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  1. When it gets played near songs of experience, anything can look decent
  3. I can't listen to Song for Someone without hearing Spandau Ballet's song True. They both have such a similar melody in the hook.

    This is a sooooooAAAoooAAAOOOOng

    and

    This is the sooooooUUUUUUND

    Listen, trust me.
  4. I think Edge is the main reason for the lack of setlist variation. Too worried about sounds/effects.
  5. I doubt it - from what I've read, Edge is the one who tends to push the band the most, creatively.

    If anything, it's a collective mind set that they need to put on the ultimate U2 show every night, and having a lot of variation would put that notion at risk in their minds. They sculpt what they feel is the best show they can put on, and they're resistant to mess with it, especially mid-tour. There are videos of the band going back to the 80s where they're setting up the "perfect setlist".

    I think we as hardcore fans also tend to forget sometimes that 90% of the audience at any given U2 show are there to hear the songs that we might not care to hear, and the band is cognizant of that. They know that if they play a setlist of deep cuts and fan favourites, most the audience and critic reviews will say "well it was kind of lame that they didn't play XYZ...I mean we're here to see U2 after all".

    The Edge did confirm at some point that the initial reason for having so many nights at the same venues on the Innocence tour was because they originally wanted to do a "one night innocence setlist, one night experience setlist" - but ultimately went back on that idea because they realized most people wouldn't shell out for more than one show, and a lot of people might be disappointed depending on which setlist they got.

    It'd be really interesting to find out what kind of setlists were kicking around for that setup.
  6. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:[..]
    I doubt it - from what I've read, Edge is the one who tends to push the band the most, creatively.

    If anything, it's a collective mind set that they need to put on the ultimate U2 show every night, and having a lot of variation would put that notion at risk in their minds. They sculpt what they feel is the best show they can put on, and they're resistant to mess with it, especially mid-tour. There are videos of the band going back to the 80s where they're setting up the "perfect setlist".

    I think we as hardcore fans also tend to forget sometimes that 90% of the audience at any given U2 show are there to hear the songs that we might not care to hear, and the band is cognizant of that. They know that if they play a setlist of deep cuts and fan favourites, most the audience and critic reviews will say "well it was kind of lame that they didn't play XYZ...I mean we're here to see U2 after all".

    The Edge did confirm at some point that the initial reason for having so many nights at the same venues on the Innocence tour was because they originally wanted to do a "one night innocence setlist, one night experience setlist" - but ultimately went back on that idea because they realized most people wouldn't shell out for more than one show, and a lot of people might be disappointed depending on which setlist they got.

    It'd be really interesting to find out what kind of setlists were kicking around for that setup.


    Yeh I remember that.

    Pity they just didn't play the Innocence as the first half of the show and the Experience as the second half.

    ...or did they?
  7. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:[..]
    I doubt it - from what I've read, Edge is the one who tends to push the band the most, creatively.

    If anything, it's a collective mind set that they need to put on the ultimate U2 show every night, and having a lot of variation would put that notion at risk in their minds. They sculpt what they feel is the best show they can put on, and they're resistant to mess with it, especially mid-tour. There are videos of the band going back to the 80s where they're setting up the "perfect setlist".

    I think we as hardcore fans also tend to forget sometimes that 90% of the audience at any given U2 show are there to hear the songs that we might not care to hear, and the band is cognizant of that. They know that if they play a setlist of deep cuts and fan favourites, most the audience and critic reviews will say "well it was kind of lame that they didn't play XYZ...I mean we're here to see U2 after all".

    The Edge did confirm at some point that the initial reason for having so many nights at the same venues on the Innocence tour was because they originally wanted to do a "one night innocence setlist, one night experience setlist" - but ultimately went back on that idea because they realized most people wouldn't shell out for more than one show, and a lot of people might be disappointed depending on which setlist they got.

    It'd be really interesting to find out what kind of setlists were kicking around for that setup.
    Have you seen Edge's rig rundown?

    Everything is so fixed. Very little room for spontaneity imo.
  8. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:I can't listen to Song for Someone without hearing Spandau Ballet's song True. They both have such a similar melody in the hook.

    This is a sooooooAAAoooAAAOOOOng

    and

    This is the sooooooUUUUUUND

    Listen, trust me.
    Hellyeah i’m with you!
  9. Of course!

    But that's more about what he's prepared for based on what they decided prior to the tour starting. Not to mention there's SOME room for spontaneity, as he's been known to knock up a "basic Edge tone" if Bono wants to go into free form for a bit. Not a lot of U2 songs require a really signature tone, there's only so many - the rest he can go for some delay, some compression, some overdrive, and he's got like 80% of their catalogue covered lol.

    But you're not wrong - I'm also sure Edge hates that sort of thing, because he's a known perfectionist.
  10. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:[..]
    Of course!

    But that's more about what he's prepared for based on what they decided prior to the tour starting. Not to mention there's SOME room for spontaneity, as he's been known to knock up a "basic Edge tone" if Bono wants to go into free form for a bit. Not a lot of U2 songs require a really signature tone, there's only so many - the rest he can go for some delay, some compression, some overdrive, and he's got like 80% of their catalogue covered lol.

    But you're not wrong - I'm also sure Edge hates that sort of thing, because he's a known perfectionist.
    I honestly feel that out of all 4 of them, Adam would be the most up for spontaneity. The Edge would be waiting on Dallas to grab the right gear, Larry would sit with his arms folded in stern, but quiet protest, and Bono would be struggling to remember the lyrics. Adam would just play a few deep notes and wonder where he's gonna get his next spoon for his collection.
  11. Originally posted by mattfromcanada:[..]
    I honestly feel that out of all 4 of them, Adam would be the most up for spontaneity. The Edge would be waiting on Dallas to grab the right gear, Larry would sit with his arms folded in stern, but quiet protest, and Bono would be struggling to remember the lyrics. Adam would just play a few deep notes and wonder where he's gonna get his next spoon for his collection.
    For Bono, there's the teleprompter or laptop for the lyrics.
  12. Or Ali’s friend who printed off the lyrics for every song.