1. Originally posted by MWSAH:KOL had their #SongOfTheCity in the US recently. Each city could vote for their song, which would be played that night.

    Lame... How bout just learn 70% of your catalogue and write the set that day. That'd be something they never did.

  2. There's worse out there. The Black Keys to name one. They wrote their current setlist years ago and only add songs in based on the promotion of their new album. Mediocre live band at best.
  3. Originally posted by KieranU2:[..]

    There's worse out there. The Black Keys to name one. They wrote their current setlist years ago and only add songs in based on the promotion of their new album. Mediocre live band at best.

    Disagree here. Might be a static setlist, but the performance is top notch with one h*ll of a show.

  4. I suppose I seen them at a festival show but it was uninspired, flat and generally disappointing. It could be different at a headlining arena show, for example, I don't know.
  5. I love the way Bruce and Pearl Jam do their shows. It's great to have suprises but there isn't something as special as the build up to Streets for example or the moment the encore starts with Bono sitting on a mic.

    There are things to be said for both ways, I just hope U2 will mix it up some more with less interesting songs like Pride, One, MW and the stuff from ATYCLB and Bomb. Bring in more POP!!
  6. Originally posted by KieranU2:[..]

    I suppose I seen them at a festival show but it was uninspired, flat and generally disappointing. It could be different at a headlining arena show, for example, I don't know.

    Not much different, I can tell you. We're comparing oranges and apples anyway (and I agree with your Black Keys' setlist comment fwiw).


    I think we've reached a small consensus about the need for U2 to shake their shows a little; just a little bit. Not turn into a collection of great songs with no theme or spectacle behind them... But definitely not a static show with an 90% of the setlist remaning unchanged during 3 years either.
  7. I think U2 have wanted to do shows that have an element of surprise for ages, like Springsteen and Pearl Jam, but haven't plucked up the courage to do so. It takes a lot of effort for a band who prefer the aesthetic live show to transform to bare bones stage design yet drastic setlist variation. With setlist variation, it's not just the set, it is the entire show too that is highlighted. If you change a setlist every night then every single show becomes unique. With U2, a lot of the shows blend into one, even though they are an incredible live band to witness. The thing is, I don't think they would be that incredible live act if they started setlist variation near the extremes of PJ and Bruce. Pearl Jam and Springsteen can play songs off the cuff and barely screw it up. U2 would need to learn over 100 songs to make it work and it would take them ages to perfect it. But I suppose, when you don't have a theatrical tour to base your songs and shows around then there is more space for concentration on learning as many songs as possible. It would sell more tickets, I believe, because it's a new, distinctive part of their live experience and people would be interested to see how it works. Besides, it would allow fans to see more and more songs live. I would go to as many concerts as possible next summer if they did involve themselves in that concept. If it is going to be staple, I'm not going to mad and attend loads to the point of debt.

    You get my point, I could go on forever.
  8. Originally posted by snortier:My guess it is about some new way of interacting with the audience. Thats what they (Bono) are always graving for when on stage, to make the distance between us and them as small as possible. At least in our experience,

    There is no them only us......maybe the video of Invisible gives a hint?



    People will be pulled out of the audience to sing some songs when Bono's voice is too exhausted.
  9. Originally posted by LikeASong:[..]

    Not much different, I can tell you. We're comparing oranges and apples anyway (and I agree with your Black Keys' setlist comment fwiw).


    I think we've reached a small consensus about the need for U2 to shake their shows a little; just a little bit. Not turn into a collection of great songs with no theme or spectacle behind them... But definitely not a static show with an 90% of the setlist remaning unchanged during 3 years either.

    I was very impressed with them last year, much better than Coldplay or KOL the last time they were here. Anyway, far off-topic.

    I hope U2 will shake it up, but they already started that with 360. I mean, who expected them to play TUF or Ultraviolet?? Even Your Blue Room was played!
  10. PErhaps they will tour with an orchestra (strings!). Although a lot of other bands have done this, it would be quite unique for U2 (Lovetown aside).

    Snow Patrol did it a few years ago, it was lovely. And Metallica's take on it was lovely too.
  11. Strings usually mean less drums. I wouldn't be down for that. Snow Patrol were brilliant but that was part of a completely reworked back catalogue of songs. It's something U2 might do but I think that's further down the line for them.
  12. I think U2 will employ a quartet when they need string support, similar to how they performed OoT at some shows during Vertigo.

    Regarding the setlist swaps, it's hard to have a themed show without keeping a large portion of it consistent. 360 is actually a pretty good example of U2 making drastic changes as the tour evolved. We might get to see something like that with a second album slotted for release, but I guess it depends. My guess is that if U2 decides to swap things up, it'll be a couple of acoustic songs on rotation and maybe the first encore. The main portion of the set will probably remain unchanged and I don't think we'll see the second encore changed from night to night because the second encore is what brings the show closure. That's just how I feel, anyhow.

    What I don't see U2 doing is some sort of twitter fan vote to determine which songs get played. They may be tech savvy, but I think they've outgrown using silly gimmicks like that.