All complaints about the setlist HERE

[Blue Room]

I think this tour has the most obvious of themes since ZooTV, I'm actually pretty suprised by how many don't get it.

It's all about space, time, location, travel and it's throughout the entire show.

You travel from Africa to Iran, earth to space to heaven.

What time is it? Even the bridges make wandering clock hands from a plan view.

I know space is the theme, I just don't think it works cohesively or effectively in its current form. A couple of songs it works on and the stage looks like a spaceship and thats it. Why drop the song No Line On The Horizon, doesn't that fit about no limits and horizon aspect? I get that space is "suppose" to be the theme. It goes back to the pacing thing and some of the song choices that personally I think is the major problem and only problem with this tour for me.

 

[U2387]

Well clearly and/or they don't feel like working on changes. Bono hates rehearsal and soundcheck. Ultimately the best judge of a show is the audience, not the band.

I guess I should reiterate before I begin to get flamed. U2 are the best live band out there, I can't wait to see them again. They are performing well and the stage is awesome. I just think the setlist could be better and was hoping with the long lay off they would improve it from before. I think they have taken a step back in a lot of ways instead of improving. Thats my personal opinion, I know not everyone agrees, I know some do. This thread is about how you don't feel it works so I'm expressing my opinion on it. I have seen U2 live 44 times in 23 years and this is the only tour I have felt this way about.

Exactly!!

A lot of people who have seen U2 many times and are die hard fans feel the same way. They just feel something is missing from the set, the feel is not right. In some ways, they can identify the issues(ATYCLB overload, very little pre 84, nothing pre 83, lack of theme) in others, it just doesn't feel the same as other tours.

I would also like to point out to all of the people that would flame this opinion that BlueRoom here saw plenty of warhorses performed on JT, LT, Zoo TV, Popmart, Elevation and Vertigo and did not get the same feeling as he gets about 360.

Its really not a warhorse issue, its a selection of other songs/ordering issue. I am not aware of any U2 tour that has not featured minimum 40% of the set as warhorses. They hardly went obscure on us on Vertigo and Lovetown.

This really is a great post by blueroom, and even if you don't agree with what he is saying in this thread, you have to respect where he is coming from. No one on here who has issues with the set list is any less a fan of U2- we are all long time, die hard fans otherwise we would not be sitting here on this forum debating U2!

 

[BVS]

I know space is the theme, I just don't think it works cohesively or effectively in its current form.

But it's not just space, as in astronauts and stars, I think time is the bigger part of the equation.

Why drop the song No Line On The Horizon, doesn't that fit about no limits and horizon aspect?

That's the most baffling of the questions this tour.


In fact as soon as I saw the steering wheel mic, I really thought Zoo Station would be THE ultimate track to bring back... time is a train that makes the future the past.

I'm ready to let go of the steering wheel.

Willie should be fired for not mentioning it.

 

[BVS]

(ATYCLB overload, very little pre 84, nothing pre 83, lack of theme) in others, it just doesn't feel the same as other tours.

Well fortunately or unfortunately a lot of ATYCLB has songs that fit into the theme.

And honestly I'm fine with nothing prior to 84, time for a rest.

 

[bono_212]

How would I know if I disagree? Like you said, it's a general gripe thread. You might not like having Elevation in there and might not like having BD has the "opening" song, but I still may like Elevation. Do I have to remain quiet about the Elevation part?

It's this whole mentality that somehow these are the untouchable threads. We have folks that come into appreciation threads and say that they don't get the love for this particular songs, so why are these the untouchable threads?

I am not saying that you can't or shouldn't come in here and say things like that. But that's not what you were saying, and it's not even you, it was the people posting above you who you came in defense of who were making sarcastic and derailing remarks about the setlist.

If someone comes in and says, "so what exactly is the problem with the set list?" that opens conversation. Saying, "You should be glad U2 even performs for you guys, you sniveling little wastes," well, that's really not worth anyone's time.

 

[djparky]

most of they key songs for me from last year have remained- am pleased that Pride has gone, although I'm not a huge fan I can see WOWY remains in the set list- the reaction it got last year said it all really

and that's probably why they play those songs on every tour- for a % of the crowd this maybe their one and only U2 concert- they'll want to hear the songs they know- U2 understand that and the set list mirrors that

the nature of this tour is such that they aren't doing that many shows so the setlists will not vary as much as they have on previous US tours

yes it would be great if they played a bunch of more obscure songs- but suspect that 90% of the crowd would have little or no idea about Gone or Love is Blindness

for anyone who never saw Oasis live- they played more or less the same set list across 2 tours- in the same order. The only difference that they dropped in 3 or 4 new songs from the latest album

I'm going to see U2 next month in Paris & Brussels and am sure I'll have a good time with the current set list

 

[U2girl]

1) Pre 1984 songs got covered on Vertigo tour. It's okay if songs get a rest.

2) Warhorses overload ? Not really, 5 considerable live songs got played a lot less than usual: Pride/IWF/NYD/Bullet/Desire.

3) Lack of NLOTH ? True but give it time - only 4 shows into this tour leg. Besides this one is saved by the brand new two songs and a new intro.

4) Flow ? Could be improved in the first half (hint: taking out the acoustic and the slow song would be a good start, as well as opening with a new song), fine after UF-COBL, minus the new encore change.

5) ATYCLB: the acoustic got a rest, just take the *fun* song out now and we're fine. Other albums have been getting more outings live on a regular basis.

6) Rarities: what of them ? They keep coming this decade of touring.

BluRmGrl and dan_smee. And as others have said this DOES come up every single tour. Are we sure U2 is the problem, and not the overly picky fans ?

edit: The Springsteen and Pearl Jam comparisons don't work, no matter how much they get repeated. Different bands, very different approach to a live show. One approach works for U2, the other works for Pearl Jam and Sprigsteen.

 

[Zoo360]

I wish they would play Grace.

 

[Salome]

Saying, "You should be glad U2 even performs for you guys, you sniveling little wastes," well, that's really not worth anyone's time.

who said this and where?
I'm interested cause I might want to quote it sometime

I also find it extremely annoying you keep straying from the topic at hand

what I don't get about the setlist is that at the 3 shows I've seen Moment of Surrender really worked as closer only once
why don't they stick on 40 at the end when Moment of Surrender obviously doesn't do it?

I think I've seen this somewhere before
but I agree the Space / Time theme is so incorporated in the visuals by now that the show visually has become very static

yes people
I'm raging

 

[corianderstem]

why don't they stick on 40 at the end

Because then I'LL start complaining.

See? Can't please everyone.

 

[RedRocksU2]

Ok, here's my only beef with the setlists.....not having Fez.

 

[The_acrobat]

I have 3 problems with this current setlist:

Miss Sarajevo was a great centerpiece on the Vertigo tour, with Bono's Italian vocals being one of the show's highlights. That was then. Now they're just treading water by adding it back in, with the same arrangement and everything. Something else could definitely fill this space quite well.

In a little while is one of the least thrilling songs U2 have ever played live. It's slow, it's boring, and not many people know it. I know it ties in with their space program, and it's a better known song than YBR, but I just feel lucky they didn't play this one in Chicago last year. If they want to play a non single from ATYCLB, drop this and play Kite.

A little disapointed they didn't change up the remix. Crazy Tonight remix was awesome, but it's been done. They could've given a lot of different songs the remix treatment, and played Crazy Tonight the traditional way for people who might want to hear that version.

 

[No spoken words]

I'm raging

Be careful, a storm might blow up in your eyes.

 

[U2387]

Well fortunately or unfortunately a lot of ATYCLB In A Little While has songs that fit into the theme.

Elevation and Walk On can be replaced with no loss to the theme.

And honestly I'm fine with nothing prior to 84, time for a rest.

A lot of other people aren't fine with it.

And I never knew it was overplayed.

Almost nothing on Zoo TV

Just I Will Follow on Popmart.

I Will Follow and the occasional 11 O Clock Tick Tock or Out of Control on Elevation.

A lot of early 80s material was only a staple on the 1st leg of Vertigo, it got much more sporadic and moved in the "I Will Follow" token direction by leg 2. An Cat Dubh/Into The Heart only made 1 2nd leg show. Electric Co and the very occasional The Ocean I think were the only remnants of the early 80s revival by the time the 3rd leg rolled around. Gloria performances were sprinkled throughout, haven't looked at Axver's Vertigo section of U2gigs in a while, but I would be shocked it if got played more than 8 times on the whole tour.

Back to nothing on legs 4 and 5 of Vertigo.

360, they haven't even played I Will Follow! Seriously, this is absolutely glaring. Very, very unbalanced set. Mostly owing to too much early 2000s, no early 80s and NO AS IN ZERO ZIP love for Joshua Tree album tracks. Its only one of the best albums ever made in the history of music.

BVS and U2girl, your challenge is to tell us where you think this stuff has been overplayed.

 

['RoomOnFire]

Dropping UTEOTW and UF. Someone explain this to me.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Well they only dropped one song technically as they added UV.

 

[U2387]

Dropping UTEOTW and UF. Someone explain this to me.

Sure.

If U2 adds a good song that will fit well, they need to subtract an equally good song!

Just look at Hold Me...Kill Me....Ultraviolet, the song of 360, had to go.

Now that Ultraviolet is back, we have to pay for it with the subtraction of 2 equally brilliant songs, TUF and UTEOTW.

Come on, U2!

In a set that has lacked rockers all tour, you go and drop one of the most rocking, awesomely written lyrically and musically songs that has never, ever gotten tired at all live.

In fact, the shows on Leg 3 until now have featured spectacular performances of this song.

What the hell are you guys doing?

TUF and Until The End....... over Elevation and Walk On.

Lovely.

U2 needs to take ATYCLB and throw it the f out the window.

Since when are these mediocre(by U2 standards, brilliant by any other standard) songs untouchable, non negotiable set list staples?

Play BD and In A Little While because they fit this tour, but don't acknowledge they are from ATYCLB!

Pretend BD only appears on greatest hits compilations, and pretend IALW only exists on a tribute album to Joey Ramone.

 

['RoomOnFire]

Haha I suppose so. But leaving them out for no apparent reason was more than a little odd. Yes its good to see UV back in the encore but why at the expense of two great songs?

My concern comes from the fact that I'm attending a second night show in Coimbra, and if they pull a stunt such as this and I yet again miss out on hearing UTEOTW for the first time, I might just have to cry.

 

[corianderstem]

I'd love the chance to pick their brains about how/why they make some of these decisions.

I'm sure they have what to them is a very reasonable decision for dropping those two songs and adding the other ... I'd just love to hear what it is!

 

[Salome]

though for me personally Unforgettable Fire was a highlight I can sort of understand why it was dropped
a couple too many slow paced songs after each other
and since In a little while and Miss Sarajevo have the visuals that support the theme they won't be dropped

no idea about Until the end ... though
lightshow was amazing

 

[nirniva]

I usually try to be pretty reasonable when it comes to setlist discussion, and I think the "normal" 360 set is actually pretty great...but kicking out TUF and UTEOTW? THIS I cannot stand for. The sequence from TUF > SBS was the greatest part of the show!

EDIT: Also, I'd have to agree that they are leaning a bit too heavily on ATYCLB-era stuff as of late.

 

[catlhere]

Slow songs like Miss S and IALW at a concerts are just death to me. Drop them both and then we can keep UTEOTW/TUF or add in the old NLOTH songs.

 

[nirniva]

Slow songs like Miss S and IALW at a concerts are just death to me. Drop them both and then we can keep UTEOTW/TUF or add in the old NLOTH songs.

Now that you mention it...where ARE the NLOTH songs? Horsens II only had four songs from the album, as opposed to seven way back at Chicago II. And they haven't even played WAS, SUC, Fez, or Cedars yet!

 

[coolian2]

clearly the band don't want to work to make the casual fan cheer and would rather sleepwalk through obvious crowd pleasers than blow the doors off the stadium with more than just one well played deep cut.

i'd find that hollow if it were me on stage.

 

[prbiker15]

I'm very happy they brought back UV for Horsens II, kinda grumpy UTEOTW & TUF were out.

I like Miss Sarajevo, it's a fantastic song (we all have different opinions, I don't need to be bashed because of this) and I like In A Little While, but IALW needs to go at least for a few shows. Great sing along song but hey, it's only been 5 shows.

Otherwise, I'm just really glad U2 is still touring, coming out with new material, great energetic shows, you can't really beat it. I'm really thankful I'm going to see them next year, I won't give a crap about the setlist that day.

 

[lauramullen]

They should stick with UV, TUF and UTEOTW and throw out IALW.

 

[BVS]

Elevation and Walk On can be replaced with no loss to the theme.

Your edit of my post doesn't even make sense if you remove the other obvious one, BD.

Elevation works on the most elementary level. Personally I don't like the song, but it fits. Walk On, I can see your point theme wise but it's a good song and a feel good message, it works well in this setting.

And IALW is probably the most underrated song in interference, I love it... there I said it. Ramone had good taste.

BVS and U2girl, your challenge is to tell us where you think this stuff has been overplayed.

Never said anything about being overplayed, just bored with it. I first got into U2 around 89, so bootlegs were all I listened to for awhile and honestly Out of Control and Gloria don't appeal to me, frankly neither do SBS or NYD to be honest.

 

[jphelmet]

Well clearly and/or they don't feel like working on changes. Bono hates rehearsal and soundcheck. Ultimately the best judge of a show is the audience, not the band.

I guess I should reiterate before I begin to get flamed. U2 are the best live band out there, I can't wait to see them again. They are performing well and the stage is awesome. I just think the setlist could be better and was hoping with the long lay off they would improve it from before. I think they have taken a step back in a lot of ways instead of improving. Thats my personal opinion, I know not everyone agrees, I know some do. This thread is about how you don't feel it works so I'm expressing my opinion on it. I have seen U2 live 44 times in 23 years and this is the only tour I have felt this way about.

i would second this. i have seen u2 31 times now, going back to ZOOTV. I have traveled all over the country for every tour (including this one). With the way this show is going, I won't be for the next US leg. Right now they are not set to play in Atlanta area, and I am not traveling to see the current incarnation. Hopefully it dramatically changes before then (hopefully a new album), but as it stands now I am not traveling anywhere to see this show.

The stage looks cool, there are (were) some great moments, but overall the pacing and flow of the show is non-existent. What is so frustrating about that, is that has always been u2's strong point. Every tour they have these wonderful transitions, that made the songs really go to another place (Bad-Streets, Until-NYD, Bullet-Running-Streets, etc). This tour its completely lacking. Amazing Grace-Streets works well, but its really hard to screw up the intro to streets. Beyond that its awful. The Breathe intro was ok, but way below par for U2. The Stingray is cool, but the transition to BD is hands down the worst they have ever done (Compare that any of the last tours and its no comparison). What a dud.
The Crazy Tonight-SBS-MLK- Walk On is so ridiculous- for the first time at any U2 show ever, I was looking at my watch. I was so ready to hear streets, that section dragged forever. Crazy to SBS is an awful transition, and Walk On is the height of U2 becoming a parody of themselves (I don't mind the political themes, and always defend them in this area- but the Walk On segment just plain sucks). The one cool transition they have is COBL-Vertigo which is just a hold over from the last tour.
Add to that they are now dropping NLOTH songs for things like Glastonbury (this song is really, really weak and way inferior to any of the songs they dropped from NLOTH),and bringing back the snooze fest that is Miss Sarajevo (how that has been played so much live is mind boggling). Now they drop UF, and Until (played to death but still a great live song).

360 before this leg was at the bottom of all the shows I have seen as far as setlist / pacing/ flow. Add to it the changes they have made recently, and they just made it significantly weaker.

 

[KEVIN051269]

Who would have ever thought MLK would be the soul survivor from U.Fire album? 'Bad' should be on the list of songs that always gets played, apart from 'Streets' surely its the definitive U2 live song? Is there actually anyone who doesnt like 'Bad'?

Static setlists are fine as long as its a good setlist

M Ways, Elevation, IALW, Walk On. Are all either overplayed 'minor' warhorses or overplayed albumtracks and not needed in this show, despite tenious links to rocketships

The claw is crying out for some 'Pop' love

Oh and whilst I like the 'Stingray' Intro I still feel they are missing a trick by not having a BIG expanded intro a la ZOO and Pop, think visuals

 

[bono_212]

A lot of people on this board know how I feel about TUF.

And honestly...I'm not that upset about it's departure from the set list.

Don't get me wrong, I am upset, but...

...when I saw the 360 tour last year, there was one part that stuck with me more than anything else as my favorite part of the show. The most memorable, the most spectacular. And that, that was UTEOTW. Without them, I just don't understand anymore. I don't understand the ridiculous bridges, I don't understand the light show. I don't see the point in any of the other theatrics, I don't understand this big budget behemoth.

But, I totally want both songs back, and HMTMKMKM to stay as well as UV, kthxbai.