Willie's Diary - All info and updates HERE
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LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Well, of course you do, you're KUEFC09U2. You read and/or spin every quote through fanboy glasses.
Truthfully, I was being facetious. But when someone on staff says the band needed new songs to keep things interesting for themselves and (to a lesser degree) the crowd, it implies that the set was dull without them. Again, that's just one quote I dissected, completely out of context, but I'm not sure how you could spin that to mean anything else.
It's irrelevant anyway. In A Little While will continue to be the barbiturate of the set, and Mercy will continue to be the keys they jangle in front of us to get us to jump.
LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
I find it very refreshing. It's common sense for most bands. But don't pretend this is U2's MO: outside of ZooTV (which was renamed to reflect the changes), U2 playing unreleased or otherwise new material mid-tour is exceedingly rare. I hope they head in the more spontaneous direction they're following, but they're not going to take this so far as to play Mercy. Like a few others here, I'm frustrated they brought out the Mercy guns, since it's almost guaranteed to be bullshit.
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
First off, I think anyone honestly expecting them to even think about playing Mercy is kidding themselves.
I think that Willie mentioning it is more tongue-in-cheek than any rabid fan-baiting. I think he knows as well as some of us that it's laughable to suggest they're going to pull it out at a live show.
I'm not saying it to be all bitter and cynical, I'm not annoyed by its mention or anything. I thought it was kind of funny, looking at it from that perspective.
Popmartijn
Blue Crack Supplier
Why would it be laughable? Willie's diaries aren't up to August 6 yet, so we don't know what he'll write of the last week before the start of the 3rd leg. But the fact is that on the restart of the 360 Tour U2 played 2 new songs (plus a new instrumental opener). You may laugh about it, but that is what happened.
Now, will this mean that Mercy is on the band's mind? Who knows. But playing unreleased songs is. And that is something which hasn't happened for a while at U2 shows.
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
First, in case anyone read tone into "laughable," it wasn't there intentionally. Not bitter, I swear! 
I was thinking more about how Mercy has grown into this mythological beast of U2 lore, where fans keep wondering if it will ever be released, and how amazing it is, etc.
I honestly thought it was a possibility that Willie knows this and threw it out there as "ha ha, wink wink, they should play Mercy!"
Also, while yes, they are playing new songs, so of course it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility that they would consider playing it, or re-working it and releasing it.
But to me, debuting the new songs is a little different than pulling out some uber-rarity that would have fifteen people at the show screaming in ecstasy and the rest of the stadium going
Then again, they did play Your Blue Room a handful of times with the same reaction, but that was officially released, so it's not quite the same.
In short, I thought it was possible Willie was being cheeky and wanted to throw that out there, as an alternative to people getting their grundies in a bundle over its mention.
I was thinking more about how Mercy has grown into this mythological beast of U2 lore, where fans keep wondering if it will ever be released, and how amazing it is, etc.
I honestly thought it was a possibility that Willie knows this and threw it out there as "ha ha, wink wink, they should play Mercy!"
Also, while yes, they are playing new songs, so of course it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility that they would consider playing it, or re-working it and releasing it.
But to me, debuting the new songs is a little different than pulling out some uber-rarity that would have fifteen people at the show screaming in ecstasy and the rest of the stadium going
Then again, they did play Your Blue Room a handful of times with the same reaction, but that was officially released, so it's not quite the same.
In short, I thought it was possible Willie was being cheeky and wanted to throw that out there, as an alternative to people getting their grundies in a bundle over its mention.
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
My main point was the possibility that Willie was being funny, not that "Mercy will never be played, you fools."
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
I include myself in that description - I'm just a fool about other U2-related stuff. 
VintagePunk
Blue Crack Distributor
Galeongirl
Galeonbroad
Uh I didn't even know Willie had mentioned it. I heard them rehearse it with my own two ears in Dublin. :/
Same with IWF, yet that one hasn't seen the light of the day yet this tour either.
OH and DM was also in a U2.com countdown video.
mikal
Blue Crack Addict
man, this thread got negative in a hurry.
i will say this. if you were to ask me 2 days ago what the chances are that U2 will play Mercy, i would have said 0%. now i'd say more like 20%, so that's something.
i will say this. if you were to ask me 2 days ago what the chances are that U2 will play Mercy, i would have said 0%. now i'd say more like 20%, so that's something.
Salome
you are what you is
I think Miss Sarajevo and Glastonbury already provide enough scratching heads
Hold me, Thrill me ... also fell just about completely flat in Hanover IMO
things could be better
Mercy has never improved anything though
Hold me, Thrill me ... also fell just about completely flat in Hanover IMO
things could be better
Mercy has never improved anything though
LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Good Lord, Miss Sarajevo went over people's heads? I guess they have their copies of U218 to comfort them in their time of befuddlement.
Give HMTMKMKM some time to warm up. Ultraviolet wasn't an immediate smash, but by the end of the first leg, it had become a staple. I wish they would have done the same with Electrical Storm, rather than simply chucking one of their best 00s singles to the side. I think that song is a very smooth fit with both the theme and mood of 360.
Give HMTMKMKM some time to warm up. Ultraviolet wasn't an immediate smash, but by the end of the first leg, it had become a staple. I wish they would have done the same with Electrical Storm, rather than simply chucking one of their best 00s singles to the side. I think that song is a very smooth fit with both the theme and mood of 360.
Galeongirl
Galeonbroad
I guess it depends on where you were. On the foor everyone was singing along
I so agree with your ES sentiment. I still have a tiny bit of hope left that they will bring it back eventually... maybe Brussels, as that is where they rehearsed it first in 2005 but never played?
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
really? Was it not well-received at first? I can't even say I can disagree with that, I just honestly never heard anything negative about it, or hadn't heard that it had a lukewarm reception.
Agreed about ES, though. Sad they didn't give it more time to come together.
Mrs. Garrison
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
TUF is currently playing on XM channel First Wave.
dan_smee
ONE love, blood, life
Now, someone tell me why they can't drop Elevation or In a Little While (or both!) and put in UV in the encore.
I hate setlist complaints when it comes to the variety of songs between shows, because they aren't professing to cater for the people in the setlist parties. They play the ones they feel like playing on the night, great.
But when they have these songs they've played on this tour, surely they could come up with better songs than Elevation and In a Little While
I would think this would be a great U2 show (with a few variations for second nights in cities)
1 Return Of The Stingray Guitar
2 Beautiful Day
3 Get On Your Boots
4 Magnificent
5 Mysterious Ways OR Gone
6 I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
7 North Star OR Mercy (given Willie's recent comments)
8 Glastonbury
9 Miss Sarajevo OR Your Blue Room
10 Until The End Of The World OR Electrical Storm
11 No Line on the Horizon OR Unknown Caller
12 The Unforgettable Fire
13 City Of Blinding Lights
14 Vertigo
15 Crazy Tonight
16 Sunday Bloody Sunday
17 MLK
18 Walk On
Encore(s):
19 One
20 Amazing Grace (snippet) / Where The Streets Have No Name
21 Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
22 Ultraviolet
23 With Or Without You
24 Moment of Surrender
Id still prefer not to see SHFWILF, but I get why they are playing it.
I hate setlist complaints when it comes to the variety of songs between shows, because they aren't professing to cater for the people in the setlist parties. They play the ones they feel like playing on the night, great.
But when they have these songs they've played on this tour, surely they could come up with better songs than Elevation and In a Little While
I would think this would be a great U2 show (with a few variations for second nights in cities)
1 Return Of The Stingray Guitar
2 Beautiful Day
3 Get On Your Boots
4 Magnificent
5 Mysterious Ways OR Gone
6 I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
7 North Star OR Mercy (given Willie's recent comments)
8 Glastonbury
9 Miss Sarajevo OR Your Blue Room
10 Until The End Of The World OR Electrical Storm
11 No Line on the Horizon OR Unknown Caller
12 The Unforgettable Fire
13 City Of Blinding Lights
14 Vertigo
15 Crazy Tonight
16 Sunday Bloody Sunday
17 MLK
18 Walk On
Encore(s):
19 One
20 Amazing Grace (snippet) / Where The Streets Have No Name
21 Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
22 Ultraviolet
23 With Or Without You
24 Moment of Surrender
Id still prefer not to see SHFWILF, but I get why they are playing it.
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
It's funny - everyone has their warhorses they're still fond of. Still Haven't Found is one of mine. It makes me feel good, and thousands of people filling the stadium with singing gives me chills.
So I'm fine with them keeping that.
But absolutely with you on IALW and Elevation, although to be fair, seeing the crowd jump up and down and get into Elevation, I understand why they play it.
....I grudgingly understand.
So I'm fine with them keeping that.
But absolutely with you on IALW and Elevation, although to be fair, seeing the crowd jump up and down and get into Elevation, I understand why they play it.
....I grudgingly understand.
dan_smee
ONE love, blood, life
PS, aside from all of the "aww U2 teases me" bullshit that is going on, anyone stop and think that Willie suggesting they play it means they have been working on it recently?
Could mean that it is another songs they have revived, revamped and rerecorded, and hopefully is indicative of the direction they are going. Mercy and North Star HTDUB in place of AMAAW and ABOY (make them acceptable bsides) would have turned it into a pretty cracking record
Could mean that it is another songs they have revived, revamped and rerecorded, and hopefully is indicative of the direction they are going. Mercy and North Star HTDUB in place of AMAAW and ABOY (make them acceptable bsides) would have turned it into a pretty cracking record
dan_smee
ONE love, blood, life
It's funny - everyone has their warhorses they're still fond of. Still Haven't Found is one of mine. It makes me feel good, and thousands of people filling the stadium with singing gives me chills.
So I'm fine with them keeping that.
But absolutely with you on IALW and Elevation, although to be fair, seeing the crowd jump up and down and get into Elevation, I understand why they play it.
....I grudgingly understand.
Yeah, and thats why I through the caveat at the end: It is B's favourite, and it is one the crowd really get into. Streets and WOWY are mine. WOWY gets a lot of shit, but I dont think the way theyve played it lately is laziness, its just trying to approach it form a more mellow place. JT Tour was so direct, it was like the guy from the album had had a few pills, or a bit too much to drink and was trying to deliver it as directly as possible.
This is more melancholy, and you can see the other side, not anger, but sadness
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
I griped about WOWY at first, but I've (grudgingly, again) come around to it, so I'm with you there as well.
dan_smee
ONE love, blood, life
Haha, yeah I get that. Been listening to Tempe 19/12/87 and Denver 7/11/87 and WOWY is so direct and powerful, it kicks you in the chest and says "fuck you". Here it is like slumping with hunched shoulders on a bench at a bus stop saying, "you fucked me". But it's delibrate, and I think it works.
prbiker15
Blue Crack Addict
I think Miss Sarajevo should stay. 
As long as it can at least replace In A Little While.
As for HMTMKMKM...obviously not UV opening the encore, but it 70-80% makes up for it. It's definitely a great encore opener (the intro is quite haunting but really cool) The reception hasn't been great (part of the crowd is quiet) but it's a really good song. At least for one show UV needs to come back, though I personally think both songs should be in the encore.
As long as it can at least replace In A Little While.As for HMTMKMKM...obviously not UV opening the encore, but it 70-80% makes up for it. It's definitely a great encore opener (the intro is quite haunting but really cool) The reception hasn't been great (part of the crowd is quiet) but it's a really good song. At least for one show UV needs to come back, though I personally think both songs should be in the encore.
silkensky
War Child
I loved Mercy the second I heard it and my feelings for it haven't changed. Sure it needs work (mostly lyrically) but I'd be all for them trying this song live. It would pair up nicely with North Star (naturally, since they were written around the same time, AFAIK). I look forward to someday hearing both songs in their final studio form.
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