if anyone wants a surprising setlist, don't go to a U2 show. Go Sonic Youth. U2 are a tired greatest hits roadshow, the new Rolling Stones.
you're so right. i'm so tired of hearing songs like:
In A Little While
Party Girl
Electrical Storm
Ultraviolet
Their new album
Stand By Me
You forgot UF.
Ramblin, I know you went to Barca in 2005 as well. Do you really think the crowd this time was as 'into it','pumped' whatever you want to call it?
I thought the Vertigo Barca show was THE best show i had ever seen yet i'd already seen the show 3 times.
I thought the shows last week were great and enjoyed them, yet they seemed to lack 'something'. I dont think it was just early in the tour type 'something' though
btw i think NLOTH >>>> HTDAAB
Case in point. YOU want to hear those songs, but many want WOWY and SBS because they know them.
quote]
How can you verify this? Discotheque was a number one hit in the UK and right across Europe, HMTMKMKM was huge as well. A fairly well-informed casual fan would know those songs. And even if you disagree with that, what is wrong with playing rarer material to a large audience? I saw Bruce Springsteen play to 45,000 people at Old Trafford last year- he did It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City, Trapped, Night etc, songs a casual fan could not name yet they went down as well as any of the others and probably gave them something new to enjoy. Apart from one or two untouchables (Streets and possibly BD) it is just not good enough to play a tired-sounding song every night solely because people are deemed to know it.
The intro is not long enough to build up the anticipation. 2005 had Wake up then Vertigo, IWF, Electric Co, 3 knockout punches to start with.
Sure they would know them but would they get the same reaction? I think Hold Me would work in this set, but I'm not so sure about Disco...How can you verify this? Discotheque was a number one hit in the UK and right across Europe, HMTMKMKM was huge as well. A fairly well-informed casual fan would know those songs. And even if you disagree with that, what is wrong with playing rarer material to a large audience?
Both. It's no secret that this tour has nothing really innovative in its concept and that most of the spectacle elements are taken from the last tours, there's nothing really new.Is this an opinion or fact? and i dont see any "recycle of the cocepts" at all, but its just about right for people to start bitching when a tour has just begun it happens all the time.
BINGO! You hit the nail!!!Even though there are very different opinions expressed by people in this thread, I have to say there is something I agree with in what everyone is saying here.
My observations: THE GOOD
1.)Overall, I am not bitching. U2 is back on tour for the first time since 2006, and just 3 shows in, everyone is on top of their game and Bono is sounding great. UF and UV are back, and Electrical storm is finally in the set! I would say if you had constructed a super thread/poll of what songs interference wants back, everyone pick 3, then UF, UV, and ES could have easily won. Things have been mixed up to some extent, Angel, Party girl, stuck, Desire, Electrical storm, in a little while, etc. The claw looks great, everyone in attendance seems to be having a great time, the PA system is enormous and sounds great even with crappy bootlegs.
2.)WHAT COULD IMPROVE? THE OPENER: no suprises here, like many, I think Breathe is a great song but just not as an opener. A U2 stadium show is about a massive build up to a massive opening, lights flashing, visuals, etc- just look at your Sydney Zoo TV or Popmart Mexico DVDs. Something is missing here, and its noticeable given the stage design, there is just so much more they could do. I think the best bet would be to have some kind of intro video like Zoo TV, use the claw lights, etc, then segue that into the opening they were using for Boots on the tv appearances. GOYB then goes into Even Better than the real thing or a FULL BAND LOVETOWN VERSION of Desire. Then NLOTH. That would add some pop to the opening. As it is now, it just lacks energy.
THIS SETLIST IS TOO STRUCTURED: There is the usual open with 3 rockers, then a couple of uplifting anthems(Magnificent, BD) then Still Havent found, then a few spots that are rotated nightly, usually songs like Angel or in a little while or a neutered version of Desire(Elevation tour anyone?). Now a new song(UC), a well liked recent cut(COBL), a resurrected classic(UF),a new song(CT remix) then SBS starts a long list of political songs that ends with the main set at One(Vertigo tour anyone?). Then we are back for a short encore of UV(great!), then a boring WOWY(Elevation style this time, it really needs a rest and has been a disappointment on 360 so far- where the hell is the Tokyo 2006 version, Bono??). MOS is a good closer. This setlist suffers from being so structured- you really cant find a place for a songs like Dirty Day, Exit, Gone, LNOE and Please. If you replace one of the songs in the long political set, you lose the flow. Please would fit where SBS is some nights, but then again, why take out a rocker when that is what this set has lacked? Time to abandon the Elevation/Vertigo structure in favor of a JT/Lovetown approach. Walk on, Desmond>>Streets makes the political point that is part of U2 that I love, they dont need SBS, Pride, MLK, One all in the same order every night. How about Silver and Gold sometimes?
MORE UPBEAT SONGS TO GO WITH THE CLAW/VISUALS:UF and UV, great for the atmosphere, no complaints about these. However, the claw just screams for songs like Hold me thrill me..., LNOE, EBTTRT, full band Desire(360 version sucks), MW, MOFO, Holy Joe. No need for an arena setlist in a stadium.
ROTATION IS THE NAME OF THE GAME: One, Pride, SBS, BD, COBL, Vertigo, Still havent found- still love hearing all of these. However, no need for them all to be in the setlist together every single night. Make a list of the hit parade, and pick 4 or 5 per night as opposed to all of them.
WOWY SHOULD BE ON ITS LAST CHANCE:We all still love it, but the band should give Bono a few more shows to sing it right or lose it for the entire tour. I watched the video of last night, and Bono IS the problem here. Edge and Adam still play it very well, Larry still pounds away and does most of the fills, ETC. Macphisto got a hold of this and it has been crap since, absent a few inspired versions on Vertigo tour. Time for Please or Stay or something else that INTERESTS BONO. It is clear that, after singing ultraviolet so well just before it, he just does not care about this and so goes through the motions, even if he could pull out a JT version if he really wanted to.
Those who think this set is perfect and no one should point out areas to improve are wrong.
The shows have been great, a few adjustments and they can be even better.
!
That's not the point. When you have a show, ther's got to be a concept behind it. This setlist doesn't reflect the spirit of what NLOTH promissed and not even close to what The Claw/Stadium Tour concept needs.Wrong. Noone ha the right to point them out unless they are at the show. I don't think the setlist is perfect, but I acknowledge that no-one has the right to decide what it is best for the band to play to any particular crowd on any particular night. Peple are selfish and just want good bootlegs every night.
That's not the point. When you have a show, ther's got to be a concept behind it. This setlist doesn't reflect the spirit of what NLOTH promissed and not even close to what The Claw/Stadium Tour concept needs.
I'm a little annoyed that after the tease of the Drowning Man rehearsal we haven't gotten it yet, but I assume it's coming.
I really think they're waiting for Dublin, they'll have to mix it up a bit more with three shows there.
I heard it being rehearsed in Barcelona the night of the rehearsal show and it sounded too good for them to not end of playing it.
I really think they're waiting for Dublin, they'll have to mix it up a bit more with three shows there.
I heard it being rehearsed in Barcelona the night of the rehearsal show and it sounded too good for them to not end of playing it.
From a personal taste perspective, the current setlists doesn't excite me that much, but U2 aren't playing a show for me.
from live video I miss the gramd concepts of their previous megatours.
From a personal taste perspective, the current setlists doesn't excite me that much, but U2 aren't playing a show for me.
It's quite a satisfying and encpasulative setlist in terms of song selection.
Ultraviolet (16 years), Unforgettable Fire (20 years), Electrical Storm (debut after 7 years of existence) - how do these songs not satisfy the hardcore fans like ourselves? We'd never have imagined some of these songs being returned (or played for the first time) and they have been played!
Unknown Caller - a strange studio experiment; surprised they're playing this one live (as opposed to SUC or White As Snow), but they are!
When I went to my first U2 gig in Melbourne in '06, I'd arrived being a little underwhelmed by the greatest-hits-ness of the previous Australian Vertigo Tour setlists. I was accepting of it due to how long it had been since they'd played in Melbourne, but I wanted some of the Glorias and An Cat Dubhs and Wild Horses they'd played on the European and North American legs.
But the highlights of that night were Sunday Bloody Sunday, Beautiful Day and Pride. I didn't need my beloved Gloria or Zoo Station or Love Comes Tumbling. I came to realise why U2 consistently preserved so many of their hits, because they have unfathomable power and resonance live. Why not stick with the proven ecstatic moments?
I for one, would be disappointed if they didn't play SBS or BD next time I go and see them, because I know how awesome they are when you're actually at the gig. It doesn't matter what 23 songs they are, just as long as they're U2 songs performed by U2.
Even though there are very different opinions expressed by people in this thread, I have to say there is something I agree with in what everyone is saying here.
My observations: THE GOOD
1.)Overall, I am not bitching. U2 is back on tour for the first time since 2006, and just 3 shows in, everyone is on top of their game and Bono is sounding great. UF and UV are back, and Electrical storm is finally in the set! I would say if you had constructed a super thread/poll of what songs interference wants back, everyone pick 3, then UF, UV, and ES could have easily won. Things have been mixed up to some extent, Angel, Party girl, stuck, Desire, Electrical storm, in a little while, etc. The claw looks great, everyone in attendance seems to be having a great time, the PA system is enormous and sounds great even with crappy bootlegs.
2.)WHAT COULD IMPROVE? THE OPENER: no suprises here, like many, I think Breathe is a great song but just not as an opener. A U2 stadium show is about a massive build up to a massive opening, lights flashing, visuals, etc- just look at your Sydney Zoo TV or Popmart Mexico DVDs. Something is missing here, and its noticeable given the stage design, there is just so much more they could do. I think the best bet would be to have some kind of intro video like Zoo TV, use the claw lights, etc, then segue that into the opening they were using for Boots on the tv appearances. GOYB then goes into Even Better than the real thing or a FULL BAND LOVETOWN VERSION of Desire. Then NLOTH. That would add some pop to the opening. As it is now, it just lacks energy.
THIS SETLIST IS TOO STRUCTURED: There is the usual open with 3 rockers, then a couple of uplifting anthems(Magnificent, BD) then Still Havent found, then a few spots that are rotated nightly, usually songs like Angel or in a little while or a neutered version of Desire(Elevation tour anyone?). Now a new song(UC), a well liked recent cut(COBL), a resurrected classic(UF),a new song(CT remix) then SBS starts a long list of political songs that ends with the main set at One(Vertigo tour anyone?). Then we are back for a short encore of UV(great!), then a boring WOWY(Elevation style this time, it really needs a rest and has been a disappointment on 360 so far- where the hell is the Tokyo 2006 version, Bono??). MOS is a good closer. This setlist suffers from being so structured- you really cant find a place for a songs like Dirty Day, Exit, Gone, LNOE and Please. If you replace one of the songs in the long political set, you lose the flow. Please would fit where SBS is some nights, but then again, why take out a rocker when that is what this set has lacked? Time to abandon the Elevation/Vertigo structure in favor of a JT/Lovetown approach. Walk on, Desmond>>Streets makes the political point that is part of U2 that I love, they dont need SBS, Pride, MLK, One all in the same order every night. How about Silver and Gold sometimes?
MORE UPBEAT SONGS TO GO WITH THE CLAW/VISUALS:UF and UV, great for the atmosphere, no complaints about these. However, the claw just screams for songs like Hold me thrill me..., LNOE, EBTTRT, full band Desire(360 version sucks), MW, MOFO, Holy Joe. No need for an arena setlist in a stadium.
ROTATION IS THE NAME OF THE GAME: One, Pride, SBS, BD, COBL, Vertigo, Still havent found- still love hearing all of these. However, no need for them all to be in the setlist together every single night. Make a list of the hit parade, and pick 4 or 5 per night as opposed to all of them.
WOWY SHOULD BE ON ITS LAST CHANCE:We all still love it, but the band should give Bono a few more shows to sing it right or lose it for the entire tour. I watched the video of last night, and Bono IS the problem here. Edge and Adam still play it very well, Larry still pounds away and does most of the fills, ETC. Macphisto got a hold of this and it has been crap since, absent a few inspired versions on Vertigo tour. Time for Please or Stay or something else that INTERESTS BONO. It is clear that, after singing ultraviolet so well just before it, he just does not care about this and so goes through the motions, even if he could pull out a JT version if he really wanted to.
Those who think this set is perfect and no one should point out areas to improve are wrong.
Those who are complaining like this is the end of U2, they are mailing it in and boring now are equally wrong.
The shows have been great, a few adjustments and they can be even better.
Just some observations, only 4 shows and plenty of time to get it right!