Please Change The Set List U2 Shows Are Very Boring

[pop1]

Why does U2 play the same set list in back to back nights in the same city ? They only rotated Gloria for Red Flag Day at Chicago 2 and they have now settled into their comfy 24 song setlist. I'm sorry U2 but the current set list is weak. Why do you continue to play I Will Follow, Sunday Bloody Sunday (acoustic yuck !), Pride every show on every tour ? Also songs like One and Elevation and Vertigo have been overplayed also. Acoustic version of beast thing is weak also. You would be better of playing Bad seguing into All I Want Is You and segue into Streets. Why not play Song for Someone, Land Lady and Little Things (the only 2 good songs on the new album in my opinion). I was so glad to hear Acrobat and Wild Horses played on opening night but why have you dropped Wild Horses after only one show ? Why night bring back Kite and play some other songs that have never been played live like When I Look At The World and songs never played live in the US like Hawkmoon 269 or Heartland ? The bottom line here is that most of the fans will attend both shows in the same city so you need to change it up more at each show (and not just one or two songs). We know you rehearsed the Fly in Laval and that song would be a welcome addition to set list also. Maybe bring back Love Is Blindness to close the show instead of 13 ?. You guys have a week off before the Montreal shows. Hopefully you can get some rehearsal time in to change things up.

 

[Manohlive]

I doubt the set list will change much until they hit Europe; maybe a song or two.  I was feeling a bit lackluster at first.  Having just seen it live two nights in a row-I love the set list.  It works.  I don't think they are playing anything off TJT and it works.  I did not even think of TJT during these shows.  One could argue that Streets and WOWY have been played too much too.   I doubt they'll play Bad much, if at all.  They just did all of that.  Some of the more obscure tracks you mentioned-I would love to hear live.  The problem is others would not enjoy them.  The set list makes sense and they sound as good as I've ever heard them.  Acrobat is amazing.  It's the SOE tour.  They are tying up SOI and bringing them together.  

I'd like to hear Landlady and Little Things too.  The show was so good I never even thought of anything missing.  It was far from boring. I need to respectfully disagree.  

Edited May 24, 2018 by Manohlive

[Rich T.]

On 5/24/2018 at 10:26 AM, pop1 said:

Why does U2 play the same set list in back to back nights in the same city ? They only rotated Gloria for Red Flag Day at Chicago 2 and they have now settled into their comfy 24 song setlist. I'm sorry U2 but the current set list is weak. Why do you continue to play I Will Follow, Sunday Bloody Sunday (acoustic yuck !), Pride every show on every tour ? Also songs like One and Elevation and Vertigo have been overplayed also. Acoustic version of beast thing is weak also. You would be better of playing Bad seguing into All I Want Is You and segue into Streets. Why not play Song for Someone, Land Lady and Little Things (the only 2 good songs on the new album in my opinion). I was so glad to hear Acrobat and Wild Horses played on opening night but why have you dropped Wild Horses after only one show ? Why night bring back Kite and play some other songs that have never been played live like When I Look At The World and songs never played live in the US like Hawkmoon 269 or Heartland ? The bottom line here is that most of the fans will attend both shows in the same city so you need to change it up more at each show (and not just one or two songs). We know you rehearsed the Fly in Laval and that song would be a welcome addition to set list also. Maybe bring back Love Is Blindness to close the show instead of 13 ?. You guys have a week off before the Montreal shows. Hopefully you can get some rehearsal time in to change things up.

 

Lots of potential there for interesting "Night Two" tweaks.  They are even playing 4 nights in Milan in October, and it would be a travesty to have four identical shows to what they've done thus far.

I enjoy the first half of the show more than the second half.  If I could wave a magic wand, I'd make some big changes to the second part, and some small tweaks to the first part.

For the first part of the show.:

While "I Will Follow" is always great live, they have played it a lot in recent tours (sometimes swapping ElectricCo or Out of Control, which they could do this time as well).  To fit with the SoE theme, a mind-blowing choice out of left field would be "Another Time Another Place" instead.  Or, to really get the crowd going, play "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" before "The Ocean", just like how they used to end their shows in 1981.

I can live without "Beautiful Day" at this point.  Instead, make sure to play "Red Flag Day" at every show. 

My selfish set list for first part of show:

• Love is All We Have Left
• The Blackout
• Lights of Home
• Red Flag Day
• Gloria
• Another Time Another Place / 11 O'Clock Tick Tock (alternate them each night)
• The Ocean
• Iris
• Cedarwood Road
• Raised By Wolves (can still have a Sunday Bloody Sunday intro, to tell the childhood story, but keep it short, and weave it into RBW)
• Until the End of the World

For the second part:

I respect the crowd-energizing power of Elevation, Vertigo, and Desire to open the second set, as well as "Pride" to fire up the crowd later, but I am tired of them all, and would make substitutions.  Here is a chance to inject some variability into Night One vs. Night Two set lists, to keep things interesting.

I also respect the band's desire to perform their new songs (YTBTAM, GOOYOW, American Soul), but I especially don't care for American Soul, and would lose it (including the political references), replacing it with a more unifying "Please" at that juncture in the show.   To maintain SoE content, play "The Showman" (which IMO is better than either Summer of Love or Landlady for a live show, as opposed to on the recording).

I would retain only one slot for the "classic hits", and there they can alternate New Year's Day (full version) and Streets.

I would move "Acrobat" to a more powerful position, right before equally powerful "Love is Blindness" to close out the main set with awesomeness.

Add a couple of surprises that will go over well (the first four slots allow for that), and here's my selfish second part of the show:

• Electrical Storm / Magnificent (alternate them each night)
• City of Blinding Lights / Vertigo (alternate them each night) (the crowd really seems to go nuts for Vertigo, so keep it for one night per city)
• Crumbs from Your Table / Miracle Drug (alternate them each night)
• Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses / Heartland (alternate them each night)  ["Kite" is another possibility, but I think the other two would work better]
• You're the Best Thing About Me (electric version would be better, but if they keep acoustic version, then follow it with The Showman, also acoustic)
• The Showman
• Get Out of Your Own Way
• New Year's Day (full version) / Where the Streets Have No Name (alternate them each night)
• Please
• Acrobat
• Love is Blindness

Closing with "Love is Blindness" (the live version that we know and love) would be huge.

For the encore:

I would include four songs, starting out with something to rouse the fans, then getting back to SoE, adding "Little Things". 

• Two Hearts Beat as One / The Fly (alternate them each night)
• Love is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way
• The Little Things That Give You Away
• 13 (There is a Light)  [this covers the elements of "Song for Someone" already, so no need to do both]

A total of 26 numbers (11 + 11 + 4), 7 of which alternate between Nights One and Two, and with 10 songs from SoE.

The first half would be stable and mostly unchanged from the actual set list, whereas the second part would be totally overhauled, and would have four alternating slots.  Fans would appreciate attending both shows of a two-night stand.

Edited May 27, 2018 by Rich T.

[Manohlive]

 

1 hour ago, kitemaster said:

I guess U2 thought the people in Brazil don't have enough money to attend all 4 shows

  The people of Brazil are living in dire poverty.  Most don't have the money to eat, leave alone attend a U2 show.  That's a reality which few seem to realize on a full scale. It is dire, dire poverty amidst violence and corruption.  People just disappear and it's a part of life.  Brazilians are even more impoverished after the Olympics.  No, they do not have the money.  U2 would be correct in presuming or assuming that they do not have the money for multiple shows.  If we were living in such conditions and managed to scrape together the cash-would we want to hear the obscurities we'd like? I doubt it, is as it's most likely the only show we'd ever see.

Edited May 27, 2018 by Manohlive

[dmway]

This was posted in the other thread that has exactly the same complaint - courtesy of Mark Reed:

 

Because... 

 

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/05/entitlement-issues.html

 

 

[jonherz]

This is their WORST TOUR IN HISTORY!!! Stay away. Don't waste your time and money. Saw it in LA and it was HORRIBLE. Left with 3 songs to go, and really should have just stayed home.

[Manohlive]

Worst tour in history.  I thought that one belonged to Rick Wakeman doing King Arthur on Ice or whatever it was.  I'm kidding but serious at the same time.  The set list is what it is.  Either one can go to the show and realize that they still sound as awesome as ever or one can be bummed about the setlist while not considering that 15,000 or more want to hear the stuff we are now tired of hearing.  If anyone left before the last three songs then that person missed one of the best moments in their touring history.  Love is Bigger and 13 are absolutely spectacular live.  I also thought that Edge sounded especially good playing One this time around. The end was great.  I'd prefer they skpped One and played something else. I was surprised how good it sounded.  I was not fond of it for the TJT30 but that was a different show/ venue.

This all being said-I'd love to hear Electrical Storm and Wild Horses and Little Things and 11 O' Clock and such.  I'd also love it if they did Elvis Ate America.  It's fun to dream or call it a selfish setlist.(I like that)  It's silly to go after them because those who can afford to traverse the world don't like what they are playing-even if that someone was me.  It's even sillier to think they'd change the setlist because I did.

[BVB65]

4 hours ago, Rich T. said:

Lots of potential there for interesting "Night Two" tweaks.  They are even playing 4 nights in Milan in October, and it would be a travesty to have four identical shows to what they've done thus far.

I enjoy the first half of the show more than the second half.  If I could wave a magic wand, I'd make some big changes to the second part, and some small tweaks to the first part.

For the first part of the show.:

While "I Will Follow" is always great live, they have played it a lot in recent tours (sometimes swapping ElectricCo or Out of Control, which they could do this time as well).  To fit with the SoE theme, a mind-blowing choice out of left field would be "Another Time Another Place" instead.  Or, to really get the crowd going, play "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" before "The Ocean", just like how they used to end their shows in 1981.

I can live without "Beautiful Day" at this point.  Instead, make sure to play "Red Flag Day" at every show. 

My selfish set list for first part of show:

• Love is All We Have Left
• The Blackout
• Lights of Home
• Red Flag Day
• Gloria
• Another Time Another Place / 11 O'Clock Tick Tock (alternate them each night)
• The Ocean
• Iris
• Cedarwood Road
• Raised By Wolves (can still have a Sunday Bloody Sunday intro, to tell the childhood story, but keep it short, and weave it into RBW)
• Until the End of the World

For the second part:

I respect the crowd-energizing power of Elevation, Vertigo, and Desire to open the second set, as well as "Pride" to fire up the crowd later, but I am tired of them all, and would make substitutions.  Here is a chance to inject some variability into Night One vs. Night Two set lists, to keep things interesting.

I also respect the band's desire to perform their new songs (YTBTAM, GOOYOW, American Soul), but I especially don't care for American Soul, and would lose it (including the political references), replacing it with a more unifying "Please" at that juncture in the show.   To maintain SoE content, play "The Showman" (which IMO is better than either Summer of Love or Landlady for a live show, as opposed to on the recording).

I would retain only one slot for the "classic hits", and there they can alternate New Year's Day (full version) and Streets.

I would move "Acrobat" to a more powerful position, right before equally powerful "Love is Blindness" to close out the main set with awesomeness.

Add a couple of surprises that will go over well (the first four slots allow for that), and here's my selfish second part of the show:

• Electrical Storm / Magnificent (alternate them each night)
• City of Blinding Lights / Vertigo (alternate them each night) (the crowd really seems to go nuts for Vertigo, so keep it for one night per city)
• Crumbs from Your Table / Miracle Drug (alternate them each night)
• Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses / Heartland (alternate them each night)  ["Kite" is another possibility, but I think the other two would work better]
• You're the Best Thing About Me (electric version would be better, but if they keep acoustic version, then follow it with The Showman, also acoustic)
• The Showman
• Get Out of Your Own Way
• New Year's Day (full version) / Where the Streets Have No Name (alternate them each night)
• Please
• Acrobat
• Love is Blindness

Closing with "Love is Blindness" (the live version that we know and love) would be huge.

For the encore:

I would include four songs, starting out with something to rouse the fans, then getting back to SoE, adding "Little Things". 

• Two Hearts Beat as One / The Fly (alternate them each night)
• Love is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way
• The Little Things That Give You Away
• 13 (There is a Light)  [this covers the elements of "Song for Someone" already, so no need to do both]

A total of 26 numbers (11 + 11 + 4), 7 of which alternate between Nights One and Two, and with 10 songs from SoE.

The first half would be stable and mostly unchanged from the actual set list, whereas the second part would be totally overhauled, and would have four alternating slots.  Fans would appreciate attending both shows of a two-night stand.

I personally would love to see them drop all the songs they played last year on the JT 2017 Tour, with the exception of You're The best Thing About Me and The Little Things That take you Away. This is the Experience and Innocence Tour. The Songs from those albums should take center stage. I love the fact that they are finally playing Acrobat live. But I am going to miss Every Breaking Wave and Song for Someone when the tour finally reaches NYC. Plus, what about adding Summer of Love and Landlady to the set list.

This is my ideal Set List:

MAIN SET - 1) Love Is All We Have Left 2) The Blackout 3) Light of Home 4) I Will Follow 5) Gloria 6) Red Flag Day 7) The Ocean 8) Iris 9) Cedarwood Road 10) Song For Someone 11) Love and Peace 12) Raised by Wolves 13) Until the End of The World

SECOND SET - 1) Mofo 2) Desire 3) The Showman 4) Acrobat 5) You're The Best thing About Me 6) Every Breaking Wave or Summer of Love (These two songs could be substituted and rotated into the set each night.) 7) Please 8) Get Out of Your Own Way 9) American Soul 10) City of Blinding Lights

ENCORE - 1) Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses 2) One (If this has to be the song to highlight the Women of the World segment. I am personally get tired of this song, as it is played to death. Night after night on every tour.) 3) The Little Things that Give You Away 4) The Troubles 5) Love is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way 6) 13 (There Is A Light)

I know this is asking for a lot and it seems the band isn't going to play a 29 song set, as it looks as thought the settled into a 24 song set at this point. But with the exception of One, they should play stuff rarely heard and highlight the Innocence and Experience albums. Screw the visual imagery and play the songs. If the visual imagery is so  important to the narrative, make sure you have something to accompany any song in order to shake things up and keep the fans excited.

 

[Rich T.]

1 hour ago, dmway said:

This was posted in the other thread that has exactly the same complaint - courtesy of Mark Reed:

 

Because... 

 

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/05/entitlement-issues.html

 

 

I don't get it.  Is that supposed to mean that U2 has "entitlement issues", or is there something about that link that means anything?

The way I figure it, U2 is making a bad assumption, namely that very few of the same people are going to go to both nights' shows in a city, and that therefore they want to make sure that the people who only go one night get to the see the show they wish to deliver.   But in reality, a big chunk of their fanbase attends multiple shows (no, I don't have any data on that, just anecdotal evidence).

[Rich T.]

1 hour ago, jonherz said:

This is their WORST TOUR IN HISTORY!!! Stay away. Don't waste your time and money. Saw it in LA and it was HORRIBLE. Left with 3 songs to go, and really should have just stayed home.

To each his own.  I was excited as always to see U2 being U2, in the moment, not living in the past.  The first part of the set is packed with excellent songs that tell a story.  The second half could be stronger, as I've suggested, but it was still great to be in attendance.  If you think that it was "horrible", then our tastes are not residing on the same planet, and that's OK.  I would tell people to definitely see the show, if you like U2 to begin with.  This is not some retro act.