Maybe U2 isn't a great live band anymore

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pudgie_child

pudgie_child

War Child
Joined
Sep 20, 2006
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520
Location
Orange County, California
After seeing the performance at the Lincoln Memorial and from the rooftop of the BBC building, I was disappointed at how "canned" recent live U2 performances have become. It seems apparent that not only is the band using pre-recorded synthesizer tracks, but even pre-recorded guitars, drums, and even vocals.

I know that this isn't a new phenomenon for the band, but it is distressing to see the extent to which the live performances use pre-recorded music.

Hopefully U2 Week on Letterman will help restore my faith in U2 as a live band.
 
Well they do tend to play it safe for promo shows, I know there was a lot of backing tracks involved, and also mime (guitar) when Vertigo came out.

We'll see I spose.

(Incedentally I havent been keen on recent performances either, but NLOTH (song) kicked ass, have you seen it?)
 
One off shows usually tend to be a little more "canned" than a well rehearsed live show for U2...

I just saw bits and pieces of the rooftop gig and was actually suprised the performance wasn't more "canned", I didn't noticed anything out of the ordinary as far as what is backing track and what's not, and I would have suspected given the location it would have had more...

Have you ever seen U2 live?
 
Sorry but what an utter nonsense to suggest they are "not a great live band any more" based on a few promo appearances. What are you expecting from these appearances? I have no doubt that once they start the tour they will remind us all why a U2 concert is one of the greatest live experiences you can have.
 
cdparky said:
Sorry but what an utter nonsense to suggest they are "not a great live band any more" based on a few promo appearances. What are you expecting from these appearances? I have no doubt that once they start the tour they will remind us all why a U2 concert is one of the greatest live experiences you can have.
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It's similar to people who say the tour sucks after the first show. U2 builds as a band through the process, and the experience gets better and better.


Mark---the only reason their live performances haven't totally rocked so far is because I haven't been there.:rockon:
 
cdparky said:
Sorry but what an utter nonsense to suggest they are "not a great live band any more" based on a few promo appearances. What are you expecting from these appearances? I have no doubt that once they start the tour they will remind us all why a U2 concert is one of the greatest live experiences you can have.
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I hope you're right, but my doubts are based on what I've seen so far from performances of the new songs.

I've seen them live in person 9 times, by the way, the first time being Zoo TV at Dodger Stadium.
 
pudgie_child said:
I hope you're right, but my doubts are based on what I've seen so far from performances of the new songs.

I've seen them live in person 9 times, by the way, the first time being Zoo TV at Dodger Stadium.
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Your doubts are really baseless. To suggest U2 suddenly after over 25 years of playing live can't do it any longer is a bit on ridiculous side. ESPECIALLY basing it on some promo shows of a couple of songs. The Vertigo promo's were very similiar to what we are getting now. Keep the faith.
 
I have been very underwhelmed by the promo tour performances so far. Not sure if it's just the new material not "playing" well live, or if they don't seem to have the energy...Compare to Irving Plaza...I am hopeful for this week on Letterman....
 
Blue Room said:
Your doubts are really baseless. To suggest U2 suddenly after over 25 years of playing live can't do it any longer is a bit on ridiculous side. ESPECIALLY basing it on some promo shows of a couple of songs. The Vertigo promo's were very similiar to what we are getting now. Keep the faith.
Click to expand...

I get the sense watching some of the more recent promotional appearances that the band is, at times, just playing along to a pre-recorded song. "Vertigo" was not quite as bad because the song was driven by Edge's guitar.

I hope that for tonight's performance of "Breathe," for instance, there is someone on stage actually playing the keyboards instead of having the band play along with a pre-recorded track. Hell, maybe Bono should put some of his piano-playing skills to work. But that may be asking for too much.
 
Chrisedge said:
I have been very underwhelmed by the promo tour performances so far. Not sure if it's just the new material not "playing" well live, or if they don't seem to have the energy...Compare to Irving Plaza...I am hopeful for this week on Letterman....
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The Irving Plaza show was a proper club gig. Sure, it was promotional, but I don't think you can compare a show on a rooftop/on the mall to a show in an actual musical setting.
 
pudgie_child said:
I get the sense watching some of the more recent promotional appearances that the band is, at times, just playing along to a pre-recorded song. "Vertigo" was not quite as bad because the song was driven by Edge's guitar.

I hope that for tonight's performance of "Breathe," for instance, there is someone on stage actually playing the keyboards instead of having the band play along with a pre-recorded track. Hell, maybe Bono should put some of his piano-playing skills to work. But that may be asking for too much.
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They're suddenly a bad live band for doing what they've done since 1984?
 
It is a pity, and a bit weird, that U2 can't simply plug in their instruments and play! How complicated can it be! A band like PJ could do this easily and they'd sound fine. Seems that getting U2 live to work properly is complicated. The loop and synth things are just backing tracks, aren't they? I'm not a musician, but surely it can't be that complicated for them to play a few songs outside of their usual proper concert rig.
 
digitize said:
They're suddenly a bad live band for doing what they've done since 1984?
Click to expand...

The only song in 1984 that required a backing track was "Bad." Now, it seems, 75% of the songs have a backing track, which now sometimes includes pre-recorded guitars and vocals.

What's wrong with playing stripped down versions of the songs in front of a live audience?

It is nice to know that I'm not the only person bothered by this, though.
 
No spoken words said:
These threads are getting lamer and lamer.
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Yet it was compelling enough for you to chime in!

I am a musician, and perhaps that is why is bothers me more than most fans.

I appreciate that, for a lot of people on this message board, U2 can do no wrong. The fact that the new songs seem more "canned" live than in previous tours & promotional campaigns is what prompted me to ask the question.
 
pudgie_child said:
After seeing the performance at the Lincoln Memorial and from the rooftop of the BBC building, I was disappointed at how "canned" recent live U2 performances have become. It seems apparent that not only is the band using pre-recorded synthesizer tracks, but even pre-recorded guitars, drums, and even vocals.

I know that this isn't a new phenomenon for the band, but it is distressing to see the extent to which the live performances use pre-recorded music.

Hopefully U2 Week on Letterman will help restore my faith in U2 as a live band.
Click to expand...
Ever seen Top of the Pops?

Many live broadcast shows reqiure that bands use playback, including TOTP and other BBC music program(me)s.

Welcome to the mid/late 20th century; we've been waiting for you. Go watch some Bolan or Bowie on the BBC from the 70s and you'll get the same.
 
... and maybe you should wait for the first real shows, before opening a thread with such a polemic topic. I'm not fond of big-sequenced, (near to) playback versions on early promo shows either. But this has always been that way in U2 history. And it will also be that way with NLOTH, which is an exceptional piece of art, we've had now for only a few days. So please give them a fair chance to play the difficult material on stage, before judging them "guilty of having lost it" or similar nonsense ...:doh:
 
U2 need a U2 audience and audience interaction to be really great!

TV audience is crap for them, they need to play a full concert set, then they are at their best.

It's clear to see that U2 are constantly improving since they started with their promo gigs. The first Boots performance wasn't great, now it's so much better. They always need some time to get into it.

And to be fair, they are playing live while most other acts at TV shows are playing full playback.

Live is where they live, certainly.
 
pudgie_child said:
The only song in 1984 that required a backing track was "Bad." Now, it seems, 75% of the songs have a backing track, which now sometimes includes pre-recorded guitars and vocals.

What's wrong with playing stripped down versions of the songs in front of a live audience?

It is nice to know that I'm not the only person bothered by this, though.
Click to expand...

So, by your logic, U2's worst tour must have been ZooTV, because that was when they began using sequencers for 75% of songs, because of how complex Achtung Baby and Zooropa were and how the screen imagery had to perfectly line up with the songs?
 
to the OP...

are you friggin kidding me???:mad:

did you see the performance last night?! I immediately fell in love with Breathe after seeing it performed LIVE! :love:

BEAUTIFUL!!!
 
pudgie_child said:
I hope you're right, but my doubts are based on what I've seen so far from performances of the new songs.

I've seen them live in person 9 times, by the way, the first time being Zoo TV at Dodger Stadium.
Click to expand...


how can you judge from some live TV performances?? they never are the best for live things-

and so what if U2 use technology to augment the live sound- it's there to be used and I don't have a problem with it- they've been doing it for years like this anyway

can't believe we're having this discussion over one of the greatest live bands that has ever existed
 
U2 tracks are becoming more complex, particularly with all the layers on NLOTH. Part of the reason for my U2 obsession is because live was always better than studio - due mostly because of the simplicity of early U2 that could easily be recreated.

I do wish that they would bring other performers on-stage to play the backing tracks and move away from artists under the stage. Particularly the synths because that is more noticeable.

But does that make U2 not a great live band anymore? I'm not sure it makes that much difference really. The band still have enormous energy on stage and Bono works the crowd better than anyone else I've seen. I always compare other bands against U2 and so far nobody comes that close on either of these elements.

So they must still be a great live band.

IMO
 
I think I have been spoiled by recent Radiohead shows I've been too. RH's songs are more complicated musically than U2's songs, but everything live is done on stage. RH uses sequencers and keyboards as well, but everything is triggered or manipulated on stage by band members and not by a roadie below or behind the stage.

The advantage RH has that U2 does not have, of course, is that they have 5 competent musicians whereas U2 only has 3. (I'm looking at you, Bono!)

By the way, we didn't see the piano player on stage last night which means that the piano and string parts in "Breathe" were either from a backing track or someone was playing the keyboards out of view.

Like was mentioned by someone else in this thread, I would prefer that anyone contributing to the sound in a performance be on stage when they are doing it. I'm not opposed to additional players on tour.
 
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