The top performances of Please

[europop2005]

what are regarded as the top performances of Please? the really raw, emotional ones?

 

[Popmartijn]

18 July 1997, Rotterdam, Netherlands

As released on the Popheart EP (and also available on the Popmart DVD from next week onwards)

 

[DevilsShoes]

Rotterdam 97 is probably the definitive performance IMO

Sarajevo 97 is very primal and desperate, Bono really going for it at the end despite his vocal problems

MTV awards performance is great, Bono's voice is slightly ragged but it has some really unusual touches

Santiago 98 Incredible, whether by accident or design the outra seems extended, really cranking up the drama.

Never heard the one full band version of Please on Elevation though, despite numerous attempts to download it from U2start.

 

[phillyfan26]

Santiago and Buenos Aires had a bit longer outro, similar to Mexico City, but with better vocals.

Rotterdam is probably the best based on Bono's voice.

1. Rotterdam
2. Buenos Aires
3. Santiago
4. MTV
5. Mexico City

Of the five I heard.

Please live is one of the top three things U2 has ever done, along with The Fly live and UTEOTW live.

 

[Mauwer]

18 July 1997, Rotterdam, Netherlands

As released on the Popheart EP (and also available on the Popmart DVD from next week onwards)

Totally agree with that , not just because I was at that show

Also on the 2nd night of Rotterdam Please sounded great.
But nowhere near as good as the previous night.

Cheers ,

Mauwer

 

[Popmartijn]

Totally agree with that , not just because I was at that show

You weren't the only one.

 

[Peterrrrr]

There is only one asnwer: Rotterdam

The one from Finland on the Best Of 90-00 bonus dvd disc is a realy good one.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

Rotterdam is fine, because you have it on official cd, too - but regarding the emotion, the performance there is one rule: The later in the Europran leg, the better. And I do speak from late August '97 on. One of 'my' best versions was definetly the one from Reggio Emilia, when the band performed in front of 170000 (plus x) enthusastic Italian fans on September 20th. A great, great version with a long, monumental outro.
If you prefer everything naked, what is in that song, just listen to the perfect acoustic version (and a "please shut up" to all those people here, who do bitch around U2 playing acoustic versions – they obviously don't have any idea about music or artists trying to re-arrange their songs...) the band played in 2001, especially on the last night in Miami. The ghosts of September 11 did haunt the arenas back then – one of the most intense moments I did witness in U2's live work.

 

[The Disciple]

There is only one asnwer: Rotterdam

The one from Finland on the Best Of 90-00 bonus dvd disc is a realy good one.

I agree.... both r good versions.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

MTV VMA's back in 97 was pretty darn good, because w/o out the giant screen, lemon, olive, etc...they just came in and fucking rocked and left...it came across so well on live tv it was great.

I would have to say that seeing it live in st louis later that year was pretty special too. And of course the Rotterdam clip was amazing as well.

 

[Axver]

The best live version of Please is undoubtedly the Sarajevo performance. Nothing else comes close.

 

[alanah]

There is only one asnwer: Rotterdam

The one from Finland on the Best Of 90-00 bonus dvd disc is a realy good one.

Wow Peter, that is a great choice! For me, Please live from Rotterdam is simply brilliant and Bono's voice suits this song so well!

 

[StoneRoses]

There is only one asnwer: Rotterdam

The one from Finland on the Best Of 90-00 bonus dvd disc is a realy good one.

Yes i have to agree with this, Rotterdam is probably the definative version of this song, It's brilliant that were getting it on DVD to!!

Also that performance from Finland is excellent to, i suggest that anyone who likes the song "Please", go and get yourself a copy of the best of 1990-2000 bonus dvd because it really is that good!

I also like the version from Las Vegas to, it's very different at the end to what it is later on in the tour but i like it.

 

[pepokiss]

Elevation Miami: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3INwn7zp7nQ

damn youtube... no Santiago Please

 

[The Disciple]

I'll throw in the Elevation (Baltimore, I think).... version that starts off acoustic and builds up.... wow.

 

[flameandthefire]

Finland version is great on best of 90-00 bonus DVD.

They should release the whole 1997 Finland gig as DVD. Footage is out there somewhere in their vaults.

 

[Axver]

I honestly don't get the praise for the Rotterdam Please. It doesn't stand out at all to me.

 

[DevilsShoes]

I honestly don't get the praise for the Rotterdam Please. It doesn't stand out at all to me.

Well I think Bono's vocal performance is very good, it has to be one of his best nights for that particular tour, his voice sounded younger, more energetic and the high notes don't really pose a problem for him. I could be wrong but I think this was the only show where he sang the 'Love Is Big, is bigger than us' lines without Edges help, normally they harmonised but decided against it for this particular version.

Although the outro isn't one of the more lengthy ones from the tour, I think it is one of the best, plus the band play it so well, especially Edge, whose guitar seems to climb higher at the end, building it to a bigger climax. Its a great effect and again I don't think he did it at any other shows, it was just for this version.

Bono falsetto's like it was Zoo TV again at the end too and there is something very haunting and moving about the way he did it that particular night. Yeah he did it great elsewhere as well but for me there's a melancholy there with all those strange sound effects going on around him, plus the segue into Streets is impeccable.

I love, MTV and Sarajevo and several others but Rotterdam is the defintive performance IMO.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

I honestly don't get the praise for the Rotterdam Please. It doesn't stand out at all to me.

100% agreed – as I pointed out above. But there might be some people here, who do love the Rotterdam version, 'cause they actually were in the gig, ey?

 

[mrmac]

I think both Rotterdam Shows were great, I absolutely love that version (Yes, ok, I as there). But one of the best aspects in those shows is that they were the first shows for the 2nd leg. Coming from the US, after al the criticism, the lacklustre performances early on, attendance lower than expected.. they came to Europe to change things around.. and on those 2 nights they did, which in my opinion gave them a good vibe to go on and perform such memorable shows later on in the tour.
So in a way it was kind of a turning point, and that made the shows emotionally-laden.
(well at least it felt that way to me back then).

Oh and Please VMA is wonderful.. much more subdued.. very cool!

 

[blueskyzg]

1.Rotterdam

2.Sarajevo

 

[tuwie]

18 July 1997, Rotterdam, Netherlands

As released on the Popheart EP (and also available on the Popmart DVD from next week onwards)

i agree.
the intensity, the anger that Edge articulates during the fiery solo, EVERYTHING. it's just set aflame and oozing with epicness.

 

[phillyfan26]

I honestly don't get the praise for the Rotterdam Please. It doesn't stand out at all to me.

I like the vocals, though it lacks the longer outro of the others. More than anything, it's the officially released one, and I think that's the reason.

 

[MsMofoGone]

The 1997 MTV Awards performance of Please was so emotional. I had tears in my eyes so much, that I almost cried.

That performance alone was definitely a 'step up' for MTV's ratings.

IMO, most of their other awards show performances are something to be put in the trash.

 

[U2girl]

"The worst U2 performance" according to Ali, and the worst I have seen them play on TV. Every Please I have seen easily beats the 1997 MTV version.

What they should have done is play Mofo in the US and play Please (or better yet, something more suitable for MTV awards) in Europe.

 

[Axver]

I like the vocals, though it lacks the longer outro of the others. More than anything, it's the officially released one, and I think that's the reason.

Yeah, that was my suspicion. Some of the reasons offered here for why it's one of the best versions are actually reasons why I think less of it, such as Edge not taking on backing vocals as much. On Popmart, I think Edge was the better singer in terms of vocal quality. Please in particular is a song that I feel relies not on Bono's vocal state but his mental state, and this is most powerfully manifested in the spine-tingling Sarajevo performance.

"The worst U2 performance" according to Ali

... so?

If I married somebody famous, would my opinion that "One is a terrible song" matter more to you? Well, at least I'd get a hilarious thread here about "OMG AXVUH HATEZ TEH WUN LETS HATEZ0R HIMm!!11!!11"

 

[phillyfan26]

Edge fucked up the great Popmart tone at the MTV's. The only upside of the MTV was the video images that were spliced in that didn't appear on normal Popmart shows.

Still, my two favorites are Santiago and Buenos Aires. They kicked all kinds of ass on that leg of the tour.

 

[U2girl]

... so?

If I married somebody famous, would my opinion that "One is a terrible song" matter more to you? Well, at least I'd get a hilarious thread here about "OMG AXVUH HATEZ TEH WUN LETS HATEZ0R HIMm!!11!!11"

So, it's surprising to see hype of a performance that even the wife of a band member didn't like. Likely someone who has seen more U2 performances than anyone here, which gives credence to the claim.

It's not about being married to someone famous.

 

[u2boy_nl]

The one from Finland on the Best Of 90-00 bonus dvd disc is a realy good one.

But if i remember correctly the audio from that Finland video is really the audio from Rotterdam...

 

[jacobus]

26.08.1997 - BELFAST