U2 Innocence and Experience Tour

It was a video of Johnny performing a song U2 wrote for him, I assume. I just looked it up, it's called "The Wanderer" and it's off Zooropa, an album I don't have. I'll need to rectify that. Maybe they switch up the set break material.

Here's another "from behind the stage" shot. You can see that there is a video screen for the cheap seats. If you're a fan and on the fence, definitely go. Some seats are of course better than others, (OK, way better) but there's no "Bad" seat in the house, really. Everyone in my section was happy.

 

It's a video of the Cash version of "The Wanderer" from the Zooropa album complete with that annoying "alarm" noise at the end of the track.

 

Wow, killer version , I loved it.

 

It's a video of him singing the song The Wanderer.

 

I think it was 'I Will Follow', actually. But to be honest, I'd still take 'The Electric Co.' over those two at this point anyway.

 

From what I understand (haven't seen the show yet), every night someone is invited up on stage to film the band with a phone. Apparently, it is shown on the screens and broadcasted on the Internet too (using Meerkat I believe). So you can see the performance on your phone too. The links are made known through the U2 Twitter account (and maybe through some other sources too). I haven't seen any of those performances yet due to time zone differences, so I don't know about the quality of them.

 

It's on the 2015 rehearsal song list, but nobody has heard it yet at a show or rehearsal/soundcheck. Edge said 60 songs were rehearsed for this tour but only about 45 are known so far, and about 32 have been played.

Ordinary Love, Playboy Mansion, Elevation, Running To a Standstill, One Step Closer are 5 songs done several times in Vancouver along with informal acoustic run thrus of Moment of Surrender, Fly, No Line, Trying To Throw and Ground Beneath.

 

There's full shows up on youtube already. Both Vancouvers and both San Joses.

I did both Vancouvers and even heard some of the rehearsals including Playboy Mansion.

 

Would love to hear most any of those...

 

Thanks! Very helpful.

 

I would be pretty bummed to hear an acoustic version of "The Fly." That's one of the few songs that needs to be played full tilt electric if it's going to be performed at all. Maybe as stripped own and deconstructed as the single b-side "Lounge Fly Mix" but not acoustic guitar(s). The acoustic version on the "The Sky Down" doc proves my point.

 

Totally agree... would kill for an electric Fly or Zoo Station when I go on the 3rd, but I won't hold my breath

 

Achtung Baby for the win my boy....those were the times....

 

Well, this song made a rare appearance last night in Phoenix. Apparently it was the first time they played it since December 2001 and it was requested by a fan (and was not on the setlist). I would've loved to be there and finally hear that song live. The whole concert was ace, from what I hear/read in different reports.

 

Holy crap. - Can you imagine being that dude who got to play with the band. Amazing.

 

LA night 1 sounded awesome.

 

His name is Marc Trevino and he's from the Denver area. He was interviewed on the local news regarding this moment:

http://kdvr.com/2015/05/25/denver-fan-has-dream-come-true-when-getting-to-play-with-u2/

 

U2 Tour Manager Dies today in LA Hotel

Updated 4 mins ago
LOS ANGELES (KABC) --
U2 manager Dennis Sheehan has died at Marquis Hotel in West Hollywood, Eyewitness News has learned.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department said they responded to a cardiac arrest call at 5:40 a.m.

 

I caught night 1 at the LA Forum last night from the floor.

For a typical U2 opening night of a big multi-date stand, tonight had a few decent surprises. Usually they concentrate on just pulling off a standard set and getting through opening night jitters but they took a few minor chances this night with the set.

The first four songs of the show really pack a punch together and was the best part of the night for me. I was very happy to get an excellent version of Electric Co in the rotating 2nd song slot and even "I Will Follow" didn't sound like the burned out tune it's become the last few tours. I also MUCH prefer the live arrangements for all the SOI tunes over the album versions. I was not expecting "California" at the beginning of the acoustic set but when I saw Edge strap on a Fender Telecaster after Mysterious Ways, I knew it wasn't going to be Desire, AOH or WLCTT. Probably one of the highlights was the "Hollywood U2" coverband singer who looked like ZooTV era Bono getting pulled onstage for Sweetest Thing and basically first trading verses with Bono and then singing the last 3rd solo with Bono on piano - that was a lot of fun to see. I'm sure their next few months worth of club shows will had a big bump in attendance.

Moving around in GA on the floor is a piece of cake if you don't want to sit squashed against the rail all night on either side of the ramp or directly in front of the main stage. Honestly, the best place to see the show is at half court right behind the Red Zone barrier on either side of the floor. I found Adam's side a bit looser and easier to move from close to the B Stage and back vs the Edge side, mostly due to the fact there is a VIP area on Edge's side at half court that holds maybe 40 people on a riser that takes up a bit of floor space.

As for the sound.... it is ****ing LOUD. The quality varies depending on where you stand, the back around the B Stage is a little muddier and a bit boomy but pretty much anywhere on the floor the high end just cuts into your hearing like nobody's business and when you're dead center on the floor, it becomes fatiguing by the last 3rd of the show. I've seen everyone from Van Halen, AC/DC to Motorhead and Ministry going back to the late 70's and I can say this was one of the louder arena shows in recent memory. I will definitely bring earplugs on Night 4 this weekend.

Regarding the pacing of the set, etc... some things work, some major things don't and it's surprising the band hasn't addressed those issues yet. The first four opening songs work great and really had the audience locked in. The three SOI tunes in a row however seemed to quickly lose the audience and even Bono caught it, mentioning something like "there's two more new ones" after Iris. The current arrangement of SBS sucks, I'm sorry. It appeared that the band kind of made it a bit more "electric" compared to the first few performances but Larry banging on a single drum while the rest of the band play it fairly straightforward (if at a slower pace) just doesn't cut it compared to ANY version on past tours (even Edge's solo take on the few Popmart shows in '97). The 5 minute break with the Wanderer clip is actually a bit welcome in the middle of the show although I could tell a fair number of people were a bit baffled if it was a real bathroom/beer break or merely another extended intro to another song. As for the big video screen/catwalk that is suspended over the long ramp between the two stages that Bono and the band can walk inside and "become" part of the video playing on it basically dissecting the arena floor, I don't think the band quite have grasped how to effectively use it in most songs, the only two it's really effectively utilized is during the three song SOI set w/Iris, Cederwood Road, Song For Someone and especially Until The End Of The World. During "Invisible," members of the band have to turn one way or the other leaving their backs to half the arena at any given time.

Invisible, a song I originally loathed comes off a lot better live and overall despite some strange and clunky transitions between some songs, the second half of the show is much more entertaining and cohesive.

Although there is virtually no long, epic buildup to Streets this tour and it's prefaced by Bono plugging Red.org AIDS cause and a short version of Paul Simon's "Mother And Child Reunion," the song is still magnificent live. It just needs to be sandwiched between something better than City Of Blinding Lights and One and a whole lotta speechin n' Paul Simon dribble.

Lastly, the Forum audience... this was really an obvious example of how a band and it's audience can either push each other to epicness or merely ebb and flow to an uninspired conclusion. Honestly, I put most of the blame on the lackluster crowd. I've seen some truly amazing, loud U2 crowds in LA, Joshua Tree shows and post 9/11 Elevation shows were incredible audiences. Not so, tonight. Maybe everyone's preoccupation with their cell phones is the culprit.

Sadly as a postscript to the show, it appears long time tour manager Dennis Sheehan died overnight in his hotel room which will likely be a tremendous blow to the band.

For anyone going to the next 4 shows at the Forum, here's the actual floor/GA/Red Zone layout.

 

Nice review. I was there last night too and concur on the first four tunes being the best. It was just the one giant lightbulb and the band...no other visual effects. They were just ripping through those songs. Front of the floor, where I was, was bouncing up and down like it was 1987. More energy than I've seen at a U2 show in quite some time. Took me back to the 80s (almost.)

You are right, though, in saying that there is, overall, less energy in the crowd. Why? IMO, the ticket price. $280 for most good seats, with most of those scalped for far higher. You could see the nosebleed seats (only $100) were jammed full with people standing, holding lighters (or cell phones)... The prime loge seats were not even all full, and the people in them were often sitting down. U2 would get a much wilder crowd of real fans if they just took an economic hit and charged, say, $75 per ticket arena-wide, with credit card entry to stop scalping and no Ticketmaster reselling. They could play more nights to make up the money if need be.

The stage setup is pretty ingenious. Bono (and later the others) being INSIDE the screen was such a neat effect. Being on the floor is fairly amazing. One could conceivably just walk around and follow the band as they migrated from area to area. So much space on the floor. You can also get REALLY close to the band in so many different locations.

I tried to figure out if Bono was using vocal enhancements or if they still had phantom players "under the stage." Very hard to tell. If Bono's singing is real, he is in amazing shape. The whole band looks sharp, focused, motivated, alive.

You're right about the volume. I normally don't wear earplugs to mainstream arena shows, (just clubs) but I am regretting that today. Ears still ringing.

The "Bono preaching" was still annoying, as was the "pull a person on stage" routine (done maybe three times in one night?) but that's been part of U2 forever and one has to endure it. The U2 cover band guy doing Bono onstage was cool, though. Like watching dueling Bonos.

Great pre-show music. All new wave from the years when U2 started: XTC "Nigel," Echo and the Bunnymen, Talking Heads, The Jam.

Sweetest Thing was my favorite surprise tune. Great crowd singalong.

Overall I was very impressed with this show and think only the most jaded U2 fan would come away disappointed.

They're playing the Roxy on Thursday. Would be amazing to be in there.

 

There's definitely a lot of live instrumental and sample help on a majority of songs and they use backing vox on songs like Beautiful Day. There's a few songs like "Invisible" where it's more the band playing along to prerecorded backing tracks than the band itself putting out the music but that's one of the reasons I so like the opening 4 pack, because for those songs, it really is just those four guys playing the music. But I think Bono is pretty much on his own when singing, especially considering he flubs and changes up the lyrics to so many songs throughout the set. Only a couple times did I hear his voice kind of falter or even break last night but otherwise I agree, he's most spot on and in fine shape so far on this tour.

 

BTW, that map of the Forum seating chart is backwards, this one is correct:

 

California (There Is No End to Love) on the 26th sounds amazing.

 

We got "40" tonight in honor of Dennis Shehan passing away.