"Live" is where they live (but they haven't put out a live album in at least 17 yrs?)

[Knuckle]

"Live" is where they live (but they haven't put out a live album in at least 17 yrs?)

I remember Larry's quote from earlier this year (about the upcoming Vertigo tour) that, "Live is where we live". No doubt that is a true statement. Going way back, the live performance in "Under a Blood Red Sky" kicked open a big door for U2 and made initial believers out of millions of people.

After that, the only official meaningful "live" recording, that was meant for a worldwide audience, was Rattle and Hum (and only half of that was "live"). No live album for ZooTV, PopMart, or Elevation tours. Is it because they thought that the concert videos would sell better if they were not competing with live albums?

I am sure that Mr. McGuinness and clan have given this careful consideration and decided that it was/is better not to release a live album. I can't imagine why. Wouldn't there be millions of units sold worldwide and countless more marginal fans brought into the fold?

So, is there any chance of a Vertigo World Tour live album? It's about time don't you think? The U2.com offering of U2.Communication gives a small sampling of live tunes from Chicago/Milan, but that's only for hardcore fans who know about the U2.com website and are willing to pay $40 for it. Is there more to come? Or have the concert DVDs made U2 live albums a thing of the past?

 

[MrBrau1]

Re: "Live" is where they live (but they haven't put out a live album in at least 17 yrs?)

Or have the concert DVDs made U2 live albums a thing of the past?

There's your answer.

 

[typhoon]

I think that's the explanation Edge gave once.

Bootlegs are better than edited live albums anyway. Cheaper too.

 

[thelaj]

I suppose the question is why would people pay to hear a live song when they could see AND hear it. From a business sense anyway..

 

[Y2K]

Exactly. A live DVD is essentially a live album, but with video, as well, and it can go past the 70-80 min mark, meaning more concert to enjoy.

 

[chocky]

I was thinking this the other day. U2 have NEVER released a full concert on CD. We got 8 songs from different concerts on UaBRS, a handful of songs on R&H, and 2 fan-club-only partial concerts.

Even on DVD, we haven't got a full concert - just 3 compilations recorded over 2-3 nights. And going back to UaBRS and ZooTV videos, they are missing tracks too.

Plenty of bands still release concerts on CD. Green Day's new live album is top of the charts. Even bands like a-ha and Tears for Fears are releasing live albums!

Last year Aussie rock gods Powderfinger released a great double live album with one CD of all out rock recorded over 2 nights and the other CD of stripped down material.

Imagine U2 releasing something like that: CD 1 with Vertigo, COBL, LaPoE, ABOY, Fly, BTBS, WTSHNN, UTEOTW etc, CD2 with OOTS, Yahweh, One, SIAMYCGOO, Fast Cars, WOWY, 40 etc

Some bands do the DVD/CD combo which works well too.

 

[SunBloc]

U2 live is best. Agreed. But, they don't have to record at a major live venue. I think the songs at Point Depot were some of their best. The crowd was engaged and energetic. The music quality was beautiful!!

 

[gareth brown]

you could argue that U2 put out two complete live albums on the Digital Boxset last year with the Boston ('81) and Point Depot concerts.

I honestly can't stand live DVDs in all honesty as it does very little to match actually BEING there i realised when I watched the chicago dvd which is dull, boring tat. Sadly it's just live DVDs all the way from now on and I doubt U2 will ever put out a proper live double record like a few of their concerts really deserve.

HOWEVER...

The U2.com offering of U2.Communication gives a small sampling of live tunes from Chicago/Milan, but that's only for hardcore fans who know about the U2.com website and are willing to pay $40 for it.

For people who know about the site, yes. But definitely not for hardcore fans. If it were for the hardcore fan, that mini live sampler would have put on some of the more 'hardcore fan' songs on there like Electric Co., Zoo Station, An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart etc. rather than putting out yet another live mini album with all the casual fan-friendly stuff we ALWAYS hear like With or Without You, Still Haven't Found...etc.

Having said that, I actually dread to think which tracks they would put on a proper live album if they ever put out another one!! I wouldn't be in the mood for buying a concert laden with 'Bomb' era tracks and the greatest hits...AGAIN.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

I would love to see U2 follow Bruce's Born to Run in re-releasing Anniversary editions of their classic albums in a boxset style that includes a bonus concert on dvd for the tour of that album. Take Boy, October, War, the UF and the JT and release a boxset for EACH one.

 

[Danny Boy]

Re: Re: "Live" is where they live (but they haven't put out a live album in at least 17 yr

Or have the concert DVDs made U2 live albums a thing of the past?

There's your answer.

U2 always includes an uncompressed LPCM stereo track on their concert DVDs, i.e. full CD quality. They rip just fine to put on my iPod, too.

Hasta La Vista, Baby was also a live album of sorts...

 

[babyman]

live albums are totally useless in todays times, you find everything on the internet, bootlegs of every sort and kind. Plus dvds...............U2 gets out a lot. Blood Red Sky and Rattle and Hum came out when internet wasn't yet existing, in those times a live album was a must for many bands to show how they were live........................but in 2006, live albums are being well supplanted

 

[Knuckle]

Re: Re: Re: "Live" is where they live (but they haven't put out a live album in at least 1

U2 always includes an uncompressed LPCM stereo track on their concert DVDs, i.e. full CD quality. They rip just fine to put on my iPod, too.

Hasta La Vista, Baby was also a live album of sorts...

I didn't know that I could convert my DVD into an audio CD. Can you tell me how it is done? I'd like to try it (as long as it doesn't require state of the art electronic equipment).

I remember reading an interview with the Edge after the Elevation tour. He was asked if they were planning on putting out a live album. He replied that the concert DVD was the live album. I'm ashamed to admit that I thought that the DVD also worked like an audio CD. However, when I put the Elevation Boston DVD into my car stereo I figured out after a while that Edge didn't quite mean it that way.