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  1. Apart from the early shows (basically rehearsals) and the fairly late shows of the Tour and excluding Edges karaoke why were the setlists so structured? I know all U2 setlists are structured but they leave room to shake thing up a bit. Why was this not true of Popmart?
  2. The lack of variation appeared after the October Tour (and even in the Early Times the setlists were very structured!), and since then U2 has done always the same setlists all around the tours.
    They usually change the opening song (Out Of Control / Gloria... Gloria / 11 O'Clock Tick Tock... Where The Streets / Bullet... God Part II / Bullet / etc...).
    They also perform some rare songs into the main setlist, and this is the only variation of the PoP Tour (the Edge karaoke's)...
    And in some special places, they perform rare or imprevist songs (Mothers, Guantanamera, Miss Sarajevo, etc).

    PoPMart sucks.
  3. i don't think popmart sucks...and i think that they have enough variation throughout the tour...there are bands like iron maiden that play the same thing every night...and there are some that never play the same setlist like dream theater...u2 is between them.
  4. Originally posted by germcevoyApart from the early shows (basically rehearsals) and the fairly late shows of the Tour and excluding Edges karaoke why were the setlists so structured?


    Replace Edge's Karaoke with Accoustic songs/early songs and you can say the same thing about Zoo TV, Elevation and Vertigo...

    Popmart is still one the best concert concepts I've ever been to. Man, it was really overwhelming. Hard to understand if you haven't been there...
    And hardly comparable with the rather weak Elevation and Vertigo tours.

  5. i'm in no way criticising the Popmart Tour. i'm a huge huge fan of it. It just frustrates me listening to Popmart boots and knowing that the first 10 songs are gonna be the exact same each and every time
  6. Because Popmart, unlike other gigs, involved a synchronized production, not only from the giant video wall, but also the lights and the arc, which implies the need of a structured setlist. So, if you want to make changes they'll be from leg to leg, because every song had it's own visual design. That production was less massive in the Elevation and Vertigo Tours, and the setlists had more room for variations... maybe they realized the Popmart was kinda too tight.
  7. Originally posted by redguitaronfireBecause Popmart, unlike other gigs, involved a synchronized production, not only from the giant video wall, but also the lights and the arc, which implies the need of a structured setlist. So, if you want to make changes they'll be from leg to leg, because every song had it's own visual design. That production was less massive in the Elevation and Vertigo Tours, and the setlists had more room for variations... maybe they realized the Popmart was kinda too tight.


    think you absolutley spot on there. show was more visually astounding than musically it could be said perhaps?
  8. Originally posted by germcevoy[..]

    think you absolutley spot on there. show was more visually astounding than musically it could be said perhaps?


    Yeah, I agree. The songs from Pop didn't change very much from the record to the stage, in my opinion. I mean, of course they don't have so many effects and Bono sings a bit different, but they don't have longer solos, or snippets, or extra-verses. And other songs, like Even Better than the Real Thing didn't change from the Zoo versions. Where the Streets Popmart is very cool, the Desire and Sunday Bloody Sunday too, but yes, I think they wanted it to look impressive rather than sound impressive.
  9. U2 shows in themselves are pretty structures.

    They are not like Rush (who play the same setlist everynight on a given tour) but they are hardly Dave Matthews Band (different setlist every show)

    U2 play approximately 21-23 songs per show. In that, only around 5 are revolving. Some night "Bad" and other nights "All I Want Is You" - Some nights (acoustic) "Stuck In A Moment..." and other nights (acoustic) "Walk On".

    Much of the structure is due to production/lighting/video that has been prevalent since ZOOTV; more so on some tours more than others.

    But like many fans... I'd like to see a bit more variety. U2 have said "most go to one show" not most on this site! And not most of the fans that I met at the many shows I've been to over the years! In that, one would hope that they might spend an extra month or two in tour pre-production and learn some tunes "Acrobat" and re-learn others that have not been played in ages... some never played in the US ("God Part II", "Hawkmoon 269., "Babyface", "Zooropa"...

    Like many fans... many who see multi-shows would not cry not hearing New Years Day or Pride at EVERY show. And we'd love a variety of the U2 catalog - new and old.

    Hear that Edge, Bono, Larry and Adam?!?!?!?! =O)

    Time will tell.
  10. Bono was having proper voice problem before and during the recording process to the album. Do you think they might have put on a more visual show to mask that up. agree with streets there. they changed Bullet a bit from Zoo aswell.
  11. Originally posted by anstratdubh1979U2 shows in themselves are pretty structures.


    Like many fans... many who see multi-shows would not cry not hearing New Years Day or Pride at EVERY show. And we'd love a variety of the U2 catalog - new and old.

    Fair enough, songs Like NYD and Pride may not touch the hearts of those lucky enough to have seen U2 5+ times but its those songs that can lift a struggling show, get the crowd interested again
  12. I am not saying NYD or Pride are horrible. But being that I have been "lucky enough" [read: worked my ass off and saved bucket loads of cash AND saved my days off from work to see multiple shows]...

    ...I don't see those songs as the ones that LIFT a show like "Where The Streets Have No Name" does. And being that I was at the multiple shows and sat in multiple GA lines talking with other fans... I have heard the same things over and over - that being that most (not all but a great deal) would not mind if Pride, NYD, Bullet and SBS were not in EVERY show. I am not saying to shelf them but to merely platoon them with other tunes that have never or have rarely been played; or not in a long time been played.

    That being the point I was making.

    NOTE:

    Why is it that SOME, that might not be able to see multiple shows, seem to be bitter towards those that can/do?

    Again, keep in mind that those that see multiple shows are fans as much as those that see one or none. Some can't afford the price of the shows or the days off. I understand that. But I have seen bitterness on various lists, that seems to come from nothing more than jealousy toward those that can/do see more thanone show. Silly. Keep in mind, for me and those that do see multple show, we save for years and save up our vacation days at work to do so; it is all a matter of planning and spending control during non-touring times.