BB or AB?

[groovcat]

Before Bootlegs or After Boots?

OK. A little late night philosophy:
I was watching Popmart in Mexico City the other night and had a flashback to when i saw the Popmart show here in Madison WI. At that time I was not into bootlegs (only knew of buying them for $30 a pop) so the whole music and show was fresh to me. The different renditions of Sunday Bloody Sunday and Bullet and LNOE and One just blew me away. That was the definitive moment in my life where my love for u2 turned into passion.
Ok, so the first Elevation show I saw was 5/12 in Chicago and I had listened to almost every bootleg of every show they had done up until then and i must say it put somewhat of a damper on the experience. I mean I was in the heart and thisclose to Bono and Adam but I was comparing the show to every other show i had heard, what Bono said or didn't say between songs and even the setlist (I was so excited they added Kite to the setlist days before!).
So my question in this discussion to y'all:
do you at all ever mourn the loss of innocence the internet has brought us with providing boots to shows and wrecking the spontenaity of the event? Or do you think it enhances the experience? I realize that having the boot post-show is a fabulous walk down memory lane (yes I can hear myself singing and laughing on the 5/16 recording so thank you to whoever taped that standing next to me) but I still remember the elation and freshness of Popmart....

 

[Bonochick]

I was watching Popmart in Mexico City the other night and had a flashback to when i saw the Popmart show here in Madison WI.

Just wanted to say that I was at that show too...my first U2 concert!

I actually have only listened to about 8 U2 boots total.

 

[walkon11]

/It all depends really...I guess the same thing applies in a way to checking the setlists ahead of time to see what they're most likely gonna play...me, I didn't have access to boots until after the last show I went to (11/19/01), so it wasn't a huge problem. Still, I guess I would take the same route that I've taken with albums leaked onto the net...I refrain from hearing them before it actually hits the stores, so I don't get disappointed or let it ruin the feeling of hearing it for the first time.

 

[groovcat]

/Still, I guess I would take the same route that I've taken with albums leaked onto the net...I refrain from hearing them before it actually hits the stores, so I don't get disappointed or let it ruin the feeling of hearing it for the first time.

I'd have to disagree with that. I downloaded ATYCLB before it was released off of napster and not only enjoyed the same sensation of hearing it for the first time but also like I was specail and getting away with something (ah the innocence of napster). I absolutely remember the time and place and weather and emotion the first time I heard the song Kite - the first song from the cd that stood out to me, and that was right after I downloaded it a week or so before the official cd was released....

 

[Nate Dogg]

I am one of those people that checks the setlists and downloads shows, etc. I went to the very first Elevation show in Miami, so there was no previous shows to reference, which was pretty cool...

 

[U2girl]

I can only reply about the album downloads: i heard them on this site and liked practically everything except Peace on Earth - and i didn't regret it, because those 30 sec bits really impressed me so i bought the album the day it was released.