MUS
Active topics
  1. I've listened to a lot of live versions of "Better Man" but I think overall, the "tight" versions from 2000 might be the best. Sure, there are a few classic performances since (Mexico 2003, Boston 2008, MSG 2010, and Lima 2011 come to mind) but these provide a refreshing alternative to the current live form of the song.
  2. What do you mean by "tight"?

    My favorite Better Man is the one from Arnhem 2006 - but of course I haven't listened to as many versions as you have!
  3. Tight in a good way...and, yes, there are some very good version from 2006. In many of the 2000 versions, EV sings the entire first first - you can hear the crowd singing too but not on their own.

    Also, the music doesn't slow down during the "Save It For Later" tags which keeps the energy going. I can appreciate the build up in the more recent versions but these 2000 versions are definitely worth a listen. Two I might recommend are Mansfield 1 and Pittsburgh (which Ed recommended to me).
  4. Originally posted by LikeASong:What do you mean by "tight"?

    My favorite Better Man is the one from Arnhem 2006 - but of course I haven't listened to as many versions as you have!

    Good boy, good boy
    The No Woman, No Cry snippet is amazing in that version.

    Just random but I always wonder why in the Pearl Jam thread a couple of lines of another song is called a tag, while when we talk about U2 we call it a snippet

    It is the same thing, right?
  5. Yes it is - I say snippet regarding to every artist, including PJ

    Matt - for me the crowd singing is a PLUS, not a low!
  6. Originally posted by bartajax:[..]

    Good boy, good boy
    The No Woman, No Cry snippet is amazing in that version.

    Just random but I always wonder why in the Pearl Jam thread a couple of lines of another song is called a tag, while when we talk about U2 we call it a snippet

    It is the same thing, right?

    I believe that they are the same - but I don't want to get into a debate about it. Didn't we "lose" a U2start member while arguing over this ambiguity a year or two ago?

    And, yes, there are some great 2006 performances of "Better Man." I'm only suggesting the 2000 versions as an a welcome alternative to them. Admittedly, I still prefer it when EV sings the intro - much like I prefer it when Bono sings the first few verses of ISHFWILF. I'm strictly speaking of listening to bootlegs, however, and not being in attendance at the actual show.
  7. hahahahahaha bobplaysthedrums

    I know I'm in the REAL minority here, but I love when the audience takes over the vocal duties. In fact, as a song writer and performer, it's my favorite part of any live show - when hundreds or thousands of voices sing as one. Gives me goosebumps every time. And when I am at the show, I do not sing to the singalongs, and just listen (with goosebumps and sometimes tears) to my audience fellas.
  8. As a performer, I can totally appreciate why you would feel that way.

    It's like when my students all eagerly answer a math problem that I've posed to them....

    ....um, no it's not.
  9. Well gentlemen (Ed and Ron, anyway), it appears our 2006 reviews have been put on (permanent?) hold - I understand, life tends to get too busy for these kind of things. However, I typed out reviews for the first NA leg and I intend to post them both. One will come today, the other tomorrow.

    How about we simply do our own "show of the month" next time around?
  10. East Rutherford 1 (2006-06-01)

    I am assuming that we are not reviewing the short show played at the Irving Plaza in NYC the night before.

    With only two shows left and them playing (pretty much) their NYC shows (even though they’re across the water, so to speak), one has to have high hopes. They’d still yet to open with either “Oceans” or “Sometimes,” so fingers crossed. I know for sure that they don’t open with “Sometimes” during either show. I’m just trying to provide a little suspense.

    The concert begins with the whirring that signals the start of “Severed Hand” - a pretty good opener. I was expecting “Word Wide Suicide” next but instead they perform “Corduroy” and then “WWS.”

    A hard version of “Do the Evolution” is next then “Marker in the Sand” (which missed the last two shows) follows. The performances of both songs are good but they should have switched the order. Like “Corduroy” and “Evolution,” “Given to Fly” has become a band (and fan?) favourite on this tour and is played next. I believe the appearance of “Dissident” provides a little “refreshment” but then the arrival of “Even Flow” reminds me that this is the 15th show I’ve listened to in almost as many days.

    “Army Reserve” sounds just fine (although I can see why they don’t play it that much these days – it’s certainly not spectacular).

    The best moment of the show arrives as “Immortality” is played for only the second time. Rumour has it that they kept messing it up during the 2000 tour. I haven’t listened to that many shows from that year (at least not in their entirety but the Toronto version sounds great.) I’m going off on a tangent – back to the show.

    “Green Disease” is next (meh) but it segues into “Not For You” – a PJ classic. Admittedly, there was a glitch or two during the song (namely Jeff’s bass) but it included a proper “Modern Girl” tag so it’s definitely a highlight.

    They attempt to play “Alone” but completely mess it up at the beginning of the second verse. I guess you have to admire them for trying it in the first place and even more so for “getting back on the horse” and picking it up where the left off. Afterwards, EV tells the crowd “we know this one” and they break into “Jeremy,” which I’d guess made everyone happy.

    The main set ends with “Why Go,” “Life Wasted” (which seems to be nestling into this near-the-end-of-the-main-set position,) and “RVM.” Very good. Very standard.

    Encore 1 starts with that “Wasted Reprise/Man of the Hour” combo. I hate to say it but “MotH” is starting to bore me. It’s a great song but they have so many others similar to it that could also have played from time to time. I guess this is the first full tour where they get to show it off – almost three years after it was released! I suppose it’s too bad they very rarely play it anymore. Maybe they too got bored of it.

    They continue keeping things relatively calm by playing “Come Back” (fine, it’s the Avocado tour) and “Footsteps” – always a treat. At the end, EV even mentions that this was one of the first three songs the band wrote together. The end the set by playing the other two, “Once” and “Alive” – both are great. The ending of “Alive” is extremely intense.

    Encore 2 is a relatively length one where the band play seven songs. It starts off very well as they played “Last Exit,” which doesn’t get the attention it deserves nowadays. However, “Comatose” is next (in the second encore again, eh?) and it is followed by “Leatherman,” not one of my favourites. Heck, it wasn’t even good enough to make the Lost Dogs compilation a decade ago. For the record, I think somebody screwed up on the PJ admin end and accidentally forgot to include it.

    Back to the concert: This night closes with some fun – and not the usual! A couple of lesser-known tracks from Vs are played (if that designation is even possible from an album as big as {i]Vs). “Glorified G” sounds solid and “Leash” (played yet again after such a long absence) brings the show home.

    I should add that probably the most interesting part of the show (the tour?) occurs “ ends and EV mentions that the last time they were in the area they played a particular song (he doesn’t not actually name it but any semi-educated PJ fan knows that he is referring to “Bu$hleaguer”) and that it hadn’t gone over too well. He then asks the audience to respond via cheers or boos how they’d feel if they played it “now” – although he insists a couple of times that they have no intention of playing it. The number of boos definitely overpower the cheers. EV goes on to discuss how the last time they played in the area someone brought a sign saying, “play Leash, pussies.” Whether you wanted them to play the song or not, who in their right mind would take the time to make such a sign? An idiot, I guess – I hope it wasn’t you, Ed. In any case, they played “Leash.”

    So “RITFW” and “YLB” to close things up? Not tonight. Instead we get my preferred combo, “Baba O’Riley” and “Indifference.” Awesome.

    Highlights: Dissident, Immortality, Not for You, “Momma-Son,” Last Exit, Baba, Indifference.

    Rating: I could go as high as 4.5 but I think a few glitches keeps it at four stars.
  11. Oddly enough, I'm listening to Pittsburgh 2000 right now which means I'm just finishing off the first NA leg from that year.
  12. Originally posted by RUMMY:Well gentlemen (Ed and Ron, anyway), it appears our 2006 reviews have been put on (permanent?) hold - I understand, life tends to get too busy for these kind of things. However, I typed out reviews for the first NA leg and I intend to post them both. One will come today, the other tomorrow.

    How about we simply do our own "show of the month" next time around?


    so sorry Matt .. i know it's a pity at this point and you're definetely right .. but when The Boss is around he sucks almost all the lifeblood hehe
    (Bowie last release got a lot of attention too)

    do you mean picking "randomly" a gig from a "random" tour?
U2start is run by fans for fans. Help us reduce personal costs. Consider to make a donation to support us.
U2start is run by fans for fans. Help us reduce personal costs. Consider to make a donation to support us.
U2start is run by fans for fans. Help us reduce personal costs. Consider to make a donation to support us.
U2start is run by fans for fans. Help us reduce personal costs. Consider to make a donation to support us.