2-night sham ?
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mirrorballman
Refugee
That was the initial plan but during rehearsals in April the band/Bono already said that they changed that thought because they didn't wanna give people the feeling they'd be missing out on the better night.
Tommy WM
War Child
Fingers crossed they eventually go back to their original plan. Things seem to be a tad boring already.
It's a bit shitty to be honest. They had ages to come up with this tour and should have made everything crystal clear before tickets went on sale. I don't think I would have bought tickets for four shows if I knew the set list would only vary by 4-5 songs each night. I also don't think I would have bought GA for all shows if I knew about the stage setup.
Hallucination
Refugee
And that is such a terrible line of thinking by Bono and U2. It suggests they aren't capable of putting together two equally great set lists which we know isn't true. They don't even need to make the sets casual fan friendly one night and hardcore fan friendly the next. They could do both, both nights and have vastly different sets. It is a shame they pulled back on the original idea but at the same time is anybody really surprised they did?
If things are a tad boring then why are the shows getting excellent reviews? Even from die hards?
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Galeongirl
Galeonbroad
Nobody promised you anything.
There is no sham.
You are the one who chose to buy tickets. On whatever assumption you made is not U2's fault.
There is no sham.
You are the one who chose to buy tickets. On whatever assumption you made is not U2's fault.
AllIWantIs
The Fly
I attended both nights in Phoenix and I don't feel shammed at all.
Expecting performers to perfect completely different set lists each night in one city for every city in one tour is not realistic.
It makes for an overachieving day dream as well.
Expecting performers to perfect completely different set lists each night in one city for every city in one tour is not realistic.
It makes for an overachieving day dream as well.
dan_smee
ONE love, blood, life
This. Non-issue.
bobsaget77
Rock n' Roll Doggie
I'm certainly not surprised. This band overhypes everything and comes out flat. But I guess that's what happens when you haven't made a great album in 22 years.
I could live with a semi static setlist if the songs sounded good. I think Cedarwood sounds like crap, SFS is boring, EBW is neutered. They're not playing songs that would be much more interesting like Reach, Volcano, Crystal Ballroom, Troubles, California, etc. They like sticking with songs that are easy to play and songs that they've played a million times over.
How many songs on this tour have the difficulty of Lemon, Daddy's Gonna Pay, Love Is Blindness, Discotheque, etc.? I would say none.
Zooropa is the only one that comes to mind on the last 2 tours. They gave up on Electrical Storm after 3 shows.
With the way we've seen things, the first 14 songs will be nearly identical every night and there's variation for 2 spots. Heck, by the end of this tour people will probably beg for Elevation to come back.
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Hallucination
Refugee
Having said what I said above I agree with almost all of this. It's not a sham at all. I attended both nights in Vancouver and both shows were great. I'd obviously much prefer two totally different sets but seeing U2 twice is still awesome. The shows were good enough I immediately added a show in London so.... yes it would be nice if they stuck to the original plan. No it's not a sham.
Expecting performers to perfect completely different set lists each night in one city for every city in one tour is not realistic.
It makes for an overachieving day dream as well.
i don't agree with this though. It really wouldn't be that hard. Half the songs would still be the same so it's only a difference of 10-12 songs. They could absolutely pull that off no problem if they WANTED to.
mirrorballman
Refugee
I agree that there's no point crying about the issue, the shows are excellent and I was in Vancouver myself and had a great time. They changed 6 songs which is more I could ask for and all that... no need to write any more, everyone has read how good the current shows are.
BUT
To be fair, I'm not saying anyone has had a guarantee that this is what U2 were gonna do but Bono/U2 repeatedly advertised this two-show concept before/during their ticket sale back in December. Obviously this idea of "two different nights" will be a reason many purchased two-night tickets.
I'm not bitter about it whatsoever and I'm looking forward to all the other concerts I'll be attending, but fair enough they did sell something else in the beginning. I don't go about selling a product either and changing the specs months after the sale...
The_acrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
Even after seeing the setlists, I wish I was able to go to more than 1 show this year. If I had my way I'd take an entire week off work and go to all 5 Chicago shows, and sit in a different section each night. Unfortunately I can only get the time to go to 1 show, the last Chicago show. I know my bosses and clients will probably have a problem with me taking 2 days off in early July (a busy time for us) but they'll just have to live.
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But they didn't advertise it at all? They mentioned it as an idea they where THINKING of but they never said they where definitely going to do it
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dan_smee
ONE love, blood, life
All of this is based on a false premise anyway. The OP asked if they promised completely different show - no, they didn't.
The strongest it was ever suggest was that they were looking for "a completely different feel from night 1 to night 2". Fans speculated that this could mean very different sets; one night innocence, one night experience; or one night acoustic, one night plugged in.
The use of the term "sham" is over-emotive garbage. Do I wish they would play some more rarities/mix up the sets a lot more than they do? Absolutely. Does saying that they wanted a different feel between the two nights mean that what they are doing is a sham?
fuck no.
The strongest it was ever suggest was that they were looking for "a completely different feel from night 1 to night 2". Fans speculated that this could mean very different sets; one night innocence, one night experience; or one night acoustic, one night plugged in.
The use of the term "sham" is over-emotive garbage. Do I wish they would play some more rarities/mix up the sets a lot more than they do? Absolutely. Does saying that they wanted a different feel between the two nights mean that what they are doing is a sham?
fuck no.
dan_smee
ONE love, blood, life
Also, the OP claimed a "2 song difference night to night".
Changes from night 1 to night 2 in each city:
Vancouver - 6
San Jose - 5
Phoenix - 7
So, at worst it is more than 20% of the set.
Changes from night 1 to night 2 in each city:
Vancouver - 6
San Jose - 5
Phoenix - 7
So, at worst it is more than 20% of the set.
To be fair, Bono is quoted in the tour launch press release as saying they want to have a completely different feeling from Night 1 to night 2. I know it's not advertising, but it's close.
That being said I have no problem with where the sets are today. Still pretty big swings between nights for this band.
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Hallucination
Refugee
I just don't understand any of these people who say if they knew the sets would be almost identical they wold not have purchased tickets to both shows. Really? Please. I don't buy that. I think that's them just justifying their disappointment and somehow lending false credence to their compliant to validate themselves more. I mean really if you have the time and money and love u2 you'd pass on the second show just because they played the same songs you've grown to love over the years? I don't think so.
ApolloAndy
The Fly
I agree with Hallucination, but the "2 different shows" idea was what sealed the deal on my second ticket purchase. Would I have bought 2 tickets without that idea? Probably, but I bought 2 tickets without any hesitation because of the idea.
prbiker15
Blue Crack Addict
That's quite good for a band like U2. Not worth complaining about.
quasi1970
The Fly
If Pearl Jam can do it, U2 can do it. C'mon guys! Yes, I know they have TV screens and technology they have to sync with but maybe they should just do away with that if it's holding them back. I also love how U2.com always proudly proclaims, "MIXING IT UP!" when just a few songs are swapped out.
mirrorballman
Refugee
The PJ argument will never work - I love Bono&Co but they will never be able to be as flexible as such bands.
They cannot be: think about Edge's setup, he's carrying an army already for 20-30 songs, I cannot imagine the work Dallas would have to put in to shuffle 90-100 songs. Besides that Bono isn't the greatest w/ lyrics (of course teleprompters help) and last but not least I'm happy if Adam gets through a setlist without loosing the plot in one of the songs entirely
I can't imagine him having a +50 song repertoire...
We can be very happy if they mix up 6-7 songs each night and have a 40-50 song pool for the tour.
They cannot be: think about Edge's setup, he's carrying an army already for 20-30 songs, I cannot imagine the work Dallas would have to put in to shuffle 90-100 songs. Besides that Bono isn't the greatest w/ lyrics (of course teleprompters help) and last but not least I'm happy if Adam gets through a setlist without loosing the plot in one of the songs entirely
I can't imagine him having a +50 song repertoire...We can be very happy if they mix up 6-7 songs each night and have a 40-50 song pool for the tour.
Nick66
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
The original plan was apparently to have alternating "Innocence" and "Experience" nights, but after some of us (including myself, I'm humbled and gratified to say) counselled them against such and idea on these pages months ago (and predicted they'd never actually do go through with it), they apparently heeded that counsel and wisely changed course.
Can I prove that U2 saw what I wrote about the idea and changed their plans based on my advice? No. But no one can prove they didn't either, so it will ere remain an Interference mystery and question mark in U2 lore.
And I dare say, a 5-7 song night to night variation for this band is not insubstantial, and in fact unheard of since the fabled "Lovetown" shows (though even those shows didn't have quite as varied a setlist as U2 myth has assigned them).
As an aside, I'm also humbled and gratified that they honoured my forum request made here to play more Joshua Tree era songs by performing no less than five songs from that classic (I dare say iconic) album in Phoenix. Well done lads.
Thank you.
Can I prove that U2 saw what I wrote about the idea and changed their plans based on my advice? No. But no one can prove they didn't either, so it will ere remain an Interference mystery and question mark in U2 lore.
And I dare say, a 5-7 song night to night variation for this band is not insubstantial, and in fact unheard of since the fabled "Lovetown" shows (though even those shows didn't have quite as varied a setlist as U2 myth has assigned them).
As an aside, I'm also humbled and gratified that they honoured my forum request made here to play more Joshua Tree era songs by performing no less than five songs from that classic (I dare say iconic) album in Phoenix. Well done lads.
Thank you.
Nick66
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Galeongirl
Galeonbroad
This, so much this.
The press might've quoted it for truth, but there never was any official statement or any credible source other than that they were contemplating that idea way back in december. Before Bono smashed his face and everything.
So if people are 'mad' at U2 for lying to them... surprise, they didn't. You just fell for the oldest trick in the book, so called 'journalism'. And now you blame U2 for misleading you into buying two tickets rather than one? lol
I bought two tickets because I want to see U2 twice. And honestly I couldn't give a rats arse if they play the exact same setlist twice. Sure I hope to get some variation, rarer songs, whatever, but the setlist isn't all that makes a U2 concert. Different nights, different location in the arena, different band interactions, it's the complete experience that makes U2 gigs fucking special. Suure if they played Acrobat or whatever it would make that night super special, but that doesn't mean I regret paying for a ticket for the other night.
I have a 2nd nighter for sale , I don't need to trade , for the most part, one bunch of staples for another.
Anyhow, think again.
Mine too.
With 20/20 hindsight I knew it could never happen. But it's like dating a stripper.
Little head says "do it, look how hot she is", Big Head says "Dude, she's a STRIPPER"
In this case Little head won.
I have a Face Value 12th row lower bowl for May 31st if anyone's interested.....
The PJ argument will never work - I love Bono&Co but they will never be able to be as flexible as such bands.
They cannot be: think about Edge's setup, he's carrying an army already for 20-30 songs, I cannot imagine the work Dallas would have to put in to shuffle 90-100 songs. Besides that Bono isn't the greatest w/ lyrics (of course teleprompters help) and last but not least I'm happy if Adam gets through a setlist without loosing the plot in one of the songs entirely
We can be very happy if they mix up 6-7 songs each night and have a 40-50 song pool for the tour.
The issue is more Bono not being able to remember lyrics and the band being less than confident about doing anything that isn't rehearsed ad nauseum.
As for the idea of two nights and two different shows... It is the only thing going into these shows that the band DID say they would do prior to tickets going on sale, and repeated after the tickets went on sale.
They didn't say anything about the screens and views... they didn't say anything about GA policy... they didn't say anything about stage layout... They didn't say anything about Red Zone location...
They did say there would be two different shows, and there aren't.
They didn't say how they would break up the shows from night to night, but they said they would multiple times, and booked the dates as such.
So I can see why people would be upset with this, as the stated night one night two set up clearly influenced ticket purchasing.
And it wasn't an assumption; it was clearly stated by the band and in press releases pertaining to the shows. The only assumptions made by fans were what the makeups of night one vs night two would be.
I probably would have spread my shows out more if not for the way it was advertised, and maybe picked up a show in another city instead.
Alas, end of the day I'm not disappointed and I'm glad that what they ultimately went with appears to be working, as the reviews have been great.
But yea... I can get why some would be annoyed. We've had plenty of people annoyed with things that the band never made any statements on (stage layout, red zones, etc), so I think it's OK if some people are annoyed with things they actually did say was going to happen but didn't.
They've done a shitty job with advertising throughout this album cycle, but at the end of the day the product is still good.
