Vertigo Tour Lacks Magic

[Dalton]

No, this is not another senseless “bash the tour thread”. I went to the Phoenix shows this week and loved both of them. Bono sounds AMAZING, the lights and stage are phenomenal. The Edge goes nuts. Adam is more into it than I have ever seen him. Larry plays everything and runs about. Hell – I even really enjoyed the Kings of Leon. Anyone who goes to this show will have a wonderful time.

But, it does lack the “magic” that I have felt on other tours. By magic, I mean the strong emotional pull that I have felt on every other U2 tour. Sure, Bono’s speech introducing Streets is wonderful, but many other parts of the show feel like they lack heart. Below are a few of the elements of the show that contribute to this and how I would remedy the situation.

1. Set List: Though it is a fun set list, the show seems to be a bit disjointed and does not flow that well. Perhaps this has to do with the fact that the “theme” of the show is not highlighted very well (see point 2). An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart was one of the highlights of my U2 going experience. That being said, I think the boys should drop it. The audience wasn’t into it and it took some air out of the show. I would stick with one early song and limit it to an upbeat “rocking” number i.e. Electric Co., Stories for Boys, Gloria, Fire, etc. Using one (maybe two) older upbeat songs would allow for the audience to stay “up” even if they don’t know the song. The set list could flow better to fit the theme of the show, but I will get to that a little later….
2. Theme: Many people have said/written (including Bono – “tour is a mix of political rally & revival meeting”) that this tour does not have an over-riding theme like past U2 tours, but I disagree. From the moment that ominous voice begins shouting “Everyone”, that single word/idea becomes the theme of the show. From the protests of SBS and Bullet to the Pride-Street-One combination finishing in the spiritual sing along, this whole show is a reminder that we are all one – no matter how much culture, wealth, or distance separates us. Sadly, the set list and Bono’s performance does not highlight this enough.
3. Bono’s Performance: While the rest of the band (especially LMJ and Adam) are more engaged than ever, Bono does seem withdrawn. I am not sure if that is because they are under rehearsed or because he lacks a character or story to tell ….
4. My suggestions: I think the Vertigo Tour should tell the story of our times. Start out with a dizzying, overwhelming sense of the new pop culture that is under girded and destroyed by the uncertainty of our times. Here is my proposed set list with a few story line notes:

The band enters the stage with the spot lights – Bono is dressed as an older, world-warn Fly character.

1. Vertigo – Stories for Boys (Bono said that he imagines Vertigo being a club that you want to get out of)
2. Elevation
3. Electric Co or Gloria etc.
4. Zoo Station
5. The Fly

Bono’s shades come off as some ominous news comes from overhead … “Breaking News…”
6. New Years Day

Video Curtains show some sort of Apocalyptic event (i.e. explosion, war, etc.). Emotional rendition of the next two songs. The people unite.

7. Sometimes You Can’t Make it On Your Own
8. Original of the Species

Uniting is over. People are pissed. Its time to go to war. (Bono in his war coat and cap marching around the elipse)
9. Crumbs from Your Table
10. Sunday Bloody Sunday
11. Bullet the Blue Sky – Hands that Built America
12. Running to Stand Still
13. Bad (RTSS and Bad would create a perfect moment in the show - I love the fact that Bono dedicates the RTSS to the troops – who doesn’t feel like their hooked on a terrible drug called “Current Events”)

14. Human Rights Video

Hopeful Rally
15. Love and Peace or Else
16. Pride
17. Miracle Drug (Bono can talk about the need for drugs in Africa and the One Campain)
18. Where the Streets Have No Name
19. With or Without You
20. One

Encore of Hope and Innocence
21. City of Blinding Lights
22. All Because of You
23. Yahweh
24. 40



So what does everyone think?

 

[nicholsfornixon]

Just from listening to the bootlegs I think that the band seems to be growing more comfortable with the tour with each show that they perform. The more comfortable they get, the more "magic" they impart to the audience. They also seem to finally be tweaking their setlist to make it better.

I think that in about a month's time this tour will be just as magical as all the others.

 

[techfire]

It wouldn't surprise me if the illness in the family and/or Bono's back problems are the reasons the show seems to be missing "magic". I'm sure they considered cancelling the tour altogether, that wouldn't be good.

 

[madonna]

im pretty sure by the time the 3rd leg comes back to the US, the magic will be there.

 

[Dalton]

OK, so you think the magic will be there. What do you think of my ideas? Come on now, I actually put time into that....

 

[BWU2Buffs]

Maybe if you smoked more pot it would be more magical for you.










Sorry, could not resist.

 

[Chizip]

OK, so you think the magic will be there. What do you think of my ideas? Come on now, I actually put time into that....

i hope they saw larry in half



sorry i couldnt resist either

 

[techfire]

When they play Vegas I'll make sure to catch a magic show at the Rio, then see U2 at the MGM.

 

[techfire]

i hope they saw larry in half



sorry i couldnt resist either

Funny shit

 

[Dalton]

i hope they saw larry in half

What difference would it make ..... he's already ripped!!!!

 

[No spoken words]

"The Magic" could not possibly be a more subjective thing.

For me, the magic has been there, and then some, and no amount of rehearsing or shaking rust off can make something as intangible and elusive as magic suddenly appear.

 

[Dalton]

"The Magic" could not possibly be a more subjective thing.

For me, the magic has been there, and then some, and no amount of rehearsing or shaking rust off can make something as intangible and elusive as magic suddenly appear.

No Whammies, No Whammies, No Whammies ... Shit.

 

[No spoken words]

No Whammies, No Whammies, No Whammies ... Shit.

I'll take game shows that require no skill or brains for $500, Alex. I wish I were watching game shows right now, though, for that would mean I was not at work. Um, working hard. As I......um....post here.....again. Crap.

 

[No spoken words]

No, this is not another senseless “bash the tour thread”. I went to the Phoenix shows this week and loved both of them. Bono sounds AMAZING, the lights and stage are phenomenal. The Edge goes nuts. Adam is more into it than I have ever seen him. Larry plays everything and runs about. Hell – I even really enjoyed the Kings of Leon. Anyone who goes to this show will have a wonderful time.

But, it does lack the “magic” that I have felt on other tours. By magic, I mean the strong emotional pull that I have felt on every other U2 tour. Sure, Bono’s speech introducing Streets is wonderful, but many other parts of the show feel like they lack heart. Below are a few of the elements of the show that contribute to this and how I would remedy the situation.

1. Set List: Though it is a fun set list, the show seems to be a bit disjointed and does not flow that well. Perhaps this has to do with the fact that the “theme” of the show is not highlighted very well (see point 2). An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart was one of the highlights of my U2 going experience. That being said, I think the boys should drop it. The audience wasn’t into it and it took some air out of the show. I would stick with one early song and limit it to an upbeat “rocking” number i.e. Electric Co., Stories for Boys, Gloria, Fire, etc. Using one (maybe two) older upbeat songs would allow for the audience to stay “up” even if they don’t know the song. The set list could flow better to fit the theme of the show, but I will get to that a little later….
2. Theme: Many people have said/written (including Bono – “tour is a mix of political rally & revival meeting”) that this tour does not have an over-riding theme like past U2 tours, but I disagree. From the moment that ominous voice begins shouting “Everyone”, that single word/idea becomes the theme of the show. From the protests of SBS and Bullet to the Pride-Street-One combination finishing in the spiritual sing along, this whole show is a reminder that we are all one – no matter how much culture, wealth, or distance separates us. Sadly, the set list and Bono’s performance does not highlight this enough.
3. Bono’s Performance: While the rest of the band (especially LMJ and Adam) are more engaged than ever, Bono does seem withdrawn. I am not sure if that is because they are under rehearsed or because he lacks a character or story to tell ….
4. My suggestions: I think the Vertigo Tour should tell the story of our times. Start out with a dizzying, overwhelming sense of the new pop culture that is under girded and destroyed by the uncertainty of our times. Here is my proposed set list with a few story line notes:

The band enters the stage with the spot lights – Bono is dressed as an older, world-warn Fly character.

1. Vertigo – Stories for Boys (Bono said that he imagines Vertigo being a club that you want to get out of)
2. Elevation
3. Electric Co or Gloria etc.
4. Zoo Station
5. The Fly

Bono’s shades come off as some ominous news comes from overhead … “Breaking News…”
6. New Years Day

Video Curtains show some sort of Apocalyptic event (i.e. explosion, war, etc.). Emotional rendition of the next two songs. The people unite.

7. Sometimes You Can’t Make it On Your Own
8. Original of the Species

Uniting is over. People are pissed. Its time to go to war. (Bono in his war coat and cap marching around the elipse)
9. Crumbs from Your Table
10. Sunday Bloody Sunday
11. Bullet the Blue Sky – Hands that Built America
12. Running to Stand Still
13. Bad (RTSS and Bad would create a perfect moment in the show - I love the fact that Bono dedicates the RTSS to the troops – who doesn’t feel like their hooked on a terrible drug called “Current Events”)

14. Human Rights Video

Hopeful Rally
15. Love and Peace or Else
16. Pride
17. Miracle Drug (Bono can talk about the need for drugs in Africa and the One Campain)
18. Where the Streets Have No Name
19. With or Without You
20. One

Encore of Hope and Innocence
21. City of Blinding Lights
22. All Because of You
23. Yahweh
24. 40



So what does everyone think?

By the way, for what it is worth, I do think that your ideas would make for a great set-list/show, no doubt about it. Plus, you put Crumbs and Bad in there, so how could I not like it?

 

[KUEFC09U2]

the funny thing is here, when i see people saying it lacks "emotion" or whatever, we all have to remember that during the elevation tour there were 2 MASSIVE factors that made it more emotional for both and band "2nd leg" and the fans "3rd leg", i mean the 1st leg was pretty much normal high energy, high emotion U2 which is what we have now during the vertigo tour, but all this changed partly through the second leg, when it was obvious bono's father would pass on, so this gave bono emotions which he had NEVER felt before, (obviously was very young when his mother passed), and he let all this emotion out through the music, and on the 3rd leg, we all know what happen, we had 9/11 giving and i really hate to sound morbid, but it gave the 3rd leg another boost in emotion, and thats pretty much the only difference,

only this time, we are back to the raw U2 energy and emotion of previous tours, without any hidden nasties (i pray),

 

[youtooellen]

your set list is awesome haha
but I think the magic will grow with each show
and the more comfortable they get with each show.

but dang. very nice set list.
I can only imagined how psyched I'd be hearing
the first few songs live..

 

[nbcrusader]

The lack of "magic" is a direct result of the increase information we have regarding these shows before we attend.

Look, we can get great tapes of the shows in less than 24 hours after the band plays "40".

The magic is lost because the mystery is lost.

The actual shows, however, are fantastic.

 

[Dalton]

The lack of "magic" is a direct result of the increase information we have regarding these shows before we attend.

Look, we can get great tapes of the shows in less than 24 hours after the band plays "40".

The magic is lost because the mystery is lost.

The actual shows, however, are fantastic.

I went to a few shows on the first leg of the Elevation tour and thought that they had more "magic" to them and I had looked at the set lists and read the reviews and listened to bootlegs just like I have this time.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

I went to a few shows on the first leg of the Elevation tour and thought that they had more "magic" to them and I had looked at the set lists and read the reviews and listened to bootlegs just like I have this time.

and some of the shows on the first leg of this tour will have the magic, just because you went to a couple on the first leg of elevation that were SUPPER U2 shows, dosent mean everyone of the shows on the first leg where the same emotion or whatever, same for this tour, different shows will have different feels, simple as that

 

[Dalton]

and some of the shows on the first leg of this tour will have the magic, just because you went to a couple on the first leg of elevation that were SUPPER U2 shows, dosent mean everyone of the shows on the first leg where the same emotion or whatever, same for this tour, different shows will have different feels, simple as that

Oh dear mother of God, is it even possible to have a fan conversation on this board without the "U2 Crusaders" rearing their small, ugly heads?

 

[nathan1977]

I think it's an interesting point that on the last tour, the emotional underpinnings surrounding the shows made for a more powerful experience.

With the first leg of Elevation, it was frankly just a joy to see them playing again without all the pomp and circumstance. The second and third legs carried different weight, I agree.

With this show, it might not be as resonant b/c we're all looking for the same catharsis as after 9/11, and we won't find it -- but can you imagine when they take this show to South Africa? It will explode with emotion and energy.

And IMHO, the show I was at (Anaheim 1) was pretty magical....

 

[Eliv8]

Bono did a magic trick in Phoenix, but aside from that I think they should levitate Larry & turn Edge into a hamster.

 

[Miggy D]

4. My suggestions: I think the Vertigo Tour should tell the story of our times. Start out with a dizzying, overwhelming sense of the new pop culture that is under girded and destroyed by the uncertainty of our times. Here is my proposed set list with a few story line notes:

The band enters the stage with the spot lights – Bono is dressed as an older, world-warn Fly character.

1. Vertigo – Stories for Boys (Bono said that he imagines Vertigo being a club that you want to get out of)
2. Elevation
3. Electric Co or Gloria etc.
4. Zoo Station
5. The Fly

Bono’s shades come off as some ominous news comes from overhead … “Breaking News…”
6. New Years Day

Video Curtains show some sort of Apocalyptic event (i.e. explosion, war, etc.). Emotional rendition of the next two songs. The people unite.

7. Sometimes You Can’t Make it On Your Own
8. Original of the Species

Uniting is over. People are pissed. Its time to go to war. (Bono in his war coat and cap marching around the elipse)
9. Crumbs from Your Table
10. Sunday Bloody Sunday
11. Bullet the Blue Sky – Hands that Built America
12. Running to Stand Still
13. Bad (RTSS and Bad would create a perfect moment in the show - I love the fact that Bono dedicates the RTSS to the troops – who doesn’t feel like their hooked on a terrible drug called “Current Events”)

14. Human Rights Video

Hopeful Rally
15. Love and Peace or Else
16. Pride
17. Miracle Drug (Bono can talk about the need for drugs in Africa and the One Campain)
18. Where the Streets Have No Name
19. With or Without You
20. One

Encore of Hope and Innocence
21. City of Blinding Lights
22. All Because of You
23. Yahweh
24. 40



So what does everyone think?

Overall, I agree with nearly everything you've written. I think you're absolutely right - so far, this tour does lack a certain coherence and 'magic' that Elevation had. I haven't seen the past tours in person, but every tour since the Joshua Tree had an overarching theme or 'feel' that I don't think the Vertigo Tour has. It's a collection of great songs but they don't combine to make something greater.

I agree with you that they should only play one early Boy song. If they do play 2, they should split them up - one Boy song in the beginning, one in the end. Thematically, this works - play the second Boy song right after COBL ('you can't take the boy out of this man' - a song from Boy would be a perfect follow-up!).

I love your setlist, except I don't think 'people are pissed - it's time to go to war' is a theme that you'd ever see at U2 concert. U2 is anti-war. Bono wouldn't advocate getting pissed, unless you're getting pissed AT war.

I think Miracle Drug going into WTSHNN is an awesome idea. I think WOWY needs to be back in the setlist.

Great job, Dalton. You've articulated something I've been thinking about ever since I got back from the San Jose 2 Vertigo Concert. I thought it was a great show, but it felt a little empty.


Fantastic post, mate!

-Migdilio

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

My feeling is that the "pop kids" out number the hardcore fans on this leg of the tour, hence you get some shows where the "magic" isn't quite there.

At San Jose 1 I was disappointed with the crowd. It seemed like a lot of "band wagoneers" who were just there to be at the Event of the Year. I think with the way U2.com did the Third Leg Sale, we'll get a much more "true" audience. An audience who is there to celebrate rather than to be seen or say they were there.

My .02 cents.

 

[Zooropa man]

You know something, this is a really interesting point. I like some of the ideas that Dalton has brought upon us. But I do feel that the "magic" will indeed grow. I've been to Anaheim 1 and Staples 1. And let me tell you, those two were defenitely different. Anaheim was great. Staples was even better. Set list was re-arranged and it seemed to flow better at staples. But, I do agree that the early boy songs did make it......I hate to say this.....stale for the non-conventional U2 fan. I mean, if you are not familiar, you are gonna go for a beer run. I on the other hand, loved it. I love those songs and hearing them played live made me appreciate it even more. As far as Bono's act. It will get there. I've heard all of the first 8 shows. They seemed a bit reserved then usual but, as every show gets rapped up, they will get more comfortable. I like what they have done with the whole human rights theme and I think that they can do more. I share the same sentiments regarding having them show highlights or images of the war in iraq during the Sunday...Love & peace trilogy. I think that would make it even stronger. But the fact of the matter is that their catalog is huge and to simply make everyone happy, it'll be hard. I did enjoy how they re-arranged some of the songs though. ex. Elevation, Zoo Station, The Fly. We have to agree that they do put on a show like no other band out there. We are just expecting for them to top the best that they have done and i think they manage every time.

 

[cardosino]

I went to a few shows on the first leg of the Elevation tour and thought that they had more "magic" to them and I had looked at the set lists and read the reviews and listened to bootlegs just like I have this time.

I went early on in Elevation as well as Vertigo, I like them better where they are now vs. then, and likewise I had all the info. Each to their own.

 

[GG_The_Fly]

And IMHO, the show I was at (Anaheim 1) was pretty magical....

Really? I haven't been to any of the vertigo shows, but i think that overall, the venerable 'pond' has the absolute WORST acoustics of any arena i've ever been too - all i remember from those shows are awful echos. . .

 

[sv]

I agree completely with that the Vertigo show is lacking the emotional depth/soul of Elevation by a mile.

I think part of the problem is that U2 (and particularly Bono) has always been excited about "selling" their audience a new concept (i.e. Elevation/the heart, Popmart and Zoo TV - the spectacle) rather than just playing their music. The thing I was shocked by in San Diego was that for the first time since I can remember, there simply was no "program" U2 was selling. They were just playing songs. I wouldn't expect the opening show to be as coherent as a mid-tour Elevation show, but the Fort Lauderdale opener for Elevation was far better in terms of emotional depth.

 

[cardosino]

I agree completely with that the Vertigo show is lacking the emotional depth/soul of Elevation by a mile.

I think part of the problem is that U2 (and particularly Bono) has always been excited about "selling" their audience a new concept (i.e. Elevation/the heart, Popmart and Zoo TV - the spectacle) rather than just playing their music. The thing I was shocked by in San Diego was that for the first time since I can remember, there simply was no "program" U2 was selling. They were just playing songs. I wouldn't expect the opening show to be as coherent as a mid-tour Elevation show, but the Fort Lauderdale opener for Elevation was far better in terms of emotional depth.

They were "just playing songs" long before ZOOTV/Popmart, they were brilliant then too.

I guess seeing U2 "just play songs" isn't enough anymore ?

 

[scarlet october]

Just from listening to the bootlegs I think that the band seems to be growing more comfortable with the tour with each show that they perform. The more comfortable they get, the more "magic" they impart to the audience. They also seem to finally be tweaking their setlist to make it better.

I think that in about a month's time this tour will be just as magical as all the others.

Yep ... what he said.