Not impressed by the set-list!

[ramblin rose]

You're kidding right?

 

[jampot]

Breathe is their worst choice of opener ever.

Fez Being Born would have been total kick-ass as an opener.

I really thought Fez would be and ideal opening song for this tour. I wouldnt say Breathe is the worst but not a good choice, Stand up comedy would of been great and they are not even playing it so far, is there a thread discussing this? Still gobsmacked..

 

[KUEFC09U2]

See i only have bootlegs to go off, but i really think the flow is pretty great

 

[Zooropa man]

You're kidding right?

I agree with ybab gnuthca. Not a good opening song. Great song but not an opener.

 

[corianderstem]

As someone who hasn't seen a show or listened to a bootleg yet, Breathe strikes me as an underwhelming opener. Bear in mind, I absolutely LOVE the song and think it's the best on the album. It just seems to me like it lacks that big whiz-bang POW that so many previous openers have had. I can't see myself jumping up and down like a fool to it.

I may completely change my mind when I see them in Chicago, though. So there's that.

 

[U2WOJO]

Sorry, but I have to chime in on the side of dissapointed about the setlists (but not suprised as their pattern has been the same the last 2 decades). It's not about are they picking the "right" 22-24 songs for my personal taste or desires, because they never will make each of the 80,000 in the arena happy. My problem is that there is virtually no variance of songs which for a band around for 30 years with such a rich catalog of music at their dispossal is discouraging. In all 4 shows so far, they have started with the same 6 songs and ended with the same 13 songs in the exact same order (with one time slipping in a second playing of a different version of Crazy). 19 songs in the same place in the same order.

In contrast, look at what a group like Pearl Jam does. I pulled their setlists from back to back shows in Mansfield, Ma last Summer. They played 26 songs each night. There were only 10 common songs played both nights (even those were spread throughout the setlist randomly) and a total of 42 different songs in two nights. U2 has the depth of music in their catalog that they should be doing the exact same thing.

Now it's early and maybe things will slowly change as the tour progresses, but recent history shows we are in for the playing of the same songs in virtually the same order for the majority of the tour. Yes it's nice that songs like Bullet, Elevation, New Years Day that have had a good run the past several tours have been replaced by UF, MLK, Ultra Violet, but when you play them EVERY night their fate will soon be that of the songs they replaced, namely tired. I hardly consider myself the "bestest" or "hugest" fan, but I don't think I'm that unusual in that I generally see multiple show each tour and have since back to Joshua Tree. I saw them 5 times last tour, and have tickets for 3 shows for the first leg of the NA tour this go around. Fans do go to multiple shows and do deserve a little more imagination then the same songs in the same order every night. Fans rabid enough to want to listen in on the internet or get copies of bootlegs should not know exactly what is coming when it is coming. Other bands embrace technology and sell bootlegs of their shows to fans and certainly acknowledge their most rabid fans want to hear more then 2 or 3 different songs each night.

Imaginge back to back U2 shows where you get 42 Different songs and have no idea what is coming from one song to the next. Do you think there might be a little more energy or excitement as you listen to the first few chords of each song to try to figure out what they are about to play?

Don't get me wrong...I'll go to multiple shows despite knowing U2 is what it is and will derive great enjoyment from those experiences. It just should and could be better. I wish they would get away from the massive sets, props, and theatrics, and realize the music is the thing many are there for first and foremost.

 

[KEVIN051269]

Excellent post Blue Room.

Youve basically summed up what i feel and i HAVE seen the show. The more i think about it its the start(and the end imo) that is the problem

ZooTV (OB + Zooropa)

great elongated intro, visuals, silouhetted Bono)
Zoo Station (album track at the time relatively unknown)

POP

great intro MI and PMuzik, visuals, theatrical entrance)
Mofo (album track etc)

Vertigo Europe

TBH i wasnt entirely happy with the strolling on stage. But it was backed up with 3 of U2s strongest stadium pumpers

360

2min intro track. Larry walks to drumkit. Not much in the way of visuals, no theatrics
Breathe (album track)

Again only my opinion but stadium shows need the build up or to start with a bang without both they just seem to go on autopilot

In 360 the acoustic set comes too early and from then it appears, for now, its set in stone. Whatever people say about 'watching setlist parties', 'shouldnt go to multiple shows', 'its for the crowd thats there'. People do look at setlists before going to shows, do go to multiple shows and word of mouth creates momentum. The best shows should just have that feeling of not quite knowing whats coming next sometimes, not all the time but sometimes. Sets dont need to change radically night to night providing youve got the right set to start with.

I dont like doing this as i know its fantasy setlist time

My intro, to keep the theme of the new album etc

FEZ BEING BORN (instrumental) intro - with 'madly flashing in b&w claw' merging into
BOOTS intro but longer - 'madly flashing colour claw'
BOOTS - screen comes to life
NLOTH

 

[ramblin rose]

I agree with ybab gnuthca. Not a good opening song. Great song but not an opener.

I don't disagree about Breathe, but I strongly disagree that Fez-Being Born would be better. Maybe as an intro but not opening the concert. That would be more of a downer than Breathe.

 

[Zooropa man]

I don't disagree about Breathe, but I strongly disagree that Fez-Being Born would be better. Maybe as an intro but not opening the concert. That would be more of a downer than Breathe.

Oh, definitely... Fez not a good opener either. It would have to be boots... with a long intro like they did on those awards shows.

 

[KEVIN051269]

I don't disagree about Breathe, but I strongly disagree that Fez-Being Born would be better. Maybe as an intro but not opening the concert. That would be more of a downer than Breathe.

I agree, but the studio version of Fez would be a great PA intro to Boots i think

 

[BVS]

Sorry, but I have to chime in on the side of dissapointed about the setlists (but not suprised as their pattern has been the same the last 2 decades). It's not about are they picking the "right" 22-24 songs for my personal taste or desires, because they never will make each of the 80,000 in the arena happy. My problem is that there is virtually no variance of songs which for a band around for 30 years with such a rich catalog of music at their dispossal is discouraging. In all 4 shows so far, they have started with the same 6 songs and ended with the same 13 songs in the exact same order (with one time slipping in a second playing of a different version of Crazy). 19 songs in the same place in the same order.

But this won't effect 96% of the audience, why is this so hard for some to swallow?

 

[dal975]

I loved the Joshua Tree tour when it was just 4 guys walking on stage and playing. Also it seems and you can check with any internet setlist page is that U2's set list hardly ever varies and that for every tour every show the setlist is the same night in and night out. For Vertigo I saw them in May and in October same 22 songs both nights.

This is obviously the core dichotomy in the U2 live experience pre and post AB. All of these posts are spot-on in that a U2 show from Zoo TV forward is not merely a rock concert, but a production, an event, an audio-visual experience that goes beyond the music. U2 claimed that the Elevation tour was going to be a stripped down, back to the basics show...well, that turned out to be true only if you compared an Elevation concert to Zoo TV or Popmart. It was still a massive audio-visual production which made a typical, say, Pearl Jam show, look like it was being performed at the local pub. The band is obviously comfortable with, and proud of, these massive productions and clearly believe the product that they deliver more than justifies the price to the fans or else they would not have been taking this approach for almost twenty years. The fans obviously agree; enough people are able to "scrape together" the money necessary to attend shows to sell out concerts world-wide in 80,000 seat stadiums 3x over merely 45 minutes after tickets go on sale.

The U2 live production is roughly 50-60% music and 40-50% theatrical/technological show. I have long grown to accept this and temper my expectations accordingly. On Zoo TV and Popmart, I used to wonder how from an artistic and creative perspective 4 performers could maintain their sanity playing Pride and BTBS 140-160 times a year, night after night. I used to wonder if Bono was a disney-like audio-animatronic robot programmed to do the same pantomimes and utter the same cringe-worthy hackneyed comments show after show after show. I could not believe I was spending $40 on bootleg CDs in obscure record stores (pre-internet) merely to hear if there was a unique twist on the "Shine Like Stars" bit when the 22 other Zoo TV songs from the show were carbon copies of the other shows I already had. Then it dawned on me: except for some minor twists here and there, the shows are more similar to, say, broadway productions, in the sense that the performers played the same specific role every night and the props and scenery were always the same. Once I kind of accepted that, I no longer got disappointed by predictable setlists, b/c I did not expect any significant nightly variety.

I still don't understand how the boys don't get bored themselves. Perhaps it is not possible to be bored or complacent when on stage in front of 80,000 people. But I am merely a fan in the audience who has helped to give them a great life and I have never been in their (or similar) shoes. They have decided that their current approach works best for U2. This is their comfort zone. The success of their later tours certainly reinforces these facts. Who am I to disagree? Would I like to see U2 put away all the lights and lasers and smoke and play all the obscure and old songs? Would I like to see mixed-up setlists all the time? Of course I would...but I've realized that ain't gonna happen with this band. If that is the stuff you want, you need to follow a different band in addition to U2. May I suggest the aforementioned Pearl Jam? Their concerts are the diametric opposites of U2 shows in all of the ways that people mention on this forum. (Note, I did not say PJ concerts were "better") Oh well, enough rambling.

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

Well so far it seems that the second nights are the better. Too bad I'm going opening night.

 

[Aygo]

I don't disagree about Breathe, but I strongly disagree that Fez-Being Born would be better. Maybe as an intro but not opening the concert. That would be more of a downer than Breathe.

FEZ as the pre-recorded intro. Then a silence pause. Then a 5/10% more accelerated version (which happens to tones of U2 songs when played live) of Being Born would be the perfect opener of the tour and to immediately recall to the album.

 

[Bruce]

I dont know if anyone has see this or not but if you go to YouTube and search U2 Fez there is a U2 tribute band their name is like lemon something but they play Fez and man are they awesome

 

[djparky]

any of the whingers, answer me honestly:

Were you at the shows?

And even if you were, did you enjoy them?

Contrary to what most of you feel you should be entitled to as U2 fans sitting at home skulking for bootlegs, U2 are a band that (admirably) cater to every fan in the stadium (key point in the stadium, the ones who paid the money, bought the ticket and the tshirt, and took the effort to see the band). I guarentee 90% of those in the stadium want to hear Pride and One.

I was sick of seeing One and Pride in the set on the vertigo tour, and then when I saw my first U2 show ever in Sydney, fuck I was happy they were in there.

TBH, U2 don't give a shit what people following setlist parties want to hear. They play what they feel is the best show they can give the crowd who are in the stadium at the time.

And 4 shows into a tour is incredibly premature to be complaining.

AS IT IS, we have seen Electrical Storm, Unforgettable Fire, Ultraviolet - these are sons none of us thought they would ever play again. THESE are the songs that most of us demanded them play, AND THEY ARE PLAYING THEM. This is the part of the set that pleases the diehards. But there are more people who paid their money that want to hear Beautiful Day than TUF.

I've got a solution for you all... Don't go to the shows. They are already boring for you, so spare the people that have to be next to you at the shows by not going

well said- totally agree with everything you wrote.

I was lucky enough to see them at Nou Camp and the set list worked (mostly) brilliantly- 90,000 people went looipy during Pride, Streets, one, SBS etc. I may not listen to those songs on the cd's much but I love hearing them played live-

and yes if you find the setlist so interminably dull & boring then I suggest you sell your tickets and don't go to the shows at all- since you're not going to be satisfied with whatever they play

 

[MikeyJB]

Imo the setlist is pretty decent how it is at the moment. The only alteration I would make would be to add HMTMKMKM, Mysterious Ways, The Fly or something from Pop to the start of the encore, to kick it off in a big way before continuing with UV.

 

['RoomOnFire]

The set is fine. People expect too much. Three rare songs played already is great, considering they also need time to adjust to the new stage/setup or whatever.

I was at the first Milan night and it was fantastic - crowd, performance, setting all top notch. The only criticisms I had afterwards is that it could've done with a few heavier songs such as Until The End Of The World, (dare I say it) Bullet, Even Better Than The Real Thing, Out of Control or something along those lines.

And as much as I never thought I would being saying this before the show, the biggest disappointment for me was Streets. The intro was cut short and it never really got the chance to build up the way it normally does, hence I felt the crowd werent into it by the time Edge starts the strumming passage.

But all that aside I'd say they've made a great start to the tour, and tbh I feel it'll continue to improve.

 

[ramblin rose]

FEZ as the pre-recorded intro. Then a silence pause. Then a 5/10% more accelerated version (which happens to tones of U2 songs when played live) of Being Born would be the perfect opener of the tour and to immediately recall to the album.

Sorry, but there is no way that would be an improvement on Breathe. The audience would be sitting down by the time that entire sequence you describe ended.

 

[Aygo]

No they wouldn't. The crowd is always excited no matter in te beggining, no matter what song is the opener - that happens with "Breathe" (which doesn't freeds it from being a poor opener in a show like this).

 

[corcovadosong]

there are some staples, and I think we the fans allow some staples. but:

pride
streets
with or without you
sunday bloody sunday
one
beautiful day
angel of harlem / Still haven't found

are seven songs that are played every night. and my worry is, U2 isn't thinking "what fits our tour" anymore. They're gonna play pride every time, it doesn't fit. they have a giant claw. they're playing angel of harlem, which at it's best sounds like a rootsy throwback, same with Still haven't found.

they have something special here. the claw, some of the new songs, ultraviolet, electrical storm, TUF, etc. They have a really interesting hybridized sound thing going on with these songs, something that befits the simplicity but grandiose awesomeness of the claw. But Pride doesn't fit. it's expected. So is One. These songs don't have a new version, they're the same. I will give U2 Streets. That song is always effective, always makes it memorable. I don't think that Pride does. Pride doesn't lift the roof off.

I don't care if they play the same songs every night. But at least vary it between tours. If you hear U2 play Pride once in your life, that should be fine. If it's not played this tour, maybe next one.

Because the thing about concerts is, bands won't always play all the hits. you'll see some, not all. U2 has tons of hits to choose from. literally tons. But I know I'll hear Pride until I die.

 

[ramblin rose]

No they wouldn't. The crowd is always excited no matter in te beggining, no matter what song is the opener - that happens with "Breathe" (which doesn't freeds it from being a poor opener in a show like this).

If that's your argument, they I'll take Breathe over Fez-Being Born as the opener a thousand times over.

I thought the idea was trying to come up with a better opener than Breathe, which Fez-Being Born is not.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Am i right in saying that you have seen a show Rambin? and you have yet to see a show Aygo?

 

[ramblin rose]

I've seen the first two.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Did you enjoy both?

 

[ramblin rose]

Yeah, I had a blast.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

cool, i am really looking forward to August

 

[gvox]

My intro, to keep the theme of the new album etc

FEZ BEING BORN (instrumental) intro - with 'madly flashing in b&w claw' merging into
BOOTS intro but longer - 'madly flashing colour claw'
BOOTS - screen comes to life
NLOTH

This is approaching the single best idea for the opener imo. It's not what *I* want, but I think it's what works best:

Fez intro - ONLY!!
Awards show GET ON YOUR BOOTS with the Let me in the sound and Edge's hot loud riff right up front
Breathe
Magnificent
etc

 

[LemonMelon]

Breathe should occupy ABOY's Vertigo tour slot, or possibly open the first encore. It's a rather weak opener, and this is coming from someone who considers it the band's greatest song this decade. It simply doesn't sound right where it is. There's no buildup. I felt the same way about Vertigo as an opener; COBL started off more slowly, but it was so much more powerful. This is why I agree with Aygo that Being Born would work much better as an opener. As would NLOTH or, hell, Streets. My personal choice for the opening run would be A Sort Of Homecoming--->Being Born--->Magnificent--->NLOTH--->Until The End Of The World.

 

[gvox]

Breathe should occupy ABOY's Vertigo tour slot, or possibly open the first encore. It's a rather weak opener, and this is coming from someone who considers it the band's greatest song this decade. It simply doesn't sound right where it is. There's no buildup. I felt the same way about Vertigo as an opener; COBL started off more slowly, but it was so much more powerful. This is why I agree with Aygo that Being Born would work much better as an opener. As would NLOTH or, hell, Streets. My personal opening run would be A Sort Of Homecoming--->Being Born--->Magnificent--->NLOTH--->Until The End Of The World.

Ok, now you're cheating

ASOH would kick so much ass it's not funny. But we need to stick within the 'song from the album currently being promoted' model. In that respect, I don't think Being Born can be likened to COBL. COBL has a chorus, a purpose, a solo (ok not really a solo per se but at least a powerful riff), and is danceable. Being Born has absolutely none of that. I don't particularly like GOYB, actually, but get it out of the way and get the people movin early out. I do agree that Breathe could go further down the set, for sure.