Denver #2 Setlist Party

[RioRhodes]

How dare you cori, I was trying to bring some positivity to the thread with an obvious comment and nic caged me. Uneccesary.

Meanwhile I'm just saying that the band is obviously playing for the casual crowd who will off key sing to one with their arms around their bro because they have NO IDEA of the magic of other u2 songs. So even though Bono blathers on that he is so grateful for the fans who've been with us from the start he will still play BD and One and Vertigo to the radio listeners.

Should they be playing for the 300 or so diehards in the audience each night, or for the remaining 15,000+ casual fans?

As much as I'd love to think its the former, I know better.

 

[popacrobat]

only a small handful of you will get this, but trust me, it's funny:

interference: bono, can you comment on the setlist being only 23 songs?
bono: we're on to montreal

interference: how about volcano and ordinary love on the e-stage?
bono: we're on to montreal

interference: why no 11 o'clock tick tock?
bono: we're on to montreal

interference: what about the speechif...
bono: we're on to montreal

inteference: the choice of closers, who's decision is that?
bono: we're on to montreal

inteference: thanks, bono
bono: we're on to montreal

so U2 are winning [playing] the Super Bowl again this year? nice.

 

[Axver]

Denver is the only stop so far to not have a tour debut, and it's setlists are near carbon copies of ones already played this tour.

tonight was the exact same as LA5 except we lost the Troubles. for a band playing without an opening act, 23 songs is extremely disappointing. and don't give me that "Bono is still recovering" bullshit.

Despite brief surges in excitement when they did TEC and 11OTT, I'm really not feeling this tour's sets. I'll go to any Melbourne shows with fingers crossed but that's it.

For the record, I'm pretty sure my tune would be the same had I attended tonight. I've seen a shit set before, it's called Melbourne 2010-12-03, and it was not a great show. I did not walk out going "oh that song selection was poor but what an awesome time!" like some of you seem to think I would. But then U2 aren't my favourite band any more and haven't been for years. Not even top five.

I can play it and I'm awful at guitar

it's easier than I Will Follow I think.

Yeah 11OTT is heaps of fun to play. Love that main riff.

 

[yenlard]

can't wait to hear new york in new york.

 

[corianderstem]

interference: bono, can you comment on the setlist being only 23 songs?
bono: I'm just about that action, boss.

 

[Rachel D.]

This tour is just too... normal. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I'm just not excited about it at all right now. It's like they're going through the motions. There's still time to tweak it, so maybe it'll get better. I'm glad they're touring and all, but there's something off.

 

[LemonMelon]

Should they be playing for the 300 or so diehards in the audience each night, or for the remaining 15,000+ casual fans?

As much as I'd love to think its the former, I know better.

I think they should be playing for everyone in the crowd.

And I don't think that's impossible to accomplish.

 

[yenlard]

face it some of these songs will never leave the setlist. beautiful day will be played at every show for the next ??? years. i understand the casual fan stuff. but don't they get sick of playing it?

 

[dazzlingamy]

But then U2 aren't my favourite band any more and haven't been for years. Not even top five.

What are your top 5?


And i'm not disagreeing with the idea that u2 are playing for the 10,000+ casual fans, thats where the bulk of the money is, you need to pay for your set up somehow! I mean i've been underwhelmed at a u2 gig and they played some great songs. I still love them madly. But i iwish they were more adventurous thats all and end on a fun upbeat song. I mean i'd even take vertigox2!

 

[corianderstem]

This tour is just too... normal. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I'm just not excited about it at all right now. It's like they're going through the motions. There's still time to tweak it, so maybe it'll get better. I'm glad they're touring and all, but there's something off.

And you're basing this on what?

From the shows I saw, I'd say they seem loose and like they're actually having fun. In no way do they seem like they're "going through the motions."

Setlist schmetlist - we all keep hoping they 'mix it up' more, and then are horribly disappointed when they do it rarely. Why the hell is this a surprise that they don't do it often?

 

[nitebusnitebus]

I think they should be playing for everyone in the crowd.

And I don't think that's impossible to accomplish.

yep. seriously, all we ask for is just like, one or two moments of excitement in the show

I can't remember who it was but they nailed it when they said 360 got all the more attractive by simply adding Zooropa right into the middle of the show. it gave the middle segment new life.

every tour we've had rare songs come back and have their resurgence. this time, close to nothing.

also complaining about our (fair and not unreasonable) criticisms, there is an ignore function!

 

[RioRhodes]

I think they should be playing for everyone in the crowd.

And I don't think that's impossible to accomplish.

I think they can as well, but to get upset that the band closes with One, which is wildly popular among casual fans, seems unfair. At the end of the day, it's only fair that the band lean in favor of casual fans. We don't need convincing, but they do.

 

[yenlard]

This tour is just too... normal. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I'm just not excited about it at all right now. It's like they're going through the motions. There's still time to tweak it, so maybe it'll get better. I'm glad they're touring and all, but there's something off.

Yeah...they're old and don't like change

 

[corianderstem]

There was a guy on Twitter last night griping about the setlist and he got in a Twitter slap-fight with a friend. He said something like "I've listened to all of the shows so far online - I'm a way bigger fan than you'll ever be."

I mean, holy shit.

 

[nitebusnitebus]

I think they can as well, but to get upset that the band closes with One, which is wildly popular among casual fans, seems unfair. At the end of the day, it's only fair that the band lean in favor of casual fans. We don't need convincing, but they do.

they can play One but is it really the best way to go out

even on Popmart it wasn't long before they played an extra song after it.

 

[prbiker15]

He said something like "I've listened to all of the shows so far online - I'm a way bigger fan than you'll ever be."

Wow.

 

[Rachel D.]

every tour we've had rare songs come back and have their resurgence. this time, close to nothing.

Yes, that's it! That's what's missing. Remember how awesome it was when they brought back Ultraviolet and HMTMKMKM (and others)?

 

[corianderstem]

yep. seriously, all we ask for is just like, one or two moments of excitement in the show

There's lots of excitement in the show. If you're only going to feel excitement if they whip out some rare track, why even bother going to a U2 show, knowing their track record?

(fair and not unreasonable)

Look. At the end of the day, yeah, I'd like U2 to mix it up more as well. I'd like them to dump Beautiful Day. But ugh, this is going to be a long fucking tour if people are going to be like this at every short-run city. Or every first and second night of the longer-stand shows.

I'm not going to change anyone's minds, and all y'all can just mentally flip me off and do your thing. And when I'm in a mood, I will continue to come in and post eyeroll gifs and think you're being ridiculous.

Good times, good times.

 

[LemonMelon]

I think they can as well, but to get upset that the band closes with One, which is wildly popular among casual fans, seems unfair. At the end of the day, it's only fair that the band lean in favor of casual fans. We don't need convincing, but they do.

I saw it for myself: One doesn't work as a closer. The lighting was too bright, no there was no atmosphere, the transition out of Streets sucked, the band wasn't into it, it just didn't work. It sounded like the band couldn't wait to leave. You can't just tack a hit on the end and pray it will send people off properly. Pride, Beautiful Day, WOWY, any of them would work just as well (not very).

But the point is, U2 has enough recognizable tracks to pack an entire 23 song set. They don't have to play the same exact ones every single night. That, mixed with some rough transitions and short shows are what 90% of the complaints are about and I think they're fair ones.

 

[prbiker15]

We're only 13 shows in, 57 more to go.

 

[yenlard]

on average....are these shows shorter than 360? Axver ?

 

[lisag71]

There's lots of excitement in the show. If you're only going to feel excitement if they whip out some rare track, why even bother going to a U2 show, knowing their track record?



Look. At the end of the day, yeah, I'd like U2 to mix it up more as well. I'd like them to dump Beautiful Day. But ugh, this is going to be a long fucking tour if people are going to be like this at every short-run city. Or every first and second night of the longer-stand shows.

I'm not going to change anyone's minds, and all y'all can just mentally flip me off and do your thing. And when I'm in a mood, I will continue to come in and post eyeroll gifs and think you're being ridiculous.

Good times, good times.

Liking or Disliking certain song choices and where they are in the set is a matter of taste also. Not everyone hates or likes the same things so U2 will never please everyone. (or a lot of people here )

 

[LemonMelon]

on average....are these shows shorter than 360? Axver ?

I think they're the exact same length (23-25 songs), but without an opening act + an intermission.

 

[Rachel D.]

They need to play The Crystal Ballroom.

 

[dazzlingamy]

I saw it for myself: One doesn't work as a closer. The lighting was too bright, no there was no atmosphere, the transition out of Streets sucked, the band wasn't into it, it just didn't work. It sounded like the band couldn't wait to leave. You can't just tack a hit on the end and pray it will send people off properly. Pride, Beautiful Day, WOWY, any of them would work just as well (not very).

But the point is, U2 has enough recognizable tracks to pack an entire 23 song set. They don't have to play the same exact ones every single night. That, mixed with some rough transitions and short shows are what 90% of the complaints are about and I think they're fair ones.

Exactly. The first song sets the tone (and i actually like miracle first up, i think its a good opener) and the last sets the feeling of the night. I just morose sad sack songs are for the middle. Play BD, then one, then WOWY and then troubles. Easy.

 

[TheUnknownCalle]

Yeah the last two tours both had permanent places for *hugely* popular fan rarities and 360 was in stadiums, FGS. It's really not a case of fans demanding too much to ask that they have 1-2 fan favourite rarer songs in there. Even the closest thing so far, The Electric Co, was a regular just the tour before last and is only in rotation now.

I get that the first set is nailed down but do we really think that the casual fan would have their experience massively ruined by, say, Discotheque in place of EBTTRT? Hell, you could make it a show that hardcore fans loved far more by literally just putting in 1-2 singles, not even super obscure tracks; imagine how happy people would be if One Tree Hill and Please became semi-regulars, and there are obvious fits for both in the set.

 

[Axver]

What are your top 5?

Honestly I'm not sure I can really do a ranking, but Alcest, Crowded House, The Chills, Pure Reason Revolution, and Porcupine Tree would probably be my top five.

Trying to flesh it out to a top ten and U2 would fall in somewhere with Agalloch, Russian Circles, Pinback, and Ladytron. I'd love to put The Cure in my top ten because some of their albums mean so much to me, but like U2 by god have they put out some utter shit, and unlike U2 they weren't my teenage obsession so there isn't that sort of glow to obscure their flaws and help elevate them in the rankings. (A similar thing can be said for Anathema, whose last three albums are so dreadful that it's possibly tarnished my view of their whole catalogue now.)

yep. seriously, all we ask for is just like, one or two moments of excitement in the show

I can't remember who it was but they nailed it when they said 360 got all the more attractive by simply adding Zooropa right into the middle of the show. it gave the middle segment new life.

every tour we've had rare songs come back and have their resurgence. this time, close to nothing.

also complaining about our (fair and not unreasonable) criticisms, there is an ignore function!

Yep. The one thing that sticks out to me about this tour so far is that we're really short on mindblowing resurrections. The Electric Co., granted, and When Love Comes To Town was special circumstances and wouldn't have happened otherwise. I guess 360 only started with two as well though, UF and UV. Oh though there were those attempts at Electrical Storm, and obviously our hopes were kept up for weeks about Drowning Man... I guess we're now experiencing a similar potentially false hope about 11OTT.

 

[yenlard]

They need to play The Crystal Ballroom.

That would be incredible. but the casual fan would go "what the hell is this"

 

[Rachel D.]

Yeah the last two tours both had permanent places for *hugely* popular fan rarities and 360 was in stadiums, FGS. It's really not a case of fans demanding too much to ask that they have literally 1-2 fan favourite rarer songs in there. Even the closest thing so far, The Electric Co, was a regular just the tour before last and is only in rotation now.

I get that the first set is nailed down but do we really think that the casual fan would have their experience massively ruined by, say, Discotheque in place of EBTTRT? Hell, you could make it a show that hardcore fans loved far more by literally just putting in 1-2 singles, not even super obscure tracks; imagine how happy people would be if One Tree Hill and Please became semi-regulars, and there are obvious fits for both in the set.

I think 360 also benefited from being connected with the Achtung Baby anniversary, if only because of the fantastic version of EBTTRT that opened the show in 2011. I am so glad I got to see that.

 

[Axver]

on average....are these shows shorter than 360? Axver ?

360 started off with 22-23 songs per night on the first leg. A few shows got out to 24, but that was sometimes because of Happy Birthday, or a one-off cover, or that time in Barcelona when they did Crazy Tonight in both styles.

By the end of the tour, 24-25 was the norm and three shows got out to 26.