Songs of Innocence Promo Tour - Discussion Thread #2

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I just want them to play Invisible on the promo tour. It's the best song they've released since Beautiful Day and I'd love to hear a real live version. The version we have doesn't count because Bono's voice was horrible because it was freezing cold and they were 1000 stories high (might be an exaggeration, I don't study heights of skyscrapers).


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Just watched the best version of Every Breaking Wave yet! Amazing how the band comes in at the end, didn't see that coming. Also really enjoyed Volcano a lot and glad they played that instead of The Miracle (which I'm starting to find its already being overplayed! Crazy to say this, I know).

If anyone has an HD version of Every Breaking Wave from Jools Holland, I'd love to see this. :up:
 
Is incredible how this album is 100 times more interesting live than the last three albums. Especially comparing with No Line, which was so so in the studio, it was simply horrible and uninteresting live...
 
BoyOnTheHorizon said:
Is incredible how this album is 100 times more interesting live than the last three albums. Especially comparing with No Line, which was so so in the studio, it was simply horrible and uninteresting live...
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I hope it translates well on the road. The last 3 have a good share of massive live disappointments. I thought songs like City Of Blinding Lights, Love and Peace, Magnificent, etc. were gonna be great live and they sucked. COBL is still the biggest live disappointment of their career, it never took off. Hopefully Iris can make up for it, I think that's gonna be an amazing live song.


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bobsaget77 said:
I just want them to play Invisible on the promo tour. It's the best song they've released since Beautiful Day and I'd love to hear a real live version. The version we have doesn't count because Bono's voice was horrible because it was freezing cold and they were 1000 stories high (might be an exaggeration, I don't study heights of skyscrapers).


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Yeah, they were real high.
 
BoyOnTheHorizon said:
Especially comparing with No Line, which was so so in the studio, it was simply horrible and uninteresting live...
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This!

No line live was so.....bland other than Crazy Tonight, none of those songs did anything for me live.




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I enjoyed the My Bloody Valentine wall of guitar noise that was No Line's title track when I saw them live. But no one else around seemed to care. I think that was the problem with that album and its songs and how well they translated live.
 
Wow. Great performance of Every Breaking Wave tonight. Also thought it was a great band performance of Volcano. Wasn't overly impressed with Bono on this one though. Sounded out of breath at times. Looking forward to hearing the first performance of California on Friday. My favorite on the album.


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bobsaget77 said:
I just want them to play Invisible on the promo tour. It's the best song they've released since Beautiful Day...
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I haven't really scrutinized them too closely, but it seems like the full band promo performances of Miracle and Volcano have been without backing tracks?
 
I'm not a "Volcano" hater, but this performance, while better than any other of this whole promo tour, proves that "Volcano" is an average-to-weak track in the middle of very good songs, and despite lyrically deeper, instrumentally it's "Vertigo"/"Elevation"/U2's-00's-rocker poor sister. It predictably translates well live, in fact, this performance did show exactly what I imagined of a live "Volcano", but the bridge needs some work yet.
I'm still not a fan of the album's "Every Breaking Wave" and even less apreciator of the boring piano version, with or without orchestra, with or without Adam and Larry. Still, of these live performances, Bono sang it a bit better on BBC.

In short, while the album is growing on me, I'm not a fan of this promo tour. Specially knowing that an album full of straightforward rockers, instead of being presented full band, electric, with the instruments plugged, U2 chooses to present it in stripped acoustic mode - save for "Volcano". It's a complete uninteresting snoozefest (as it is on the bonus cd... for all the acoustic versions, no exception).
On the other hand, those that could eventually expect U2 to play the most creative tracks of the album ("The Troubles", "This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now", "The Crystal Ballroom", "Sleep Like A Baby Tonight"), so far, didn't have a chance yet, because the band has prefered to play the most obvious ones. Even "Iris", that is one of the most U2-by-the-numbers (but that I'm sure it'll translate very well to the stages) has seen no sign because U2 prefers the lyrical cheesyness of "Song For Someone" and "Every Breaking Wave" chorus.

Usual blindsheeps that bully every less-positive opinion in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Go!
 
Aygo said:
I'm not a "Volcano" hater, but this performance, while better than any other of this whole promo tour, proves that "Volcano" is an average-to-weak track in the middle of very good songs, and despite lyrically deeper, instrumentally it's "Vertigo"/"Elevation"/U2's-00's-rocker poor sister. It predictably translates well live, in fact, this performance did show exactly what I imagined of a live "Volcano", but the bridge needs some work yet.
I'm still not a fan of the album's "Every Breaking Wave" and even less apreciator of the boring piano version, with or without orchestra, with or without Adam and Larry. Still, of these live performances, Bono sang it a bit better on BBC.

In short, while the album is growing on me, I'm not a fan of this promo tour. Specially knowing that an album full of straightforward rockers, instead of being presented full band, electric, with the instruments plugged, U2 chooses to present it in stripped acoustic mode - save for "Volcano". It's a complete uninteresting snoozefest (as it is on the bonus cd... for all the acoustic versions, no exception).
On the other hand, those that could eventually expect U2 to play the most creative tracks of the album ("The Troubles", "This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now", "The Crystal Ballroom", "Sleep Like A Baby Tonight"), so far, didn't have a chance yet, because the band has prefered to play the most obvious ones. Even "Iris", that is one of the most U2-by-the-numbers (but that I'm sure it'll translate very well to the stages) has seen no sign because U2 prefers the lyrical cheesyness of "Song For Someone" and "Every Breaking Wave" chorus.

Usual blindsheeps that bully every less-positive opinion in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Go!
Click to expand...


Sleep like a Baby is a good song but he couldn't nail the falsetto in the studio, I can only imagine the disaster live.
Reach would/could be awesome live...really awesome.
The Troubles, I don't have any desire to hear live but with an orchestra....hmmmm, might be nice
TCB....Yes please

Iris I think can be a monster live
SFS I really like and I don't get the distaste for this song. I think it will go over well on tour
EBW I would like to hear them plug it in, after all that is what they do best

The only song I don't care to hear live is Ceaderwood Road.


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Aygo said:
I'm not a "Volcano" hater, but this performance, while better than any other of this whole promo tour, proves that "Volcano" is an average-to-weak track in the middle of very good songs, and despite lyrically deeper, instrumentally it's "Vertigo"/"Elevation"/U2's-00's-rocker poor sister. It predictably translates well live, in fact, this performance did show exactly what I imagined of a live "Volcano", but the bridge needs some work yet.
I'm still not a fan of the album's "Every Breaking Wave" and even less apreciator of the boring piano version, with or without orchestra, with or without Adam and Larry. Still, of these live performances, Bono sang it a bit better on BBC.

In short, while the album is growing on me, I'm not a fan of this promo tour. Specially knowing that an album full of straightforward rockers, instead of being presented full band, electric, with the instruments plugged, U2 chooses to present it in stripped acoustic mode - save for "Volcano". It's a complete uninteresting snoozefest (as it is on the bonus cd... for all the acoustic versions, no exception).
On the other hand, those that could eventually expect U2 to play the most creative tracks of the album ("The Troubles", "This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now", "The Crystal Ballroom", "Sleep Like A Baby Tonight"), so far, didn't have a chance yet, because the band has prefered to play the most obvious ones. Even "Iris", that is one of the most U2-by-the-numbers (but that I'm sure it'll translate very well to the stages) has seen no sign because U2 prefers the lyrical cheesyness of "Song For Someone" and "Every Breaking Wave" chorus.

Usual blindsheeps that bully every less-positive opinion in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Go!
Click to expand...

I can't decide if Every Breaking Wave or Song for Someone is this album's "Stuck in a Moment" or "Sometimes You Can't Make it on your Own" quiet song on the new album. I could definitely see Every Breaking Wave and Song for Someone being played back to back in the middle of next year's setlists as acoustic numbers though. As much as the stripped down version of Every Breaking Wave is pretty, I still prefer the louder album version far more.

Now the question is, which track is weaker if played live? Raised by Wolves or Volcano? Obviously in the history of rock albums, the middle songs are usually weaker than the first 3 or last 3 songs, and these tracks are #6 and 7 out of 11 tracks, so U2 chose to put the weaker songs in the middle of the album. Volcano sure sounds great live though after hearing this on the Jools Holland show, and I can see this for sure being this album's version of "Discotheque", "Elevation", "Vertigo or "Get on your Boots" (and not just because its a one word title either).

Iris (Hold Me Close) has a lot of Achtung Baby elements in it and I for one would love to hear this song performed live more than any other right now.
 
jameskinsella said:
Invisible is not better than Beautiful Day.

That song gained a certain place in the public consciousness. Invisible did nothing.
Click to expand...


This is a good place to raise the whole 'popularity is different to quality' argument. Because by the same logic, Justin Beiber's 'Baby' is a BETTER song than Moment of Surrender.


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Aygo said:
I'm not a "Volcano" hater, but this performance, while better than any other of this whole promo tour, proves that "Volcano" is an average-to-weak track in the middle of very good songs, and despite lyrically deeper, instrumentally it's "Vertigo"/"Elevation"/U2's-00's-rocker poor sister. It predictably translates well live, in fact, this performance did show exactly what I imagined of a live "Volcano", but the bridge needs some work yet.
I'm still not a fan of the album's "Every Breaking Wave" and even less apreciator of the boring piano version, with or without orchestra, with or without Adam and Larry. Still, of these live performances, Bono sang it a bit better on BBC.

In short, while the album is growing on me, I'm not a fan of this promo tour. Specially knowing that an album full of straightforward rockers, instead of being presented full band, electric, with the instruments plugged, U2 chooses to present it in stripped acoustic mode - save for "Volcano". It's a complete uninteresting snoozefest (as it is on the bonus cd... for all the acoustic versions, no exception).
On the other hand, those that could eventually expect U2 to play the most creative tracks of the album ("The Troubles", "This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now", "The Crystal Ballroom", "Sleep Like A Baby Tonight"), so far, didn't have a chance yet, because the band has prefered to play the most obvious ones. Even "Iris", that is one of the most U2-by-the-numbers (but that I'm sure it'll translate very well to the stages) has seen no sign because U2 prefers the lyrical cheesyness of "Song For Someone" and "Every Breaking Wave" chorus.

Usual blindsheeps that bully every less-positive opinion in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Go!
Click to expand...


I was going to respond and engage constructively with the content of this post until I read the last line. You and your friend's persecution complexes are astounding.


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If Beautiful Day came out now, it would be heavily criticized by many on Interference for containing so many things that U2 drove into the ground in the 00s. The whole "heal the world" vibe, the reliance on trite, Hallmark card-type sentiments, generic U2 guitar from Edge, an essentially absent rhythm section, etc.

And to be honest, I don't know that a version produced by Tedder/Epworth would sound much different. It really sounds desperate to be a hit and overly-polished.

When I heard this debut for the first time my reaction was "Oh well, guess they're going back to that again." I'm not a huge fan of the album overall, but at least stuff like Stuck (neo-gospel), Peace On Earth, In A Little While (neo-Motown) sounded different from what they had done before. I'd put Beautiful Day near the bottom of songs by that album, just above the pleasantly modest Wild Honey (which should have been a b-side).
 
U2 Lead The Way On Later With Jools Holland | Music | News | Hot Press

U2 made a triumphant appearance earlier tonight on Later With Jools, the iconic BBC music show, writes Niall Stokes.

On a night that also featured the immense talents of Sam Smith, Zola Jesus and Interpol, among others, there was no doubt as to the stand-out performances, as U2 unveiled live versions of two of the most resonant cuts from their latest album, Songs of Innocence.

With U2 opening and closing the show, first up was ‘Volcano’ which has been tipped as a likely staple of the band’s live set when they begin touring, most likely in the spring of 2015. Most notable was the central importance of Edge’s backing vocals on the chorus of the song; Bono, meanwhile, turned in a fine vocal performance, marred only marginally at the end when the mike was angled too low to catch the full power of his vocals.

To end the evening’s music, U2 played the second track on Songs of Innocence, the gorgeous 'Every Breaking Wave’. They opened with just Edge on piano and Bono on vocals, lending the song a greater level of intimacy than on the record. A string section added a fresh dimension of musical delicacy, before Larry Mullen on drums and Adam Clayton on bass weighed in, to lift the performance into overdrive. Bono is clearly in fine voice at the moment, and on this occasion, his vocals – on what is a hugely demanding track – were superlative.

At the close the additional instruments fell away and we were left with Bono alone again, with just Edge on piano backing him.

"Baby every dog on the street,” he sang, "Knows that we're in love with defeat/ Are we ready to be swept off our feet/ And stop chasing/ Every breaking wave.”

On the basis of this performance and their appearance on Graham Norton at the weekend, U2 don’t know the meaning of the word defeat. Following its early i-Tunes release, their album may not have debuted at No.1 in the UK – as most of their records have done since The Joshua Tree back in 1987 – but there can be little doubt that they are shaping up to make Songs of Innocence one of their biggest albums ever. The next few months will be hugely interesting for U2 watchers...
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CosmoKramer said:
Sleep like a Baby is a good song but he couldn't nail the falsetto in the studio, I can only imagine the disaster live.
Reach would/could be awesome live...really awesome.
The Troubles, I don't have any desire to hear live but with an orchestra....hmmmm, might be nice
TCB....Yes please

Iris I think can be a monster live
SFS I really like and I don't get the distaste for this song. I think it will go over well on tour
EBW I would like to hear them plug it in, after all that is what they do best

The only song I don't care to hear live is Ceaderwood Road.


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I agree that "Iris" and "Reach" have potential to sound great live.
I think that U2 lost an opportunity to test "The Troubles" taking advantage of the Jools Holland orchestra. Instead, I hope they'll use it well for "California". "California" is on my top half of the new record and I think the song lives a lot because of the strings in specific moments. I have some good hopes for that performance.

About SLABT... Bono may not be able to replicate that falsetto, but that's the magic of performing live: you can offer an alternative vision of one song and I'm sure Bono could sing it different ways.

Regarding "Song For Someone"... It's not that I don't like the song. I do. But lyrically, sometimes I get the feeling that Chris Martin wrote it. Besides, it sounds like a poor crossover between a lyrical "All I Want Is You" and a sonical "Sometimes You Can't Make It" (with "Crazy Tonight" solo). I wouldn't have include it in the final tracklist.
 
Volcano does not appear to translate well, live. If they want this tour to rock, this is not an appropriate opener. The Miracle is what you pick for that, in my opinion. Volcano is just another (for lack of a better word) generic/auto-pilot rocker and if a song like that doesn't make an impact with a live audience, then it has no place in a setlist. Don't get me wrong, I like the song, but it's the next in the "Elevation/Vertigo/Boots" evolution and it's not as strong as those three.

The band has an excellent opportunity, here. The guitar sounds that the Edge uses on SOI are the closest we've heard to him digging back into his POP bag of tricks;which are still a far cry from it. However, they would be amiss to not include some of the pure gold rock songs from POP, on the tour. I think, sonically, they'd fit right in there. A little bit of Discotheque right next to Crystal Ballroom; a little bit of Gone somewhere in the mix around Cedarwood Rd. Ooh, yeah. That's nice.
 
Rich79 said:
Volcano does not appear to translate well, live. If they want this tour to rock, this is not an appropriate opener. The Miracle is what you pick for that, in my opinion. Volcano is just another (for lack of a better word) generic/auto-pilot rocker and if a song like that doesn't make an impact with a live audience, then it has no place in a setlist. Don't get me wrong, I like the song, but it's the next in the "Elevation/Vertigo/Boots" evolution and it's not as strong as those three.

The band has an excellent opportunity, here. The guitar sounds that the Edge uses on SOI are the closest we've heard to him digging back into his POP bag of tricks;which are still a far cry from it. However, they would be amiss to not include some of the pure gold rock songs from POP, on the tour. I think, sonically, they'd fit right in there. A little bit of Discotheque right next to Crystal Ballroom; a little bit of Gone somewhere in the mix around Cedarwood Rd. Ooh, yeah. That's nice.
Click to expand...

I agree about Volcano not working as a setlist opener. I personally think Invisible, which didn't make it onto this album is a far more catchy song than Volcano. Could U2 use a non-album single such as Invisible in their tour or is that song going to be forgotten down the road?
 
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