U2 -- Toronto, Ontario -- July 11th, 2011

[TonyD]

If I'm not mistaken Brad, you've compared Kesha to Slayer.

[DethMaiden]

Originally Posted by TonyD

If I'm not mistaken Brad, you've compared Kesha to Slayer.

In my most unserious blog post ever, I did that, yes.

[Natrlhi]

Ya know, I just realized I never really commented on the setlist per se, so here goes:

Originally Posted by adamclark52

1. Even Better Than the Real Thing
2. The Fly
3. Mysterious Ways
4. Until the End of the World

They were on a bit of an "Achtung Baby" kick at the end of the setlist the last time I saw them - now it looks like they're getting it out of their system at the beginning of the set. Either way, I've always loved that album, so yeah.

Originally Posted by adamclark52

5. I Will Follow

Very old school. Nice.

Originally Posted by adamclark52

6. Get On Your Boots

Songs like this are why people such as Brad and powerslave_85 are convinced that U2 are shit, and if songs like this are all they've ever been exposed to, then I can actually understand them having that opinion. Seriously, guys - I was thrilled to see almost no songs from "...Horizon" in the current setlist, but you could have played "Magnificent" instead of this. Just sayin'.

Originally Posted by adamclark52

8. Stay (Faraway, So Close)(accoustic)

I fell in love with this song again when they played it in NYC a few years ago (i.e., in an earlier leg of this tour), but I'm not sure how much I'd like it as an acoustic number.

Originally Posted by adamclark52

9. Beautiful Day/Space Oddity

Awesome U2 song, regardless of the flak it gets from young hormone-raging males who think it's "gay" to get be touch with concepts like joy and gratitude. I'm not sure what David Bowie has to do with anything here, but considering Bono's love for classic rock stars, I guess I'm not surprised they did this snippet.

Originally Posted by adamclark52

13. Zooropa

Guys - seriously? If you have to represent that album, "Stay..." is good enough - or surprise us and rip out a rendition of "The Wanderer", maybe - but not this. C'mon.

Originally Posted by adamclark52

14. City of Blinding Lights

Best song on the celebration of mediocrity that was "...Atomic Bomb". This song seriously gives me goosebumps. ("Miracle Drug" is pretty damn good, too. )

Originally Posted by adamclark52

16. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight (disco version)/ one verse from Discothèque/Psycho Killer

See above comment for "Boots". They've been remixing this song ever since it came out in a vain attempt to get the fans to like it, and guess what, guys? We still don't. Just face it, this song sucks. (Actually, the original is better if they absolutely feel the need to play this.)

Originally Posted by adamclark52

18. Scarlet

Whoa, another oldie. Must be a 20th anniversary of the "October" album thing. I don't believe they've ever played this song live until this leg of this tour.

Originally Posted by adamclark52

22. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me

OK, so you wrote this song for a shitty movie. Fine. You don't have to play it live, though - and especially not as a fucking encore.

Originally Posted by adamclark52

24. Moment of Surrender

Fucking. Weak.

Didn't like it in NYC, not looking forward to it in Pittsburgh.

Also:

Originally Posted by Natrlhi

BRING BACK 40

This guy knows what the fuck he is talking about.

[powerslave_85]

I dunno, with the exception of "Sunday Bloody Sunday," I've just never heard a U2 song that made me sit up and go "wow, that's really fucking great." Most of the time it's "wow, that sure is a rock song." The insane overexposure of their biggest songs is another part of it (which I know isn't a reflection of the quality of the songs, per se, but people get away with hating bands for less ). Sure, I'm not familiar with their "deep cuts," but nothing from the songs that I've heard makes me want to run out and buy their albums. Also, Bono just rubs me the wrong way. Yes, charitable work is great, but when the attitude of "our band is important and we're trying to save the world" starts to bleed into their image, it's time to roll my eyes and make a dismissive wanking motion.

Finally, a great old joke (which I'm sure never actually happened, but it's still funny): U2 are playing a festival in Glasgow, and in the middle of a song Bono stops the music and begins clapping very slowly. "Every time I clap my hands, a child in Africa dies." A drunken Scottish voice yells from the crowd and says "Well fookin' stop doin' it then!"

[Natrlhi]

Originally Posted by powerslave_85

I dunno, with the exception of "Sunday Bloody Sunday," I've just never heard a U2 song that made me sit up and go "wow, that's really fucking great." Most of the time it's "wow, that sure is a rock song." The insane overexposure of their biggest songs is another part of it (which I know isn't a reflection of the quality of the songs, per se, but people get away with hating bands for less ). Sure, I'm not familiar with their "deep cuts," but nothing from the songs that I've heard makes me want to run out and buy their albums. Also, Bono just rubs me the wrong way. Yes, charitable work is great, but when the attitude of "our band is important and we're trying to save the world" starts to bleed into their image, it's time to roll my eyes and make a dismissive wanking motion.

Finally, a great old joke (which I'm sure never actually happened, but it's still funny): U2 are playing a festival in Glasgow, and in the middle of a song Bono stops the music and begins clapping very slowly. "Every time I clap my hands, a child in Africa dies." A drunken Scottish voice yells from the crowd and says "Well fookin' stop doin' it then!"

Interesting observations, and well-stated (as usual ). If you'd ever seen Bono in action up on the stage, you'd probably come to realize, as I have, that:

• He's actually a whole lot more humble than many people think.
• He's a megalomaniac at times, too - which sounds contradictory to the above - but he knows it, and he makes fun of himself for it.
• It's exactly this dichotomy - the sincerely humble, self-deprecating megalomaniac - that makes many of his fans love him.
• Either way, love him or hate him, the guy is truly larger than life, and so is U2's stage show.
• The motherfucker can entertain, and work a crowd like nobody's business.

But I guess you'll have to take my word for it, because I have no illusions that I'll convert you or anybody else with a few mere words. Let's just say that I consider myself metal to the core - albeit highly interested in many other genres as well - and I can still not only stomach but truly love this band, so that's got to say something, right? Also, I consider myself to have a highly sensitive bullshit detector - a fact which often leads to many of my famous rants - and so far these guys have not set it off yet...and it's going on nigh unto thirty years now, so yeah.

EDIT: Oh, and that joke was awesome.

[adamclark52]

Originally Posted by Natrlhi

Ya know, I just realized I never really commented on the setlist per se, so here goes:


They were on a bit of an "Achtung Baby" kick at the end of the setlist the last time I saw them - now it looks like they're getting it out of their system at the beginning of the set. Either way, I've always loved that album, so yeah.


Very old school. Nice.


Songs like this are why people such as Brad and powerslave_85 are convinced that U2 are shit, and if songs like this are all they've ever been exposed to, then I can actually understand them having that opinion. Seriously, guys - I was thrilled to see almost no songs from "...Horizon" in the current setlist, but you could have played "Magnificent" instead of this. Just sayin'.


I fell in love with this song again when they played it in NYC a few years ago (i.e., in an earlier leg of this tour), but I'm not sure how much I'd like it as an acoustic number.


Awesome U2 song, regardless of the flak it gets from young hormone-raging males who think it's "gay" to get be touch with concepts like joy and gratitude. I'm not sure what David Bowie has to do with anything here, but considering Bono's love for classic rock stars, I guess I'm not surprised they did this snippet.

Guys - seriously? If you have to represent that album, "Stay..." is good enough - or surprise us and rip out a rendition of "The Wanderer", maybe - but not this. C'mon.

Best song on the celebration of mediocrity that was "...Atomic Bomb". This song seriously gives me goosebumps. ("Miracle Drug" is pretty damn good, too. )

See above comment for "Boots". They've been remixing this song ever since it came out in a vain attempt to get the fans to like it, and guess what, guys? We still don't. Just face it, this song sucks. (Actually, the original is better if they absolutely feel the need to play this.)

Whoa, another oldie. Must be a 20th anniversary of the "October" album thing. I don't believe they've ever played this song live until this leg of this tour.

OK, so you wrote this song for a shitty movie. Fine. You don't have to play it live, though - and especially not as a fucking encore.

Fucking. Weak.

Didn't like it in NYC, not looking forward to it in Pittsburgh.

Also:

This guy knows what the fuck he is talking about.

I agree totally with you except the Zooropa comment. I've though that's an awesome song since I bought that album a week after it came out. The segue from Miss Sariavo (sp) was really the best moment of the concert. And then the segue into City of Blinding Lights. Those three songs were the highlight for me. Bono didn't sound too band doing Pavaroti's parts either.

The remix of Crazy... just proves to me that the band wishes that the Pop experimentation hadn't of failed so miserably. I think if that album was better received they'd still be making a lot more music in that genre.

The accoustic version of Stay would be good if Bono wasn't singing so out of time and the Edge's harmony during the chorus was way too loud in the mix. I love the original just the way it is.

[Nick_to_the_face]

Originally Posted by Natrlhi

Please select from the following list of comments:

• Repeat after me: "I typed the above comment because I saw someone else do it on the interwebs and they seemed cool, so I wanted to be like them."
• Yeah, you're right. The Joshua Tree was utter dogshit.
• Yeah, you're right. Achtung Baby was utter dogshit.
• What the fuck would you know about it? War was released eight years before you were even fucking born!
• Apparently you've never seen them live, which is what 90% of the fuss is about U2 nowadays (even though they're still writing some damn good songs in the modern era).
• Without looking them up on the interwebs or cheating by some other means, name three songs from War that aren't "Sunday Bloody Sunday" or "New Year's Day". Go ahead. I triple dog dare you.

Then, please fuck off out of this thread. Have a nice day.

Score for the old man

seriously I'm glad someone is sticking up for U2, I know i'm young, but man do I love these guys..