Songs of Ascent VI and the Half-Blood Prince

[jphelmet]

I saw them once last year, and will see them once this year. I gotta say, I'm not nearly as excited at the prospect of seeing the same show as I did a year ago with a few differences, if any. They might change out a couple NLOTH songs for songs they haven't played yet. They might drop Unforgettable Fire and Ultraviolet and replace them with Bullet the Blue Sky and All I want is you. They might play a different acoustic song. But that's probably the extent of it.

I am betting this happens. That is why I am waiting to see setlists, and see if there are any changes before investing time/tickets. If they were playing ATL I would go no matter what, but I am not travelling any length to see the same 360 again.

I really enjoyed 360, its a good show, but I don't care about seeing it (without significant change) again.

 

[U2girl]

Conflicting news from McGuiness - we're doing 90 shows (at least) but no shows planned for S. America until 2011. So they might add some dates after all ?

And We probably will release a new album after the tour meaning after the 2010 leg or after the final shows in 2011 ?

 

[VintagePunk]

I really do think we're in uncharted territory here, and this could go any of a number of ways. I'm certainly not taking McGuinness's interview as the final word on the matter.

 

[loudreamer]

"I'm certainly not taking McGuinness's interview as the final word on the matter."


It took many many pages, but finally, wiser words have not been typed before!
Vintage Punk thank you so much for finally saying it.
Bravo!

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

Everything You Know Is Wrong...

 

[nielsgov]

U2 must have loads of new material/NLOTH leftovers. Just release it.

 

[The_acrobat]

U2 must have loads of new material/NLOTH leftovers. Just release it.

Someday, the vaults will be opened, and they will release an enormous amount of unreleased material. Although it won't happen until U2 retires from recording new albums. Oh how I wait for that day. Probably plenty of stuff like Flower Child, Smile, Love you like mad, Disappearing Act and so on. That will be a sweet day.

 

[super fly guy]

Someday, the vaults will be opened, and they will release an enormous amount of unreleased material. Although it won't happen until U2 retires from recording new albums. Oh how I wait for that day. Probably plenty of stuff like Flower Child, Smile, Love you like mad, Disappearing Act and so on. That will be a sweet day.

Is this tongue in cheek.or do you really want them to quit?

 

[ozeeko]

they wouldn't have to quit to open the vaults. look at dylan's bootleg albums. he's still going strong.

 

[ShipOfFools]

I think the Harry Potter movie series will have been finished and come out on DVD before we see a new U2 album. So probably next year, or 2012.

EDIT: It's ironic that this is my 666th post, and I'm posting about 2012, which is supposed to be the end of the world...

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

Yep, we're all fucked.

 

[corianderstem]

EXPECTO PATRONUS!!!!









did that help? Is there a new album now?

No?

Damn.

 

[powerhour24]

I think the Harry Potter movie series will have been finished and come out on DVD before we see a new U2 album. So probably next year, or 2012.

EDIT: It's ironic that this is my 666th post, and I'm posting about 2012, which is supposed to be the end of the world...

 

[bonocomet]

^

 

[last unicorn]

Conflicting news from McGuiness - we're doing 90 shows (at least) but no shows planned for S. America until 2011. So they might add some dates after all ?

And We probably will release a new album after the tour meaning after the 2010 leg or after the final shows in 2011 ?

The 90 shows sound realistic if you count the 2009 shows in.

 

[U2girl]

I remember they said circa 100 shows last year...

 

[Swan269]

february begins tomorrow...if i don't hear of a producer named in 3 weeks...it is over for now. probably until 2011

 

[Utoo]

I just don't get it. This album isn't big enough to tour for that long. Even Achtung had Zooropa to give ZooTV a push. If the tour goes into 2011, it will be nothing but a greatest hits show. Mark my words!

On further thought, even a lame greatest hits tour would be better than simply an identical repeat of the previous legs. They were good, but with such little setlist variation on the US leg, and with virtually no more potential live songs on the album (SUC maybe, but who wants to hear that?), it'd be a major bummer to get an exact repeat again. They've got to bring out some gems more regularly (Electrical Storm as a routine; actually play Drowning Man, etc.), maybe even change up most/all of the time & space visuals and references to something new. The cosmonaut bit, for sure must go....not interesting enough to repeat on a return leg.

I dunno.....I hate being all gloom and doom.....I'm just massively bummed (and surprised) by the lack of new material for such a dragged out tour.

 

[popacrobat]

I don't understand where all the doom and gloom is coming from whatsoever. And I'm not just talking about Utoo's post, but i've seen that sentiment echoed a lot throughout this forum lately.

Didn't the Edge say that they'd be changing the tour up a bit? And how they didn't really know what they had visually with the stage or how the show would work, and now they do and are planning new visuals and new ideas around that? And how they didn't want to do the same show that they did this past year?

And hasn't it also been said multiple times that they'd be playing new material even without a release? I don't get where the notion comes that the show is going to be nearly identical to what we saw. I'm sure we'll see the No Line songs, Streets, One and With or Without you routinely - we always do. Beyond that, who knows. Maybe they'll play Mofo, since they wanted to and soundchecked it many times on Vertigo. Maybe they'll bring Discotheque/Velvet Dress back, also soundchecked many times on Vertigo with Discotheque being played twice. Maybe they'll play Drowning Man and Electrical Storm. Maybe they'll play Mercy. Maybe theyll play Every Breaking Wave.

The point is, I think this tour is pretty surprising so far. I would not have expected them to play Your Blue Room, Electrical Storm and to make Ultraviolet a staple. Ditto the Unforgettable Fire. AND they dropped Pride. And they've said they want to play new songs.

I just don't get why people aren't excited that they're willing to do that and they want to put on an even better show than they did this past year.

 

[Swan269]

I don't understand where all the doom and gloom is coming from whatsoever. And I'm not just talking about Utoo's post, but i've seen that sentiment echoed a lot throughout this forum lately.

Didn't the Edge say that they'd be changing the tour up a bit? And how they didn't really know what they had visually with the stage or how the show would work, and now they do and are planning new visuals and new ideas around that? And how they didn't want to do the same show that they did this past year?

And hasn't it also been said multiple times that they'd be playing new material even without a release? I don't get where the notion comes that the show is going to be nearly identical to what we saw. I'm sure we'll see the No Line songs, Streets, One and With or Without you routinely - we always do. Beyond that, who knows. Maybe they'll play Mofo, since they wanted to and soundchecked it many times on Vertigo. Maybe they'll bring Discotheque/Velvet Dress back, also soundchecked many times on Vertigo with Discotheque being played twice. Maybe they'll play Drowning Man and Electrical Storm. Maybe they'll play Mercy. Maybe theyll play Every Breaking Wave.

The point is, I think this tour is pretty surprising so far. I would not have expected them to play Your Blue Room, Electrical Storm and to make Ultraviolet a staple. Ditto the Unforgettable Fire. AND they dropped Pride. And they've said they want to play new songs.

I just don't get why people aren't excited that they're willing to do that and they want to put on an even better show than they did this past year.

it is just the fear that the band will repeat itself. granted the songs you mentioned above were a surprise, but they aren't anymore. Its just not like the band to have a complete change in setlists between legs without new stuff. at this point for me, U2 owes me absolutely nothing as I buy their music and products so don't take this the wrong way. U2 is a band where I have to see it to believe it. I don't take anybody's word for it because their thoughts often are blown away by the breeze. So just because Edge says they will play new material is just as good to me as if he didn't say it at all. i hope they change it up, but my breath won't be held.

 

[digitize]

SUC maybe, but who wants to hear that?

I certainly do.

 

[Swan269]

I certainly do.

I agree, it could make the song better.

 

[Utoo]

I don't know, maybe it's because I prefer arena shows for the live experience (stadiums are fine for DVDs), or maybe I'm losing my U2 spark, but 360 wasn't really much of a mind-blowing experience, IMO, and I think it's going to needsome big changes to get there. Those three or four surprises you mentioned----that was pretty much it for "surprises," and then things remained that way for nearly 50% of the tour.

I don't really doubt that they'll mix things up a little bit the next time around. But maybe throwing in Angel of Harlem here and there or swapping out the show closer isn't going to cut it. Having a new album of material? Yeah, that'd do it.

It's just hard to get all fired up about dropping $50-100+ again when the likelihood is that the setlist will be a cross between 360 and 4th leg Vertigo......and then, if it takes after 360 so far, remaining static for the majority of the upcoming legs.

I find it impossible to believe that there is no disappointment in going from a rumored album 3-6 months before the new legs to having no new songs at all.

 

[Utoo]

I agree, it could make the song better.

True

 

[God Part III]

and with virtually no more potential live songs on the album (SUC maybe, but who wants to hear that?)

Fez/Being Born?

 

[digitize]

And I'd kill to hear WAS live.

 

[God Part III]

and i'd kill to hear was live.

Yes.

 

[ozeeko]

u mean to tell me they HAVEN'T been playing F-BB and WAS on tour?

 

[corianderstem]

They haven't played either. I'd love to hear Fez, but I think WAS in a giant stadium spectacle would kill the momentum.

A few hundred people might go nuts in ecstasy, and there would be a stream of people going to the bathroom and beer stalls. It'd be You Blue Room all over again.

I'm really looking forward to seeing them again, but like Utoo, I'm not chomping at the bit to spend a lot of money to travel to multiple shows. Seattle for sure, and if things work out, I'm going to shoot for Minneapolis (due to its proximity to my hometown and family), but that's still a maybe at this point. I'm good with just the one.

*don't quote me on that if I start buying tickets to all the west coast shows in a last-minute frenzy of OMGU2CONCERTS MUST GO TO ALL!

 

[Niceman]

They haven't played either. I'd love to hear Fez, but I think WAS in a giant stadium spectacle would kill the momentum.

A few hundred people might go nuts in ecstasy, and there would be a stream of people going to the bathroom and beer stalls. It'd be You Blue Room all over again.

I'm really looking forward to seeing them again, but like Utoo, I'm not chomping at the bit to spend a lot of money to travel to multiple shows. Seattle for sure, and if things work out, I'm going to shoot for Minneapolis (due to its proximity to my hometown and family), but that's still a maybe at this point. I'm good with just the one.

*don't quote me on that if I start buying tickets to all the west coast shows in a last-minute frenzy of OMGU2CONCERTS MUST GO TO ALL!

Your Blue Room was one of the highlights of the show! I don't care what the tourists think!