Shuttlecock XXVII: To Returned Cocks We Run!

[coolian2]

I dunno. I'd still go see a band I generally liked even if I didn't care for their latest album. I just wouldn't be surprised to hear a lot of songs from it, and I definitely wouldn't gripe about it.

exactly. i saw them on vertigo supporting an album i didn't like, and one show had four songs from the album and the other had three. i appreciated that, but i wouldn't have complained if the number were higher because it was supporting that bloody album!

exactly. i know me saying them playing five songs from atyclb is ridiculous, but even if they played five songs from achtung baby i'd think that's a bit much. granted i wouldn't be complaining as much, but i'd rather them represent their back catalogue a bit more evenly. and as for nloth songs, it should be 6-8 songs every night.

exactly. it's easier to pick on atyclb being over-represented because it's shite, but with that in mind i thought the band wanted to distance themselves from the last two albums - or at least that's the impression i got in the build up to the release of no line. anyway, five songs from any album other than the one they're touring is excessive nonetheless.

 

[corianderstem]

ATYCLB just seems like such an anti-stadium album, too. It's for the most part (BD and Elevation excepted) intimate, scaled-down. It seems like a very odd choice for an album to return heavily too for such a huge production.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

agreed, atyclb's music to me is more suited for arenas or even smaller theaters or something.

 

[Lila64]

They could solve all this by just playing for another 30-60 minutes. And cover a few more eras. But nooooooooooooooooooooooo

Oh, and look at the pretty!
be careful kaffy
Panoramic view of U2 360 Tour - USATODAY.com

 

[LMP]

They could solve it by having some awareness of what songs are awesome. I'd say they ignore the bulk of their '80s material over their '90s stuff at this point in the tour. Sure "Sunday Bloody Sunday, "I Still Haven't Found..." "Streets," and "With or Without You" are staples, as well as "The Unforgettable Fire," and "New Year's Day" pops up occasionally, but that's it. Seriously? Nothing from Boy or October would rock the shit out of the stadium setting?

The problem with these shows is that the focus is on the spectacle as well as the music. When we truly get to see a tour that is just 4 guys playing on a stage willing to play a strong set of songs from their catalogue, then I think most people will be satisfied. I'm not asking for some Springsteen or Pearl Jam-esque show, but not knowing what will be played or in what order night-by-night would be fantastic.

That being said, I wish I was still going to the Tampa show, but that didn't work out. Next leg!

 

[coolian2]

The problem with these shows is that the focus is on the spectacle as well as the music. When we truly get to see a tour that is just 4 guys playing on a stage willing to play a strong set of songs from their catalogue, then I think most people will be satisfied. I'm not asking for some Springsteen or Pearl Jam-esque show, but not knowing what will be played or in what order night-by-night would be fantastic.

that was the 80s, the elevation tour and much of vertigo, and it was still the same thing even the supposedly setlist-tastic lovetown tour didn't have much variation of songs played, just the order in which they were played.

 

[LMP]

Vertigo was all about the BEADS, man.

I mean, shit, how awesome would it be if they just decided that one night they're playing all of Boy or War or The Joshua Tree or something? Totally spontaneous. I know it's pipe-dreaming, but that'd be cool as hell.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

yeah, that's what i'd like, spontaneity. even if they decided to play something i didn't like, i'd appreciate that instead of elevation for the 32849013874093874098317489373419875893475093174509873409578th time. i figure if they replace one crap song with some other mystery song, at worst i'll hate that song too. at best, maybe they'll bring back some other awesome oldie like they did with tuf or something.

 

[coolian2]

this is the band that has to rehearse one.

if you want them to pull something out of their ass, you've got yourself a womanfish situation going on.

 

[cobl04]

even cockheads.

i don't like complaining about sets, i really don't, considering i've seen none of them and i'm not listening to boots, and when/if they tour here i'm going to enjoy the show regardless.

but playing elevation and stuck in a moment instead of a better song and unknown caller i'm not a fan of.

did you watch the grand final ian? paramatta's fightback was awesome.

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

I stopped paying attention to the setlists after Chicago. What sort of fuckery is going on now?

 

[RedRocksU2]

Spoiler

No UC.

 

[corianderstem]

Spoiler

And just way too many songs off ATYCLB, an album that is not only not really suited for giant spectacle stadium shows, and hey, an album that they already supported with its own tour.

 

[martha]

I really appreciate the spoiler tags. Really. It sounds like I need them so I don't cry all the way there on the road to Vegas. I might cry all the way home, though. Maybe by Vegas they'll get their shit together.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Spoiler

Two of my very favorite moments from the show were Beautiful Day and Walk On. So, um, yeah. More ATYCLB is fine.

 

[corianderstem]

Oh, I really like

Spoiler

Walk On

, don't get me wrong. I missed that tour and am happy to hear it in concert.

It's just aggravating that they're

Spoiler

dropping songs from an album they seemed so proud of at the start and adding MORE songs from an album a lot of us (and, we thought, they) wanted to veer away from.

 

[martha]

It's like it's porn I'm not allowed to see.

 

[LMP]

Shit, I'm sorry Martha. I'll try to remember to spoiler tag everything else up at least until then.

 

[martha]

'S alright.


I'm not as pure as I'd like to be, but I'm holding on to what little purity I have left.

 

[u2popmofo]

Yous guyz posted a lot the last few days! I don't want to respond to 4,000 posts, so I'll just say this:

Agreed.

Now please allow me to give a "spoiler" about It Might Get Loud, despite saying that I wouldn't: It's 100% awesome. Sorry, April. Hopefully this spoiler hasn't completely ruined your viewing of it today.

 

[u2popmofo]

I'm not as pure as I'd like to be, but I'm holding on to what little purity I have left.

 

[martha]

It's 100% awesome.

'Tis.

 

[Irvine511]

Spoiler

Two of my very favorite moments from the show were Beautiful Day and Walk On. So, um, yeah. More ATYCLB is fine.

but, yes, i'd like more from the current album, especially that song that they're now no longer playing, and, as ever, more Achtung, please. i wish they'd drop

Spoiler

Mysterious Ways

and play

Spoiler

UTEOTW

or

Spoiler

The Fly

instead.

i could also do with a show that clocks in at 2:30 rather than 2:10.

i enjoyed some of the acoustic Vertigo encores. i got to hear "Wild Horses," and that was awesome.

but on the whole, it's a fair setlist. there was very, very little variation on the Popmart and Zoo TV setlists, and i think that's to do with the size of the production.

most people don't see more than one show, i'm just a freak and saw DC and then used jedi mind tricks to get Thursday off and drove 2 hours to Charlottesville and back. especially when you're playing stadiums and there's only one per city, *maybe* two, can we really then complain about a static setlist?

had i only seen DC one i would have been pretty happy with the setlist. sure, some quibbles and some superfan wishes, but, shoot, i'm still not sick of SBS or Streets or even WOWY. they all absolutely slay live, and that's part of the U2 experience.

(though i'm thrilled that Bullet and Pride are gone for now).

 

[Irvine511]

'S alright.


I'm not as pure as I'd like to be, but I'm holding on to what little purity I have left.

remember, you gave your word to stop at third. true love waits.

i was a semi-virgin and it was good to not know exactly what was going to happen next.

 

[No spoken words]

Sometimes less is more.

With ATYCLB, this holds true. Very true. Insanely true.

It's their worst album.

 

[phillyfan26]

Sometimes less is more.

With ATYCLB, this holds true. Very true. Insanely true.

It's their worst album.

Without question. It's not even close.

Even if you enjoy it, you have to admit most of the album isn't meant for a stadium setting (here's looking at you, Stuck in a Moment and In a Little While).

 

[martha]

remember, you gave your word to stop at third. true love waits.

i was a semi-virgin and it was good to not know exactly what was going to happen next.

This is what I'm sayin'.

 

[Irvine511]

Sometimes less is more.

With ATYCLB, this holds true. Very true. Insanely true.

It's their worst album.

nah.

 

[martha]

Yeah, it really is.

 

[Lancemc]

ATYCLB >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Atomic Bomb and No Line.

It's true.

See I can declare things too.