The European setlists - BIG DISAPPOINT

[AtomicBono]

You know, I think the problem stems less from set variation than from the songs that they are choosing to play this tour. Elevation didn't have that much more variation but the songs that got played on it reguarly--Gone, SATS, Stay, UF, Bad, Please on the third leg--are songs that hardcore fans love and/or hadn't been played in awhile. If the setlist was very much the same every show but with better songs or hits that hadn't been played to death I don't know if there would be so much controversy.

Good point, agreed. Plus Sunday Bloody Sunday made its full band comeback on Elevation, now there's nothing really new to it except the "Father Abraham" snippet (which I think is BEAUTIFUL) and the Jesus-Jew-Mohammed thing. Granted I think SBS should stay in the set but I could see maybe why other people would tire of it...

did they play UF on the Elevation tour? I so missed that. Then again, I missed Please too. I WANT TO SEE PLEASE LIVE BEFORE I DIEEEEE! that's all

 

[cmb737]

Couple of points...don't want to bother taking half an hour to do the quote thing:

1. Even when Bono semi-criticizes (and I don't even think he really does) the Bush administration, the sitaution in Iraq, and the rest of the lot...it is safe. He doesn't actually say it. He doesn't say "Abu Gharib was bullshit America..." He is not saying "and for the neo-nazi's, I give them Aushwitz." It is a watered down political commentary that if you blinked you would miss. The F-15 during BTBS is a critique, but mild...and then he endorses the politics of the United States virtually by dedicating RTSS to the US Military. Of course I know there is a big difference between supporting military troops and politics...but the critique he might have is washed out by this statement. Hell, he has done a world of good (and in the grand scheme of things probably way more signifigant than a stupid concert) but he is sadly a beltway insider of sorts and has to act a certain way sometimes. By the way, I find it completely tasteless (the RTSS still part) and non-sensical. Heroin, H-Blocks, Humvees?

2. For the millionth time, we all know that U2 never mixes it up. What we are saying is that they are in trouble of losing our interest if they don't. Or hell, that's what I am saying. It's to a point now where they need to do something different.

3. I agree that it is not necessarily their lack of mixing it up, but more the songs they have chosen. Bono talks about a moment when "God walks in the room". God has been absent at most of the shows I attended for the first time that I have ever seen U2. Still a great performance, still fun, still worth it...but not up to their standard.

4. Yeah, this is a touchy thing for me to. It is almost like blasphemy for me to talk about them in this way, but honest is honest. I think they are starting to losing it, the magic isn't there right now. They hopefully will get it back, perhaps Sept. 11 happening in the middle of Elevation changed it for us...but the magic isn't there for me. Great show, but not a religious experience that it has been in the past.

5. I am not yearning for it right now. I am not jealous of those in Europe. Does that say anything? I wish I was, but I am more looking forward to the possibility of seeing other bands right now. I feel guilty that it doesn't get me off (the show), there are moments...but hell the anticipation was more intense for me than the shows.


BTW: Here is my prediction for the next tour press conference. Bono will say something like "we made the mistake of underestimating our fans last time..."

 

[Lemonfix]

did they play UF on the Elevation tour? I so missed that. Then again, I missed Please too. I WANT TO SEE PLEASE LIVE BEFORE I DIEEEEE! that's all

No, color me bad. I don't know why I slipped up and put it in there. Probably wishful thinking.

On the political bent of U2 shows--forgive me if this has already been discussed but although U2 has always been political, they have rarely been terribly partisan. There are some exceptions (BTBS and US foreign policy in Latin America) but what they like to do is make people CARE about an injustice---Nobody thought what was going on in Sarajevo was a good thing, nobody thinks what's going on in Africa is a good thing. People who supported the war and people who didn't all think Abu Girab was a bad thing. The controversy of U2's politics often came from the fact that they were so passionate and the ways they got their message across--not because people disagree with them, per se.

(Not that this is a bad thing, mind you. The really important issues tend to be the ones people all agree on but because of their un-controversial-ness (???) often get forgotten about)

 

[KUEFC09U2]

You know, I think the problem stems less from set variation than from the songs that they are choosing to play this tour. Elevation didn't have that much more variation but the songs that got played on it reguarly--Gone, SATS, Stay, UF, Bad, Please on the third leg--are songs that hardcore fans love and/or hadn't been played in awhile. If the setlist was very much the same every show but with better songs or hits that hadn't been played to death I don't know if there would be so much controversy.

well lets look at it this way then... gone dropped after 1st leg, sats, stay, both accoustic, and people wanted ths set of accoustic songs dropping, bad was also dropped for the third leg i belive,

just enjoy things for the moment, without looking for it to be something it isnt, it will be over sooner than we all think, and it will be another 4-5 years until the next time, IF there even is a next time

 

[pulle28]

My take on the setlist discussion.
I actually have no problem with the fact that U2 is very predictable and sticks to almost the same setlists night after night. I've had 15 years to get used to this situation.
What annoys me alot is the fact that so many of these songs don't get rested from tour to tour.
If we had some of the rested songs played every night on this tour, I would be more than happy.
Let me just try with a few suggestions: "In God's Country", "Unforgettable Fire", "The First Time", "When Love Comes to Town", "Staring at the Sun", "Please", "Stuck in a Moment", "Love is blindness", etc.
These, in my opinion, are not songs only known by hardcore fans.
So my point is: It's not just about not changing the setlists - it's very much about U2 not changing them from tour to tour.

And another thing:
Just went to see Bruce Springsteen. He varies the setlist alot. I think what he does is putting so much energy into each song, so no matter if half of the crowd doesn't know the song that well, it still is an amazing experience.
I remember last tour been treated with "out of control".
I had not listened to "Boy" in a few years, so I could not recognize the song (embarassing). But the energy was there....
I'm not sure that many people in the venue knew the song. But they went nuts.

 

[zwervers2]

Couple of points...don't want to bother taking half an hour to do the quote thing:

1. Even when Bono semi-criticizes (and I don't even think he really does) the Bush administration, the sitaution in Iraq, and the rest of the lot...it is safe. He doesn't actually say it. He doesn't say "Abu Gharib was bullshit America..." He is not saying "and for the neo-nazi's, I give them Aushwitz." It is a watered down political commentary that if you blinked you would miss. The F-15 during BTBS is a critique, but mild...and then he endorses the politics of the United States virtually by dedicating RTSS to the US Military. Of course I know there is a big difference between supporting military troops and politics...but the critique he might have is washed out by this statement. Hell, he has done a world of good (and in the grand scheme of things probably way more signifigant than a stupid concert) but he is sadly a beltway insider of sorts and has to act a certain way sometimes. By the way, I find it completely tasteless (the RTSS still part) and non-sensical. Heroin, H-Blocks, Humvees?

2. For the millionth time, we all know that U2 never mixes it up. What we are saying is that they are in trouble of losing our interest if they don't. Or hell, that's what I am saying. It's to a point now where they need to do something different.

3. I agree that it is not necessarily their lack of mixing it up, but more the songs they have chosen. Bono talks about a moment when "God walks in the room". God has been absent at most of the shows I attended for the first time that I have ever seen U2. Still a great performance, still fun, still worth it...but not up to their standard.

4. Yeah, this is a touchy thing for me to. It is almost like blasphemy for me to talk about them in this way, but honest is honest. I think they are starting to losing it, the magic isn't there right now. They hopefully will get it back, perhaps Sept. 11 happening in the middle of Elevation changed it for us...but the magic isn't there for me. Great show, but not a religious experience that it has been in the past.

5. I am not yearning for it right now. I am not jealous of those in Europe. Does that say anything? I wish I was, but I am more looking forward to the possibility of seeing other bands right now. I feel guilty that it doesn't get me off (the show), there are moments...but hell the anticipation was more intense for me than the shows.


BTW: Here is my prediction for the next tour press conference. Bono will say something like "we made the mistake of underestimating our fans last time..."

It's like you got a connection from my brain to yours when you wrote this. Don't have to adjust a single word.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

so did people not get into U2 because of songs like streets, bullet, sbs, etc?, as i have said before there are more people that go to a show, and are going for the first time, so want to hear the songs i mentioned above, the "die hards" get zoo station, running, and electric co, which if i remember before they even went on tour these were songs some were crying out for, saying things like "well i will be happy they they play electric co, no matter what"

what happend? you got them songs, and people want more, what gives you the right to say they should drop them? there are people that like the setlist, so who gives you the right to have it changed?

 

[Aardvark747]

We're all too greedy for more songs.

 

[zwervers2]

so did people not get into U2 because of songs like streets, bullet, sbs, etc?, as i have said before there are more people that go to a show, and are going for the first time, so want to hear the songs i mentioned above, the "die hards" get zoo station, running, and electric co, which if i remember before they even went on tour these were songs some were crying out for, saying things like "well i will be happy they they play electric co, no matter what"

what happend? you got them songs, and people want more, what gives you the right to say they should drop them? there are people that like the setlist, so who gives you the right to have it changed?

people got into u2 because of Bullet??? I find that really hard to believe KUEFC09U2..streets, sbs of course but bullet isn't pleasing the non hardcore fans and well a lot of harcore fans neither...I'm thrilled that they play elec co, running and zoostation again by the way

 

[kellyahern]

5. I am not yearning for it right now. I am not jealous of those in Europe. Does that say anything?

It says maybe it's time for you to move on to another group. It doesn't mean U2's doing anything wrong. Plenty of us are having a great time, love the setlists, love the show . . .

The people who don't like the setlists or the show at the moment, maybe it's just you guys. Maybe it's time for you to move on. People change

Personally, I wish I was lining up for Dublin today

 

[kellyahern]

what happend? you got them songs, and people want more, what gives you the right to say they should drop them? there are people that like the setlist, so who gives you the right to have it changed?

It's just the same people making the same point. It's just their opinions.

 

[zwervers2]

It says maybe it's time for you to move on to another group. It doesn't mean U2's doing anything wrong. Plenty of us are having a great time, love the setlists, love the show . . .

The people who don't like the setlists or the show at the moment, maybe it's just you guys. Maybe it's time for you to move on. People change

Personally, I wish I was lining up for Dublin today

OMG Kelly maybe you are right and it's time for me to move on...or the band has more likely)

It's like not being completely in love anymore in a relationship. Oh well at least you can have some "for good old times sake"sex or in U2's case 3 concerts in Amsterdam

 

[zwervers2]

OMG Kelly maybe you are right and it's time for me to move on...or the band has more likely)

It's like not being completely in love anymore in a relationship. Oh well at least you can have some "for good old times sake"sex or in U2's case 3 concerts in Amsterdam

I meant to say:
OMG Kelly maybe you are right and it's time for me to move on...or the band has lost some of it's fire which is more likely)

It's like not being completely in love anymore in a relationship. Oh well at least you can have some "for good old times sake"sex or in U2's case 3 concerts in Amsterdam

 

[kellyahern]

I meant to say:
OMG Kelly maybe you are right and it's time for me to move on...or the band has lost some of it's fire which is more likely)

It's like not being completely in love anymore in a relationship. Oh well at least you can have some "for good old times sake"sex or in U2's case 3 concerts in Amsterdam

Drunk again? But it's so early in the day.

Plus, why don't you reserve your judgement about how much "fire" the band has until after your 3 "good old times sex" concerts?

 

[KUEFC09U2]

I meant to say:
OMG Kelly maybe you are right and it's time for me to move on...or the band has lost some of it's fire which is more likely)

It's like not being completely in love anymore in a relationship. Oh well at least you can have some "for good old times sake"sex or in U2's case 3 concerts in Amsterdam

stop blaming the band for once. and look at yourself, whos to say you have been too see them too many times, and YOUR burned out, every single comment i see of your's is one that is a complaint, you only joint the discussons if they are part of a thread that is complaining,

 

[zwervers2]

stop blaming the band for once. and look at yourself, whos to say you have been too see them too many times, and YOUR burned out, every single comment i see of your's is one that is a complaint, you only joint the discussons if they are part of a thread that is complaining,

NO NO NO NO NO!!!!! this is simpy a false statement. I am very positive towards the band I adore but feel they have lost that something special. I'm Burned out? you have got to me kiddin me. If it weren't for some people here inc myself this would turn out in a orgy of U2 worshipping..Bono could shoot people down each night during concerts and some people would call it artistic freedom. why do you think I complain? Because I do not love the band?

Look;the reason for some of this heated discussion is simple, U2 are an amazing band and unlike every other group around for the last 20 years. They are special. They are the top of the bill and they call themselves the biggest band in the world and the best. With that title comes the responsibilty to actualy prove that they are just that. right now they are playing it safe and are sitting in the comfortable chair without challeging themselves....The only thing they are proving right now to me is that they are desperately trying to hang on to something(biggest in the world) while there is no competition. It's very simple and a natural thing people, they are getting older and the effect is slowly starting to get visible and audible. again I do NOT blame them for a lack of youthfull fire. They have a few years left and they should make the most out of it but for Gods sake do not become a rockdinosaur like the stones.

BTW I haven't seen the band that much. I went to all the tours since JT but not 5 times a tour.

 

[zwervers2]

Drunk again? But it's so early in the day.

Plus, why don't you reserve your judgement about how much "fire" the band has until after your 3 "good old times sex" concerts?

Drunk? hahaha...I wish...I'm at work and though it's very quiet here, a drink or two is out of the question.

 

[zwervers2]

people got into u2 because of Bullet??? I find that really hard to believe KUEFC09U2..streets, sbs of course but bullet isn't pleasing the non hardcore fans and well a lot of harcore fans neither...I'm thrilled that they play elec co, running and zoostation again by the way

So again.Did people get into U2 because of Bullet.

 

[zwervers2]

Drunk? hahaha...I wish...I'm at work and though it's very quiet here, a drink or two is out of the question.

about the fire thing Kelly. Saw them in Chicago and though it's stll the best setlist thusfar there is something missing. This was the first time I left a u2 concert without being totally overwhelmed. and I know it's not me because I did look forward to it as much as all the other tours...It was good concert but I never saw a good concert before....I only saw God walking in the room during the previous tours.

 

[kellyahern]

So again.Did people get into U2 because of Bullet.

I'm sure some people actually did, it was on The Joshua Tree album. But I don't think KUEFC09U2 meant bullet specifically, he was just listing songs as an example.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

about the fire thing Kelly. Saw them in Chicago and though it's stll the best setlist thusfar there is something missing. This was the first time I left a u2 concert without being totally overwhelmed. and I know it's not me because I did look forward to it as much as all the other tours...It was good concert but I never saw a good concert before....I only saw God walking in the room during the previous tours.

why are you so sure that its not you? god walked into the stadium for me at manchester, it also did for my brother and his girlfriend, there was something VERY special, so i dont know what people think is "missing"

 

[kellyahern]

about the fire thing Kelly. Saw them in Chicago and though it's stll the best setlist thusfar there is something missing. This was the first time I left a u2 concert without being totally overwhelmed. and I know it's not me because I did look forward to it as much as all the other tours...It was good concert but I never saw a good concert before....I only saw God walking in the room during the previous tours.

Fair enough. But I know plenty of people who went to the Chicago shows that did feel that fire. That's why I said maybe it's not the band, but the person watching the show. Different people can have different perceptions of the same show. It doesn't make one person right or one person wrong, but people should accept that their feeling of the show is not true for everyone.

That's why statements like "U2 have lost their fire" irritate me. It's a generalization that's not true for everyone, yet people state it as fact.


And maybe you should have been at Seattle 2

 

[KUEFC09U2]

NO NO NO NO NO!!!!! this is simpy a false statement. I am very positive towards the band I adore but feel they have lost that something special. I'm Burned out? you have got to me kiddin me. If it weren't for some people here inc myself this would turn out in a orgy of U2 worshipping..Bono could shoot people down each night during concerts and some people would call it artistic freedom. why do you think I complain? Because I do not love the band?

Look;the reason for some of this heated discussion is simple, U2 are an amazing band and unlike every other group around for the last 20 years. They are special. They are the top of the bill and they call themselves the biggest band in the world and the best. With that title comes the responsibilty to actualy prove that they are just that. right now they are playing it safe and are sitting in the comfortable chair without challeging themselves....The only thing they are proving right now to me is that they are desperately trying to hang on to something(biggest in the world) while there is no competition. It's very simple and a natural thing people, they are getting older and the effect is slowly starting to get visible and audible. again I do NOT blame them for a lack of youthfull fire. They have a few years left and they should make the most out of it but for Gods sake do not become a rockdinosaur like the stones.

BTW I haven't seen the band that much. I went to all the tours since JT but not 5 times a tour.

but again, if they dropped songs like streets and so on, then the ones that are there for the first time wouldnt be very happy would they? and am pretty sure there are around 50% if not more that are there for the first time. so whos has what right? who has the right to say they should drop them? who has a right to say they should play them? they simply cant win, and you blaming the band all the time, and not even considering the fact that it could be you,

and why do you even want to go to the amsterdam concerts if you know its not going to meet your expectations?

 

[zwervers2]

why are you so sure that its not you? god walked into the stadium for me at manchester, it also did for my brother and his girlfriend, there was something VERY special, so i dont know what people think is "missing"

maybe you're right...I WAS very tired from the flight which took 5 hours longer than expected..I don't know..maybe my expectations are too high after the heavenly experience of slane..
you should tell my girlfriend that I'm burned out U2wise.she wouldn't stop laughing. She'' problably say I'm obessed not burned out

 

[zwervers2]

and why do you even want to go to the amsterdam concerts if you know its not going to meet your expectations?

Because eventhough I feel they have lost "something" they are still miles ahead of the others. It's like being mad at a familymatter because you want him or hers to change something because you don;t agree. The only reason you are saying something about it is because you love him or her.

 

[zwervers2]

but again, if they dropped songs like streets and so on, then the ones that are there for the first time wouldnt be very happy would they? and am pretty sure there are around 50% if not more that are there for the first time. so whos has what right? who has the right to say they should drop them? who has a right to say they should play them? they simply cant win, and you blaming the band all the time, and not even considering the fact that it could be you,

and why do you even want to go to the amsterdam concerts if you know its not going to meet your expectations?

Yo can not wait for my amsterdam reviews can you

 

[kellyahern]

maybe you're right...I WAS very tired from the flight which took 5 hours longer than expected..I don't know..maybe my expectations are too high after the heavenly experience of slane..
you should tell my girlfriend that I'm burned out U2wise.she wouldn't stop laughing. She'' problably say I'm obessed not burned out

You went to Slane? Now I'm insanely jealous


Compairing your Chicago show to Slane is kind of setting yourself up to be disappointed

 

[zwervers2]

You went to Slane? Now I'm insanely jealous


Compairing your Chicago show to Slane is kind of setting yourself up to be disappointed

Maybe you're right I wish I didn't go there

Maybe it has also to do with the agefactor and having seen them for a couple of tours. I admit it has to be very special to impress me so in that context you and KUEF are problably right that it's my "problem" are you a dinosaur like me or not?

 

[kellyahern]

Maybe you're right I wish I didn't go there

Maybe it has also to do with the agefactor and having seen them for a couple of tours. I admit it has to be very special to impress me so in that context you and KUEF are problably right that it's my "problem" are you a dinosaur like me or not?

You're only 2 years older than me

 

[zwervers2]

You're only 2 years older than me

hahaha how many tous did you see..please don;t tell me you saw them during the JT period