen I complain about seeing too much of the crowd...I'm very excited by the fact that there's not much of them in this dvd.

U2 fans are sorta spoiled...go track down Paul McCartney's Get Back, watch it all the way through, and then you'll all say that Boston/Slane/Chicago are brilliant concert films.

 

[tommycharles]

Re: good post, but no one will change anyone's mind about this

Also, the Europe stage this time looks more different compared to the arena production as opposed to Boston vs Slane on the previous tour.

Wow, that's unfair criticism - there were 3 stadium shows total on the Elevation tour. Hardly worth making a separate stage for (and I'm pretty sure given the choice the band would have played those indoors too...but it's ultimately impossible to accommodate 160,000 people who want to see U2 in Ireland indoors).

 

[GibsonGirl]

I haven't seen the DVD yet, but hopefully I'll be able to get it on the weekend. I do know, however, that I hate Hamish Hamilton and his stupid editing. Best part of Boston 2001? The magical colour-changing guitar The Edge used for Gone.

 

[OpperGoeroe]

I haven't seen the DVD yet, but hopefully I'll be able to get it on the weekend. I do know, however, that I hate Hamish Hamilton and his stupid editing. Best part of Boston 2001? The magical colour-changing guitar The Edge used for Gone.

That was indeed one of the greatest moments in live music history, watch it everytime

 

[GibsonGirl]

That was indeed one of the greatest moments in live music history, watch it everytime

Indeed! The Edge truly is an innovator when it comes to new guitar technology. We ALL need guitars that can change from black, to red, then back to black again!

Got to love Hamish.

 

[Swan269]

oh, so you're a personal friend?

NO, but if you read Bill Flanagans book about the band, they are heavily involved with video productions of themselves....so much so that they sit there and critque EVERY shot.......they do this with their videos and with concert productions.....

 

[u2wedge]

Nearly all of you are desperately sad individuals.

not that I think you're talking about me or anything... but, at least we back our opinions with facts...

 

[amerrydeath]

The first five songs make me want to fall asleep and die. He finally gets it right on RTSS and it's not as bad after that.

 

[menelaos]

I haven't seen the DVD yet, but hopefully I'll be able to get it on the weekend. I do know, however, that I hate Hamish Hamilton and his stupid editing. Best part of Boston 2001? The magical colour-changing guitar The Edge used for Gone.

This never came to my attention....



Hamish please be careful next time...

 

[wenda]

I have yet to watch the whole thing yet. I'll watch tomorrow though and see what I think of the whole thing. I wasn't so fond of the Boston DVD but love Slane. I think I'll have to pay more attention to details though, like in Boston for Edge's guitair during Gone. Maybe it changes with his moods?

 

[tommycharles]

Actually re: the Gone guitar....I think that's something Hamish almost got right. They needed to use the "destroy the guitar" footage, but they also needed to put a respectable version of Gone on the DVD...

What I don't get is why they didn't just use the red (sorry, fireglo) guitar footage for the section where he trashes it.... there are strobes and stuff going off anyway and so it would have been more difficult to tell there was a switch.

 

[ahittle]

I think it's safe to say that U2 approved of the final cut of the show - they comb over almost every performance at the end of the night and make notes, for crissake. I'm sure you've read this.

So, why would they approve such veriginous quick cuts? Well, it's "edgy." The last thing they want to do is appear as old farts. Think of Bono: the lifts, the shades, the paunch-hiding jackets - quick cuts and artifice are all part of the same story.

I would prefer longer cuts, but at this stage I can't imagine U2 being unsatisfied with Hamish after keeping him on board for so long.

 

[trabantland]

- The crowd is thát bad in Chicago that Hammish ignores them the entire time during the DVD...

If you watch the bonus disc, Hamish expresses to the cameramen not to focus on the crowd at all.

Besides, you can only comment on the crowd if you were at the concert. Watching edited footage is no way to measure how good a crowd is.

 

[Neilz]

So the two big changes in production are the lights that surround the ellipse change color instead of just being white, and the screens that drop down. And the screens are down for what, 4 or 5 out of 23 songs? And oh wait, Elevation had screens that dropped down too, but now instead of projecting things on them they light up. Wow, way to be innovative U2.

Definitely Elevation Pt II in terms of production.

Exactly my point... People who claim that the arena version of the Vertigo tour is NOT Elevation part 2 are just being véry naive!

I'm very VERY sure that when I show Elevation Boston and right after that the Vertigo Chicago to a non-fan he would absolutely agree with me that the shows look very alike!