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Joshua Tree Tour 2019
 Legs (1): New Zealand, Australia and Asia
Shows: 15
  1. Again, so weird that its just a 5sec part that's technically not too difficult.

    I wonder if it has to do with the tone/effects that the solo part would require him to jump to, (for only 5 secs), before jumping back, and that it wouldnt sound smooth. So it's a matter of 2 parts (chords, and solo) having to be played at same time. Only 1 can be by Edge, so pick and choose which one...
  2. Not to toot my own horn, but I am a pretty good guitar player. As such, I can safely say that Bono's guitar playing never added anything to the sound at all. It was always just a prop. There are of course instances where you can hear his playing, but it's mostly always extremely low in the mix. As a guitarist I know what Bono's abilities and limitations were... he never would've been able to play either guitar part of Best Thing. He would've been able to strum the chords to Invisible while Edge played the solo, that could've been done. Except that by 2015 he couldn't play guitar anymore. Not knocking Bono... the man is an exceptional singer, writer and entertainer... but a guitar player he is not, and never was. There is no song in U2's entire catalog that couldn't be done because Bono is no longer able to play guitar.

    I've always thought U2 should have a 5th member onstage. A rhythm guitarist / keyboardist. Basically, a Terry, but onstage, and more involved. Some songs would sound better with a rhythm guitar. "All Because of You", for example... the foundation of the song just falls off when Edge plays his guitar leads... a full time rhythm guitar would help that.
  3. Originally posted by podiumboy:I've always thought U2 should have a 5th member onstage. A rhythm guitarist / keyboardist. Basically, a Terry, but onstage, and more involved. Some songs would sound better with a rhythm guitar. "All Because of You", for example... the foundation of the song just falls off when Edge plays his guitar leads... a full time rhythm guitar would help that.
    Very true (and nicely picked example, although there are many more). Edge is a very rich guitar player and sound architect, but he's only got two hands. Many U2 songs need more than just six strings and a keyboard/sequencer.


    On the other hand,
    Originally posted by podiumboy:Not to toot my own horn, but I am a pretty good guitar player. As such, I can safely say that Bono's guitar playing never added anything to the sound at all. It was always just a prop. There are of course instances where you can hear his playing, but it's mostly always extremely low in the mix. As a guitarist I know what Bono's abilities and limitations were... he never would've been able to play either guitar part of Best Thing. He would've been able to strum the chords to Invisible while Edge played the solo, that could've been done. Except that by 2015 he couldn't play guitar anymore. Not knocking Bono... the man is an exceptional singer, writer and entertainer... but a guitar player he is not, and never was. There is no song in U2's entire catalog that couldn't be done because Bono is no longer able to play guitar.
    Not true, not true at all. Bono is a much better (and needed) guitar player than many people think. Listen to Stay '93: most of the guitar sound comes from Bono's Gibson ES-175, Edge only plays the lead melody. Same or similar story goes for Staring At The Sun, Kite and 1987/89 versions of Running To Stand Still, just to mention a few.

    Of course there are many many songs where him playing guitar was unnecesary, or even a prop. I Will Follow, All Along The Watchtower, Walk On and When Love Comes To Town spring to mind, and also Vertigo Tour performances of One and Running To Stand Still. The guy is a guitar collector and lover, and being the same myself, I can only imagine how painful must be for him not being able to play guitar anymore...

    ...Because, let's face it: he's a much worse piano player than guitarist
  4. Originally posted by deanallison:[..]
    Yeah Edge never actually played the solo live it was just pre recorded while he sang the ‘i can see it all so clearly’ bit. I have to admit I will usually defend the band with bits being played over the PA but not when the lead guitarist stops playing guitar to sing, that’s not cool.
    Evidence
    [YouTube Video]


    I'm guessing they were not quite ready to play the new songs on that tour. Just wanted to push them out without proper rehearsing. Probably the compromise they had to come up with. Yup, I will usually find a way to defend these guys...
  5. Originally posted by FromMEtoU2:[..]


    I'm guessing they were not quite ready to play the new songs on that tour. Just wanted to push them out without proper rehearsing. Probably the compromise they had to come up with. Yup, I will usually find a way to defend these guys...
    I mean...I keep seeing people refer to that guitar part as a "solo" but it's really not, it's really quite simple and someone like Edge should be able to play it lol.

    But you're probably right, maybe they hadn't rehearsed it one bit and Edge sometimes has trouble learning parts that he also has to sing on top of? (I'd find this hard to believe though, that's basically what he's doing 90% of the time).

    Suffice to say, that shit disappoints me, both as a U2 fan and as a musician who can trace their inspiration for picking up the guitar to Edge.
  6. The more I think about it, the more I think it is not that he can't play that part. I agree it is quite simple compared to many of the other things he is doing. I mean he plays the piano and guitar at the same time. Perhaps is more of a technical sound thing as they added this song partway through the tour and really did not have enough time to work out all the sounds that go into it or how it should really sound live.
  7. Edge is going progressively lazier and lazier as years go by. Fact.
  8. I mean, he's also getting older and he's probably not as quick/able as he once was, either. Maybe he has a harder time playing and singing at the same time, at least parts that haven't been in his head for the past few decades.

    Who knows.
  9. Was listening to War yesterday... They should give Like A Song a crack live in the opening 4-5 songs! Nothing hugely technical about the song and I reckon Bono could still sing it no worries... hard to believe they've only played this once!
  10. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:[..]
    I mean, he's also getting older and he's probably not as quick/able as he once was, either. Maybe he has a harder time playing and singing at the same time, at least parts that haven't been in his head for the past few decades.

    Who knows.
    Yeah, that as well. He's not getting any younger.

    You know, I saw Mark Knopfler (one of the best guitar players ever imho) a couple of years back and I was sad to see that he's no longer to play the fastest parts of his solos like he used to. Maybe he was just having a tough Summer night in the strong heat but I could feel the slowness. Of course he and Edge approach guitar playing very differently (and Knopfler is also 10 years older than Evans!) but I definitely think there's a pattern there. I wonder for how much longer will Edge be able to play UTEOTW's solo with all these quick legatos...
  11. I've felt for a long time that Larry has slowed down a lot over the years. He seemed much more frenetic in the early years but is more measured now. Can still kick a mean bass drum though.
  12. Going forward I think it would be quite cool to see the band have more songs that combined piano and guitar. Edge always does a good job of this live and it seems to bring about great songs, The Unforgettable Fire, New Years Day, Raised By Wolves, Lemon. Even though Edge is a much better guitar player than Piano player I think there’s more potential at this stage of his career to be more creative when combining the 2.