RE: U2's soundboard archive

[U2FanPeter]

RE: U2's soundboard archive

It's known that u2 record everything they play on their stage, and have done so since the early 80's. It's also presumed that they have kept the jumbotron footage from their shows for almost 20 years.

Most of the 'soundboard' or monitor mix tapes that have circulated contain little or no audience reaction that is audible.

For a tour with a "$50m production"(W.Williams, VH1 promo) budget, it would seem to me a grave oversight to not point a couple microphones at the audience. I ask in case the group wants a reference to how they are received and also keeping the possibility of live releases in the decades to come.

Except for very visible microphones for shows recorded for release - DVD, TV, radio, recent COBL videoshoot I attended. I've never haerd of audience micing at a U2 concert.

Does anybody here know exactly what they record and keep for their own archive?

u2FP

 

[Zoomeranger]

I believe the band does record the audience. There are a few mics attatched to the outside of the ellipse this tour. There could be more throughout the arena but I've only noticed them on the side of the stage and ellipse thus far. They are definitely mics and not antennas so I don't know why else they'd be there.

 

[Eliv8]

That is something I really dislike about the official DVD recordings, especially the ones from the last tour. They use what sounds like a recorded crowd 'loop' and just put the volume up and down between songs. Kind of like all Superbowl 1/2 time shows. There are parts when you see the crowd singing, know they are singing, but can’t hear it. It really kills the bands live 5th member (us).

 

[Jim]

That is something I really dislike about the official DVD recordings, especially the ones from the last tour. They use what sounds like a recorded crowd 'loop' and just put the volume up and down between songs. Kind of like all Superbowl 1/2 time shows. There are parts when you see the crowd singing, know they are singing, but can’t hear it. It really kills the bands live 5th member (us).

But that always happens, not just U2. Listen to Under A Blood Red Sky.. that's the most obvious example to me of them manipulating the audience sound.

 

[U2FanPeter]

What's the difference between regular shows and concerts they publically say will be recorded?(both vancouver shows, edmonton 97 other shows that didn't really surface)

Have they always miced the audience on soundboard recordings?

u2fp

 

[Canadiens1131]

But that always happens, not just U2. Listen to Under A Blood Red Sky.. that's the most obvious example to me of them manipulating the audience sound.

Heck they did it the most obviously with Rattle & Hum, same damn crowd loop over and over....

 

[aidanthomson]

The extra mics are ambient mics for Bono and Edge's in-ear monitors. This is common practice as IEMs block out a lot of ambient noise so audience mics are used to give a more natural sound in their ears by mixing the sound of the audience with the instruments.