80's tours (JT/Lowetown) vs 90's tours (Zootv/Popmart)

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U2girl

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Which do you prefer?

I can't decide, on one hand i like the energy of the band and the power of Bono's voice in the 80's but on the other hand, i also like the way the band sounded in the 90's tours and the way they re-invented some of the songs.
 
It's really hard for me to say, since I didn't see any of the 80s tours (I have R&H and UABRS, but that doesn't really count.). But since 2 of my top 3 fave albums were in the 90s, I'll go with 90s.
 
I'm sure that the vast majority of people on this forum never saw U2 on tour before the 90's, so it's pretty hard to say. I've just seen them on the Elevation tour. But if I could go back in time and see a tour, it wouldn't be ZooTV or Popmart --it would be either the UF tour, or, I think most preferably, early in the JT tour--before Lovetown and specifically when they were still doing Gloria and Unforgettable Fire.
 
What? No Elevation? It gets my vote!

Everyone I know who saw the UF tour and all those after said UF was the best.
 
I know someone who saw them during the JT tour and she said it was the best concert she'd ever been to...but she hasn't seen any of the later concerts.
 
Well, I've been to: JT '87, ZOOTV '92 , POP '97 and Elevation '01 and I would have to say the 90s tours are better.

I think the thing that separates the two decades is not only the showmanship of the 90s tours, but the musicianship.

I remember reading that the band felt awkward by the end of the 80s tours because they were definitely the biggest band in the world, but not the best. They were a long way from being mature musicians.

Not to take anything away from the 80s shows, but the 90s shows are superior in just about every way.
 
One Tree Still said:


Not to take anything away from the 80s shows, but the 90s shows are superior in just about every way.

I can see where that would definitely make sense. I mean, you would figure that the longer they do it, the better they get, right?
 
They are a band that really needs plenty of rehearsal, even now, though. When they went out for Popmart, they were severely underrehearsed and even the band says now that it felt really scary and not good for the first two weeks or so. I may be a bit biased against the mid-90's era, including Popmart, but I thought it was slightly disgraceful for a band of their quality and world stature to be having so many problems at the beginning of a tour--like having to restart songs and so on.
 
scatteroflight said:
They are a band that really needs plenty of rehearsal, even now, though. When they went out for Popmart, they were severely underrehearsed and even the band says now that it felt really scary and not good for the first two weeks or so. I may be a bit biased against the mid-90's era, including Popmart, but I thought it was slightly disgraceful for a band of their quality and world stature to be having so many problems at the beginning of a tour--like having to restart songs and so on.

Well, they're only human! Sheesh! :huh:

And they hadn't toured in over 3 years...They used the time that was supposed to be set aside for tour rehearsal to finish POP. There you go!
 
scatteroflight said:
They are a band that really needs plenty of rehearsal, even now, though. When they went out for Popmart, they were severely underrehearsed and even the band says now that it felt really scary and not good for the first two weeks or so. I may be a bit biased against the mid-90's era, including Popmart, but I thought it was slightly disgraceful for a band of their quality and world stature to be having so many problems at the beginning of a tour--like having to restart songs and so on.

During the Unforgettable Fire tour the had to drop the songs in the new album for the first shows since they were unable to play them live, U2 has always have to learn to play the songs after their albums are released, I think, not being sure of this, that this was the diiference with ATYCLB, I agree they would have to rehearse better, but the deadlines set, sometimes by themsleves have make them look like fools sometimes, still I like more the way they streched the boundaries of their limitations as musicians in the 90's, seems exciting to me.
 
wertsie said:


Well, they're only human! Sheesh! :huh:

And they hadn't toured in over 3 years...They used the time that was supposed to be set aside for tour rehearsal to finish POP. There you go!

I know they're only human, but a lot of people seem to think they are at least half divine a lot of the time. And many other bands who have not toured in a long time have gone out and managed to perform very well from the start. I felt that at least to begin with, more emphasis was put on the visuals and technology of Popmart than on the music. And I just wanted to point that out so that everyone wouldn't unanimously decide that the 90's tours were way superior to the 80's tours. I guess I just feel sometimes like there is a major bias in favour of 90's U2 against 80's U2 on this board.

But I still really love U2. Honest.
 
the boots that make the best impression on me are those of the Unforgettable Fire tour
 
I saw them first during Lovetown from the stands and I've never experienced a better show until I was in the Heart during Elevation. And so close up front any show is good. A lot of their 80's material lost impact in the 90's because they started to play it slower. New year's day was a rousing crowdpumper in the 80's but it was never as good again in the 90's or during Elevation.
 
I have to go with the 90's tours.

While Bono's voice was soaring with JT and Love Town, he often sounded a bit like an opera singer. In contrast, on the Elevation tour, he not only hit those notes, but he sounded like a real singer, not an opera star. :)

Plus, the sheer creativity, the style, the funk and the passion of the three 90's tours really made them stand out over the 80's tours.

IMO, the Elevation tour is U2 at their best. Not only did we have Bono's great voice return (something that was missing during the PopMart tour), we had the intimacy that was lacking in the ZOO TV and PopMart tours. Yet, we still had technology, but used for enhancements, not special effects. This gives the Elevation tour a boost up on the technically limited 80's tours. I think U2 will be hard-pressed to surpass the near perfection that was the Elevation tour.
 
I agree with DocWho about Elevation
still since Elevation is neiter 80's nor 90's I would have to go with 80's

more soul
 
Salome said:
I agree with DocWho about Elevation
still since Elevation is neiter 80's nor 90's I would have to go with 80's

more soul

Duh... silly me! :laugh: You are right, Salome (of course). The Elevation tour was NOT of the 90's, despite the fact that I just grouped in with the 90's tours above. LOL!

The 80's had the various album tours. The 90's only had ZOO TV and PopMart. These are the only tours I'll consider.

The Love Town tour stretched into the 90's, although it started in the 80's. Since the Love Town tour consists of some of my favorite boots, it helps both decades equally, hence I'll remove it from consideration.

And if I take away the Elevation Tour, since it was in the 00's, that has a major influence on my vote.

I loved ZOO TV, but I felt it took away from the music somewhat. Granted, I think U2 really *needed* to do a ZOO TV to keep going, but it did come at a price (less connection with the audience). And PopMart was just ridiculously huge - too huge. Although, I have to admit, the tours were fun.

While Bono was a bit too preachy in the 80's, I think U2 were able to obtain that emotional bond with their audience more in the 80's. Plus, with the JT tour, Bono was able to really sing.

Therefore, I give the nod to the 80's tours. :yes:

However, if U2 produces another Elevation Tour in the coming years, then the 00's will definitely win. The Elevation Tour just stands out as the perfection of all tours for U2, IMO.
 
One Tree Still said:

Not to take anything away from the 80s shows, but the 90s shows are superior in just about every way.

You're probably just the type who's impressed by all the flashy color lights. I look deeper than that. Elevation is my favorite, followed by UF, JT, and War. ZOOTV was very cool too. Popmart was inferior in every possible way.
 
GypsyHeartgirl said:


You're probably just the type who's impressed by all the flashy color lights. I look deeper than that. Elevation is my favorite, followed by UF, JT, and War. ZOOTV was very cool too. Popmart was inferior in every possible way.

:| I don't think it was the lights and all that that impressed me about Popmart. It was the ENERGY! Yeah, they had energy with Elevation too and I loved it, but Popmart was incredible. One of the best experiences of my life, if not THE best.
 
wertsie said:


I can see where that would definitely make sense. I mean, you would figure that the longer they do it, the better they get, right?


Yes, I think so. I saw U2 for the first time in 1986 (Amnesty tour). The '80's shows were more about raw energy and passion and they were absolutely fantastic, but the '90's tours were more creative and sophisticated. I like to think of Elevation as a mix between the two. It was both raw and passionate and creative all at the same time. I liked the simpler stage set, too. The heart was a brilliant idea. It was the best, IMO.
 
GypsyHeartgirl said:


You're probably just the type who's impressed by all the flashy color lights. I look deeper than that. Elevation is my favorite, followed by UF, JT, and War. ZOOTV was very cool too. Popmart was inferior in every possible way.


Actually that was the idea of Popmart- to put out flashy color lights to distract people from what they were really saying and doing.
 
Oh and I vote for 90's.

Mainly because of the technology they captured and exploited and the revolutionary way they broke the mold in stadium shows.

The way they used the stage and lights props and accessories to conceal or reveal the meaning of their songs. I will agree the songs allowed more for this, as Macphisto would not be caught dead singing some of the more uplifting JT or etheral UF songs.

Good point to Dr. Who though about the bond they were able to form with the audience in the 80s... I would carry this one step further and give them props since they were able to keep that bond there in the 90s despite being in stadiums.
 
scatteroflight said:


I know they're only human, but a lot of people seem to think they are at least half divine a lot of the time. And many other bands who have not toured in a long time have gone out and managed to perform very well from the start. I felt that at least to begin with, more emphasis was put on the visuals and technology of Popmart than on the music. And I just wanted to point that out so that everyone wouldn't unanimously decide that the 90's tours were way superior to the 80's tours. I guess I just feel sometimes like there is a major bias in favour of 90's U2 against 80's U2 on this board.

But I still really love U2. Honest.


I've read articles where U2 themselves said highly critical things about Popmart, the timing screw-up and how it shouldn't have happened, and Edge said "no excuses, we screwed up" and stuff like that. Don't think that the band themselves aren't capable of criticizing themselves. They are. They are perfectionists and don't like it when they screw up. But being human they are going to do it. Some people don't want them to be human, I guess. But they are. When you're a world-famous megastar your screw-ups are magnified. You're falling on your face in front of everyone and their brother. Fortunately they are able to move on after even massive screw-ups, make the necessary changes and just get on with it.
 
Reading the notes brings back more memories....it's hard to decide between the '80's and '90's. The '80's shows had more intimacy than the '90's ones did. The '90's were very creative but also a bit more distant. Even Bono said he sort of felt like they'd "lost the audience" during PopMart. They were more accomplished as musicians in the '90's but possibly more compelling in terms of stage presence in the '80's. It's apples and oranges if you ask me. Which do you prefer?
 
hmmm...I guess it's hard for me to say about lack of intimacy with the audience in the 90s....With Popmart, I was REALLY close, so it was intimate enough for me! :happy:
 
I think there's a preference for '90's U2 over '80's U2 also. I don't know that I'd particularly call it a "bias". I got into U2 in the '80's because of the excitement and energy and passion, and could not imagine them playing shows with a bunch of props and stuff! Then they had to change a few things to stay out of oblivion, and viola, we got ZooTV. Lights, action, camera........it was terrific but I didn't feel as close to the band as I did during the Amnesty and JT tours. By the same token, AB became my favorite U2 album; it had the best songs, and they'd definitely improved as musicians. So, I like both and have a tough time deciding which decade really was "better" in a definite sense. One minute I think it's the '80's and the next minute I think it was the '90's, and heck, none of them matched Elevation. That was close to perfect.
 
verte76 said:
Which do you prefer?

Me?

I don't know, only recently was i given the opportunity to hear shows from JT/Lovetown/Zoo tv/Popmart/Elevation shows - and even though i listen to JT/Lovetown and Elevation shows most, it's hard to say:
it's amazing how Bono tears the roof down with his voice in the 80's tours, and all the energy from the band,

it's fascinating how the band sounded in the 90's,

but there's an atmposphere in the Elevation tour that i don't think they ever managed to achieve before. I guess i'd pick Elevation if i had to.
 
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