Joshua tree set list speculation

[clerks]

If God Will Send His Angels
Please

Sound perfect for this tour. I'm depressed to hear that they may have changed releasing music due to an election because they are the band to me of pure hope. So I need them, hope they will make sure they add in their trademark hope throughout the show. I don't want a funeral. I don't want a 20 minute bullet that makes me want to kill myself.

I want to hear how we will rise above this and come out on the other side. And also playing the songs I like would be cool too.

I want to pretend it's 1987 and the future is ahead of us.

 

[hpantazo]

I think you could bank on them revisiting some of their old JT tour set lists and just tweaking them to include Beautiful Day, One, Vertigo etc. Although I highly doubt Red Hill Mining Town and Exit will be played. Call it a hunch.

I just can't wait to hear Bono guessing how long some JT songs haven't been played for..."Here's a song we haven't played in 30 years"...(Streets intro begins)

The promos for the tour say the joshua tree album "every song, every show". So yeah, they will be played. The only question is how the heck is Bono going to sing Red Hill Mining Town, and how badly will it sound, or will Edge help by taking on most of the vocal heavy lifting for that song?

I also think they will fully avoid Achtung Baby era material as much as possible, maybe playing only One, with the idea that if this tour is a raging success, they will go with an Achung Baby Anniversary Tour later on.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I imagine they'll play Red Hill as a slow acoustic number on the b-stage, perhaps just Bono and Edge.

 

[U2FanPeter]

The promos for the tour say the joshua tree album "every song, every show". So yeah, they will be played. The only question is how the heck is Bono going to sing Red Hill Mining Town, and how badly will it sound, or will Edge help by taking on most of the vocal heavy lifting for that song?.

YouTube

Simon LeBon magic microphone. Bono used something similar in 2009 for MLK. Obviously he hasn't used it elsewhere given the odd uncorrected notes heard in virtually every U2 show.

Groups like Motley Crue, Kiss, Def Leppard or Duran Duran have fans less picky/obsessive as U2's so I wonder if Bono does go this route for many songs how much the audience will notice. This is going further than Terry, Larry playing to a track and teleprompters.

 

[U2FanPeter]

I imagine they'll play Red Hill as a slow acoustic number on the b-stage, perhaps just Bono and Edge.

No "Busker" crap unless it's a setlist rarity/request.

Were Stay and E-B-Wave the only acoustic Bono/Edge songs improved on the studio album versions?

 

[djparky]

YouTube

Simon LeBon magic microphone. Bono used something similar in 2009 for MLK. Obviously he hasn't used it elsewhere given the odd uncorrected notes heard in virtually every U2 show.

Groups like Motley Crue, Kiss, Def Leppard or Duran Duran have fans less picky/obsessive as U2's so I wonder if Bono does go this route for many songs how much the audience will notice. This is going further than Terry, Larry playing to a track and teleprompters.

Alot of artists use this type of technology, I didn't hear any bum notes on the last tour so assume U2 are using something similar.

 

[U2FanPeter]

Alot of artists use this type of technology, I didn't hear any bum notes on the last tour so assume U2 are using something similar.

While I do think Bono has used some real time pitch correction on at least the last 2 tours, pitch shifting would be new. What Bono hears from his in-ears and what he sings is a different key than what the audience hears, not just fixing a couple stray notes.

 

[mo786]

IMO they will play upbeat songs to start - then a few more. Then all of JT to either finish or to finish the mai nset and do an encore.

Very much doubt they will start with JT in full.

 

[cobl04]

Vertigo
Elevation
Desire
I Will Follow
Sunday Bloody Sunday
UTEOTW
Pride
TJT

COBL
Beautiful Day
One

 

[intedomine]

Love this discussion..

I think the setlist will depend a lot on where the band is at with SoE. If it is released, they'll almost certainly feature a 3-4 tracks from the album. If it is not yet released, they may have 1-2 trial slots for new tracks.

I can't help but find the track listing of Joshua Tree quite inconvenient given the nature of the tour and the popularity of the band. A legendary rock band playing a critically-acclaimed album in sequence, to tens of thousands of casual fans in huge stadiums.

While I personally would have absolutely no issue with hearing Streets open and Mothers close, it might not be conducive to creating the best atmosphere or vibe when you've got three of the band's biggest tracks stacked first up in the set.

An agreeable compromise might be to start with ISHFWILF and close with Streets following Mothers. A climax that many will get around.

My setlist below incorporates this scenario, along with:

- the band isn't ready for SoE
- energetic warm up songs to get the crowd going from the get go
- the songs immediately prior to The Joshua Tree component of the set, acknowledging where the band were coming from prior to The Joshua Tree.
- still showcasing SoI songs, if it remains their most recent album (and therefore perhaps still worth promoting), but not revisiting the same core songs from the I&E tour.
- an acknowledgement that "four men cut down the Joshua Tree" (Zoopop, top idea). I think in some respects this is just as notable a part of U2's narrative as the JT album itself. That the band were willing to artistically distance themselves so far from it in the 90s.
- a couple of R&H songs to finish up, that casual fans will appreciate and might even mistake as actually being JT songs!
- a whole lot of personal bias ?


1. California
2. Beautiful Day
3. I Will Follow
4. New Years Day OR Sunday Bloody Sunday
5. Bad / MLK
6. I Still Haven't Found..:
7. With or Without You
8. Bullet the Blue Sky
9. Running to Stand Still
10. Red Hill Mining Town
11. In God's Country
12. Trip Through Your Wires
13. One Tree Hill
14. Exit
15. Mothers of the Disappeared
16. Where the Streets Have No Name

--- Intermission ---

17. Sleep Like A Baby Tonight
18. The Fly
19. Mysterious Ways OR Hold Me Thrill Me
20. Discotheque OR Lemon
21. One

Encore
23. Desire
24. All I Want Is You


Sent from a barge floating through the docks of Dublin

 

[kabigon]

While I personally would have absolutely no issue with hearing Streets open and Mothers close, it might not be conducive to creating the best atmosphere or vibe when you've got three of the band's biggest tracks stacked first up in the set.

I keep thinking about the suggestion from (?) about playing the album backwards. It makes so much sense, especially given you're building up to the big three singles rather than perhaps having a little anti-climax if you're a casual concert goer.

 

[ascender_RS]

It's been mentioned on a few different threads, but this tour is going to appeal to loads of casual U2 fans who want to hear the JT in full and will the expect to hear the hits, up to Vertigo era I'm guessing. I don't think we will hear anything from SOE given the nature of this tour and the sort of people who will be going to it.

I've never seen such a widespread mention of U2 all across my social media and other forums as has happened following this announcement. The nostalgia thing is a very popular market to tap in to.

I think it is likely that off the back of this tour they could release SOE and then ride that wave in to the next tour, or if they have a very strong lead single then maybe that gets released and played mid-tour, but this is going to be all about the JT.

 

[smileymbcastard]

Well you remember how I&E was given free to all of us who had an itunes account. well im wondering if on this tour as we walk in we get a cd of SOE. i mean clearly bono et co dont need the money and this would be one way of giving back to dedicated fans.
as for set list what is they did JT, AB and All That You Can't Leave Behind that would just be awesome.

 

[clerks]

I'm thinking POP and ATYCLB with be a force on this tour. I think they were left alone for the past 2 tours for the most part. I'm talking about

Kite
Walk On
Discoteque
God Send His Angels
Please

 

[KEVIN051269]

U2 well know the importance of the red screen and 'lightning flash' for Streets. A lot of these shows will be a hour in before it is anywhere near dark enough for that, so If they are going to play JT chronologically, you are probably looking at 10 songs - JT - encore. Playing the album on shuffle certainly opens up a few more options.

 

[hpantazo]

U2 well know the importance of the red screen and 'lightning flash' for Streets. A lot of these shows will be a hour in before it is anywhere near dark enough for that, so If they are going to play JT chronologically, you are probably looking at 10 songs - JT - encore. Playing the album on shuffle certainly opens up a few more options.

Well, they will have an opener each night, so they can easily just come on stage after the sun sets and still open with Streets in all it's glory.

As for the openers, I'm bummed that we are not getting Noel Gallagher at Foxboro. How are the Lumineers?

 

[lars4mf]

Epic JT playlist

INTRO MUSIC:
Beautiful Ghost. Intro to Songs of Experience.
(Bono vocals live each night. Reading different Text. )
Giant J Tree on Screen or Tree Shaped B-Stage lit up.
Mixed into Red Screen
SETLIST 1:Songs of Experience
Streets
Still haven't Found
Spanish Eyes
NEW SOE song written about Ali from that era.
Sweetest Thing. JT era version
With or Without You
I Trip Through Your Wires
Harmonica at end bleeds into...
Running to Stand Still.
SETLIST #2: Songs of America
(Screen starts showing American montage
Star spangled banner )
Bullet the Blue Sky.
(Ends in sirens and audio in Hollywood tonight..."
Desire
God pt 2
(Move to acoustic B-Stage)
When Love Comes to town
Hallelujah, here she comes.
(One of the following three covers rotating every show)
Everlasting Love
Stand by Me
People get Ready
Angel of Harlem
ENCORE 1:Back on stage
Red Hill Mining Town
One Tree Hill
Exit
Mothers of the Disappeared
ENCORE 2:
Van Diemens Land. (Edge singing over desert visuals)
In God's Country
All I Want is You/Love Rescue Me.
BONO: "we got to go away now and dream up a new record by the end of the year"

 

[nbelcik]

Opening with Streets would be a prime example of blowing your load early, they gotta build up to that moment.


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[gareth brown]

I'm semi excited by what the setlists will be since Streets/Still Haven't Found/With Or Without You/Bullet are all safely tied up in the JT portion of the show, meaning what's played before and after the album could be pretty interesting?

But let's face it, since they''ll be rehearsing TJT so it's perfect, and rightly so since they haven't played some of it for 30 years..the encore's going to be a complete snoozefest isn't it??
once they know they're ready to play the album in full, they'll probably just bolt COBL/Beautiful Day/One/Pride permanently to the end of the set then hit the road

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

U2 well know the importance of the red screen and 'lightning flash' for Streets. A lot of these shows will be a hour in before it is anywhere near dark enough for that, so If they are going to play JT chronologically, you are probably looking at 10 songs - JT - encore. Playing the album on shuffle certainly opens up a few more options.

That'll be more of an issue in Europe than in the States.

 

[BVS]

YouTube



Simon LeBon magic microphone. Bono used something similar in 2009 for MLK. Obviously he hasn't used it elsewhere given the odd uncorrected notes heard in virtually every U2 show.



Groups like Motley Crue, Kiss, Def Leppard or Duran Duran have fans less picky/obsessive as U2's so I wonder if Bono does go this route for many songs how much the audience will notice. This is going further than Terry, Larry playing to a track and teleprompters.

While I do think Bono has used some real time pitch correction on at least the last 2 tours, pitch shifting would be new. What Bono hears from his in-ears and what he sings is a different key than what the audience hears, not just fixing a couple stray notes.

So you think they just randomly turn it off and on during the night?

And what are you talking about on MLK 09?


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[Headache in a Suitcase]

I mean... I don't discount slight pitch correction. Many artists use it these days. But anyone who's been close enough to Bono when he's singing knows that he's not singing in a completely different key.

 

[Yahweh_OMG]

I think the setlist should be only based on the first 5 albums.

1. 11 o' clock
2. The Electric co
3. I Will follow
4. Wire
5. A sort of homecoming
6 - 16. JT album

Encore 1

17. Gloria
18. New years day
19. Pride

Encore 2

20. Luminous times
21. Bad
22. Sunday blood sunday
23. 40

 

[U2FanPeter]

U2 well know the importance of the red screen and 'lightning flash' for Streets. A lot of these shows will be a hour in before it is anywhere near dark enough for that, so If they are going to play JT chronologically, you are probably looking at 10 songs - JT - encore. Playing the album on shuffle certainly opens up a few more options.

Wasn't Streets, plus red screen/floodlights, played in day light a bunch of times on Popmart? Early curfew shows, couple afternoon gigs and the late summer sunset in places like Sweden.

Well you remember how I&E was given free to all of us who had an itunes account. well im wondering if on this tour as we walk in we get a cd of SOE. i mean clearly bono et co dont need the money and this would be one way of giving back to dedicated fans.
as for set list what is they did JT, AB and All That You Can't Leave Behind that would just be awesome.

What does the label get for the free CDs? Live Nation isn't going to pay the 8 figure fee that Apple paid.

I think the setlist will depend a lot on where the band is at with SoE. If it is released, they'll almost certainly feature a 3-4 tracks from the album. If it is not yet released, they may have 1-2 trial slots for new tracks

To get a day/date release on vinyl before Vancouver the final album would have to be submitted about now.

I honestly believe nothing new from U2 gets a physical release in 2017, though I commend your enthusiasm.

 

[U2FanPeter]

So you think they just randomly turn it off and on during the night?

And what are you talking about on MLK 09?

Things can be operated any time during the show, just like Dallas doing Edge's pedals or the reverb being cranked to overdrive when Bono goes for a big note or the "woos" in Elevation.

I do think mild correction has been used by Bono on the past 2 tours, but the only time I really took notice was MLK 2009.

I mean... I don't discount slight pitch correction. Many artists use it these days. But anyone who's been close enough to Bono when he's singing knows that he's not singing in a completely different key.

I don't think Bono has ever used pitch shifting in the past. Such technology has potential for Bono to sing a faithful album pitch version of RHMT in 2017. Those in the front row won't hear any singing different than those in the nosebleeds seats.

 

[KEVIN051269]

That'll be more of an issue in Europe than in the States.

Just looked at the intro for the 360 NJ shows, you're probably right.

Twickenham has a curfew of 10.30pm i think. It won't be dark until after 9pm. Croke Park won't be much different.

Barcelona don't seem to give a shit they don't come on until about 11pm

 

[BVS]

Things can be operated any time during the show, just like Dallas doing Edge's pedals or the reverb being cranked to overdrive when Bono goes for a big note or the "woos" in Elevation.



I do think mild correction has been used by Bono on the past 2 tours, but the only time I really took notice was MLK 2009.

It just seems weird they wouldn't keep it on the time, because both tours have had slightly pitchy spots, including MLK.



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[Headache in a Suitcase]

Yea you'd think that if there was any song last tour that would use pitch correction, it would have been Every Breaking Wave... and Bono was very inconsistent with his ability to hit notes on that song throughout the tour. I just don't think they use it. I wouldn't blame them if they did... a ton of acts do now. David Bowie even admitted to using it live. But Bono has too many fuck ups for me to believe he's using it

 

[BVS]

Yea you'd think that if there was any song last tour that would use pitch correction, it would have been Every Breaking Wave... and Bono was very inconsistent with his ability to hit notes on that song throughout the tour. I just don't think they use it. I wouldn't blame them if they did... a ton of acts do now. David Bowie even admitted to using it live. But Boo has too many fuck ups for me to believe he's using it

This


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[MTEdge]

But does pitch correction require singing lyrics correctly?

Bono's voice has improved leaps and bounds beginning with the Vertigo Tour, which is when I'd guess the use some level of pitch correction began.

Just compare SBS (tuned down full step and still struggling occasionally) from the ATYCLB tour to the Vertigo tour (tuned down half step and occasionally being too strong).

Frankly, I don't care.


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