How about opening with Stingray->NLOTH ?

[corianderstem]

I was too busy losing my mind in excitement to notice how the crowd reacted to Your Blue Room in Chicago.

 

[Blue Room]

I was too busy losing my mind in excitement to notice how the crowd reacted to Your Blue Room in Chicago.

Half of them headed for the restroom/concession stands or whipped out their cell phones and started texting friends "Guess where I'm at" etc. I was in the stands and this is exactly what I witnessed, no joke.

I thought it was interesting as a diehard, but honestly, I thought it brought the setlist to a grinding halt. My wife, who likes U2 but is not a diehard, did not care for it. "what is this?????" in a bad way. She still thought U2 were great, but that was not a highlight for her (or myself if I'm being honest). It was ballsy of the band, I give them credit for that. But I don't think it worked at all.

 

[corianderstem]

Half of them headed for the restroom/concession stands or whipped out their cell phones and started texting friends "Guess where I'm at" etc. I was in the stands and this is exactly what I witnessed, no joke.

To be fair, half the people around me the first night did that through the whole fucking show, so I don't think that song in particular is what queued that.

 

[Flaming_C]

Half of them headed for the restroom/concession stands or whipped out their cell phones and started texting friends "Guess where I'm at" etc. I was in the stands and this is exactly what I witnessed, no joke.

I thought it was interesting as a diehard, but honestly, I thought it brought the setlist to a grinding halt. My wife, who likes U2 but is not a diehard, did not care for it. "what is this?????" in a bad way. She still thought U2 were great, but that was not a highlight for her (or myself if I'm being honest). It was ballsy of the band, I give them credit for that. But I don't think it worked at all.

My wife had a similar reaction when they played YBR in Toronto. She asked, "What is this? Do you know it?" I told her and she just listened and watched the screen. She thought it was a nice song, but nothing memorable. Most of the crowd, meanwhile, were silent other than a handful of the diehards who were grinning from ear to ear.

 

[corianderstem]

To be fair, I can't imagine U2 played Your Blue Room to get the crowd going nuts. There are going to be songs that people don't know and will use as a bathroom break, because those stadiums hold a gajillion people, and a good chunk, if not most of them, are there to hear the songs they know.

I mean, they have to know that, and yet they played it anyway.

But then dropped it soon after, so who the frell knows what they're thinking. Back to that again.

Blerg, I can sense I'm starting to get all worked up about all of this crap, so time to back out of the various setlist conversations.

 

[Blue Room]

To be fair, half the people around me the first night did that through the whole fucking show, so I don't think that song in particular is what queued that.

I believe you, I have seen it also. But I'm not joking, that song, sent people to the restrooms more than normal. It was like a mass exodus. They either went to the bathroom or sat down. It was VERY noticeable. Maybe it was just my section. I didn't see as much of it on the first night and I was in the stands then also. I do recall people rushing out of their to beat traffic during WOWY though.

 

[U2girl]

Yes, that song was a brilliant move in a stadium. Luckily the replacement song works much better.

 

[nirniva]

I was at this bitch.

#braggadocio

Same here! Perhaps the most awesome moment at ANY concert I've EVER been to, U2 or no.

 

[coolian2]

Same here! Perhaps the most awesome moment at ANY concert I've EVER been to, U2 or no.

for me, equalled by ultraviolet at the same show and only topped by one tree hill at the second auckland show in 2006.

 

[Niceman]

It would be soooo much better than continuing to hype ATYCLB!

 

[Spoutnik]

I think "Even better than the real thing" would be a perfect the song to follow "Stingray"It would keeps the energy going with that great guitar intro and also a great way to bring back that tune to the set...since it has been put under the rug for the past 10 years.

 

[Salome]

I think the placement of Even better ... is perfect where it is right now

 

[No spoken words]

one tree hill at the second auckland show in 2006.

I just......fuck.

Hatred.

 

[corianderstem]

I think the placement of Even better ... is perfect where it is right now

 

[tsweeney]

The biggest issue with the openers so far (Breathe, BD, etc...) is the GAP between Soon/Stingray Guitar and the "first song"...you have Bowie, then presong, then DEAD AIR for what seems like too long.

Should be Bowie>Presong>BOOMRIGHTINTOFIRSTSONG...any song works better like this. Breathe, BD, NLOTH, etc...They are pausing too long after either just coming out (Soon) or barely playing anysong (Stringray)

There did seem to be too much time between "Soon" into "Breathe" and "Stingray" into "Beautiful Day". On the Vertigo Tour opening with Wake Up over the PA -->Everyone-->COBL worked because everything seemed to flow into one another and COBL was a great opening song. I like the idea of Stingray-->NLOTH. I think if they played the album verson intro of NLOTH with the distortion and heavy bass it would work really well.

 

[Blue Room]

There did seem to be too much time between "Soon" into "Breathe" and "Stingray" into "Beautiful Day". On the Vertigo Tour opening with Wake Up over the PA -->Everyone-->COBL worked because everything seemed to flow into one another and COBL was a great opening song. I like the idea of Stingray-->NLOTH. I think if they played the album verson intro of NLOTH with the distortion and heavy bass it would work really well.

exactly. I even think Stingray into I Will Follow with little to no gap in between would even work way better than B. Day. The gap and the slow intro to Beautiful Day is the problem with the intro sequence. If the song after Stingray has an instant "punch" to it, it will work very, very well. So many of their songs would fit that criteria. B. Day unfortunately is not one of them.

 

[powerhour24]

There was very little gap between Soon and Larry starting to drum, as much as I always envisioned Breathe as an encore opener I am one of the few that really liked that entrance. Also, just because people supposedly didn't respond to Breathe as an opener (something I did not really witness at the shows I was at) doesn't mean the song wasn't liked, I really hope we haven't seen the last of it.

Personally I think it should be Stingray----> right into GOYB, it would get the crowd rocking and the two songs match much more closely than BD, either way that gap has got to go.

As for YBR, I'm so glad I was at one of the few shows it was played, proud to be one of the few who knew what it was, and love them for being that bold in a stadium, but I hope they revisit it sometime during an arena tour, it would work much better in that context. Also, if I wasn't spending so much time on the blue crack it would have been such a shock to have just gone to that show and have the come up.

 

[SBU2]

I can't understand how people think NLOTH would be a good opener. Don't get me wrong, Stingray > NLOTH would work, but not as the intro > opener. I even think Stringray is an awful intro, as it kind of feels awkward that everyone's waiting for the opening song whilst the band are actually playing a song.

Why i don't think NLOTH would work as an opener is, will it get the crowd none stop bouncing for 4 minutes like Vertigo and Elevation did. I actually don't think there's a part in No Line where i feel like jumping out of my chair rocking out, or in a concert jumping around because there isn't. The only song for No Line that can get the crowd bouncing is Boots, even Magnificent tempo is to steady to be an opener.

 

[last unicorn]

They should open with Glasto, new song, still rocking. The NLOTH version in Helsinki was awsome, I wasn't sure about the chorus first but it has grown on me so much and I love how the whole band comes in after the guitar only part. I hope they'll play that version again, but not as opener, it won't work.

 

[pepokiss]

I even think Stringray is an awful intro, as it kind of feels awkward that everyone's waiting for the opening song whilst the band are actually playing a song.

that's because they don't turn out the lights...
but wait, that's too "eccentric", right Willie?