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  1. Originally posted by drewhiggins:I'm using iPod so I can't edit posts but it just annoys me that a band that has been doing shows 30 years now won't go out there and play the song as four guys, not five guys and a drum machine. May as well call them U2DM.


    If it was just a drum machine it wouldn't be so bad. The number of songs with part backing tracks is disappointing to say the least. They should also be honest enough to credit any additional musicians who are helping out.
    I've no problem with the teleprompter. When you get to a certain age I'm afraid many of us find that our memory isn't what it was 30 years earlier, even with stuff that we should know. Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Janes Addiction and many others use them to jog their memory during a concert nowadays....although in Lou Reeds case he uses a music stand with a lyric folder.
  2. Originally posted by Dougiel:[..]

    If it was just a drum machine it wouldn't be so bad. The number of songs with part backing tracks is disappointing to say the least. They should also be honest enough to credit any additional musicians who are helping out.
    I've no problem with the teleprompter. When you get to a certain age I'm afraid many of us find that our memory isn't what it was 30 years earlier, even with stuff that we should know. Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Janes Addiction and many others use them to jog their memory during a concert nowadays....although in Lou Reeds case he uses a music stand with a lyric folder.


    It just seems not so live anymore as it once was. And the worst thing is, this tour seems more choreographed than the last two. Go out there, give it your best shot...people don't care if you make a few mistakes. It shows you're human...but U2 don't seem to want that...they only want to impress. I'd rather see a band 100% live than 75% live, and making a few mistakes. It seems too tight now.
  3. Originally posted by drewhiggins:[..]

    It just seems not so live anymore as it once was. And the worst thing is, this tour seems more choreographed than the last two. Go out there, give it your best shot...people don't care if you make a few mistakes. It shows you're human...but U2 don't seem to want that...they only want to impress. I'd rather see a band 100% live than 75% live, and making a few mistakes. It seems too tight now.


    I miss Lovetown
  4. Originally posted by drewhiggins:[..]

    It just seems not so live anymore as it once was. And the worst thing is, this tour seems more choreographed than the last two. Go out there, give it your best shot...people don't care if you make a few mistakes. It shows you're human...but U2 don't seem to want that...they only want to impress. I'd rather see a band 100% live than 75% live, and making a few mistakes. It seems too tight now.


    Haven't seen them on this tour yet and have made a point of not listening to any boots of the tour so that I can experience some sort of surprise when I finally see them (Wembley friday and saturday here I come) so can't really comment on how scripted the show is. I don't want to criticise them without even hearing or seeing them but I too, would rather hear a stripped down proper 'live' version of the song rather than an attempt to recreate perfectly an album track using pre-recorded music. How much of a jump from what they're doing with the music is it to lip syncing? Is that what's next?
  5. how many songs this tour feature no backing tracks or additional musicians? (acoustics not included)

    NLOTH
    AOH
    In A Little While
    Vertigo
    Ultraviolet?
    Sunday Bloody Sunday

    Any more?
  6. Originally posted by Dougiel:[..]

    Haven't seen them yet and have made a point of not listening to any boots of the tour so that I can experience some sort of surprise when I finally see them (Wembley friday and saturday here I come) so can't really comment on how scripted the show is. I don't want to criticise them without even hearing or seeing them but I too, would rather hear a stripped down proper 'live' version of the song rather than an attempt to recreate perfectly an album track using pre-recorded music. How much of a jump from what they're doing with the music is it to lip syncing? Is that what's next?


    It's one hell of a jump. But that's just pointing out that it does happen. I'm hoping U2 don't go to those lengths.

    Have fun at Wembley!



    I miss Lovetown


    Me too.
  7. Hi,

    Just my first post but in a very interesting discussion.

    In fact, U2 using backingtracks and prerecorded drums and so on, made me be not that of a great U2 fan. The songs and performances are amazing but it has a fake side.

    I am a huge Queen fan. In the days Queen were big, there were no backing tracks at all. So a song like 'A Kind Of Magic' that is obviously recorded with a lot of electronic gadgets on record but live it was stripped down to only 1 guitar, 1 bass and normal acoustic drums. Plus vocals of course. I admired Queen of taking a risk and play AKOM stripped down with a different sound that on record. The result was a fresh and new approach the song.

    U2 played in that way on safe because all hits are performed like on the record when first played on tour.

    The other side is that U2 are capable musicians and they do not use electronical gadgets to cover up their disability to play and instrument or sing, like artists as Byonce, Madonna or Britney Spears do.

    So in the end, no i dont mind but i always like to hear the 'pure' U2 like on SBS, New Years Day or Out Of Control....Or like on the acoustic Yahweh or Stay. Just so beautiful.
  8. Hi there

    Im new and seeing u2 at wembley last night attracted me to this thread- wanting to discuss it. I like that this has been discussed in a constructive way, so I thought Id join in.

    So yes the new show is no doubt a spectacle, but the 'computer behind a curtain' providing the backing track is too much. What worries me is its not just providing backing for musical instruments that arent there but also a (lower frequency) guide vocal for Bono- this was obvious when he mis cued his lines or wasnt spot on.
    Having seen them a few times over the last few years I can say the show is polished to the point of watching a 'music video' live and they are certainly not the same 'live' band the were years ago.
    That said, the show was fun and I was entertained, just too polished and homogenised for my taste as a live music lover though.

    On this note, I know one of the guys in the Arcade Fire, who supported u2 a couple of years ago in Canada. He told me that they noticed that not only did u2 play to heavy backing tracks and vocal trickery but played everything 'to click'.
    When the two bands covered 'love will tear us apart' together, Bono refused to do it unless they had a click track. When Arcade Fire said 'Hey, dont worry, we're playing live, we'll be fine, who cares if we make a couple of mistakes and f*ck it up a bit- it will be more fun that way!'. Bono refused to play it live, as is, so they did it with the click track.
    Anyway I only bring this up because when I was told about it, the arcade fire guys were shocked that a band as seemingly confident as U2 had been using 'live aids' for so long that they were almost too nervous or insecure to go out and play live 'naturally' without them.
  9. click tracks are a normality for U2. That doesnt worry me too much tnougn. Agree with you on all other points though. Magnificent is a shambles
  10. Originally posted by germcevoy:how many songs this tour feature no backing tracks or additional musicians? (acoustics not included)

    NLOTH
    AOH
    In A Little While
    Vertigo
    Ultraviolet?
    Sunday Bloody Sunday

    Any more?

    NLOTH, In A Little While and possibly Ultra Violet do have backing tracks - you can hear the synths on NLOTH during the break where Bono sings 'every night I have the same dream' and In A Little While has organ-backing during the chorus bits. Ultra Violet MIGHT, I'm not sure though, it obviously doesn't have the ZooTV-esque intro. but it might have something like extra vox? Not sure.
  11. Originally posted by germcevoy:how many songs this tour feature no backing tracks or additional musicians? (acoustics not included)

    NLOTH
    AOH
    In A Little While
    Vertigo
    Ultraviolet?
    Sunday Bloody Sunday
    Any more?


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Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.
Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.