All complaints about the setlist HERE

[monsieur fly]

No, thats not what is being indicated. A slow paced song that is known is not going to kill any momentum. (IE One, WOWY). Those always go down well with a majority of the crowd because they are hits and are not pacing killers as a result. Also, I think a slow paced song of the new album the tour is for works ok also sometimes. The only slow paced song that is not a "hit" that I think worked and always worked was Bullet into Running To Stand Still. Worked perfectly and always went down well with the audience. MS has a similiar vibe to Running as far as pacing and attaching it to Bullet on Vertigo was the only reason it worked at all on that tour for me. Maybe some of it is my bias, I think MS is a mediocre song anyway. But from what I have read, its killing the show pacing (or at least not helping it) right now. The only other slow pacer that will typically work if not a hit is the show closer. Even then it can be mixed results as Moment Of Surrender is a mediocre closer for me. However, 40, Bad, All I Want Is You were all great closers. Show pacing may be something you don't care about, but it is an essential part of a U2 show. Their crew and the band have indicated this in the past as well. If it wasn't important to the band, Drowning Man would have been performed. Would have been cool, but something tells me the band is right that it would have killed a large section of the show. I think pacing and theme is something they have been struggling with a bit on this tour.

Of course I care about pacing and I agree they have got it wrong at times this year but that does not make including MS wrong. Moreover WOWY and One are not out and out ballads as you know- they have anthemic choruses. You cannot talk about those songs in the same breath as MS, YBR or indeed even Stay.

 

[catlhere]

That whole section of ISHF -> MS is just awkwardly slow. They tried to make it the part of the show where they play some new songs, and that is cool, but if you're going to do that you have to then rebound with something people really love to get the blood pumping again. Instead, they continue with one somewhat popular slow song (IALW), and then an even slower and less popular song (MS). It just isn't good for momentum. First they were putting Glastonbury to liven it up, then once that left they started shoving Pride randomly in there to wake people up. After that they even put Elevation back in front of IALW to add a punch. Now, most recently they put Mercy in the middle. I just don't think that section has hit it's stride yet, and it's mostly because of the IALW/MS combo. Those songs in seperate areas of the set might go down better, but together they're snooze city.

And to me MS doesn't even make sense where it's placed in the set. It has nothing to do with anything else because of how specific the subject matter is. And it makes me wonder, why they even bothered to ask people on U2.com what songs they wanted to hear, because I can say with almost 100% confidence, Miss Sarajevo was NOT one of the more requested tracks. They have much better slows songs to pick from that would have gone down better, imo.

 

[Blue Room]

Of course I care about pacing and I agree they have got it wrong at times this year but that does not make including MS wrong. Moreover WOWY and One are not out and out ballads as you know- they have anthemic choruses. You cannot talk about those songs in the same breath as MS, YBR or indeed even Stay.

This is going nowhere, One is not a ballad. Right. Are you kidding me??? Its about like the what is considered an intro debate. Basically you are saying a slow song that is a hit is anthemic and when its not its a ballad. OK

How about a slow paced song, does that fit the criteria for both? Does to me. So I stand by what I said. MS makes no sense on this tour. It was just done a lot on Vertigo and doesn't fit anything about the setlist or anything going on currently in the world. There is no real reason for its inclusion and most people at a stadium show are not familiar with it. Its a show pacing stopper.

 

[U2387]

Are you talking about MS vs YBR on different tours? They didn't play MS in Boston on 360 (I was at both shows). I am not arguing that more people don't know MS than YBR, b/c virtually no one knows YBR. MS may go over better than YBR, but that means nothing. Bono talking goes over better than YBR. MS, is easily one of the biggest dead spots in the setlist when its played. It comparatively with the rest of the set would rank at the bottom in crowd participation/ response.

MS was in no way a radio hit in the US, and lots of casual fans aren't even aware of it. I am not going to speak about its popularity in Europe (where it had some modest success), but it was never even remotely a hit in the US (didn't chart).

Yes.

I know very well that MS was not played on 360 in Boston.

I saw it on Vertigo and then YBR on 360.

All I can say is it wasn't a dead spot in Boston on Vertigo. Won't change the fact that it was a dead spot where you saw it. It doesn't seem like too big of a dead spot in Europe.

Careful where you take the ranking the songs according to crowd participation/response argument. I never claimed and never would claim that MS gets the kind of reception BD or NYD or Pride or Streets or Mysterious Ways gets.

All I am ultimately saying is:

1.) We had different audiences for MS.

2.)MS is easily the better known song when placed side by side with YBR. It didn't chart in America, but it at least got some airplay. Plus, as I said in previous posts, the band talks about it a lot, it related to a very hot button issue at the time and it is the only Passengers song that has kind of taken on a life of its own. The rest of it is flat out obscure.

 

[Blue Room]

Wasn't "Seconds" heard at one soundcheck?

I think Zoo Station was done during Popmart and Elevation soundchecks, but could have been the techies.

I remember hearing some cool unreleased stuff thru the door at Tacoma 2001.

Don't forget the reggae version of "Haven't Found", some other weird arrangements must have been tried in the past, or weird concert intros/transitions.

Not sure about Seconds. My guess is a tech or just one band member messing around. Edge also messed around the with chords to Surrender during the Vertigo rehearsals.

Zoo Station was the techs messing around during Popmart. I have never heard of it being checked during Elevation.

Tacoma 01, I don't recall any new material for that check. Are you sure you are not thinking of Vancouver 01? U2 does work on a lot of new material though during soundchecks obviously. The third leg of Vertigo especially they had a lot of ideas they worked on.

 

[Aygo]

Are you talking about MS vs YBR on different tours? They didn't play MS in Boston on 360 (I was at both shows). I am not arguing that more people don't know MS than YBR, b/c virtually no one knows YBR. MS may go over better than YBR, but that means nothing. Bono talking goes over better than YBR. MS, is easily one of the biggest dead spots in the setlist when its played. It comparatively with the rest of the set would rank at the bottom in crowd participation/ response.

MS was in no way a radio hit in the US, and lots of casual fans aren't even aware of it. I am not going to speak about its popularity in Europe (where it had some modest success), but it was never even remotely a hit in the US (didn't chart).

In Portugal and Spain, I think "Miss Sarajevo" was a Top 10 hit. I remember seeing it on TV many times and on the spot for a few weeks...

 

[rjhbonovox]

3 songs from their last album are making the setlists. Mmmmmm another Pop then!

 

[digitize]

This is going nowhere, One is not a ballad. Right. Are you kidding me??? Its about like the what is considered an intro debate. Basically you are saying a slow song that is a hit is anthemic and when its not its a ballad. OK

Not to mention, One doesn't even have a chorus, not to mention an "anthemic" chorus.

 

[JulioArca]

3 songs from their last album are making the setlists. Mmmmmm another Pop then!

Thats four songs isnt it..?

Magnificent, Boots, Crazy and Moment..?

 

[gvox]

This is going nowhere, One is not a ballad. Right. Are you kidding me??? Its about like the what is considered an intro debate. Basically you are saying a slow song that is a hit is anthemic and when its not its a ballad. OK

Blue..I don't think he's using the right terminology, but I sortof understand where he's coming from...I think...I see WOWY and to a lesser extent One as songs that, while they may start out slow, rise in intensity to almost sheer anthemic near rock-out quality - WOWY especially! Alot of that has to do with the frenetic drumming at the end...put it to you this way yeah you can slow dance to it but at a certain point you feel like you want to break away from your partner, spin her around a few times and rock the fuck out. Not to mention belt your lungs out along with the lyrics or play air guitar along with the Edge. One does this also - as noted to a lesser extent and I cringe at the thought of slow dancing to it - but you still get that vibe of joining hands and swaying, moving, whatever, becoming a part of the energy of that live performance with the band.

Now...and I happen to like them as songs...compare that with YBR or MS. Um..there's no comparison. Period. Zilch. Zero. There's no real buildup unless you count closing your eyes and shaking your head in ecstasy as Bono hits the "l'amooorrrrrre" as "buildup" or something to rock out to. YBR has nothing, it's fairly even in terms of the energy from start to finish.

In that sense, YBR and MS are more technically "slow" songs and WOWY and One are more "ballads". I've seen tons of people try and dance slow to WOWY at concerts (done it myself even ) and it's rather comical towards the end, you just can't figure out WHAT to do!

Maybe I'm assuming too much about what he means but in following this convo a bit my opinion is that it's not really fair to say "we already have WOWY and One, we don't want any more slow songs/vibe killers". WOWY and One are definitely not out and out "slow songs" and they don't kill the vibes, that's for sure.

If anything, the argument should be: "Lookit, we've got Still Havent, MLK, Moment.., Every Breaking/North Star, Running to Stand, Mothers, we got acoustics, we got singalongs, we got our mid-tempo anthems WOWY and One and All I Want...NO MORE FRIGGIN SLOW SONGS!! Let's get some old 80s/90s fast rockers out and kick some ass!!" << And I really doubt ANY of us will disagree with that one!!!

(if I've totally misunderstood what everyone's saying I'll just go back to lurking on this one )

 

[Blue Room]

If anything, the argument should be: "Lookit, we've got Still Havent, MLK, Moment.., Every Breaking/North Star, Running to Stand, Mothers, we got acoustics, we got singalongs, we got our mid-tempo anthems WOWY and One and All I Want...NO MORE FRIGGIN SLOW SONGS!! Let's get some old 80s/90s fast rockers out and kick some ass!!" << And I really doubt ANY of us will disagree with that one!!!

(if I've totally misunderstood what everyone's saying I'll just go back to lurking on this one )

Who is Dave?? I agree with this part of your post. Essentially thats my point to a certain degree. MS isn't adding anything to the setlist at all.

 

[gvox]

Who is Dave?? I agree with this part of your post. Essentially thats my point to a certain degree. MS isn't adding anything to the setlist at all.

Er...aren't you Dave??

 

[CTU2fan]

What do you guys think about putting Electric Co back in, since we're looking for uptempo rockers? It seemed to be a crowd favorite on Vertigo but I saw them in Dublin; not sure how it was received in America. Maybe early in the show, before ISHF, and maybe move Elevation back to that downtime between ISHF and Vertigo. Something like ISHF-new song-Elevation-TUF-COBL etc?

 

[U2girl]

Who is Dave??

Er...aren't you Dave??

 

[jphelmet]

What do you guys think about putting Electric Co back in, since we're looking for uptempo rockers? It seemed to be a crowd favorite on Vertigo but I saw them in Dublin; not sure how it was received in America. Maybe early in the show, before ISHF, and maybe move Elevation back to that downtime between ISHF and Vertigo. Something like ISHF-new song-Elevation-TUF-COBL etc?

electric co. went over very well at US shows I saw. would be a very welcome addition.

 

[U2387]

Blue..I don't think he's using the right terminology, but I sortof understand where he's coming from...I think...I see WOWY and to a lesser extent One as songs that, while they may start out slow, rise in intensity to almost sheer anthemic near rock-out quality - WOWY especially! Alot of that has to do with the frenetic drumming at the end...put it to you this way yeah you can slow dance to it but at a certain point you feel like you want to break away from your partner, spin her around a few times and rock the fuck out. Not to mention belt your lungs out along with the lyrics or play air guitar along with the Edge. One does this also - as noted to a lesser extent and I cringe at the thought of slow dancing to it - but you still get that vibe of joining hands and swaying, moving, whatever, becoming a part of the energy of that live performance with the band.

Now...and I happen to like them as songs...compare that with YBR or MS. Um..there's no comparison. Period. Zilch. Zero. There's no real buildup unless you count closing your eyes and shaking your head in ecstasy as Bono hits the "l'amooorrrrrre" as "buildup" or something to rock out to. YBR has nothing, it's fairly even in terms of the energy from start to finish.

In that sense, YBR and MS are more technically "slow" songs and WOWY and One are more "ballads". I've seen tons of people try and dance slow to WOWY at concerts (done it myself even ) and it's rather comical towards the end, you just can't figure out WHAT to do!

Maybe I'm assuming too much about what he means but in following this convo a bit my opinion is that it's not really fair to say "we already have WOWY and One, we don't want any more slow songs/vibe killers". WOWY and One are definitely not out and out "slow songs" and they don't kill the vibes, that's for sure.

If anything, the argument should be: "Lookit, we've got Still Havent, MLK, Moment.., Every Breaking/North Star, Running to Stand, Mothers, we got acoustics, we got singalongs, we got our mid-tempo anthems WOWY and One and All I Want...NO MORE FRIGGIN SLOW SONGS!! Let's get some old 80s/90s fast rockers out and kick some ass!!" << And I really doubt ANY of us will disagree with that one!!!

(if I've totally misunderstood what everyone's saying I'll just go back to lurking on this one )

Great Post!

Monsieur Fly hasn't been back, but I sense, as a lurker myself, that this is what he was getting at.

@blue room, technical nit picking about terminology aside, its pretty clear MS and YBR have very little in common with WOWY and One.

 

[Blue Room]

Great Post!

Monsieur Fly hasn't been back, but I sense, as a lurker myself, that this is what he was getting at.

@blue room, technical nit picking about terminology aside, its pretty clear MS and YBR have very little in common with WOWY and One.

I agree, two are hits, two are not.

I think the point was being missed by going to the technical stuff. That is what I was trying to point out.

Bottom line is MS does not work because its not that well known and is a pacing killer.

 

[rjhbonovox]

Thats four songs isnt it..?

Magnificent, Boots, Crazy and Moment..?

Yep sorry missed that one. But kinda disapointing as all the best ones they are leaving off, NLOTH, Unknown Caller and Breathe were the 3 best songs they were playing live. Now its Magnificent which I find a bit weak live cos Bono struggles with it and MOS which is also a bit weak live. The other two tracks live are nothing great either. So the songs they've kept are not a great representation of their last album.

 

[kabigon]

3 songs from their last album are making the setlists. Mmmmmm another Pop then!

Except for the fact U2 played 7/8 Pop songs right to the end of Popmart?

 

[monsieur fly]

Great Post!

Monsieur Fly hasn't been back, but I sense, as a lurker myself, that this is what he was getting at.

@blue room, technical nit picking about terminology aside, its pretty clear MS and YBR have very little in common with WOWY and One.

Yes, that's what I was getting at.

 

[Blue Room]

Yes, that's what I was getting at.

I couldn't tell. Obviously.

 

[Blue Room]

Oh, and Gvox, my name is not Dave!!

 

[gvox]

Blue...all this time I thought you were a Dave I know..met and hung out with on the Vertigo tour...who came up to Toronto and saw us play and crashed on my couch afterwards..wow..how wrong was I?! And when I say all this time I mean the last few years! That is frickin too funny

Sorry!! Now I gotta figure out which nickname Dave IS actually posting under!!

 

[CTU2fan]

electric co. went over very well at US shows I saw. would be a very welcome addition.

That's the way it seemed from DVD's I saw. I think between it being a rocker and being on UABRS (which as an 80s U2 fan I can tell you...everybody had UABRS, even the most casual of U2 fans) plenty of people would still get into it. Probably 11 O'Clock Tick Tock would work too, but it seems like the handful of times they've pulled it out on past tours they play it at a slower tempo; it's not as good as when it was a regular on the early tours.

 

[nirniva]

Reposted for amazingness:

DUBLIN -- According to sources, U2 are sick of seeing the same fans at show after show. Bono was quoted as saying, "If I hear one more person shout out requests for songs we'll never play, I'm going to fucking lose it mate." The Edge was more direct, "If I see that guy with the cell phone who is more interested in taken pictures than enjoying the show, I'm going to break my guitar over his head."

Larry and Adam combined to form an ultra band member like a Transformer whose name is LARDAM and Lardam was dismayed that frosty345, lemon5head, streetwithoutyou, pickleface, I Luv Cats... among many others would not stop posting in forums how awful their setlists were. Lardam said it made him sad inside to know that his fans were disappointed in their choices and that he might consider retirement rather than suffer any longer.

Somehow U2 continues to sell out show after show even though they are obviously hacks with no talent. One person said, "If only there was a way for people to listen to whatever songs they want when they want, then they wouldn't have to wait for the band to play it live. Some type of device." At press time, no device is know but that really would change up the music landscape making playing live as pointless as most fans seem to think it is.

No need to check back -- We will run this same article for the next 365 days.

 

[Blue Room]

What is amazing about this thread is why those that can't stand people not liking the setlist or discussing it feel a deep rooted need to post derogatory things to those participating in it. THAT is amazing.

 

[nirniva]

What is amazing about this thread is why those that can't stand people not liking the setlist or discussing it feel a deep rooted need to post derogatory things to those participating in it. THAT is amazing.

You can't deny the amazingness of LARDAM.

 

[Blue Room]

You can't deny the amazingness of LARDAM.

I think I can actually!!

The fact that someone put THAT much time into that is a tad sad to me. each their own!!

I guess I'm not big on the fan fiction either.

 

[coolian2]

if you don't love everything they do*, you're not a fan.


*=except for passengers because that's weird music and it doesn't say by u2 anyway

 

[gvox]

I'm gonna be honest...I don't want to whine on about the setlist, but I think it's really tragic (as far as these things go, that is) that TUF and Ultraviolet have been dropped from the static part of the show. They were keepers imo.