2019-11-12 - Brisbane
Tour: Joshua Tree Tour 2019
Songs played: 25
Audio recordings: 1
Videos: 1
  1. Really enjoyed this. The band seemed a lot happier and energised than the JT30 show I saw in LA. Does Adam ever stop smiling?

    Wish I had the money to see more.
  2. I love how these reviews say the flat bit is the happy meal section.... Goes to show how amazing it would be to have done a zoo station, fly, stay horses encore haha but they are playing a stadium after all
  3. Edit: I can't read, & was talking crap.
  4. Did anyone else think Bono lost his voice again during pride?
  5. Yeah, that's a refreshingly honest and open minded review. No hiding his dislike for much of what U2 do and yet he tries to see it through the eyes of a fan and ultimately concedes they're very good in some aspects.

    I may not spend too much time on this but I want to reciprocate his approach and try to understand how he can describe Bad as "bland at best and offensive at worst". How does a non-fan hear my favourite U2 song that way?
  6. I agree with him about the tackiness of the visuals of BD, etc, compared to Anton's stuff.
  7. Originally posted by Sydney_MIke:Yeah, that's a refreshingly honest and open minded review. No hiding his dislike for much of what U2 do and yet he tries to see it through the eyes of a fan and ultimately concedes they're very good in some aspects.

    I may not spend too much time on this but I want to reciprocate his approach and try to understand how he can describe Bad as "bland at best and offensive at worst". How does a non-fan hear my favourite U2 song that way?
    Agreed, really enjoyed this
  8. Originally posted by Sydney_MIke:Yeah, that's a refreshingly honest and open minded review. No hiding his dislike for much of what U2 do and yet he tries to see it through the eyes of a fan and ultimately concedes they're very good in some aspects.

    I may not spend too much time on this but I want to reciprocate his approach and try to understand how he can describe Bad as "bland at best and offensive at worst". How does a non-fan hear my favourite U2 song that way?
    Yeah, enjoyed the review too, but was spun out by his Bad comments. How is that possible!
  9. Highlights:

    -Suncorp Stadium's crew in general : LEGENDS. Got spoiled with water misting fans, free snacks, power sockets and generally awesome can do attitude.
    -Full moon during the gig.
    -The Shoutout to the firefighters
    -Bono dorking around with his glasses.
    -New Lighting setup ?
    -Larry's haircut looks amazing. 10 years off him.
    -INXS snippets



    Mehs-
    Not a lot of progress since 2017
    No Greg Carrol Tribute during OTH ?! I would have loved to see those visuals ...
    Band AND crew seeming very chaotic. Mistakes here and there.
    Deffo down there with the lesser fave JT shows. But Brisbane made up for it as a U2 community and city.



    Pics comming up soon!
  10. First Joshua Tree show for me, nice they finally got here, wouldn't have wanted to miss this tour. It was a brilliant experience, U2 shows always are. But certainly not up there with the best shows I've seen. Hard to go back to a stadium setting, after seeing the band in arenas in 2015 & 2017.

    As JD mentioned, Suncorp's security was flawless, the best I've seen. We were located on the grass, under gazebos. Very important in hot Brisbane. They even offered free sunscreen & water for everyone.

    I'd tried to stay spoiler free for Auckland, but wasn't rewarded with many surprises. After a two year break, I was hoping for more change. It was to be expected I suppose, but felt a bit lazy.

    I was spoiled during the soundcheck, as we waited in the depths of Suncorp. But if you're going to be spoiled with Angel of Harlem, a song I don't particularly like, what a way to do it. The GA crowd singing along in full voice, as they waited in anticipation to enter the field. This followed an even better sing-along of RHMT as it was rehearsed, bloody brilliant!

    To the show. I've previously floated the idea of ditching the old school start to the show, in favour of newer material at the end of the show. It was never going to happen, but it was an interesting idea. But from our location, at the top of the tree, this opening salvo of 4 classics was the highlight. Particularly Bad, one of everyone's favorites. Loved the snippet of Midnight Oil's 'Beds are Burning', an apt choice as much of Australia is devastated by raging bush fires.

    Luckily tonight the Brisbane's skies had stayed quite clear. Like much of eastern Australia, in the days before & after the concert Brisbane was blanketed in a smoky haze. Hopefully this doesn't effect Bono's voice in any way.

    To the main stage for the Joshua Tree set. Anton Corbijn's visuals are simply stunning! We've all seen it, in person, or online. From the opening scene in Streets, the crowd screaming & roaring under white lights as the long stretch of highway appears, to the haunting visuals of MOTD. What I didn't expect, with such a large, sharp screen in the background, was the near vertigo inducing feeling I got on the odd occasion, early in show. As my brain wrestled with my senses. While watching the band perform Still Haven't Found, the realism of gloomy first behind them created an odd feeling. Like being on a train, stopped at a station. When the train beside moves off,..... are we moving,..... no, they are moving. Not unpleasant at all, just something unexpected.

    Larry's tree-stage drum set doesn't lower into the floor anymore?? Some people at the tree-staged missed the awe inspiring scenes of Streets. I don't think the crew removed the drum kit until after Streets concluded. What! Same goes for Edge's keyboard, & Bono's mic late in the show (which affected or view for multiple songs).

    Loved the visuals for In God's Country, loved the song. Better than the album version.

    One Tree Hill was always going to be a standout. Never seen it live, always wanted to. The visuals were interesting, particularly as a full moon rose over the stadium. I've since learned that NZ had their own visuals for Greg Carroll, that may have been more fitting here. But I guess they wanted to save those for NZ only. Hmmmm, a hard one.

    I'd waited 20-odd years to see Exit live, & it didn't disappoint. Like everyone says, it's a standout. Loved being at the top of the tree, as the song comes to it's conclusion. Bono approaching, arm outstretched, "hold out your hand"! Me going nuts, arm outstretched, bellowing right back at him "hold out your hand". Loved it! But where did the time go, in a snap the song was over. The moment was gone. Funny how the brain works.

    As JT concludes, a weird one song interlude of Angel of Harlem on the tree stage. Really enjoyed AOH too! Simple visuals with nice red/orange lighting.

    Much appreciated, as I was feeling a bit lonely with most of the band gone so long from the tree stage. It felt like I was missing the party down front. For me the tree-stage is great for an overview of the show, but it's too far from the action. The addition of another song at the start in Melbourne must have helped, but it's really later in show where some more time on the tree-stage would help.

    Back to the main stage, Bono appearing in makeup & a top hat. OMG, WE'RE GOING TO GET ACROBAT, OZ IS GOING TO GET ACROBAT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS!!

    Errr, no you not! Well that was disappointing. Nothing wrong with EBTTRT, but with the adrenaline & endorphins already pumping in anticipation of Acrobat, it was a bit of a letdown.

    Ha, staying spoiler-free can have it's negative moments. As it did here & on EI, with no LIAWHL or RFD for me.

    The 3 high energy songs of EBTTRT, Elevation & Vertigo are fun (& hard work for an aging pogoer). But, for me this is where the show losses a bit. The happy meal section. No real theme, no real order. Just random hits, & a couple of newbies, thrown together. For no real point, other than entertainment. Which is fine, but just doesn't feel quite right for U2.

    Funny that the 'casual' are saying the same thing. Even one that hates U2! The opening works. The JT set is exquisite (minus the disappointing RHMT). Maybe it's better than 2017, but the happy meal section is still just ho-hum.

    I like that they attempted Love is Bigger, it was brilliant in an arena. But it doesn't really work here, Bono can't get this crowd going. Brisbane's crowd was particularly poor in general. I hope they've had more luck with this song at other venues.

    One closing out the show. Don't like it closing, never have. Wish it would take a rest.

    Sorry, that got a bit long.

    The abridged version.

    * Flawless GA entry, after camping overnight. Loved it.

    * Old school opening, brilliant when experienced from the tree-stage.

    * Particularly Bad (Beds are Burning snippet).

    * Stunning visuals for JT.

    * Exit was worth the wait, a highlight!

    * Happy meal section is still ho-hum.

    * The tree-stage is great for an overview of the show, but it's too far from the action for most of the show.

    * The crew were sloppy removing gear from the tree-stage, obstructing views at times. The sound was off on the odd occasion early in the show too I thought.

    * A fun show, all U2 shows are! Certainly not the best I've seen (I've seen some great ones).

    * Arenas >> Stadiums