Best live version of "Bad"?

[bobsaget77]

The greatest U2 song of all time, Bad, (at least for us real fans ) has had countless incredible versions. I think the song peaked during The Joshua Tree and Lovetown tours, but it's always amazing live.
I'm curious as to what many here think is the best performance of the song. 12-27-89 Point Depot and 8-30-93 Dublin are real standouts out to me.
What performances are as good or better?



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[youarenotimmune]

This is easily the best performance of Bad, ever:



Then there's that 16 minute version (New Jersey, 1985) which is pretty special. And the one from Chicago (2005) with The First Time snippet is really good as well.

 

[djerdap]

East Rutherford 1985-04-15 - the 16-minute version. Amazing stuff.

Bologna 1985-02-05 - The Unforgettable Fire Tour versions are the definitive ones for me, with some details like the sequencer intro being more detailed and nuanced, and the amazing energy from everybody, making it extended, energetic and not dragging at the same time. This one has great sound quality and it is a fantastic version.

Rotterdam 1992-06-15 - I love the ZooTV versions and this one is pretty much my favorite. Edge is doing some really cool changes with his guitar parts.

Live Aid 1985 - For its historical value, and it is a pretty good version. Larry is going for it more than usual.

Sydney 1989-10-20 - This one is a very interesting, unique All I Want Is You/Bad medley that deserves a mention.

Wembley 1993-08-12 - Speaking of unique versions, this one features Jo Shankar on violin and it turns out quite beautiful.

Chicago 2005-09-21 - Best version of this century, with the full version of The First Time (with its melody being played through the Bad guitar effect) being played in the middle. It was a rare encore opener for its time and it really feels they wanted to get their audience back into the mode as soon as possible.

 

[Galeongirl]

360 Brussels was pretty damn special. Bono played guitar on Bad and actually jammed longer with Edge, forcing Larry and Adam to come back in. That was... 2010-09-23 if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Peterrrrr]

1986-06-15 - East Rutherford
1993-08-28 - Dublin
2011-07-26 - Pittsburgh

 

[The_acrobat]

^ I was at that Pittsburgh show in 2011, and that was a great version.

The version from Rattle and Hum, while it may not be the best version out there, is what transformed me into a hardcore U2 fan. I was just a 13 year old kid who was just starting to get curious about music and bands. My Dad had a few U2 CDs, so I was already into them a little bit. Then I rented R&H from the video store, and this version of Bad blew my mind. After that, I was a fan. 20 years later, and still a fan.

 

[Mr. Sarajevo 20]

5/12/05 - Chicago, United Center.
Numerous snippets, including "Strangers in the Night". It was great.

 

[djerdap]

Strangers in the Night was in With or Without You that night, not in Bad. It was the first time though they decided to close with Bad, which was obviously a good decision.

 

[Mr. Sarajevo 20]

Strangers in the Night was in With or Without You that night, not in Bad. It was the first time though they decided to close with Bad, which was obviously a good decision.

Crap, you are right.
I was there that night...but it's been a while.

Great show though. Possibly the best of the 20 I've attended.

That was an unbelievable week in Chicago, each show just got better than the previous one.

 

[dan_smee]

Notre Dame 2001 is my fav. The way he nails the big "fade away" is a spine-tingling moment.


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[gweeps]

360 Brussels was pretty damn special. Bono played guitar on Bad and actually jammed longer with Edge, forcing Larry and Adam to come back in. That was... 2010-09-23 if I'm not mistaken.

You're correct. Wow. 5 years ago today.

Thanks for the recommendation. The video was cool, with the rain and all.

 

[Yahweh_OMG]

many unforgettable versions of this song indeed. Lately it's been a treat to hear it live, however, they are very far from playing their best versions, sadly. Too short, I like when they keep playing the same riff at the end of the song.....which doesn't happen any more, at least this tour.

 

[An Cat Gav]

Bad live from WAIA is my favourite U2 song of all time and as such it's the ultimate version for me. However seeing them play it at Live Aid as a 9 year old is the reason I became a U2 fanatic.

 

[Galeongirl]

You're correct. Wow. 5 years ago today.

Thanks for the recommendation. The video was cool, with the rain and all.

It was a surreal evening, didn't even realise it's 5 years ago now! The downpour started as we went inside the stadium, so everybody was soaked including the band. I was at Edge's side of the pit so I could clearly see Bono's face when he and Edge decided to go with it, it was pretty funny cause Larry was NOT amused.



Here's a great IEM audio version where you can hear Bono's guitar best.

 

[Yahweh_OMG]

He was hitting the "wide awake" easily that day in Brussels

 

[Hollow Island]

Chicago 2005-09-21 - Best version of this century, with the full version of The First Time (with its melody being played through the Bad guitar effect) being played in the middle. It was a rare encore opener for its time and it really feels they wanted to get their audience back into the mode as soon as possible.

I hadn't seen this until now and it's incredible. The "love" call and response in the middle of The First Time is awful, though not as bad as the "and threw away the key..for love! love! love!" call and response that goes into Bad. Made me cringe, and ruins what is an incredible performance. U2 in 2004/5/6 were just...off. I don't know what it was. They couldn't do anything right. If only they were as endearing as Charlie Brown.

That Brussels version is really good. Was Bono's guitar audible at the show? Too bad he wasn't a regular second guitarist live when he had the physical ability to do so.

 

[djerdap]

I don't think it was awful. It's cheesy, but it was a good way to do the build-up and go back to Bad, with some audience participation in the mix.

The acoustic versions of The First Time on the Vertigo Tour with that aspect didn't work at all though.

And I completely disagree that they were in general off during that period. The performances of The Electric Co., Bad, Kite, Zoo Station and The Fly (not the Chicago DVD versions for the last two, where the drum mix is completely bizarre) were all excellent for starters.

 

[Galeongirl]

The guitar was audible in the stadium yeah, we were honestly surprised as it's usually so low in the mix it's hard to discern! Not as loud as it was in the IEM, but it mixed well and we could clearly make out what he was playing.

 

[Rhiannon64]

I love the Chicago, 1986 version of Bad! To me it's perfect! There is so much passion in this version. The band and the audience were so in sync that night-imo. Towards the end of the clip, Bono's working through his falsetto voice that he eventually mastered during the Zoo tour. Love it!



Enjoy!