Slane leaves me empty...

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Wow, looks like my first email sparked some debate here!

I don't think there's any 'anti-Slane' movement. We all love it, it's a great gig and the band are on top form. But it just lacks a certain magic, something that'll make you keep playing it in ten and twenty years time.

The crowd are massively in to it, but hey, lots of bands can make 80,000 people in a field jump up and down - Robbie Williams does this almost every week. We're U2 fans, so we want a challenge. We want to be blown away. And almost always, the band does so. But if U2 did a greatest hits tour tomorrow, we'd love it but ultimately it would leave us with a little dry taste in the mouth.

With U2's tours, it's that little bit extra, that little bit more that we all yearn for. They did it with Blood Red Sky, Joshua Tree tour, ZooTV, PopMart and Elevation's indoor gigs. Lovetown was great but ultimately criticised by many - including the band! - for it's greatest hits nature. And with Slane, I just fell it doesn't represent the rest of the tour, which was ultimately a brilliant indoor one, but not really suited to the great outdoors.

Ok, so it's a great gig, yes. We're not saying it isn't. And the band aren't super-human, but where are the talking points? What stands out? As a spectacle, the outdoor Elevation gigs don't measure up against the purpose built outdoor ZooTV and PopMart gigs. (PopMart's image was tarnished by the luke-warm US gigs, but believe me, by the time they got to Europe and SAmerica, they were on fire and on their best ever form).

Boston was heavily criticised but much of it is the band's own making. Why not film a European gig (the band themselves admit that the atmosphere is very different in Europe)? Is it because they fear it wouldn't sell in the States? Why film week night gigs (where the audience vibe is always more reserved due to everyone coming from work)?

There's a few interesting suggestions here regarding what the band has and hasn't done. We all love them, but that doesn't mean you can't have your own opinion about what they do and don't do well. After all, their biggest critics are the band themselves! It's interesting to see that Bono has already criticised ATYCLB.

I often think that perhaps they don't always live up to their 'we put the fans first' image. Boy was I pissed off that I coudn't get tickets for the Astoria Theatre gig, (which was full of press and comp winners yet publicised as a fanclub event), yes u2.com could be better with more direct band access (exclusive band interviews, photos, more new album updates, stories from the studios, why not have the band member write a tour diary etc) and what a shame that Propaganda has finished (you wait until you try and get tickets for the next tour).

Slane is great. But for me, it just lacks magnificence.
 
Cool, thanks for the information on the RAH release, Angela Harlem. Considering the time of release of RAH on DVD, I don't think we're going to see ZooTV or Popmart on DVD until at least 2005. Then again, I'm only going by the release date of one DVD, it's not like there's any pattern yet. But I can't see them releasing it close to an album. Maybe somewhere along the upcoming tour as a means of supporting it? Probably after it, though, to keep interest up.
 
This DVD does seem to lack something, but I don't think it's magic. I think it lacks directing and a well thought out DVD.

As far as the magic is concerned, there is something there. I was playing a board game with some folks at home and had the DVD playing when Kite came on. My two family members wouldn't take their turns in the game because they were so into what was happening on the TV. It's really hard NOT to watch that song.

There's magic, just shitty directing.
 
:eyebrow: Shoot! you're timing is bad, cuz I was going to go out tomarrow and get it for my birthday! slane dvd i mean! Axver-you gave me hope(wish I could have been there!:wink: )I will go buy it and judge for myself!:wink:
 
Go get it forbonou2. Magic is a another one of those "relative" words. What is magic for one doesn't necessairly apply to everyone. There is alot that stands out in this dvd. I can't say what it is because it's going to be different for you. That's what I find so intriguing about this band. :bono: :edge: :larry: :adam: :cool:
 
I don't think Slane lacks anything, it has everything. It has U2 playing music and we get to see it. What more do we need? I don't care about angles, how the damn camera is positioned, no matter what I'm still getting a better view of the band than I would had I been at the show anyway. I don't care about Bono's voice because in all honesty, it sounded really good. I don't care about the set list, or the "flow" of things because the entire concert seemed spontanious rather than being "rehearsed." The band sounded raw, the show had this raw feel to it as well, and that's a side of U2 we probably haven't seen since the Lovetown days.
 
Forbonou2, definitely go get it. Don't listen to the naysayers! There's plenty of good moments, heaps that stand out to be. Maybe there's nothing like "Wow, I love that forty foot lemon!", but aren't we watching it for the music rather than the stage anyway? David put things very well.
 
Rattle&Hum kicks ever u2 show's arss. i still watch that more than anything. very strong. zootv is up there with r&h.

i put R&H right up with led zeppelin(dvd live) yes edge cant touch jimmy page but listen to bono singing!
 
i loved the dvd ^^, it rocked. i've watched it.........about 15 times now, lol.
my dad says that theres a better concert, but i cant remember where he said it was............
but, live in slane was a amazing concert! ^_^
 
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