Maybe U2 isn't a great live band anymore

[coolian2]

As for people who don't see any harm in putting a person in a box as long as he/she doesn't complain and gets paid, are you by any chance from the U.S.? Don't bother answering that one...

i'm not from the us and as long as they're happy doing it, what's the big deal?



i know you said don't answer, but you wouldn't have put it in there if you weren't looking for a reaction. so, boom. your pigeon-holing effort fails

 

[Galeongirl]

I'm from Europe, and I notice that you're not reading properly.


Terry does not ALWAYS play with U2, he rarely joins on one or two songs. MOST of the 'extra' noises is all sequences and backing tracks, NO HIDDEN PEOPLE.

Why do you keep falling over this thing?

 

[corianderstem]

As for people who don't see any harm in putting a person in a box as long as he/she doesn't complain and gets paid, are you by any chance from the U.S.? Don't bother answering that one...

What the hell does that have to do with anything?

Oh, don't bother answering that one ... I already know the answer:

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

 

[last unicorn]

I'm just having the vivid image of the band getting a huge box up on stage and Terry jumping out of it.

 

[dragmio]

i'm not from the us and as long as they're happy doing it, what's the big deal?

The audience is being cheated (you can read in the post following yours that there are no hidden musicians, so even the posters in this thread are not sure what's going on and that's exactly the point) and the people playing live while hidden from the audience are being degraded.

I'm very well aware that cheating and degrading is no big deal in certain parts of the world...

 

[U2girl]

The audience feels cheated because Terry Lawless isn't shown playing keyboards now and again or Dallas starting up a guitar effect when Edge can't do it on his own setup, or ______ ______ in the "underworld" pressing the key on the computer that starts the backing track/a sample/a loop ?
O-kay.

 

[coolian2]

The audience is being cheated (you can read in the post following yours that there are no hidden musicians, so even the posters in this thread are not sure what's going on and that's exactly the point) and the people playing live while hidden from the audience are being degraded.

I'm very well aware that cheating and degrading is no big deal in certain parts of the world...

racist.

 

[edgeplaytheblue]

The audience is being cheated (you can read in the post following yours that there are no hidden musicians, so even the posters in this thread are not sure what's going on and that's exactly the point) and the people playing live while hidden from the audience are being degraded.

I'm very well aware that cheating and degrading is no big deal in certain parts of the world...

Degraded? ... i think you've never attended an U2 show ...
just registered here to say this crap?

I have never ever felt cheated. What about Mofo live than? Thats a complete cheat than when the intro starts ... streets intro the same?

 

[dragmio]

Degraded? ... i think you've never attended an U2 show ...
just registered here to say this crap?

I have never ever felt cheated. What about Mofo live than? Thats a complete cheat than when the intro starts ... streets intro the same?

No, I registered because I love U2. That's why this bothers me so.

I don't mind sequencers, but I prefer rearranged versions of songs for playing live. There is a great live performance of "So cruel" with a different arrangement for example. I wish they do it with all songs that are difficult to play live. Still, if they choose to have backing tracks that's fine.

But having hidden musicians is lame. I'm not aware of any other band doing that. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[daygloeyes2]

The audience is being cheated (you can read in the post following yours that there are no hidden musicians, so even the posters in this thread are not sure what's going on and that's exactly the point) and the people playing live while hidden from the audience are being degraded.

I'm very well aware that cheating and degrading is no big deal in certain parts of the world...

I needed a laugh. Thanks.

 

[edgeplaytheblue]

No, I registered because I love U2. That's why this bothers me so.

I don't mind sequencers, but I prefer rearranged versions of songs for playing live. There is a great live performance of "So cruel" with a different arrangement for example. I wish they do it with all songs that are difficult to play live. Still, if they choose to have backing tracks that's fine.

But having hidden musicians is lame. I'm not aware of any other band doing that. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

so cruel live? I can't remember it has been played live ... only as a snippet.
Of course other bands do that ...
I still don't get your point ...

 

[indra]

I do find it disconcerting that they don't have other musicians on stage (even if it's only for a song or two). Part of what appealed to me from the start about U2 was that they seemed very real, and having just the four of them onstage when actually more are needed to make the sound seems kind of fake. I mean it's not as if they are lacking room up there for other people. I understand they have an image they want to project...I just would prefer if the particular image they are projecting wasn't so important to them.

And I don't believe the average fan knows they do this. I sure didn't until I read about it on this site. It never occurred to me that a real band would do crap like this, so no, I didn't think U2 did it. Honestly I don't think I've ever seen a band that does it. I suppose you could ask how I would know, but most bands I've seen either have had other musicians join them on stage (not just well known ones for cameos, but ones to fill out the song/songs), or been in venues where they couldn't hide hide extra musicians even if they wanted to.

I have no plans to see them live, so it doesn't make a huge difference to me, but ideally I would rather them be more transparent about this.

 

[dragmio]

so cruel live? I can't remember it has been played live ... only as a snippet.
Of course other bands do that ...
I still don't get your point ...

In fact that's probably a rehearsal or a demo version and it seems to have a very quiet backing track (or Eno playing keyboards if it's a demo) but the main point is Edge's arrangement for guitar.

YouTube - U2 SO CRUEL ( rare version) live

Although the piano part in the album version is great, this is very good too. The song can obviously be enjoyed without it. In fact I'm glad there are two versions of the song and I would definitely prefer hearing this live, as opposed to a version that would try to emulate everything from the album version.

Also, could you please name some of the bands that have hidden musicians when playing live?

 

[last unicorn]

^ I have no idea about other bands because, honestly, I don't follow other bands so much. Other bands may either have more musicians that can produce these sounds or they don't have these complex sounds as U2 have or they don't care and play half playback and sequence stuff in. Honestly, I was never irritated when I found out about Terry playing backstage, I always thought it was funny and better than having pre-taped stuff. I'm sure there are other bands who do that as well but I'd have to go to other bands' fan boards where people are dissecting their live shows as much as some U2 fans are on this board.

I don't care. U2 are a great live band, they play live, and if there is a sound they cannot produce on their own because they are just 4 guys on stage, I don't care where that sound comes from. If they come out on stage and put on the best show they can, if they have fun doing it and if the audience has a great time, I couldn't care less about what's going on backstage. I don't go to a U2 concert to dissect every little thing. In fact, I'm sometiimes glad Bono is forgetting lyrics or Edge is making mistakes, because it shows they are human and far from perfect. I'm enjoying the shows for the music and the atmosphere, and I think U2 are one of the best live bands on this planet. Otherwise I wouldn't bother going to all these concerts this summer.

Oh, and I'm sure Terry can live with his role very well. In fact, he was on stage a couple of times and Bono introduced him to the audience. I wouldn't mind to see him on stage more, but if they decide it's better this way, fine. It's not as if the band comes up on stage and says: Well, of course we're doing all this on our own, no pre-taped sounds, no other musicians. See, we can produce all these sounds ourselves. I wouldn't say they are cheating. If Bono lip synched, not THAT would be cheating, I'd be pissed, but we all know he doesn't (and, in fact, he hates it).

 

[dragmio]

In fact, he was on stage a couple of times and Bono introduced him to the audience.

I know about that and that's only one of the reasons why I'm certain that hiding musicians isn't the decision of the band. Some PR somewhere thinks it would be "bad for the image" or whatever. Of course Terry doesn't have to be all the way up front, but putting him behind the speakers truly sucks.

 

[U2girl]

There aren't troops of extra musicians under the stage, only Terry Lawless*.

If you really believe just the 4 of them produce all of the sounds you hear...good luck with that. However as long as the four of them sing/play their instruments live...that's good enough.

As was said before, MOST of the 'extra' noises is all sequences and backing tracks, NO HIDDEN PEOPLE.

* Who plays keyboards so something like Streets intro...that's him. Then again something like Bad keyboard you hear throughout the song is probably a pre-recorded sound. He played OOTS on the last tour because they put Edge on guitar, but there was the early version of the song where Edge played piano.

The only time this looked lame was that acoustic version of Stuck on the last tour when Adam and Larry played for about 30 secs in the end and they added those trumpet sounds for some reason.

 

[Galeongirl]

OH man, this thread is going on my best threads ever list.


ONOEZ U2 CHEAT ON US.

 

[BVS]

I'm very well aware that cheating and degrading is no big deal in certain parts of the world...

Don't be an ass...

I know about that and that's only one of the reasons why I'm certain that hiding musicians isn't the decision of the band. Some PR somewhere thinks it would be "bad for the image" or whatever. Of course Terry doesn't have to be all the way up front, but putting him behind the speakers truly sucks.

Have you ever thought maybe Terry doesn't want to be on stage?

 

[last unicorn]

Terry has stage fright.

 

[dragmio]

So noone can name another band that uses hidden musicians for live shows? Interesting...
It doesn't matter, you all have really kewl sigs, smileys and avatars, that's what counts.

 

[corianderstem]

I have no idea if other bands use hidden musicians. I don't follow other bands to the extent I do for U2.

I don't see it as a big deal. You do. Sorry you couldn't find anyone to take up your argument in a manner you see fit. Or maybe it's because you're kind of insulting in your posts, so all you get back are snarky comments. Funny how that works.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

It doesn't matter, you all have really kewl sigs, smileys and avatars, that's what counts.

See? Now there's something we can agree on

 

[Galeongirl]

So noone can name another band that uses hidden musicians for live shows? Interesting...
It doesn't matter, you all have really kewl sigs, smileys and avatars, that's what counts.

No, because I am not that interested in other bands I like.


There's a reason us all with our kewl sigs, smileys and avatars are here on a U2 forum.

 

[daygloeyes2]

So noone can name another band that uses hidden musicians for live shows? Interesting...
It doesn't matter, you all have really kewl sigs, smileys and avatars, that's what counts.

Must.not.feed.troll.

 

[BVS]

So noone can name another band that uses hidden musicians for live shows? Interesting...
It doesn't matter, you all have really kewl sigs, smileys and avatars, that's what counts.

What's the difference? Backing tracks, hidden musicians, pre programmed samples on a keyboard? Isn't all the same?

Are we going to fault Pink Floyd because they really didn't bring a choir of boys with them on tour in order to play Brick in the Wall? Is Radiohead a better live band because they actually trigger their backing tracks on stage? Seriously...

 

[U2Fanatic4ever]

^^ I agree here.. When it all comes down to it what's the difference.. It's all about the music remember? And the experience, feeling you get while you are there.. That's what matters to me anyways..

 

[dragmio]

Sorry you couldn't find anyone to take up your argument in a manner you see fit.

I'm in a thread started by another person saying the same thing. Do you people read any of the posts at all?
Some of you are asking questions I've already answered ("what's the difference between sequencers and musicians" - that was a tough one - "and what's the big deal, anyway")
Not to mention that some are saying there are "NO hidden people, except on some songs". Well, that's simply illiterate. Which brings me back to a point I already made...

 

[U2Fanatic4ever]

 

[BVS]

So Dragmio can't tell us what the difference between other bands using sequencers and someone who doesn't want to be on stage?

Interesting...

It doesn't matter, he signed on and has dedicated his first 9 posts to keep saying the same thing over and over, that's what counts.

 

[last unicorn]

Why don't you just go and ask Terry what he wants? If he says he is dying to be on stage, maybe we can petition to U2 to let him ON stage when playing? We could wear t-shirts with "Freedom For Terry" and instead of chanting the band's name, we could chant Terry's name all the time, until they finally let him out of his cage. U2 cannot ignore us.

Now that would be something new