Band energy.

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Zooropa1310

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So. The first concert I've ever been to was a U2 concert, San Jose II (4/10/05). Second concert ever, U2 again. Portland (12/19/05). So I am under the impression that every concert is a religious experience... So I go into this Coldplay concert thinking it will be the same thing. And although the adrenaline is up, and the loud music fills your body, its not the same :sad: . I was expecting to be completely sucked into the music and energy as I have been by U2, but it just wasnt there. Great show mind you, just not the same. I'm not flaming them, but it goes to show the magic that is up there when U2 performs. Nothing like that feeling.

And if anyone saw Coldplay, I forgot what song... But remember when Jonny was up on stage alone, light on him, and he had his slide on his guitar with the weird effect?


That SCREAMED City of Blinding Lights intro :lol:


Has anyone else seen a band that's energy and "magic" even come close to U2's?
 
Tons. Many, in fact, who far surpassed U2's so-called contemporary "energy." MANY of these bands, though, aren't playing in venues the size of those played by U2. Perhaps that's got something to do with it, but it still fails to explain the 'Head.

In no particular order, here are some of the highlights:

Sleater-Kinney
Radiohead
The Secret Machines
Xiu Xiu
Depeche Mode
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead
Beck
Karmella's Game

And while I haven't ever seen Prince in concert personally, I'm way beyond positive that he puts out that kind of energy.

And then some.
 
the arcade fire
broken social scene
stars
metric
nine inch nails
radiohead (that was a long time ago though)

i'm sure there's more
 
Zooropa1310 said:
Has anyone else seen a band that's energy and "magic" even come close to U2's?

The Finn Brothers. I was right up the back of this 5,000-odd seater arena in Brisbane, land of people who sit through concerts like it's a movie, and the Finns were still completely electrifying. It was almost as good as the U2 concerts I saw. Moments such as the crazily extended Six Months In A Leaky Boat solo or the raw power of I Got You or the lighting black-out during Disembodied Voices were on a par with U2 concert moments, and the on-stage banter between the brothers is far superior to Bono's rambling, somewhat disorganised speeches.
 
The Rolling Stones , Mick Jagger is still one of the best , so what that they look like skeletons , good enough for me , Out of control in the stadium .................. one of the best moments

.................
 
MrsSpringsteen said:
Bruce and the E Street Band

I totally have to second that...but, first, I have to go back in time at least 20 years.

There was indeed a time when The Boss & Co. not only matched U2's energy and such, but eclipsed it by miles upon miles upon miles. That's all in the now-distant past, of course, but so are U2's mega-awesome concert days. It's all relative, I guess. C'est la vie.
 
Ned's Atomic Dustbin was far and away the most energetic band i've ever seen. i wanted to puke from dancing and smiling...
swervedriver were pretty goddamn good
jellyfish were downright amazing
the verve on 'northern soul' tour
i saw nirvana on the 'in utero' tour. i wasn't a much of a fan, but they really took my breath away.

no real religious experiences. closest thing to that was tool 2001. seriously speaking, the show really made you think in a way only u2 has ever done to me. as u2 presumes it's fans are intelligent, tool demands it.
 
Zooropa1310 said:
So. The first concert I've ever been to was a U2 concert, San Jose II (4/10/05). Second concert ever, U2 again. Portland (12/19/05). So I am under the impression that every concert is a religious experience... So I go into this Coldplay concert thinking it will be the same thing. And although the adrenaline is up, and the loud music fills your body, its not the same :sad: . I was expecting to be completely sucked into the music and energy as I have been by U2, but it just wasnt there. Great show mind you, just not the same. I'm not flaming them, but it goes to show the magic that is up there when U2 performs. Nothing like that feeling.

And if anyone saw Coldplay, I forgot what song... But remember when Jonny was up on stage alone, light on him, and he had his slide on his guitar with the weird effect?


That SCREAMED City of Blinding Lights intro :lol:


Has anyone else seen a band that's energy and "magic" even come close to U2's?


I honestly don't think so. And it's not like that I only like U2 or only go to U2 shows, I really do enjoy other bands also. But a U2 live show is unique. It has "it," whatever that "it" is. It has the magic. U2 is the only live band that can take you that "higher place" during a show....I like what bono said, "molecules vibrating, God walking through the room"
 
Although U2 is my favorite band and has provided both energy and 'religious' experiences for me playing live, there are many bands who have taken me to other places, so to speak, over the years during their shows.

Here's just a few that come to mind.

Fugazi...Decibals in Mechanicsburg, PA
Radiohead at the Electric Factory, Philly
Arcade Fire...First Unitarian Church, Philly (this was akin to seeing U2 live for the first time).

Ramones (whenever I saw them)
Archers of Loaf (saw them 12 times; sometimes they were spectacular, other times merely above average).
Sebadoh....9:30 Club
Juliana Hatfield...I've seen her more than 20 times, but Fletchers in Baltimore, 1997 stands out for personal reasons.
At the Drive-In...The Why're in New Cumberland, PA

and most recently, The Wrens at the North Star in Philly. Superhuman energy and unbridled enthusiasm!
 
the u2 i saw last may in boston had nowhere near the energy that a lot of other bands i've seen have on stage. not because i go see primarily punk and hardcore bands, because i've seen many an unenergetic punk band and it's equally possible to be moved by an orchestra. religious experience at a concert, for me, constitutes as the band and crowd being one entity. this requires crowd interaction on the band's part more than just strutting around a giant oval and flirting with a couple girls, as well as an equal reaction from the crowd. the crowd is into it in whatever way is appopriate for the style of music, and doing whatever it is that they personally do to enjoy a show.

murphy's law - their frontman, jimmy g, is the most insane guy ever. he can play to a crowd of 20 people and still act like it's the best time he's had in his life. maybe it's the drugs and the alcohol, i don't know. but one of their shows is a guarenteed good time. first time i saw them, i didn't even like their music, and i came home a total convert.

i'd take a barenaked ladies show over a u2 show any day.

the toasters. i've come home from toasters' shows, the next day my legs have been so sore from dancing that walking was difficult.

maybe 20 years ago, seeing u2 was an amazing experience. it felt like a washed up classic rock band playing a greatest hits set. if that's what they want to do now, and if the majority of their fans are good with that, i don't care. who am i to say how they should or shouldn't perform? i just find it laughable that anyone would consider it a religious experience.
 
while not my favourite band, u2 are my favourite live band, and the only shows i've had that elusive "religious experience" have been u2 shows. radiohead comes darn close, maybe if they didn't play so many damn songs offa hail to the thief, blah . . .

these acts i've seen live multiple times and are also fantastic:

pj harvey
muse
pixies

i've only seen these acts once, but all were pretty impressive:

sleater-kinney
bloc party
secret machines
prince

naturally, most of the best shows i've seen have been in small sized venues, though u2 is one of the few acts that truly have the ability to play to the "cheap seats" and transcend the suckiness of arena/stadium shows. actually, pj harvey was equally amazing opening for u2 in an arena as she was when i saw her in a small club. she's easily the most magnetic performer i've ever seen.
 
If you shout... said:


I totally have to second that...but, first, I have to go back in time at least 20 years.

There was indeed a time when The Boss & Co. not only matched U2's energy and such, but eclipsed it by miles upon miles upon miles. That's all in the now-distant past, of course, but so are U2's mega-awesome concert days. It's all relative, I guess. C'est la vie.


ummmm...not too sure about that..i saw Bruce hand upside down from his mike stand and then do a back flip off a piano about two years ago...He's about ten years older than Bono also...freakin unreal.
 
bands that are better than u2 that i've seen for myself:

broken social scene
stars
arcade fire
wolf parade


and i KNOW sigur ros, radiohead, wilco, etc. etc. are also way better than u2 live as well.

and by u2, i mean modern day u2.
 
I've read the same "only a U2 concert is a religious experience" comments quite a bit on this board, and although I understand it is a U2 board so that is to be expected, I've found it's not exactly true. It indubitably is a religious experience for those who have made the comment, but many fans of other bands feel the same way about their bands too.

I'm a huge fan of (yes, we can all say this together) The Church and a few of their gigs have been akin to a religious experience for me. They were in small (sometimes tiny) venues with no high tech stage or light show, no running around or jumping around (by the band or the audience), no one got brought on stage, no band member went out into the audience, there were no pyrotechnics or fog machines (there was incense though :) ) -- none of the stuff that is usually added to create excitement.

And yet the shows (well, three of the five I saw -- the other two were good, but not quite transcendent) took my breath away. Absolutely mesmerising, intoxicating performances. Completely captivating. I'm actually not sure if I'd call it a religious experience as most of my religious experiences haven't been that powerful and fantastic. Orgasmic experience might be a more apt description. :)
 
Religious experience or energy? They are two different things although U2 is the only band I can think of that manages to do both simultaneously. Zootv would be on my shortlist of Best ever concerts but I thought Popmart blended the spiritual with the energetic better, in a 60K plus outdoor stadium no less.

Other notable concert experiences:

The Who- This was the '80 tour infamous for the GA riot in Cincinnati in which 11 people died. It was all reserved seating by the time they got to my town and I somehow got 3rd row seats. I couldn't believe the way Pete could move and jump around with that 10 lb Les Paul strapped around him and not miss a note. Daltrey was the king of the mike cord twirls, a lost art since the advent of the wireless mike.

The Clash- '82 Combat Rock tour. The crowd was apeshit just for the fact that these guys came within 100 miles of our backwater burg (Williamsburg, va). It wasn't that hard to get too close either, just let the numbnuts punk in front of you climb up on stage to do his dive and get a police escort out.

Most energy with minimal effort- Muddy Waters opening for Eric Clapton. I can't remember exactly when I saw him but he just parked himself on a stool in front of the stage and proceeded to blow everyone away. I don't even remember Clapton's set. Come to think of it, that was also pretty much a religious experience.
 
ljclary said:



ummmm...not too sure about that..i saw Bruce hand upside down from his mike stand and then do a back flip off a piano about two years ago...He's about ten years older than Bono also...freakin unreal.

Oh, he's totally still got the energy or whatever, but as your comment and even contemporary Bono so perfectly encapsulate (and I saw Bruce and The Gang on the same tour), there is a fine line between charisma and laugh-out-loud funny self-parody.

That's all I'll say about that so as to avoid bringing the lunatics out of the woodwork, but yes...no matter how you put it and no matter how pompous he too has become, Bruce is still the far, far, far superior frontman. I'm sorry to say it, but he always has been. Even when his music sucked/sucks.

Bono looks uncomfortable on a small stage. Bruce owns it much like he still semi-owns (or at least leases, long-term) the ginormous stadiums. I am sorry for rambling. Back to your regularly scheduled viewing, kids.
 
Recent gigs with lots of 'energy' and 'intensity' : Pixies, Subways, Be Your Own Pet
 
i've seen a lot of bands that put a lot more energy into a show than u2 does and that i've put a lot more energy into (ditto that not being able to walk for 2 days comment from IWasBored)
but i do get that special something out of a u2 show that i haven't got from anything else... whether it means there's actually something special there or whether it's a personal thing that i'm just getting out of it because of the fandom, i dont know

i'm talking specifically about Vertigo tour here though, i'd only ever seen 1 popmart show before that so i can't comment what they were like "back in the day"
 
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fuck u2. i just got back from seeing nine inch nails. THAT was a religious experience. compared to hurt, even songs like streets feel like a joke.
 
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