Fan Respect For Streets Live...

[namkcuR]

I've been listening to U2's official live releases a lot lately(R&H, ZooTV Sydney, Popmart Mexico City, Elevation Boston&Slane, Vertigo Chicago), and I've noticed something that I found sort of profound.

When the first notes of the NYD bassline are heard, the crowd goes nuts, screaming and cheering.

When the guitar riff for Pride starts, the crowd goes nuts.

When the SBS drumline starts, the crowd goes nuts.

When the intro to BD starts, the crowd goes nuts.

All of these huge anthemic hits make the crowd scream and cheer.

Except for one....

Where The Streets Have No Name.

Listen to it live on any of the official live releases or even bootlegs within the last 15 years, especially the last 10. Instead of the crowd going nuts and screaming and cheering like they do for the aforementioned hits, what you hear as the Streets organ slowly overtakes the venue and as Edge starts playing the soon-to-be(if not already)-legendary guitar intro, is a steady, consistant stream of applause and a more controlled kind of cheering. I don't know about you, but what I hear is a standing ovation of sorts. Like, instead of jumping up and down and screaming at the top of their lungs because their favorite song is starting, they are taking part in a show of respect for what could very - I would even say most - likely go down as U2's 'Stairway'.

I just thought the difference between the crowd reactions to Streets and to everything else, given the reasons I stated above, was a profound thing.

 

[Zoots]

a steady, consistant stream of applause and a more controlled kind of cheering.

I think that's because Streets doesn't start with a bang like the other songs you mentioned! NYD starts with a killer guitar and bass line! Ditto for Pride! SBS starts with an instantly recognizable drum intro!

But Streets kinda segues out of the ending of another song and the crowd only slowly begins to realize what's coming up next. That's why you hear a slow rise in cheer until the classic Edge riff comes up when the crowd goes nuts!!! That's my take on it anyway.

 

[Lila64]

 

[the rockin edge]

Re: Re: Fan Respect For Streets Live...

But Streets kinda segues out of the ending of another song and the crowd only slowly begins to realize what's coming up next. That's why you hear a slow rise in cheer until the classic Edge riff comes up when the crowd goes nuts!!! That's my take on it anyway.

yeah, the intro is much longer.

at the show I was at in April the crowd was the loudest out of the entire show during Streets, it has amazing crowd energy

 

[U2girl]

It just takes a bit longer because Streets has a longer intro, but as soon as the music gets to Edge's guitar everyone goes crazy, peaking at the "white lights" moment.

 

[Pero]

Yeah!
That's true because people know that a u2 show is only waiting for Streets, nothing else. And while you're waiting for greatest song ever, you feel great, very very great.
I didn't see u2 live and i promise you that i'll jump and scream to every song.

 

[Heartland Kid]

well, whatever the answer. I think we can all agree that the intro to that song is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever. no?

 

[menelaos]

Just look at the italian girl that goes sooooooooooooo during the Streets in Milan from the 60 minutes show...
I love her already....

 

[lady luck]

When the notes of streets were heard at the show I was at (Milan 2, last summer...) I kept my breath and so does all the stadium.
I suppose it was a sort of respect for something that touches you deeply.

 

[*sofia*]

streets.. LIVE..... *goosebumps*







That's my take

 

[u2mad25]

Hmmm, I must see it differently. On the ZOO TV Sydney and Popmart Mexico, seems to me the crowd is going kind of nuts when the organ starts (esp the former) and moreso when Edge kicks in

I will admit though that, at the recent NYC show, even though I knew the setlist, I thought Bono was about to go into MLK when the organ started (it's very far in the background this time) weird I know.

 

[kosull]

With Streets it's always the moment when the lights flash on that people go nuts. As far as I can recall from being at Slane I and Croke Park II & III this year, that was one of the strongest moments in the whole gig and the one that gets the most energy from the crowd.

 

[lady luck]

well, whatever the answer. I think we can all agree that the intro to that song is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever. no?

 

[XHendrix24]

-Like, instead of jumping up and down and screaming at the top of their lungs because their favorite song is starting, they are taking part in a show of respect for what could very - I would even say most - likely go down as U2's 'Stairway'.

You know, I heard Streets on the radio yesterday and thought the exact same thing.

Streets

 

[The Disciple]

It just takes a bit longer because Streets has a longer intro, but as soon as the music gets to Edge's guitar everyone goes crazy, peaking at the "white lights" moment.

Having just attended my first show in Tampa, I can attest that this song still has "it" live. I was sick of it, but it was goose bump-inducing.

 

[Muggsy]

Yeah!
That's true because people know that a u2 show is only waiting for Streets, nothing else. And while you're waiting for greatest song ever, you feel great, very very great.
I didn't see u2 live and i promise you that i'll jump and scream to every song.

when I listened the first notes of Streets in miami.... i really felt that I was in a U2 concert.

 

[clifedge]

The crowd went crazy at their Super Bowl performance when they transitioned from MLK, but yeah, I see what you're saying. It's almost a worshipful experience for me, being pulled into that song with the long intro.

 

[Dismantled]

Streets live gives me goosebumps and brings tears to my eyes....I cannot explain why......best live song ever!

 

[blindinglights7]

Streets IS the best song ever, in my opinion...

So at my first ever U2 concert in Chicago, I felt this kind of 'respect' that you're talking about. Personally, once I realized Streets was next, I didn't say a thing. I actually had to sit down and lean on the glass in front of me. I really could have passed out. It's such a glorious moment. And then, once the song gets going, you get into it and just go crazy. I think it's a moment kind of like that for a lot of people. Multiply my experience times an arena full of people, and you get that respect for Streets.

 

[prisz25]

When streets is played live its just this sudden overwhelming sense of awe. The kind that is like this song is so amazing I want to take everything in. When I hear it live it feels like the moment passes by so quickly...IT is an intense feeling when a song that powerful begins to play. Even casual fans know that something big is going down when that song starts to play....I was so into it that i don't remember what happened i was just so caught up in the moment!

 

[Nube Gris]

yes menelaos i love her already too!
that great kind of fans, not the ones complaining all the f..time

 

[doctorwho]

If you listen to the END of each of the classics you mentioned (and a few others - including newer songs like BD and "Vertigo"), I think you'll agree that as great as the applause is for those songs, it seems 10x louder for "Streets". In fact, I never hear applause so great as I do when "Streets" came on. The closest, to my ears, was when U2 did that brilliant version of "Until the End of the World" during the Elevation tour. Edge and Bono doing that catwalk bull fight during Edge's powerful ending had everyone screaming. That was probably a close second.

 

[Utoo]

Bono's description is the best way to describe the feeling: it's as if God walks into the room. You hear that intro, and you just feel the air sucked out of you. You simply can't go nuts until the full band comes in.

Absolute best intro ever.

 

[Z00rop@83]

well if anyone is interested in a funny, but not so funny story....i went to my 1st U2 concert on 11/21 @ msg ....and i went with my brother bc he is handicapped, so when pride came on (not a fav of mine) i figured i would bring my bro ( in a wheel chair) to the bathroom....he had been bugging me for a while....so while we are in the $hitter i hear the intro to streets come on, i almost shat myself i was so mad, i was missing streetsssssss.

i thought for a moment to leave him alone and run to see the song, but by the time i was about to do that, the intro was over, i had missed the one part of the show i was dying to see.....if i never go to another U2 show again in my life i might never forgive him

i was/am/will always be mad at him...and have yet to let him live that down


i could die a happy man if i witnessed that moment....feel my pain

 

[tuwie]

I've been listening to U2's official live releases a lot lately(R&H, ZooTV Sydney, Popmart Mexico City, Elevation Boston&Slane, Vertigo Chicago), and I've noticed something that I found sort of profound.

When the first notes of the NYD bassline are heard, the crowd goes nuts, screaming and cheering.

When the guitar riff for Pride starts, the crowd goes nuts.

When the SBS drumline starts, the crowd goes nuts.

When the intro to BD starts, the crowd goes nuts.

All of these huge anthemic hits make the crowd scream and cheer.

Except for one....

Where The Streets Have No Name.

Listen to it live on any of the official live releases or even bootlegs within the last 15 years, especially the last 10. Instead of the crowd going nuts and screaming and cheering like they do for the aforementioned hits, what you hear as the Streets organ slowly overtakes the venue and as Edge starts playing the soon-to-be(if not already)-legendary guitar intro, is a steady, consistant stream of applause and a more controlled kind of cheering. I don't know about you, but what I hear is a standing ovation of sorts. Like, instead of jumping up and down and screaming at the top of their lungs because their favorite song is starting, they are taking part in a show of respect for what could very - I would even say most - likely go down as U2's 'Stairway'.

I just thought the difference between the crowd reactions to Streets and to everything else, given the reasons I stated above, was a profound thing.

well said. i completely agree. =) Streets is THE definitive U2 song for me. i stop EVERYTHING and listen WHENEVER it comes on. it's so powerful. <3<3
zoorop@83, i'm SOOO sorry you missed streets =(

 

[Liesje]

If I screamed and jumped around like I do for some other songs for the entire Streets intro, I'd have a heart attack before Bono even opened his mouth

I think people REALLY start to get crazy during the first chorus.

 

[NamelessStreets]

Have you not seen slane. The crowd looks pretty fuckin mad to me.

 

[angelordevil]

I heard it was pretty mad on Saturday when Streets started...apparently the Montreal crowd went insane and started chanting "Olay, olay, olay" before the intro....

Could've been a chant for soap though, with all that sweat...