More new U2 album discussion!

[Mrs. Garrison]

Originally Posted by jeevey

Couldn't stop smiling at that. That guy was totally prepared and yet also jumping out of his skin. How totally fabulous.

Seriously though, I think that taking requests and being spontaneous is just not the way U2 wants to play, even if they could. They are control freaks, in a good way. They want every variable under their control, to make it exactly what they want. It's not only that they can't do randomness and unpredictability- they also just don't like it. They want to hit it out of the park every time, and they want to feel secure about being able to.

That's very nice, good for him as well. When or where was this?

[Mrs. Garrison]

Originally Posted by popacrobat

nobody is protecting this house. this is just dumb bullshit.

Clean House - YouTube

[The_acrobat]

I think also some of the blame should be focused on Willie Williams and his lighting crew. I think that he shares almost equal say in what the setlists are. They obviously work very well together, and Willie is surely one of the best in his field, but he certainly likes things to remain a certain way too I think.

[popacrobat]

Originally Posted by *I*

Click Clack

damn right

[Galeongirl]

Originally Posted by doctorwho

...
Technology does play a role. The electronics and videos are tied into a playlist. If U2 randomly does a deviation, that will cause problems or look sloppy. That said, I have enjoyed some rare treats, like the sudden performance of "Fast Cars" during the "Vertigo" tour.
...

U2 Boston 2005-12-04 Fast Cars PopUp - YouTube

[Headache in a Suitcase]

U2 used visuals as the "excuse" as to why they didn't play changing setlists.

Then came Elevation and Vertigo, where they didn't have elaborate visuals to worry about, and the static setlists remained.

They either don't want to do the rehearsing necessary, or they can't do it as musicians. The visual excuse is just that... an excuse.

And I'm fine with that... I've accepted that it is who they are, and I'll take the static set lists as long as I get a giant multimedia clust'o'fuck'o'rama.

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Originally Posted by The_acrobat

I think also some of the blame should be focused on Willie Williams and his lighting crew. I think that he shares almost equal say in what the setlists are. They obviously work very well together, and Willie is surely one of the best in his field, but he certainly likes things to remain a certain way too I think.

So when REM moved their setlists around with much more regularity during the Up tour, designed by Willie Williams... whose fault was that?

[trevgreg]

This set list and spontaneity talk reminded me of an interview I read earlier this summer with Mike Campbell. It gives some interesting perspectives from the musician's point of view regarding those two things, including rehearsing "deep cuts", so to speak.

Tom Petty Guitarist Mike Campbell: 'We're Free From 'Free Fallin'''

[Blue Room]

Originally Posted by trevgreg

This set list and spontaneity talk reminded me of an interview I read earlier this summer with Mike Campbell. It gives some interesting perspectives from the musician's point of view regarding those two things, including rehearsing "deep cuts", so to speak.

Tom Petty Guitarist Mike Campbell: 'We're Free From 'Free Fallin'''

That is an interesting read. Imagine being in U2 and you are in front of 40000 people all singing the main chorus as you do Pride for the umpteenth time. I have to imagine that would still make it seem "fresh" or moving to them. I'm tired of Pride but when they roll through it in person and everyone is singing it, it does not seem that stale. I'm sure that is the place U2 are coming from. I also think Bono hates rehearsal, so it is both most likely.

[dabiggestu2fan]

I don't mind the static set lists but I do like when they throw in songs that haven't been playeduch like Zooropa or TUF. I wish they would get over the hate for pop and play some of the songs like Mofo. But I don't think they will ever include songs from pop on a regular basis.

[AcrobatU2Pop]

Originally Posted by Blue Room

That is an interesting read. Imagine being in U2 and you are in front of 40000 people all singing the main chorus as you do Pride for the umpteenth time. I have to imagine that would still make it seem "fresh" or moving to them. I'm tired of Pride but when they roll through it in person and everyone is singing it, it does not seem that stale. I'm sure that is the place U2 are coming from. I also think Bono hates rehearsal, so it is both most likely.

Very true. That's just human nature. If you're continuously given praise for something, you'll continue to do it.

[nathan1977]

Originally Posted by Headache in a Suitcase

U2 used visuals as the "excuse" as to why they didn't play changing setlists.

Then came Elevation and Vertigo, where they didn't have elaborate visuals to worry about, and the static setlists remained.

I don't know...I went to three separate Elevation shows and saw three different set lists. There's a pretty significant difference btwn the Boston and Slane shows too. Vertigo had its share of change-ups too; remember how excited we all were to hear Gloria, An Cat Dubh, The Ocean, Running to Stand still, Electric Co, etc?

On each of these tours they played some combination of 60 songs. That's a pretty shifting set list.

[stigman]

A bit off topic but rumour has it that the b man will perform with springsteen tonight in Kilkenny