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  1. Maybe the weirdness is mostly a product of the fact that the venues are just TOO big to conduct a typical U2-level connection with the crowd, given the circumstances. 360 (and Vertigo's outdoor leg) had stages that were slightly more conducive to crowd work, and setlists that definitely inspired it more too.

    So many different ingredients to this odd recipe for a U2 tour...
  2. If you can make it all the way through Bono's performance of Vertigo - easily the most rock n' roll part of the show - without falling asleep, more power to you. Also, the thumbnail makes him look bald!



    Seriously, Bono himself could have snuck a nap into this and we may have never noticed.
  3. Originally posted by MattG:If you can make it all the way through Bono's performance of Vertigo - easily the most rock n' roll part of the show - without falling asleep, more power to you. Also, the thumbnail makes him look bald!

    [YouTube Video]

    Seriously, Bono himself could have snuck a nap into this and we may have never noticed.
    I'm not a big fan of these videos (someone recorded the full gig in this quality) from the other night seem to be seriously lacking in bass which ruins it overall, the picture is crystal clear though.
  4. Originally posted by MattG:Slight rant incoming:

    I've see Bono pre-back surgery, immediately post-back surgery, and 7 times since.

    He was moving around with absolute vigor right after the surgery. I could not *believe* he was as active as he was. He was also in the face of the crowd every night on the I&E Tour. Throwing water, yelling off-mic (one of my favorite Bono moves), really connecting with the crowd. Now, aside from Exit, I feel almost no energy out of Bono. It feels more like he's aware they're putting on quite a grandiose show, and he is presenting it - less like he's trying to make anyone in the crowd a part of it. If they're doing it because its truer to the 1987 tour, then fine, no difference - it is boring.

    There's a hot post at the top of active topics right now, reviewing the tour based on three separate performances - and Bono didn't even CASUALLY pay attention to the Red Zone section, at least at two different shows? Give me a break! Not even two years ago, he was working the entire front rail, an arena-long catwalk on both sides, and a B-stage rail in the round. And now he can't even be bothered to glance at the Red Zone, right in front of him? It's lazy showmanship, and whether you've personally enjoyed the shows thus far (I'm personally 50/50 on my two, with a third coming), it is a fact that the band is playing with less energy than they did last time around...not so long ago. Again, if there is a good reason for it, fine, but no difference - it is more boring.

    And yeah, I prefer Streets live too...until probably 2015. It was still pretty great on 360, but honestly the last time I LOVED Streets' live version was the Vertigo Tour. The last time they played it indoors with any sort of real gripping punch. Pride was far more outstanding than Streets on I&E, in my opinion. There is something understated and powerful about the vocal on the studio version of Streets that is no longer translating to the live version. There are seriously SO MANY melodic changes to that live vocal, it is almost astonishing.

    Just a personal opinion. Still love the band. Still love Streets.


    Agree with everything you have said. I thought there was a big drop in energy with IE but looking back Bono was still doing pretty well. The drop on this tour is huuuuge imo. I think they just need to stick to smaller venues.

    I also wouldnt be surprised if Bono is really starting to feel the struggle vocally more than he did on IE. His heart just translating into the performances like they used to. Having said that The Little Things is an exception to that for me - you can tell he is feeling that.

    The difference just seems huge for a two year gap.

    I also wonder about the visuals and those not connecting with the audience.

    I havent seen this show in person so make of that what you will. I know its different being there.


  5. +2. Very well said. Differing opinions are fine, of course, but enjoy the show for what it is, and look forward to the next tour in support of new material, then! I'm still on a high after how fantastic Cleveland was.
  6. I've listened to a bunch of shows from this new tour, and agree, the band feels a little on automatic pilot, but the audiences too! This band has always been about evolution and reinvention, revisiting the past perhaps didn't result as interesting as they thought it would be for them as a band. They must feel like Bart Simpson going "I didn't do it" over and over and over. The real challenge for them has always been about writing and playing new songs. Perhaps they just remembered why they chopped the tree down back in the early 90's.
  7. Originally posted by MattG:If you can make it all the way through Bono's performance of Vertigo - easily the most rock n' roll part of the show - without falling asleep, more power to you. Also, the thumbnail makes him look bald!

    Seriously, Bono himself could have snuck a nap into this and we may have never noticed.


    Hahaha ..Yikes..

    To give you some comfort the band is not quite dead yet , here's a full on Vertigo for you to watch. Live, it was even better, and the crowd went nuts which you cant really see here... Sad we don't have a Tim Newell video for this epic show.

  8. When I saw this topic, I honestly thought somebody tried making a second drunk thread.


    After reading all the comments here I think we should rename this topic to "Eternal Bitching" mainly because I'm seeing a lot of "I haven't seen them yet this tour, but yeah I agree it looks like 4 robots on a screen" types of comments.

    I saw them twice in LA and Bono was honestly in the best form I've seen him ever since I've seen them in person (360). His voice was superb and every performance was spot on fantastic, except for Beautiful Day for stylistic reasons and Miss Sarajevo due to my personal preference of the piano version. He has much greater control over his voice and actually does way more singing now compared to the past where he tended to do a mix of yelling and rhythmic talking. Most notable difference for me is With Or Without You because he actually sings the song instead of speaking it as he has been doing for a while prior to this tour. The key change in New Year's Day puts the song into a much more comfortable range for Bono and he hits every note.

    I don't think there is anything wrong with the band whatsoever. However, I will say for people who listen to every single recording of every single concert on every single tour, it's easy to develop fatigue simply because you are listening to essentially the same thing over and over and over again. You can make the argument that each performance should have its own unique sound, but the human mind is designed to seek out patterns and similarities, especially when exposed to the same material repeatedly. This means as time goes on, repeat exposure to the same material becomes less and less notable because your mind has already registered an expected response.

    Case and point, people who listen to fewer bootlegs are more likely to be impressed by lower quality performances while people who listen to most bootlegs are more likely to register "average" performances as "bad." It's the same phenomenon that explains why drug addicts will eventually overdose. Each time it takes more drug to produce the desired high because the body becomes accustomed to a particular dose and dampens response.


    Long story short, go to a show and write a review on the show page saying you attended a show and it was terrible. Then I'll start believing this garbage about the band slipping.
  9. Originally posted by jennagirl:[..]


    Hahaha ..Yikes..

    To give you some comfort the band is not quite dead yet , here's a full on Vertigo for you to watch. Live, it was even better, and the crowd went nuts which you cant really see here... Sad we don't have a Tim Newell video for this epic show.

    [YouTube Video]
    Exactly: "Boys play rock and roll / They know they can't dance / At least they know!"

    Sums it up perfectly. They are musicians in the first place and showmen in the second (or even third or fourth!).
    They are not getting any younger (but who does?) and age does takes it toll on the physical.
    And it is known that older men are more easily emotional than younger man. Nothing to worry about.
    I don't think there is anything wrong with Bono. He's just getting older - and luckily so, because he is still to young for the only alternative...

  10. I still say this is a case of people watching the same movie 50 times, then start wondering if the movie is actually bad when they watch it for the 51st time.


    Easiest way to tell if this is you or the band is to stop following them for a month, then come back and reassess. Analyzing every youtube video for signs that Bono is old isn't going to help.
  11. Originally posted by ahn1991:I still say this is a case of people watching the same movie 50 times, then start wondering if the movie is actually bad when they watch it for the 51st time.


    Easiest way to tell if this is you or the band is to stop following them for a month, then come back and reassess. Analyzing every youtube video for signs that Bono is old isn't going to help.
    I'm not sure. I've felt this way from the first few shows of this tour. The start of a U2 tour is often the most tense and energetic part. Something just hasn't clicked this year for metro weeks or so from Croke and I could still take it or leave it.
  12. Looking through Bono's "eyes"

    [#ms.ck]

    #littlethings2#the1sthatmatter
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