U2start.com | Shows | 2015-11-03 - London, England

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Audience microphone

Origins: Audience microphone
Credits: Soledriver (Audio Taper)
Equipment: core sound binaurals (Microphone), Sony DAT D8 (Audio recording device)
Lineage: Core Sound mics > Sony D8 DAT > Tascam DA-20 Mk > HHb burnit > CDr > EAC > TLH > FLAC > foobar [+ fre:ac > mp3@256kb/s for mp3 files]
Downloads: 390

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U2
O2 Arena
London, U.K.
November 3, 2015

Recorded by Soledriver*

LINEAGE: Core Sound mics > Sony D8 DAT machine...
Tascam DA-20 Mk 2 DAT machine > HHb burnit CDr recorder...no EQ
CDr > EAC > Traders Little Helper > Flac8 sector aligned >
[moderation] > foobar (tags) > fre:ac > mp3@256kb/s

TRACK LISTING:

01-[PA intro: People Have The Power]
02-The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)
03-Gloria
04-Vertigo
05-I Will Follow
06-Iris (Hold Me Close)
07-Cedarwood Road
08-Song For Someone
09-Sunday Bloody Sunday
10-Raised By Wolves
11-Until The End Of The World
12-[intermission: The Fly (remix)]
13-Invisible
14-Even Better Then The Real Thing
15-Mysterious Ways
16-Desire
17-Party Girl
18-Every Breaking Wave
19-October
20-Bullet The Blue Sky
21-Zooropa
22-Where The Streets Have No Name
23-Pride (In The Name Of Love)
24-With Or Without You
25-[encore break + Steven Hawking]
26-City Of Blinding Lights
27-Beautiful Day
28-Mother And Child Reunion [excerpt]
29-Bad
40-"40"

*ORIGINAL NOTES:
"[R]ecorded from the South section next to the East Stage about five
people back... see [recording spot] I was the white spot..."

"Now...I do love U2...BUT...
This is a fantastic visual show...when you can see what's going on.
Unfortunately, only half the audience can see it a lot of the time.
Bono arrives at one end of the stage (where I was standing) and moves
the length to the far end, which is a fair distance away (3/4 of the
length of the O2). I'm just touching 6 feet tall but for the next 25
minutes I could see nothing, as the stage is about a foot or two too
low and the flat floor precludes a decent view.
It might have occurred to someone in power that Bono is not a giant and
would be all but invisible from the standing area at the opposite end...
why don't the video screens show what is going on at this stage?
Bono then walks through the centre of the video screen and appears at
our end, which causes a panic as middle-aged men suddenly believe that
reaching out toward their hero will cure their impotence/baldness/
stupidity???
This is when I realise that a seat would have been a good idea...
A half-hour later there's an "intermission" while a drumkit is built
inside the video structure (Of course, this the perfect "let's get to
the bar and get another two pints each moment"...) and the band resume
with a couple of songs from there... ask someone who was there to explain
how this is supposed to work...I'm not sure myself.
I watched from an oblique angle and could see occasional glimpses of the
band through flashes of the screen, but I'd have hated to be at either
end of the arena...maybe it was better than my imagination allows, but if
so, I'm someone will put me right.
I know my view is coloured by being a taper, but from here on in the crowd
are so pissed up that there is no peace from talking and pushing etc...
people can't stand at a gig for more than half an hour without pushing in
and out getting more alcohol.
You're going to love the loved-up couple who were desperately trying to get
Bono to wish the girl a happy birthday while he was trying to get them to
"STFU"...and her birthday wasn't till the following day, if my ears are to
be believed...
The beginning of "October" is completely ruined by both the birthday couple
and the knobs who feel you can make up for the lack of a drummer by clapping
along...again Bono kept trying to stop the clappers but to no avail.
I know I'm being very hard on this show, but I was so looking forward to it,
and having been out of work for a while could only go the once, only to find
it a bit of an endurance test.
BTW...some of the recording is better than it has a right to be, although I
had hoped for a better result. And in the absence of an alternate capture...
here's mine...IT IS WHAT IT IS...

Band line-up:
Bono/Larry/Edge/Adam...you know who does what..."

DISCLAIMER:
Feel free to do whatever you like with this recording as long as you don't
charge money for it!
MP3, Who Cares? Just remember to support the artists, and live music!!

Audio / MP3

Bit depth: 16, sample rate: 44100, channels: 2

Download via Mega.nz

Download this recording

Audio / FLAC

Bit depth: 16, sample rate: 44100, channels: 2

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Audio samples

"CA-11 - Tascam DR-2D"

Origins: Audience microphone
Credits: one8ung (Audio Taper)
Equipment: Church Audio CA-11 (Microphone), Tascam DR-2D (Audio recording device), Church Audio CA-Ugly (Pre-amp)
Lineage: [digital master] > WaveLab 6 (iZotope Ozone 5) -> CDWave -> TLH
Downloads: 132

View info file

Audio / FLAC

Bit depth: 16, sample rate: 44100, channels: 2

Download via Mega.nz

Download via One8ung.stackstorage.com

Download this recording

Audio samples

Audience microphone

Origins: Audience microphone
Credits: Chris Voynet (Audio Taper)
Equipment: Neumann KM 140 (Microphone), Zoom H6 (Audio recording device)
Lineage: Neumann KM140's > ZOOM H6 XLR STEREO > SANDISK ULTRA 30mb/s 32GB
Quality based on reviews:
Downloads: 362

View info file

Audio / FLAC

Bit depth: 24, sample rate: 48000, channels: 2

Audio / MP3

Bit rate: 256, bit depth: 16, sample rate: 48000, channels: 2

Download via Mega.nz

Download this recording

Audio samples

Here you can find and post reviews of this show. We encourage everyone that either attended or listened to this show to write a review. Currently we have 6 reviews for you to read.

review by u2fancat

8 years ago

Performance

Bono not as exuberant as sometimes, but still emotional. And fair play for managing to get that girl to dance for Mysterious Ways in the end - she was the first I've seen to freeze on stage.

Sound

This part is only rated, not commented on

Audience

This time, I was really near the floor, and could feel the incredible energy coming off it. Just a pity that not all the people sitting near me were as engaged as I was! I particularly didn't appreciate the Drunken Idiot that appeared in my row just before Where the Streets Have No Name, waving his arms around (while holding a beer), and trying to engage everyone in conversation. Never mind - he left after a bit..

Overall

Ah, the very last U2 show in London this year! As Bono said, they rather like being the house band. But first, I had to go flat-viewing. Didn't work out this time.. anyway, I had a concert to get to.

A decently short walk got me to Clapham Junction, where I had a choice of several trains to Waterloo, to catch the Jubilee line to the O2 for the concert. Mercifully, it was after 7 by now, and the crowds had thinned out - I had no trouble getting a seat, and found myself among a bunch of Irish lads, also heading to the show. From my part of the country too, by the sound of it! At North Greenwich, a busker - different from the regular night-time one - was absolutely rocking the riff from New Year's Day..! He was so good, someone took a photo.

I was starving, and figured I'd have enough time for a quick bite at Water Margin, so hurried around there. By the time I ate, paid and left, the restaurant was almost deserted - it was now about 8:10.

There was a bit of a queue at the entrance, but I was soon in and clambering down to my seat. In Row D, I was just one row away from the floor.. and an aisle seat again, lovely! And o my, so close to the floor, you really start to feel the energy - it felt as though I was on the floor. Just with a better view. And a seat. Mind you, it was a bit vexing, as People Have the Power blared out and I was all ready to rock, having a great clump of middle-aged people stood in the aisle beside me trying to figure out where their seats were. Thankfully, by the end of the song they'd fecked off to the next block. I mean, it's not rocket science - there's a row letter, there's a seat number.. Incidentally, the chap sat in front of me also jumped up for this song, and had the manners to turn and ask whether I minded! I remarked that I'd be surprised if he didn't stand..

The energy from the floor was a tangible force during the first four numbers - greatest energy I've felt yet, this tour. Strangely, the three seats beside me remained empty for the show, whatever happened to their planned occupants. There were also empty seats in the row in front - but then two girls hopped down to the front of the steps, and when instructed, by an usher, to move in, they shoved sideways in there. One of them had a camera with an excellent zoom, and it was interesting to see the shots she got of Bono. Speaking of ushers, it's nice to see the hands-off approach they've had in the O2, with the only other time they came down being to check whether the barrier at the front was holding, with people leaning on it!

Bono's wife was back for this show, as he informed us. During the paper drop, I was damn near close enough to grab one - but just not quite. I live in hope. I had to laugh during Mysterious Ways though, when, as is his wont, he pulled a girl from the audience to dance with. He chose a girl with tattoos all along her bare arms and shoulderblades, and bluey-green hair. Well, if he thought she'd be an outgoing type - he was wrong. She completely froze on stage! Whether it was stage fright, or the shock of being so close to Bono, I don't know. Her name was Danielle, but I didn't get where she was from. I have to say, her camerawork on Desire was excellent - she was so careful with it. Anyway, the next song was the little-played Party Girl. Bono is in the habit of spraying water on the audience - for this number, he got out a bottle of Champers. Shook it, sprayed it over them. Had a swig, then sought out Danielle in the audience and handed her the remainder of the bottle. Which I thought was nice.

As usual for the final show in a city, they ended with Bad and 40, Bono shining a spotlight on the others as they left the stage. When it came time for him to follow them, he tried, as usual, to stand the spotlight on end, shining up to the rafters - took him a while though, whatever the matter was. Maybe they gave him one without a flat base! And thus ended their London run of 2015. No famous people on stage, but apparently Steve Lillywhite, Neil McCormick and his brother were in the audience. Roll on the next show..

The concert finished at about 10:55, and I was home - shock horror - before 12! First time that's happened since the first concert, which was on a Sunday, with an earlier finish time. Great show - but a bit reserved, for the final night in London.