So how are the new songs holding up?

[Zoocoustic]

From the YouTube clips, I really like what I am hearing/seeing from SOI.

Quite honestly, they seem to be the hightlight(s) of the show for me.

The few media reviews I have read online specifically call out the new songs - and most have said very positive things about them.

For those who have attended, how has the audience reaction been? Based on what we saw with the NLOTH songs on 360, this will really be the make/break factor.

Here's to hoping that this tour marks the beginning of when the general public started to realize what a truly special album this is....

 

[PopFly]

Miracle is an okay opener, though still well behind the likes of Zoo Station/Mofo/Elevation/COBL.

Iris is sounding really good, I half-thought it might not get a lot of live play since it's kind of a tough one tempo-wise. In regards to the setlist, it's a good move tying it with I Will Follow as a tribute to Bono's mother.

Cedarwood Road is a big highlight, both because the song is sounding good and it has the added wow factor of the set really coming into play. The crowd gets their first taste of the long screen during Iris and then it really kicks in when Bono 'walks down the road.' Very cool idea, and it'll probably be a staple of the entire tour.

Song For Someone sounds better and more passionate live than it does on the album by a long stretch. It's arguably the song I'm least interested in on SOI but live it's quite nice.

Raised By Wolves sounds just as awesome live as I thought it would be.

Invisible is okay but I feel the band still has another gear left to be found with this one.

EBW is a powerhouse, as expected.

Troubles and California both sounded ok in their brief showings, though I wonder if this is a case of the band still working them out, or if they're only get a couple of Do You Feel Loved-esque performances and then they'll vanish.

Looking at how the band is constructing the setlist, there doesn't seem to be any obvious spaces for Volcano, Reach or Sleep Like A Baby Tonight to be slotted into the mix. Reach or Volcano could fit in the opening 'punk' quartet --- it seems like Miracle is the set opener, I Will Follow is the set #4 song and Vertigo is played either second or third every night. They could put Volcano/Reach into the mix with Out Of Control/Electric Co and alternate every night, though I kinda like having one of the old songs in there to fit the Innocence theme of the opening four tunes.

 

[chrisandronna]

At San Jose 2 the audience reaction was very receptive to the new material, in particular they were singing along to The Miracle and Iris. All of the live arrangements sound better than the studio versions imho (invisible sounded pretty much the same as the record, though) and between Bono telling the story and the visuals on the video screen I felt like it was enough to keep your attention if you were a casual fan.

 

[dward1]

just watched YT clips of Cedarwood and Song for Someone and was blown away. those are big time live songs. I loved SFS on the album and love it even more live, think the "Long way from your hill on Cavalry" coda would segue beautifully into Streets. A Please/SFS/Streets trio would be something I'd love to hear. the lyric change to "I know there are plenty of reasons to doubt" adds even more kick to me.

 

[ApolloAndy]

I think audience reaction has been a little lukewarm to the new stuff. At SJ2, northside GA it didn't look like anyone knew the words to Invisible (which is my favorite song of the new stuff). Maybe that's not indicative because it's not on an album proper, but it also didn't seem like too many people were singing along to anything except Miracle and EBW. That said, the songs came off really, really well and the stripped down version of EBW really worked (except for the super awkward transition to BBS).

 

[catlhere]

Judging only by YouTube videos, Iris is my favorite of the new live songs. It's really pretty and I think better than the album version.

I think Every Breaking Wave is the most underwhelming for my tastes. I much prefer the album version.

 

[thavidesco]

Iris...perfect

Wolves...perfect

Invisible...so far restrained performances

Cedarwood...not appropriate arrangment for this kind os a song

Miracle...falls flat in the key they are playing it, not good enough song

Waves...it´s moving, but at the same time I´m missing album version

Troubles...it needs to be put on a different spot - a closing song

Volcano, Soldier, California, Ballroom, Lucifer, Baby (at least a snippet) - there is no excuse for not playing it

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Your description of cedarwood road still baffles me


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[BVS]

Your description of cedarwood road still baffles me


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

And everyone else who listens to music...


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[LemonMelon]

It took me a minute to figure out what song Soldier was.

 

[Axver]

Sure Cedarwood is good and RBW fits well into the set but you know this band wrote A Sort Of Homecoming. Who cares what they did since.

seriously

who fucking cares

they wrote ASOH

 

[Yahweh_OMG]

they also wrote Wild Honey

 

[Axver]

this band wrote A Sort Of Homecoming. Who cares what they did since.

they also wrote Wild Honey

Wild HOney happened since.

so who cares, it doesn't matter

they wrote ASOH

let's leave it there

wjhat a band, ASOH. What a song. ASOH.

 

[trevgreg]

It took me a minute to figure out what song Soldier was.

I noticed that people are using that in the forums too. Easier than saying TIWYCRMN... or something?

 

[catlhere]

U2 wrote "Miami"

 

[prbiker15]

I noticed that people are using that in the forums too. Easier than saying TIWYCRMN... or something?

Reach Me Now is pretty easy to say.

 

[trevgreg]

Reach Me Now is pretty easy to say.

Yeah, maybe. I know that the one-word descriptions are easier to say than ones with a few words though. For example, I never got why "PITNOL" was an acronym when "Pride" pretty much gets the point across 99.9% of the time. This is one song where I can see the acronym being appropriate.

 

[Flaming Friar Sr]

U2 wrote "Miami"

And a fine song it is

 

[thavidesco]

Sure Cedarwood is good and RBW fits well into the set but you know this band wrote A Sort Of Homecoming. Who cares what they did since.

seriously

who fucking cares

they wrote ASOH

It woud work thematically on the SBS spot of the show, it would be marvellous if they replaced a warhorse like Sunday with Homecoming. I´m up for that!!!

 

[thavidesco]

I noticed that people are using that in the forums too. Easier than saying TIWYCRMN... or something?

Acronyms... a bad disease of the forums.

 

[Chief43]

Reach Around is even shorter.

I do hope they pull it out on the tour. I could see it opening a set.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using U2 Interference mobile app

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

Wild HOney happened since.



so who cares, it doesn't matter



they wrote ASOH



let's leave it there



wjhat a band, ASOH. What a song. ASOH.

Go home Axver, you're drunk

 

[trainmaniac]

From U2's instagram, they are preparing something for The Troubles. Perhaps solving the struggles?

 

[Axver]

Wow I forgot this thread was part of my drunken posting spree.

Yeah, maybe. I know that the one-word descriptions are easier to say than ones with a few words though. For example, I never got why "PITNOL" was an acronym when "Pride" pretty much gets the point across 99.9% of the time. This is one song where I can see the acronym being appropriate.

Not to mention that the song's title on UF is given simply as Pride, no subtitle. It baffles me why anybody would type PITNOL when Pride is one letter shorter in the first place.

 

[cobl04]

I feel like PITNOL happened cos it spawned that medication image gag that was funny once.

This is Where blah blah blah should only be referred to by its proper name; Reach Around or This is Where You Can Reach Around.

 

[Salome]

Volcano, Soldier, California, Ballroom, Lucifer, Baby (at least a snippet) - there is no excuse for not playing it

Really? I can think of about a dozen excuses for not playing most of those songs.

I expect them to find a way to make Volcano and California work.
They didn't sound half bad to me on Jools Holland ages ago, so they can't be that far off.

 

[trevgreg]

Not to mention that the song's title on UF is given simply as Pride, no subtitle. It baffles me why anybody would type PITNOL when Pride is one letter shorter in the first place.

I feel like PITNOL happened cos it spawned that medication image gag that was funny once.

This is Where blah blah blah should only be referred to by its proper name; Reach Around or This is Where You Can Reach Around.

 

[Mack_Again]

I liked the Troubles performance just because of Edge's solo and not Anyang else


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[Headache in a Suitcase]

Reach Around is even shorter.

Hiyoooooo

 

[tuolumne]

For me, all the songs except Invisible sound much better live.

In Phoenix the audience, at least around me, knew the words to everything and sang it out, which the band feeds off of. For future show attendees, your first job is to sing Miracle with Bono, loudly. That song sounds like a classic now. Raised by Wolves has much more life to it. Cedarwood Road, also deeper and bassier, and less generically rawk-ier in the beginning. The only not great one is Invisible which I really like and I think it has to do with the separation of the band from the audience. I think that one has to be done at eye level with the GA. It just sounds a bit thin and distant.