Shuttlecock XXI: Laz is Bigger Than Anyone in His Way

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
Status
Not open for further replies.
Ha, I was wondering why I was tagged in a tweet from them.

Also, night 2 was so much better. Partly because I ended up on the rail without even trying, but it did feel much tighter.

So fun. Yay, U2.

I didn't notice this last night, but after seeing someone mention it on Twitter, I listened for it tonight. The show opens with a voice giving instructions to breathe in and hold and exhale, interspersed with that freaky MRI sound.

Jeez, welcome to Bono's near-death experience. I'm a bit of a softie, but that gave me a little chill. .
 
Last edited:
How do we know that's Bono though? Or have we just made the connection based on his "hello I had a near-death experience stop asking about it" thing? If it is actually the case, then holy shit, super cool and I'd get chills too. But do we know for sure? Or are we speculating.
 
corianderstem said:
I didn't notice this last night, but after seeing someone mention it on Twitter, I listened for it tonight. The show opens with a voice giving instructions to breathe in and hold and exhale, interspersed with that freaky MRI sound.

Jeez, welcome to Bono's near-death experience. I'm a bit of a softie, but that gave me a little chill. .
Click to expand...

Yeah, the explanations about that part are making their rounds on the Internet now. Also mentioned here: Bono's MRI Starts U2eiTour
I've even seen reports saying that the screen isn't showing static during the first song, but that it's an extreme close-up of a MRI of a (Bono's?) heart.
 
cobl04 said:
How do we know that's Bono though? Or have we just made the connection based on his "hello I had a near-death experience stop asking about it" thing? If it is actually the case, then holy shit, super cool and I'd get chills too. But do we know for sure? Or are we speculating.
Click to expand...
well yea, it's speculation. but all things considered, what else would it be? the screen even moves up and down over Bono the way a patient getting an MRI would... and we start with a song called Blackout or, followed by a song about seeing the lights in a near death experience.

What I don't get is why he won't just talk about whatever the heck happened. I mean... he's singing about it and designing shows around it, but won't discuss it? Weird.
 
Danny Boy said:
Hey Cori,

You and Baja are famous.

You both got twitter quoted on U2.com.

U2 > News > Beautiful Night in San Jose

*Link contains spoilers.
Click to expand...

corianderstem said:
Ha, I was wondering why I was tagged in a tweet from them.

Also, night 2 was so much better. Partly because I ended up on the rail without even trying, but it did feel much tighter.

So fun. Yay, U2.

I didn't notice this last night, but after seeing someone mention it on Twitter, I listened for it tonight. The show opens with a voice giving instructions to breathe in and hold and exhale, interspersed with that freaky MRI sound.

Jeez, welcome to Bono's near-death experience. I'm a bit of a softie, but that gave me a little chill.
Click to expand...
I want to hear more about these "mixed thoughts"!


Axver said:
Couldn't care less about either song. How about something from the two decades when U2 were almost unbeatable.
Click to expand...

How about they're touring the new album so dropping
ABOY for one of its most-loved new tracks should be celebrated? And a song that has similar vibes to War should be something up your alley?


Also folks, that was 8 new songs last night. I don't think I&E ever got that many in one show, maybe 360 didn't either.
 
I wish I liked the album a lot more, but I think it's a positive sign of U2's self-confidence and future prospects that they are willing to support their new and recent material to this degree. They also continue to push their live performances forward with fresh tech, and I have to praise them for that.
 
lazarus said:
How about they're touring the new album so dropping
ABOY for one of its most-loved new tracks should be celebrated? And a song that has similar vibes to War should be something up your alley?


Also folks, that was 8 new songs last night. I don't think I&E ever got that many in one show, maybe 360 didn't either.
Click to expand...

Sure, they're touring for the new album, but I very much doubt most of the audience wants a set that's a third from the new album. It's not 1987 or 1992 or even 2005 any more. I thought the balance on 360 with about 6-7 was good.

I do agree that having Red Flag Day is better than a nothing song like ABOY, but I'm not high on it like you folks. It's middle of the road for SOE.

And it was 9 SOE songs. You can't skip over LIAWHL; Bono definitely sung it live. It seems only Tulsa and St Louis got the lip-synch treatment. I'm actually just checking when was the last time 9 new songs were played for a U2gigs update; it's been a while! And if we count SOI as still current, that's 12 songs; the only time U2 have got that high is when they were promoting AB/Zooropa in 1993 - the two London shows that got Zooropa's title track had 12, and the Zoomerang shows had 13.
 
I thought no IE show had more than eight SOI songs, but it turns out two did have all nine that got played live:

U2 Montreal, 2015-06-16, Bell Centre, Innocence + Experience Tour - U2 on tour
U2 Inglewood, 2015-06-03, The Forum, Innocence + Experience Tour - U2 on tour

That last one is especially notable because you also get two other new songs: Invisible and Ordinary Love.

No other show had more than eight SOI tracks, not even those where Lucifer's Hands or the Crystal Ballroom were played.

On Vertigo there were two shows that get to nine from HTDAAB if you count Fast Cars:

U2 Chicago, 2005-09-21, United Center, Vertigo Tour - U2 on tour
U2 New York, 2005-10-07, Madison Square Garden, Vertigo Tour - U2 on tour

Those are the only other instances since the turn of the millennium of 9 songs from a new album.

And the last time there were ten songs from a brand new album? The first six shows of Popmart.
 
Wait, fuck, I just realised Invisible was counted as from SOI, not non-album. Gonna have to revise the stats. Hang on.
 
Alright, it's accurate now.

atu2 can get in line behind you, Headache, to fight me at JT30 Melbourne.
 
Axver said:
I thought no IE show had more than eight SOI songs, but it turns out two did have all nine that got played live:

U2 Montreal, 2015-06-16, Bell Centre, Innocence + Experience Tour - U2 on tour
U2 Inglewood, 2015-06-03, The Forum, Innocence + Experience Tour - U2 on tour

That last one is especially notable because you also get two other new songs: Invisible and Ordinary Love.

No other show had more than eight SOI tracks, not even those where Lucifer's Hands or the Crystal Ballroom were played.

On Vertigo there were two shows that get to nine from HTDAAB if you count Fast Cars:

U2 Chicago, 2005-09-21, United Center, Vertigo Tour - U2 on tour
U2 New York, 2005-10-07, Madison Square Garden, Vertigo Tour - U2 on tour

Those are the only other instances since the turn of the millennium of 9 songs from a new album.

And the last time there were ten songs from a brand new album? The first six shows of Popmart.
Click to expand...

LemonMelon said:
Fuck. I'm glad I went to night 1 instead.
Click to expand...

I'm the opposite. Still pissed I missed The Troubles and Volcano. But at least I got a full version of AIWIY at one of the two I went to.
 
lazarus said:
I'm the opposite. Still pissed I missed The Troubles and Volcano. But at least I got a full version of AIWIY at one of the two I went to.
Click to expand...



You shit me sometimes. I love you, you have such good taste in music normally, but then you’re upset you missed a song as shit as Volcano.

Like I really do admire how positive you are about U2, but come on man. The Troubles, totally agree. But there’s literally 150 U2 songs I’d rather hear than Volcano (and at least a quarter of the set they’re currently playing).
 
I love its retro 80s post punk sound, it's not the kind of thing they usually do anymore. Better than the adult contemporary sound of Every Breaking Wave. I'm not so hung up on the lyrics just because they're basic.
 
cobl04 said:
You shit me sometimes. I love you, you have such good taste in music normally, but then you’re upset you missed a song as shit as Volcano.

Like I really do admire how positive you are about U2, but come on man. The Troubles, totally agree. But there’s literally 150 U2 songs I’d rather hear than Volcano (and at least a quarter of the set they’re currently playing).
Click to expand...
I'd like you to lost all 150 songs.

In order from Best to worst, please.
 
Spoiler-free mixed thoughts from the first night.

I thought there were some setlist pacing issues. They're still there, but night 2 just clicked more.

Maybe it was the band, maybe it was the crowd, maybe it was because I was on the rail.

That was mostly it. I just didn't feel much excitement or fun the first night, other than two songs.

I think seeing them so much in thr last three years is part of that.
 
I think if I was disappointed by anything thus far... aside from the encore needing a major shot of adrenaline... is that it kind of feels like they punted on the story telling from this album and just leaning on the Innocence story.

Sure, one could argue that the first part is Bono's near death experience, and then he reflects back on his childhood and his mom's death and growing up in Dublin and all that stuff. And that works. But then it just stops after the intermission, and it's a mix of random songs and America humping until all of a sudden you get to the last song and HEY, remember that story from the beginning!?! Here's the ending to that! Oh and btw show's over. Byyeieieieeeee.

Like... If you're going to go for it, go for it. Do the whole main set as a story arc. Then the hit parade in the encore. Seems kinda lazy.
 
I don't disagree with that. Re the encore and other rando stuff (apologies if I've already said this):

As beautiful as the closer is, it is suuuuuper confusing as an ending. Unless the band is okay with not leaving to wild applause, I guess?

Lights of Home felt a lot better the second night. As did Get Out, but still major meh there.

I took a pee break the first night during Best Thing. It's better than the acoustic version they played on JT, but not by much.

Second show was probably the most I've enjoyed Elevation in ages. I like that they use the original live intro.

Fuck, Acrobat just killed. I can't believe I've seen them play it. Twice!
 
Dang, Cori. Conspiracy theory or not, I will listen for the MRI noises and all that. I think that’s going to be pretty powerful for my friend who’s going through health issues. As of now, she is planning to make it to the Vegas show. I’m so glad!

I saw Volcano in Colorado. It’s fun live.
 
Glad your friend is planning to make the show!

Here is a Twitter link to a transcription of that intro bit:

[TWEET] 993955365564788736?s=19 [/TWEET]
 
corianderstem said:
I don't disagree with that. Re the encore and other rando stuff (apologies if I've already said this):

As beautiful as the closer is, it is suuuuuper confusing as an ending. Unless the band is okay with not leaving to wild applause, I guess?

Lights of Home felt a lot better the second night. As did Get Out, but still major meh there.

I took a pee break the first night during Best Thing. It's better than the acoustic version they played on JT, but not by much.

Second show was probably the most I've enjoyed Elevation in ages. I like that they use the original live intro.

Fuck, Acrobat just killed. I can't believe I've seen them play it. Twice!
Click to expand...
I get that same feeling and re: the closer and that's only from watching on video. Seems like nobody in the crowd realizes the show is over at first, and then once they do they just kinda bail. Super awkward.
 
Headache in a Suitcase said:
well yea, it's speculation. but all things considered, what else would it be? the screen even moves up and down over Bono the way a patient getting an MRI would... and we start with a song called Blackout or, followed by a song about seeing the lights in a near death experience.

What I don't get is why he won't just talk about whatever the heck happened. I mean... he's singing about it and designing shows around it, but won't discuss it? Weird.
Click to expand...

If he had, like, a heart attack, I don't think he would want people to know that.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

M
Ticketmaster app
Replies
3
Views
487
rosephile
R
prbiker15
Sphere Show #1 Setlist Party
14 15 16
Replies
451
Views
20K
dan_smee
dan_smee
DaveC
2024 NFL Playoff Pick 'Em
2
Replies
41
Views
2K
DaveC
DaveC
MrsSpringsteen
Atomic City
Replies
11
Views
1K
HeartlandGirl
HeartlandGirl
MrsSpringsteen
Gilead States Of America
Replies
16
Views
875
MrsSpringsteen
MrsSpringsteen

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom