10/15 Chicago review: 1st time WOWY dropped in U.S.!!

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Hawkfire

The Fly
Joined
Jun 26, 2001
Messages
295
Location
Chicago, IL
The title pretty much says it all. I think last night was the first full-length U.S. show since Joshua Tree has been released that With or Without You has not been performed.

I know they skipped it in Montreal on Leg I, it was dropped during the UK tour of Zooropa '93, and played sporadically during Lovetown, but in the U.S. I believe it has been at every show (possible exception of the first couple of Joshua dates).

Actually, I didn't miss it too much, I missed Mysterious Ways more (only two songs from Achtung!!)

As for the concert: People Get Ready was great to finally hear, best New York in the 11 I've attended, and Out of Control kicked. That said, the concert didn't even hit the 2 hr mark and U2 only performed 18 original full songs. Coupled with that is their tepid version of What's Going On, which sorely needs to be dropped. The sequencers on that song were louder than the band!!

Some people will inevitable say I'm whining, don't go if it's so bad, etc etc. Hey, I enjoyed the show thoroughly. I had a great time and like I said some of the songs were absolutely great. But I think it's fair commentary, the band is not where it was during leg I, songwise, lengthwise, setlistwise. Bono didn't go for the high notes on Stuck and I believe WOWY was supposed to be performed after NY but was dropped on the spur of the moment (as opposed to the Fly or M. Ways which were left out). Achtung-Zoo-Pop DECADE represented solely by UTEOTW/One/Staring (acoustic). OUCH.

C'mon guys, we know you have 50 songs in the reportoire. I'm not asking to pull out Hawkmoon or Ultraviolet here, just play Ways and the Fly and get that setlist back up to 22 songs or so.
 
Hmmm, am I the only one that doesn't care for 'People Get Ready'? I dunno, the setlist doesn't look too bad to me, but I would have been sadly disapointed to be deprived of 'WOWY'. I still can't believe they have dropped 'The Fly' and it's been months since the played 'Ground Beneath Her Feet'- anyone else miss that one?
That all being said, I would have to disagree with your comparison of them to the first leg. From what I saw (the entire Notre Dame Webcast) they are in amazing form. And my Notre Dame Boot will, I believe, remain a favourite of mine for years to come.

Oh, and I think 'What's Going On' is a great addition and I don't usually care for cover tunes...

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"I'm staring at the sun, not the only one who's happy to go blind..."
 
So have they not played the Fly at all on this leg?
frown.gif
 
So now they've dropped WOWY and The Fly in exchange for a couple of cover songs? I'm not sure what to say.

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Change is the only constant
 
Interestingly enough, a guy in front of me in Hamilton got the setlist (the one taped by Bono's feet) and WOWY was scratched out on it, even though they played it.

Another guy who got the setlist taped by Edge's feet didn't have WOWY scratched out. So I'm not sure what was going on there, but could be they're axing it.
 
i think that WOWY could use a little rest... maybe play it every other night, rather than every night. also, "Pride" and NYD could use a little rest, too.

that being said, i am *very* upset about the disappearance of "Mysterious Ways" and "The Fly". In my opinion, those are two GREAT live songs. The setlist now does not contain enough of their excellent '90s material. i really think they should a couple of songs from AB, Zooropa or Pop. That's just my two cents...
 
Woah, I hadn't even noticed that WOWY was gone when I saw the setlist...
Angel, personally I don't care for PGR as much as I'd want WOWY back, and that's not even including The Fly and MW.
 
I'm still waiting for them to play "4th of July" Where is "4th of July"? Somebody please request "4th of July"!

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"You gotta put the women and children first, but you've got an unquenchable thirst for New York..."
 
I actually had a play list in hand last night in Chicago (10/15) before the show even started...great connection...here's what it read:

all you need is love 3.44
beatles - sgt. peppers 1.50
into trippy elevation mix
elevation
beautiful day
end of the world
new years day
out of control
sunday bloody sunday
stuck in a moment
kite
angel of harlem
staring at the sum
bad
streets
found
pride
***
bullet the blue sky
what's going on
new york
with or without
***
one
peace on earth
walk on

Chicago October 15


Summary: Maybe they scratched WOWY when they inserted PGR after Angel of Harlem. Just a thought.
 
Two points:

1.) Bono's voice is getting scratchy and they're playing a lot of shows in a short period of time. I for one am not surprised that some of the shows have been a little shorter.

2.) I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't EVER want to hear you guys bitch about U2 not switching up the setlist again. And I MEAN EVER. It's painfully obvious that U2 fans require the same 21-22 songs every night or they have a shit-fit.

How Interference looks sometimes:

"Oh, they only played The Fly 43 times on this tour. I only got to hear it 7 times. What a tragedy"

"Bullet and WOWY are SO overplayed...WHAT, they didn't play Bullet and WOWY??? How could they!?! I love those songs."

"I wish they'd play Still Haven't Found on this tour...WHAT??? They played Still Haven't Found? It's been overplayed already!How could they?"

"I wish they'd play more pre-War songs...WHAT!?! They played Out of Control and 11 O'clock Tick Tock? I wanted to hear WILATW and Mysterious Ways! I feel robbed."

"Isn't it weird how U2 haven't been doing covers on this tour? Remember the good old days when Bono would bring someone up to play People Get Ready? WHAT!?! They played People Get Ready with a fan? That guy couldn't play!! And What's Going On? Who cares if it's topical--I wanted to hear Unforgettable Fire."

"Why aren't U2 playing more songs from ATYCLB? Where's Kite, Wild Honey and WILATW?? WHAT!?! They played Kite? Sure took them long enough. And Wild Honey? I hate that song. Where's WILATW? I feel robbed."

MAP
 
OMIGOD Matthew that cracks me up! I must say, you are so right so right, and I am no Angel...
wink.gif


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"I'm staring at the sun, not the only one who's happy to go blind..."
 
They better play "I through a brick through a window" or I'm gonna be super super pissed!!!!!

mad.gif




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"You gotta put the women and children first, but you've got an unquenchable thirst for New York..."
 
Hello

Matthew, I totally agree with you. If U2 changes their setlist there are complaints they leave out some great songs. If they don't change there are complaints they don't change. Often, there will also be a reference to the Joshua Tree Tour and how everything was different then. It sure was. For one thing, U2 didn't mix setlists as much as they do now.
I've looked in U2Live and found some remarkable facts.
- During the 110 shows of the Joshua Tree Tour U2 played 44 different songs (of which 10 were covers IIRC)
- During the 87 Elevation shows so far U2 have played 43 different songs (of which only 4 were covers)
- On the Joshua Tree Tour different song #43 was played on the 108th show (it was 11 O'Clock Tick Tock)
- The third leg of the Joshua Tree saw a string of 13 shows which had (almost) the same setlist as the Montreal show (1 October 1987). With almost the same I mean that only one song was substituted (f.i. People Get Ready out and Springhill Mining Disaster in)
- That Montreal show had 19 songs

The only thing that has stayed the same is that (almost) everybody returns euphorious from a U2 concert. And you can blame that on U2!
biggrin.gif


C ya!

Marty


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People criticize me but I know it's not the end
I try to kick the truth, not just to make friends

Spearhead - People In Tha Middle

[This message has been edited by Popmartijn (edited 10-17-2001).]
 
There are very few songs that I wouldn't mind them skipping from time to time, but only if they were replaced by less-played U2 originals (not covers). So far this leg, that's not the case - the shows are routinely coming in under 2 hours. But the show is so awesome, so intense, so emotional that I forgive them. Especially because they have done a great job overall in terms of rotating the setlist while maintaining a topnotch level of performance throughout the tour. I say we give them a break.
 
I for one, DIDN'T want to hear WOWY. I think it's been overplayed *ducks to avoid Matthew*....but THEN they added "SHine like Stars" and the universe came together...all was right with the world for about 3 minutes as the greatest band in the world spoke their hearts...even god himself wept for the sheer joy of it.
 
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