Which show is best during multiple dates, 1st, 2nd, 3rd....?

[trevster2k]

Is the first show the most energetic because the hardcore fans are desperately trying to get tickets? Then when a second show or third show is announced, the remaining rabid fans and casual fans get tickets. So the atmosphere at the first show would be more electric or would it?

I am going to 2 shows in Van so this will be my first multi-experience to see if there is any difference.

 

[ElectricalVoice]

Wow ... difficult. The Slane concerts are both considered to be very good - both of them. During Elevation I saw two concerts in Sweden and two in Denmark. Impossible to tell which one was best.

 

[Axver]

It seems that the first date gets the usual setlist while there's more variety in the later dates. Especially at the 4th shows in Boston and Chicago on Elevation. So that makes the later dates more appealling to me.

 

[trevster2k]

Hmmm, I didn't know about the changing setlist from night to night.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

Great question Trev! This is my first "multi/U2" take in too! I really think the energy will be fantastic both nights in Vancouver. The second gig just might be the clincher if you think about the week lay off the band get before the first Chicago date. I just don't know though. So glad to be seeing both nights.

 

[redsox04]

I've been fortunate to have seen U2 'bout 30 times, often multiple (back-to-back) dates in the same city. I can't explain why, but my personal experience has been that the first show has often been the weakest of the group (relatively speaking, of course). I would expect the crowd to be at its rowdiest for the first show in a city, but I have not found that to be case.

 

[zooholland]

On ebay the sellers tell you that the first concert is the best cause thats where all the "real" fans will be considering they were earliest at the post office. But that is BS cause the die hard fans will be at multiple shows (especially in the same town like in amsterdam) and I believe that the first one is always the planned one and therefor where a lot of sponsors will be (who of course might be fans too)

So basically I think you can not tell before which is gonna be great. I only think that if you have 4 concert soon after eachother you might have a problem with bonos voice......but to me that can be cool too cause you have a sort of intens feeling to it then (I get chills from the sarajevo concert for example)

 

[Pop Artist]

The first show is usually the one the reviewers go to, so they tend to play it safer with the first show of multi-night stands. And if you've already been to more than one show on the tour, whatever setlist change up there might be is nice.

 

[u2valleygirl]

I think the 2nd show is better because they add a song or two. But with U2, either show, you can't go wrong.

 

[MacPhisto066]

Whichever one that the band was off the night before. A rested band is always better.

In 2001, during the Elevation Tour, Montreal 1 was far better than Montreal 2.

 

[sconti]

I went to all 4 in Boston during Elevation and think that Boston 4 was the best one...simply amazing!!!

 

[roybal99]

I feel that the last show is the best show in cities with multiple dates. The band can let loose because they usually have the next day off. Here are some examples from shows released on video which I think help support this idea:

1) the concert footage for Rattle & Hum comes from the 2nd Denver and 2nd Tempe show out of 2 shows.

2) Zoo TV in Sydney comes from the 2nd show out of 2

3) Popmart in Mexico City comes from the 2nd show out of 2

4) Elevation in Boston comes from the 2nd show out of 4

5) Slane Castle comes from the 2nd Dublin show out of 2 (1 week in between shows)

After typing this up it looks like the 2nd show is the one to go to!

 

[Axver]

Hmmm, I didn't know about the changing setlist from night to night.

Go check out the sets at elevation-tour.com and you'll see the drastic changes. 2001-05-16, the last Chicago date, opens with what is almost a ZooTV setlist!

 

[Axver]

I feel that the last show is the best show in cities with multiple dates. The band can let loose because they usually have the next day off. Here are some examples from shows released on video which I think help support this idea:

1) the concert footage for Rattle & Hum comes from the 2nd Denver and 2nd Tempe show out of 2 shows.

2) Zoo TV in Sydney comes from the 2nd show out of 2

3) Popmart in Mexico City comes from the 2nd show out of 2

4) Elevation in Boston comes from the 2nd show out of 4

5) Slane Castle comes from the 2nd Dublin show out of 2 (1 week in between shows)

After typing this up it looks like the 2nd show is the one to go to!

To add to that, the Denver footage on RAH is from the second night and When Love Comes To Town is from the second night in Fort Worth. I think WOWY comes from the 19th, though - at least, that's when U2Wanderer.org listed it, with the others on the 20th.

The only U2 live video to not feature any footage at all from a second night is Red Rocks.

 

[wtonis]

..difficult to say. I've seen multiple shows in the same city on different tours and I can't tell any difference.. Perhaps on a second night the band plays a bit looser... I don't know..

....nice thing about that 4th dates in Chicago at Elevation must have been the ZOOTV variation in the opening part of the set.

 

[achtungjulie]

I went to all 4 in Boston during Elevation and think that Boston 4 was the best one...simply amazing!!!

i agree.... when that man from the audience jumped on stage! i'll never forget how awesome that was....

 

[oceane]

Whichever one that the band was off the night before. A rested band is always better.

In 2001, during the Elevation Tour, Montreal 1 was far better than Montreal 2.

That's true, I saw 10 Elevation shows and Montreal 1 was the best of all while Montreal 2 was the worst (by FAR) out of 10. But I think that was an exception, Bono had trouble with his voice, and they completely switched the set-list around (which can be cool but that time it didn't work out).

It will depend from city to city of course, but if I would have to go for a trend I would say that second shows will be the best, because the band will be more relax and might try new songs. I'm not sure that thing about the 'real fans' being at the firts show is true anyways. I think scalpers and people with connections get tickets to the first shows, not always the 'real' fans.

I don't know if it's relevant, but I used to work for a show that we would present 2 times a day, and the second show was almost always much better than the first.

 

[whasjoewahn]

Go check out the sets at elevation-tour.com and you'll see the drastic changes. 2001-05-16, the last Chicago date, opens with what is almost a ZooTV setlist!

Checked it out Axver, thanks... I do prefer the 15th though (3rd show), where they played ´out of control´ and ´11 o´clock´