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Experience and Innocence tour
 Legs (3): Promo tour, Leg 1: North America, Leg 2: Europe
Shows: 75
  1. Yes as mentioned above 11:00 absence makes just as little sense as AIWIY absence. I mean the latter was the absolute highlight from the promo tour imo
  2. I don't know. At this point, after they've run through Acrobat in full several times, I'm roughly 50/50 on whether I think they'll play it at all (even just once) or not on this tour. Either way seems pretty likely but if you'd asked me literally the day before the rehearsal of it, I'd have said no freaking way. So, I can still hang onto that and be pretty much cool about it - much as I'd love to hear Acrobat and Wild Horses, I'd have never fingered them as songs to expect before rehearsals.

    And even so, both run through rehearsals look like good flippin setlists to me. Even just leaving out The Joshua Tree songs and Mysterious Ways really does seem like it gives the set a lot more room to breathe. Add to that the fact that SBS looks - for now - like it could be part of a rotational block of songs (which would be a pretty cool way to do things), then that's another warhorse out of the show. I'll stand by my previous statements that BD and Vertigo shouldn't be dropped from a U2 setlist yet as they are, for a lot people who will be at these shows, among U2's most iconic songs, and certainly their most iconic recent songs. Normally I'd say Pride needs a break but it looks like it's part of a block of songs where it makes a lot of thematic sense... really Elevation is the only song that I really think they need not play, especially if the miles-more-fun Vertigo is in the setlist as well.

    I mean, there's something from Pop (!?!?!?!?!), The Ocean, Hold Me Thrill Me (which has only been seen on two tours despite being a pretty major single and sort of the zenith of their 90s experience), at least eight new songs, and four from Songs of Innocence which I certainly thought we'd not get to see much of anymore. I mean, sure, Wild Horses and Acrobat would be beyond phenomenal, but as it stands... I think either version of that rehearsal setlist would be one of U2's best setlists in years.
  3. I like everyone else is a little confused and concerned for the whole 'Experience' side of this tour, playing songs they play every tour isn't the kinda thing i want to see this time around.

    What happened to the band we all grown to love, ones that would dream it all up again and flip things on its head. Hopefully we're all wrong and they'll wow us with songs we never thought we'd hear again, but as for these rehearsals are going i'm not too sure now.... Role on Manchester...
  4. Originally posted by deanallison:[..]
    Well I think there’s at least a couple more tours to come, which could span maybe 8 years to make the 50th anniversary. The point is though these aren’t songs thrown in as crowd pleasers, they’re not overplayed songs either, we’re talking about 4 songs that should still feel relatively fresh and that’s total live plays isn’t actually that much because I&E was a relatively short tour.


    Can't imagine U2 not touring!
  5. I adore elements of this setlist...but there are some parts which need serious work. I hate to be that guy but...as much as I like SOI, I wouldn't mind if that album was kept to a minimum this tour. Of course there has to be a couple of songs there given that it's the E+I tour (and I love Cedarwood Road and RBW) but to simply re-play a sequence from the last indoor tour? That's awfully lazy. Bad form.

    As others have said, I feel they could definitely put more emphasis on the 'experience' aspect of the show. I mean Acrobat and Wild Horses are going to be immense if they play them but for me, these rotations would suit that aspect really well.

    Kite/SYCMIOYO (loss)
    Vertigo/Elevation (big 00s single)
    Discotheque/HMTMKMKM (90s banger)
    Stay/SATS (acoustic fan favourite)
    The Fly/UTEOTW (Zoo TV classic)
    SFS/13 (yeah...these shouldn't both be in one show)

    I keep going on about it but...the lack of Streets is massive, more than any other 'classic' they have. This show needs an 'uplifting' moment which just isn't there right now. There are going to be a lot of people who will be seeing U2 for the first time (my pal being one of them) this tour, I can't imagine a show without it.
  6. I think they might be saving Acrobat and Horses for AB 30 in 2021 if it happens
  7. Originally posted by MattG:There was just such a huge opportunity for them to explore their "songs of experience" throughout their career and instead they've thrown the idea in the toilet. It's so disappointing that there's virtually zero representation from Bomb/ATYCLB, their two centerpiece "we made it to the other side of all that experimentation" albums. We could have had that version of Miracle Drug, or SYCMIOYO, Kite, Original of the Species, even Walk On would've been welcome.

    Instead we get Beautiful Day, Elevation, and City of Blinding Lights. Excuse me as I try to reign in my excitement.

    The Achtung songs that are now dropped fit that bill perfectly, too. But even when The Ocean started getting rehearsed, my dominant thought was 'that doesn't really make sense...'
    We haven't got anything yet the tour hasn't started you do realise that don't you?The band know what works they are not playing to the 5% who wanna hear Miracle drug, Walk on or Original of the species .For a band going 40 years to be playing new material is basically unheard of 90% of other bands are on a nostalgic trip which a lot of ppl on here seem to forget they have such a massive back catalogue they can't please everyone .
  8. I don’t think Lights of Home and Iris should be in the same set either, with the whole ‘Free yourself to be yourself’ verses. Same goes for 13 and Song For Someone. Basically it’s got to be one or the other for me
  9. I love all this speculation but it's all pointless....won't have an idea of an actual setlist until gig 1.
  10. Think there will be a full dress rehearsal before night 1
  11. I wonder are they purposely playing all these recent songs as a sort of penance for touring The Joshua Tree?
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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.