Thoughts after watching opening night?

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akann said:
Edge stuffed up during Out of Control. Apart from that, most of the performances were pretty decent for an opening night. In saying that, I would like to see them mix the setlist up a bit more, shelve songs like COBL, WOWY, Pride, ISHF etc. Theses songs just seem a bit tired now and do not evoke the same response from the audience the way that they once did.

The crowd didn't help the band out as well imo. You don't go to a rock concert and take photos and videos all day. I feel this band in particular rides off the energy that comes from the crowd, and there was literally not much of that, even during the first four songs which were hard rockers.
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Unfortunately that seems to be the world we live in now.

Why can't people just enjoy the moment and get swept away in the music?

You had 21 other hours in the day to screw with your stupid phones....take a break from pictures and social media...it won't kill you

Maybe I'm just a bitter old man because when I started going to concerts the only cell phones around just made calls and were the size of a brick.
 
trainmaniac said:
Terrible audience, indeed.:doh:
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So many people just walking about or sitting in their seats immobile. If you're not going crazy-apeshit-eyes-on-stalks-hands-to-the-sky NUTS at this point I'm afraid you're at the wrong gig, please fuck off home promptly and wait for the DVD.
 
Acrobat14 said:
Unfortunately that seems to be the world we live in now.

Why can't people just enjoy the moment and get swept away in the music?

You had 21 other hours in the day to screw with your stupid phones....take a break from pictures and social media...it won't kill you

Maybe I'm just a bitter old man because when I started going to concerts the only cell phones around just made calls and were the size of a brick.
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Your spot on, during 360 the only time I took my phone out was before the gig to take a pic of the claw, and maybe once during the show to take another pic


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SpiralStaircase said:
So many people just walking about or sitting in their seats immobile. If you're not going crazy-apeshit-eyes-on-stalks-hands-to-the-sky NUTS at this point I'm afraid you're at the wrong gig, please fuck off home promptly and wait for the DVD.
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THIS!!! *applauds*


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Acrobat14 said:
Unfortunately that seems to be the world we live in now.

Why can't people just enjoy the moment and get swept away in the music?

You had 21 other hours in the day to screw with your stupid phones....take a break from pictures and social media...it won't kill you

Maybe I'm just a bitter old man because when I started going to concerts the only cell phones around just made calls and were the size of a brick.
Click to expand...


Couldn't have said it better myself. Am so anti the whole selfie, facebook, instagram world that a lot have bought into. If I had my way, all cellphones will be barred from concerts. Just enjoy the experience and live in that moment.
 
pudgie_child said:
In the defense of the audience, that stage design is awful. You're forced to decide between looking at the band or turning your head to look at that screen above the catwalk.
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The stage design is far from awful IMO of course


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pudgie_child said:
In the defense of the audience, that stage design is awful. You're forced to decide between looking at the band or turning your head to look at that screen above the catwalk.
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Good argument. the might also screen also creates a barrier between band and audience.
I wasn't there and can't state it as a fact, but I can imagine there would be a lack of the usual contact between band and audience. :hmm:
 
Or maybe a lot of the folks in the lower half not real fans, but the "rich folk" who could really care less about u2 and more that they're got those big expensive "bragging rights seats." (Beating that dead horse again, I know...)

Do you realize that if U2 were an up-and-coming band in this environment, with this modern audience-act dynamic, there 'd probably not BE a U2...God, I feel so sad for young artists these days, having to engage this.
 
The audience seems indeed dead and focused totally on their cell phones!

What a pity to pay 100 bucks and watch the band through your cell phone:doh:

I also think that the audience is getting older and older and isn't able to jump for 2 hours.... Bono did not look very active either (besides walking around) on the videos I've seen.

The new songs seem to be the highlights for me, the other warhorses I don't know besides SBS :|, ISHFWILF closing the show :|and MW without the slide solo :|

Shake it for tomorrow please
 
That retracted screen above the crowd during Streets? one dodgy rope. Oooff...

The Invisible, EBTTRT catwalk performances were weird, NIN used this type of screen on their 2005 & 2008 tours but it was in front of the main stage and there was no runaway nor B stage, this looks like such a barrier between band and crowd and obviously there is the height aspect too and the crowd seemed like statues unsure of what to make of it all, hmm didn't someone once say "you're coming to a concert but you're watching TV..."

Streets seems to be losing that wow aspect ever tour since Vertigo, maybe that is your encore opener? but cold like TJT/Love Town again, no segue, no need, the last great segue was the Bad/40 intro I think...
 
Let's just give the tour room to grow, the fans who where there and who have commented so far have told us how good it was


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AGAIN with gig-as-mere-diversion (2 minutes in)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eojuexNIkLs

I will be freaking out like an electrocuted motherfucker during these bits, not getting my damn camera out.

Reminds me of being in Amsterdam in the Van Gogh museum. You'd be trying to look at a painting when a hand would appear in between you and it, click a picture and move on. I mean, ffs, Van Gogh didn't go mad through syphilis, hack off his ear and finally shoot himself while making phenomenal art that changed the way we view the world so idiots can amble around a collection of his works NOT EVEN LOOKING AT THE FUCKING PAINTINGS, just taking a photograph to show other people later what a deep cultural experience they had.

I'm sorry to rant, but I've waited 30 years to see this damn band and I will NOT be trying to capture good pics for Facebook the whole time. I'm there to get lost in it, dance far more than is appropriate for a man of my age and level of fitness and I don't even care if Bono changes the words to Streets, I'll sing anyway, and I'll be doing the shine like stars bit at the end of WOWY even if I'm doing it alone among a sea of fucking smart phones and people eating popcorn and texting their mums with "Listening to that slow one that was on Friends once, remember it? Something about thorns"
 
I do think the troubles would make a good closer, but maybe they don't want to end it so low key like 360?


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SpiralStaircase said:
AGAIN with gig-as-mere-diversion (2 minutes in)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eojuexNIkLs

I will be freaking out like an electrocuted motherfucker during these bits, not getting my damn camera out.

Reminds me of being in Amsterdam in the Van Gogh museum. You'd be trying to look at a painting when a hand would appear in between you and it, click a picture and move on. I mean, ffs, Van Gogh didn't go mad through syphilis, hack off his ear and finally shoot himself while making phenomenal art that changed the way we view the world so idiots can amble around a collection of his works NOT EVEN LOOKING AT THE FUCKING PAINTINGS, just taking a photograph to show other people later what a deep cultural experience they had.

I'm sorry to rant, but I've waited 30 years to see this damn band and I will NOT be trying to capture good pics for Facebook the whole time. I'm there to get lost in it, dance far more than is appropriate for a man of my age and level of fitness and I don't even care if Bono changes the words to Streets, I'll sing anyway, and I'll be doing the shine like stars bit at the end of WOWY even if I'm doing it alone among a sea of fucking smart phones and people eating popcorn and texting their mums with "Listening to that slow one that was on Friends once, remember it? Something about thorns"
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OH FUCK YEAH this is the U2 I've loved instently back in 88..... this is such a good version!!!!!!!!!:applaud::applaud::applaud::drool::drool::drool:
 
Yahweh_OMG said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5F5tIrDlmk

this is good, the new songs are really enormous!!!! :hyper:
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KUEFC09U2 said:
The stage design is far from awful IMO of course


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This video proves my point.

If you're on the floor, you are forced to choose between looking at the band on the stage or turning your head & body 90 - 120 degrees away from the band to look at the video presentation.

Just because the technology exists to replicate AT&T Stadium's center-hung screens at every arena doesn't mean it was a good idea.
 
The EBTTRT and EBW videos are actually cringe worthy. I had a hard time watching them. I thought EBTTRT was going to rock this time round and was going to be in its original form. Here's hoping that Willie Williams will help sort out the set. I think its safe to say there will be a few songs from this night that might not see the light of day that often and maybe even shelved until Europe. Hoping for Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World, NYD and a Bad/Streets segue for night 2.
 
So, so far the reviews from the people at the gig are saying brilliant some of the ones who weren't there are saying shite


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The band, as ever, deserve some slack given it's the opening night and problems will always occur.

Only viewed 10 or so videos thus far, so difficult to form any sort of solid or fair opinion, but early impressions are The Miracle doesn't work as an opener, which I sensed would be the case before-hand. Bar the riff, it lacks punch and tempo, and the lighting was a little subdued for an opener too. In-fact, the lighting as a whole, despite being visually incredible, seems to lack punch from what I've seen too. As in, it isn't being utilised to it's maximum. Much the case with the claw until the latter legs.

Been a few comments on a selection of the old songs feeling stale, particularly Beautiful Day. It's perhaps my favourite all time song from the band, but since Super Bowl it's never been consistently performed with the passion and power it so consistently was in the early 000's. The Letterman performance was the last memorable performance of the song.

Fingers-crossed all is neatened up sooner rather than later.
 
That video of Bullet is depressing. The entire first three rows are full of people taping. What the fuck? Put your phone down, someone is going to tape it for you anyway.
 
Teta040 said:
Or maybe a lot of the folks in the lower half not real fans, but the "rich folk" who could really care less about u2 and more that they're got those big expensive "bragging rights seats." (Beating that dead horse again, I know...)
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Holy crap.

You honestly think "rich folk" who don't give a shit about U2 just show up to the shows just for shits and giggles?

Here's a thought... there's less jumping around in the audience because U2's audience, much like U2, is older.
 
Headache in a Suitcase said:
Holy crap.

You honestly think "rich folk" who don't give a shit about U2 just show up to the shows just for shits and giggles?

Here's a thought... there's less jumping around in the audience because U2's audience, much like U2, is older.
Click to expand...


Speak for yourself!!! I feel a still have a rather good jump left in me


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