Interesting quote about The Fly played on the Vertigo tour...

[coolian2]

You fucking take that back.



The hat is awesome. I want one.

 

[randy5554]

That Brazil performance has bad vocals even when compared to other versions on the Vertigo Tour. Check out the version of The Fly from the London 2005 radio broadcast. Amazing sound and much better vocals from Bono.

 

[cobl04]

Why do U2 always seem to agree when someone says their 90s stuff isn't that great?

And why has this thread turned Anti-Vertigo Fly? I thought everyone loved it...

 

[U2girl]

next we'll hear he sings better when he has long hair

It's got SO much to do with the "health" of Bono. Look at how he is in the Boston show----trim, fit, youthful, performing. Then look at the Brazil show Bono---at this point in the Vertigo Tour, he was looking old, shabby, filled-out. He sings The Fly in some of the Vertigo versions like he's catching his breath on every line. It's a shame, because the instrumental end of the song kicks ass. The silly hat doesn't help, either.

Before I get bashed for a "fat Bono" comment, let me say that he has looked better at times since that show, that he's not even necessarily "fat" in the Brazil show, etc. etc. However, I will wholeheartedly say that Bono performs less well when he's less in shape. It's noticeable in The Fly, it's clearly evident in WOWY, and it's there in other songs as well.

Really ? He looked - and probably was - more fit on Popmart than Elevation or Vertigo and those were arguably the worst vocals of his career. "I'm on helium" Bono
In comparison it was noticeable how much better his voice was on Bomb and especially the last tour, and he didn't look as fit as Popmart.

Yes he sounded better on Zoo TV but that was 15 years ago. Duh.

Incidentally, Zoo TV was, by his own statement, his "fat Elvis" era (up until that point in their career), and most people would agree those were some of the best vocals.

I like all versions of The Fly, my favourite is probably Vertigo. Interesting quote indeed.

 

[cobl04]

I thought Vertigo's vocals were fantastic, and that he was horrible on elevation, and I just find this weird cos it wasn't long ago people were saying how they loved Vertigos vocals and the version of The Fly.

And phillyfan you didn't do the bass. I thought Vertigos bass kicked ass.

 

[last unicorn]

Vertigo vocals were brilliant, except for those few South American shows, it was obvious that Bono was sick or something. I cannot even listen to these shows because his vocals sound so bad, I feel sorry for him. Apart from that, I think Vertigo tour was brilliant when it comes to Bono's vocals. And no, I don't think it has anything to do with the way he looks like, what a stupid argument. Health, yes, looks, certainly not.

 

[Peterrrrr]

Vertigo vocals were brilliant, except for those few South American shows, it was obvious that Bono was sick or something. I cannot even listen to these shows because his vocals sound so bad, I feel sorry for him. Apart from that, I think Vertigo tour was brilliant when it comes to Bono's vocals. And no, I don't think it has anything to do with the way he looks like, what a stupid argument. Health, yes, looks, certainly not.

Well his voice on the Vertigo tour is one of his best, on 2nd, 3rd and 5th leg he was amazing. There is no other tour where he:

- Hold high notes in 5-11 seconds

- Hit HIGH key in "Don't you look back" in WGRYWH

- Sings the long Pride chours

- He also hold the high Wide Awake in Bad very long, the longest ever I think.

Also the falsetto is back, WITS, highway to hell snippet on Vertigo(2006-11-18) and "Child" on MW(5th leg).

Another example is the live performence of Don't give up on Oprah when he sing the line "Keep my EYES down below", well the power he had when he sang the EYES word was incredible. Imagien him using that force when he sing ISHFWILF: I have CLIMB highest mountain. Uf/JT/LT/Popmart/Elevation tour he had some nights with real voice problems, there isnt one night on Vertigo tour when he was totaly off. And one other thing is that he got better and better in his voice the later you came in the tour(apart from 4th leg).

If he talk less, stop smoking, less drinking and lost weight his voice can improve much more. Can't imagine how he would sound then :

 

[U2girl]

I think the infamous S. American shows on the last tour were simply Bono being tired during a long tour. (I'll take his worst Vertigo nights over Popmart or Elevation nights any time though)

When he's rested though (last leg on Vertigo, Japan shows in particular), he can still sing well.

 

[cobl04]

Well his voice on the Vertigo tour is one of his best, on 2nd, 3rd and 5th leg he was amazing. There is no other tour where he:

- Hold high notes in 5-11 seconds

- Hit HIGH key in "Don't you look back" in WGRYWH

- Sings the long Pride chours

- He also hold the high Wide Awake in Bad very long, the longest ever I think.

Also the falsetto is back, WITS, highway to hell snippet on Vertigo(2006-11-18) and "Child" on MW(5th leg).

Another example is the live performence of Don't give up on Oprah when he sing the line "Keep my EYES down below", well the power he had when he sang the EYES word was incredible. Imagien him using that force when he sing ISHFWILF: I have CLIMB highest mountain. Uf/JT/LT/Popmart/Elevation tour he had some nights with real voice problems, there isnt one night on Vertigo tour when he was totaly off. And one other thing is that he got better and better in his voice the later you came in the tour(apart from 4th leg).

If he talk less, stop smoking, less drinking and lost weight his voice can improve much more. Can't imagine how he would sound then :

I was waiting for you to come and save us

 

[phillyfan26]

I have seen a couple of people noting comparisons I didn't do.

If things didn't change (solo, bass), I didn't compare them. The only difference in the bass was in the intro, and I compared the intros.

 

[The Disciple]

That Sao Paulo Brazil version is one mean-sounding motherf**ker!!!!!!

WOW....

 

[schnumi]

The Elevation version is very special indeed, i love the guitar work there.

But the Vertigo version is more close to the original only better. Bono's sounds badass here and it fits the song perfectly!

But i agree on the brazil show he had a very weak voice, i've heard better Fly's but still it's a great version!

 

[xaviMF22]

brazil version sucks

Elevation any day bitches

 

[xaviMF22]

It's got SO much to do with the "health" of Bono. Look at how he is in the Boston show----trim, fit, youthful, performing. Then look at the Brazil show Bono---at this point in the Vertigo Tour, he was looking old, shabby, filled-out. He sings The Fly in some of the Vertigo versions like he's catching his breath on every line. It's a shame, because the instrumental end of the song kicks ass. The silly hat doesn't help, either.

Before I get bashed for a "fat Bono" comment, let me say that he has looked better at times since that show, that he's not even necessarily "fat" in the Brazil show, etc. etc. However, I will wholeheartedly say that Bono performs less well when he's less in shape. It's noticeable in The Fly, it's clearly evident in WOWY, and it's there in other songs as well.

 

[U2DMfan]

Uh, it's exactly the same, so I didn't think it noteworthy to compare them.

It's an electric acoustic, listen to the tone and sustain.
The notes die out, it's a more hollow sound, if you don't think that's a huge difference for a guitar solo, especially in comparison to the ZooTv version, then you should check again. I'll check again myself. Maybe I am smoking something.

The main riff does sound great though, something about how that delay reverberates inside and then out of that guitar, really gives it a rich sound, which is probably why Edge used it.

 

[Hornbag]

For me, one of the defining changes was the change Adam made to this song. In ZooTV and Elevation, the bass was muddy and buried beneath the guitar horribly, especially on Elevation as a whole and noticeably during the ZooTV choruses. ON Vertigo, the bass has a distinctive and cutting tone that gives the song new "ground control" and more musical and tonal variety. I keep stressing how Adam's new tone for the V-Tour improved their live sound vastly. The return to the original Key also helped I think. Incidentally, does anyone know the key-change they made for Elevation?

 

[phillyfan26]

It's an electric acoustic, listen to the tone and sustain.
The notes die out, it's a more hollow sound, if you don't think that's a huge difference for a guitar solo, especially in comparison to the ZooTv version, then you should check again. I'll check again myself. Maybe I am smoking something.

The main riff does sound great though, something about how that delay reverberates inside and then out of that guitar, really gives it a rich sound, which is probably why Edge used it.

You're missing what I am saying. I covered guitar tone in one general subject. I only focused on the other things in which he actually played something different. He doesn't play a different solo, just plays a different guitar with a few edited effects. And that's what I covered in guitar tone.

It doesn't matter to me, really, as long as it's not that awful Elevation tone.

 

[WinnieThePoo]

the fly from 2001 was a good remix , killer end with that fly on the screen ....... heavy guitars...
.....gottago...gottago.....gottago......

 

[quiv]

does anyone know the key-change they made for Elevation?

they went up a 4th

The equivalent modulation of going from E to A - quite a modulation

 

[corianderstem]

Huh, I never even noticed the key change. Usually I'm the first to start singing along and then yell "It's in the wrong key!!!" like I should be given an award for being so musically wise.

 

[phillyfan26]

I noticed it very much. The key change plus losing the wah made me hate that compared to the other two.

Zoo TV and Vertigo FTW

Elevation

 

[jinn77]

I remember reading that the Edge felt The Fly has dated. He is wrong, it's perfect, it does not require re recording.

 

[phillyfan26]

I remember reading that the Edge felt The Fly has dated. He is wrong, it's perfect, it does not require re recording.

He said so of the original. Poorly produced outro he's probably referring to.

 

[Canadiens1131]

they went up a 4th

The equivalent modulation of going from E to A - quite a modulation

The equivilant of ballsy cock-rock inverting itself into a big smelly vajayjay

 

[shart1780]

The studio version doesn't sound dated, and the Vertigo version is a joke

LOL. You're so cute.

 

[phillyfan26]

The equivilant of ballsy cock-rock inverting itself into a big smelly vajayjay

Elevation is poor, just like pretty much every version of every song on that tour.

 

[shart1780]

The best version is the version from Popmart.

 

[discothequeLP]

i have no idea why so many people don't like the tone that Edge had for Elevation. that is the sickest, hottest guitar i've ever heard! i mean his guitar was screaming, especially the solo! oh my god, i've never heard a guitar sound so awesome. seriously, i've never heard better tone coming from a guitar than Edge's solo on the Elevation tour versions. not to mention the sounds he got for the intro! fucking hell, the Elevation tour version was the shit.

 

[shart1780]

Yeah, I have to agree that the Elevation version was the best. The solo was pretty freakin sweet. It sounds like a frickin razor that was gonna cut my head off. Plus the intro... man. Anyone who disagrees is just a loser, plain and simple. LOL, you need to get laid man!

 

[coolian2]

i have no idea why so many people don't like the tone that Edge had for Elevation. that is the sickest, hottest guitar i've ever heard! i mean his guitar was screaming, especially the solo! oh my god, i've never heard a guitar sound so awesome. seriously, i've never heard better tone coming from a guitar than Edge's solo on the Elevation tour versions. not to mention the sounds he got for the intro! fucking hell, the Elevation tour version was the shit.

No, it just was shit.