Question regarding The Unforgettable Fire live performances

[financeguy]

Something I have been mulling over for some time - per the UF liner notes, it says 'Fairlight - Paul Barrett'. (I am assuming this relates primarily to the title track, or does it relate to other tracks also?)

Anyway what I want to know is, in relation to the live performances of UF in various tours, did the Edge perform the synthesizer bits, or was it Paul Barrett or some other musician?

I was hoping Axver or someone else knowledgeable might know the answer to this??

 

[david]

I've only seen it performed live on some Joshua Tree tour video bootlegs. As far as synthasizers go the thing I noticed was that Edge used an Ebow a lot. If there was any other instrumental bits maybe they were put on tape loops and stuff.

 

[Judah]

Yes, I seem to remember it was all Edge doing the synthesizer bits. But, uh, that was November 12, 1987, so maybe i don't have the clearest memory; i just remember being so happy that I was getting to hear that song live...haven't heard it live since.

I'd like to hear from someone knowledgeable also!

 

[david]

Yes, I seem to remember it was all Edge doing the synthesizer bits. But, uh, that was November 12, 1987, so maybe i don't have the clearest memory; i just remember being so happy that I was getting to hear that song live...haven't heard it live since.

I'd like to hear from someone knowledgeable also!

Oh yeah, besides using an Ebow on his gutair I think I remember him walking over to the keyboard during the song as well.

 

[liamcool]

The opening keyboards? That's the Farlight, it was pre-recorded. The keyboard during the choruses was played live, but the Farlight was pre-recorded.

 

[Harry Vest]

I was lucky enough to see them perform the song in March of 1985 (in Toronto's Maple Leaf Garden's) but I'm an old fart now and I cannot remember if the Edge performed those parts - my guess would be he did because I can't remember anyone else on stage with them back then.

 

[thrillme]

I've seen a bootleg from the JT tour, Edge plays the piano to the song Unforgettable Fire. Think "New Year's Day" switching from guitar to piano.

Then he has thing metal thingy attached to the guitar, and makes cool sounds. I couldn't tell you what it was, but if you have the Slane DVD, you can see Brian Eno showing Edge how to use this metal thingy in the Unforgettable Fire documentary.

 

[martha]

he has thing metal thingy attached to the guitar, and makes cool sounds.

Please, save this tech talk for the musicians forum.






I too saw them on the UF tour, and no one else was onstage with them playing any other instruments.

 

[david]

the metal thingy is the ebow. it vibrates the guitar strings to create a violin like sound using the guitar. it also creates infinite sustain or something. it's pretty cool. i had one but never really got the hang of it.