All complaints about the setlist HERE

[powerhour24]

You guys are the best.

 

[YBORCITY]

Yeah, I mean when I asked for Mercy on that u2.com story about what song they should play, it was meant as a total joke that I never thought in a trillion years would ever happen.

Honestly, it's these surprises, even if it's one new song played or soundchecked, that's making this leg, in which I haven't attended one show, rather exciting for me.

This

 

[gvox]

Wait, I lied.

I can think of at least 100 U2 songs I'd rather hear before they play Mercy. Jesas!!

 

[Popmartijn]

You know what the funny thing is. In their eyes they're being absolutely adventurous this leg of the tour.

As Willie titles his entry, "Fearless Looseness":



I guess they consider that one open slot in the setlist as the "abandon" part.

To give a nod to Willie, his entry was about the second Helsinki show, where there were about 5 changes to the setlist (still no Bruce Springsteen or Pearl Jam kind of change though). And this included, according to Willie, a song that they apparently only finished writing that afternoon: Every Breaking Wave.
So it's not really about one open slot. And also considers the fact they are including brand new songs.

 

[U2Fanatic4ever]

@ Cori!

 

[Blue Room]

To give a nod to Willie, his entry was about the second Helsinki show, where there were about 5 changes to the setlist (still no Bruce Springsteen or Pearl Jam kind of change though). And this included, according to Willie, a song that they apparently only finished writing that afternoon: Every Breaking Wave.
So it's not really about one open slot. And also considers the fact they are including brand new songs.

Helsinki is when things appeared to be getting interesting and encouraging in regards to the setlist (Despite Stingray into B Day still being a staple!!! ). Then they went to new places they have not visited or not visited much recently and went back to the warhorses and old pattern (which I understand). Will be interesting to see what happens in Zurich.

I agree though, a 5 song setlist change for U2 is pretty major considering their touring history.

Here are my changes they need to make and it would be a good setlist for U2.

Obviously my biggest is the first one I listed:

-Stingray into B Day (make it Stingray into I Will Follow, Desire, or even PITNOL!!!, I can't believe I'm saying that!! but it would still will work 80 times better, B day just starts out to slow in the intro for too long)
-Bring back Glastonbury (the only new song that seems to get the crowd going and it just seems to rock live) hopefully its back in Zurich.
-Bring back Unf. Fire (highlight of the first and 2nd legs, why take away a highlight? plus it worked beautifully transitioning into City)
-Play BOTH HMTMKMKM and Ultraviolet in the encore. You did it once, do it on a regular basis!

This would be sufficient! The staging and production make up for most of the weaknesses in the setlist pacing also to me (and there are pacing weaknesses that others have pointed out that I do agree with). Its just the opening sequence that is REALLY flat to me. (Breathe wasn't much better, but it was better amazingly as I think/thought it was a mediocre opener)

They could bring back NLOTH also, full band. But I'm nitpicking now. Had to throw that in. Best song off the new album

Thing is, these really are not major changes based on what they have played on this tour. Its not like I'm requesting they play Mercy or something................................

Rip away!!!

 

[CTU2fan]

^^^ I pretty much agree with this. There's a number of songs that would work better there than BD. Even Elevation or Boots, since they're already in anyway.

I think they've only opened with PITNOL once, at least that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

 

[Swan269]

And this included, according to Willie, a song that they apparently only finished writing that afternoon: Every Breaking Wave.

such a fib-

 

[U2girl]

You know what the funny thing is. In their eyes they're being absolutely adventurous this leg of the tour.

As Willie titles his entry, "Fearless Looseness":



I guess they consider that one open slot in the setlist as the "abandon" part.

Yeah. Throwing all those new songs out there live. Tsk tsk, U2...

 

[U2Fanatic4ever]

*walkinthreadwithnerdthinkinghat*

 

[Galeongirl]

Oh, shit. I'd better get working on that.

WHY DO THEY KEEP PLAYING STREETS? I MEAN, FUCK!!!!

*de-friends for life*



I still don't get why they decided to play IALW every night. I just do not get it. Why that song? Why now? WHY EVER?

Positively starting to hate that thing in its entirety.

 

[ramblin rose]

such a fib-

Exactly.

 

[catlhere]

Once they got the little video piece of the astronaut reciting that verse, it pretty much sealed that songs placement for the rest of the tour. Maybe they will feel it has run its course by N/A? Then bring on the REAL space-song... ZOOROPA!

 

[gvox]

I would die to hear Zooropa introduce the encore. Holy crapola.

 

[mama cass]

I would die to hear Zooropa introduce the encore. Holy crapola.

 

[coolian2]

that one can go in the flying pigs bin.

 

[U2Fanatic4ever]

Once they got the little video piece of the astronaut reciting that verse, it pretty much sealed that songs placement for the rest of the tour. Maybe they will feel it has run its course by N/A? Then bring on the REAL space-song... ZOOROPA!

omg! please stop tormenting me..

 

[nirniva]

I would die to hear Zooropa introduce the encore. Holy crapola.

Zooropa > UV/Batman > MOS

 

[Aygo]

I would die to hear Zooropa introduce the encore. Holy crapola.

UE has been on the news all over the world... not for the reasons Europe would like. "Zooropa" would make all sense on the setlist as a commentary for today's Europe.

 

[gvox]

that one can go in the flying pigs bin.

I actually googled flying pigs bin ....but still don't get it. You no likey?

 

[corianderstem]

Think as in "when pigs fly."

 

[Popmartijn]

Think as in "when pigs fly."

Or, to make it more relevant, think as in "when they play Theme From The Swan or Mercy".



Oh wait...

 

[KEVIN051269]

Once they got the little video piece of the astronaut reciting that verse, it pretty much sealed that songs placement for the rest of the tour. Maybe they will feel it has run its course by N/A? Then bring on the REAL space-song... ZOOROPA!

Willie Williams talks about spontaniety, yet in Istanbul the whole crowd was enjoying the interaction with the girl bought up on stage during IALW on the big screens and he cuts to the bloomin satellite video of the earth and the astronaut bloke thus killing all the 'spontaniety' of the moment

 

[Blue Room]

Or, to make it more relevant, think as in "when they play Theme From The Swan or Mercy".



Oh wait...

We are not there yet. You would not believe some of the stuff U2 has soundchecked in the past that has sounded fantastic that never made it into the show. If half the stuff they soundchecked on Vertigo made it to a show people would have gone apeshit.

I'm hopeful for one of the Zurich shows. If they soundcheck Mercy again at Zurich 1 it "may" make an appearance.

 

[Galeongirl]

You mean Mofo?


Oh I would go apeshit for that.


By the way, I wonder if we're ever going to see Drowning Man in rehearsals again. Still want to know why they suddenly dropped it out of nowhere and never even played it.

 

[Blue Room]

You mean Mofo?


Oh I would go apeshit for that.


By the way, I wonder if we're ever going to see Drowning Man in rehearsals again. Still want to know why they suddenly dropped it out of nowhere and never even played it.

Mofo was one.

-Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car
-If You Wear That Velvet Dress
-Please (full band ala Popmart version)
-Stories For Boys

Just to name a few.

 

[Galeongirl]

I haven't heard of the first three being soundchecked! Where was that?

And to be fair, Stories for Boys was extensively snippeted in Vertigo, lyrics and such.

 

[Blue Room]

I haven't heard of the first three being soundchecked! Where was that?

And to be fair, Stories for Boys was extensively snippeted in Vertigo, lyrics and such.

Oh, I know it was snippeted, but they soundchecked the full song as done on the Boy album, not just a snippet.

 

[nirniva]

Mofo was one.

-Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car
-If You Wear That Velvet Dress
-Please (full band ala Popmart version)
-Stories For Boys

Just to name a few.

If You Wear That Velvet Dress? DO WANT. I've got this mental image of it coming right after the Crazy remix, blending into that Middle Eastern outro...

 

[catlhere]

Not so much a complaint (because I love the instrumental) as much as an observation but boy was that crowd in the seats dead during the video of ROTS from the most recent concert I just watched. I'm not sure if it's just Zurich or what, but there were just tons of people sitting down, arms folded, not even clapping at the end, etc. Made me cringe.

If they had just started with Magnificent maybe it would have gone down better, because of the whole darkened stage, and the loud boom of the intro, etc. I'm starting to wish they would just kick off the show with a hit right away though, even if that's kinda going backwards. Something that really sends a jolt into everyone. Stingray is awesome but every transition has just be awkward so far.