U2 new album "Songs of Experience" coming December 1st, plus 2018 tour.*

I think the show is the show at this point. We're far enough into the tour that I'd be surprised to see any kind of notable tinkering....

 

True. Still with your suggestion of including Raised By Wolves and putting an extra song in the encore before One (maybe see if you can take back Walk On or move Beautiful Day there and fill its place at the start of the show with Red Flag Day) plus maybe alternate between Elevation and Discothèque to open the second part you have a much stronger show.

 

I kinda liked the Iris - end of the world , that said it's my 1st time seeing this tour & that stage setting , i didn't catch the 1st tour they used that mid stage screen on , most of the crowd seemed to enjoy it though so many spent the whole night making beer runs , i swear they missed 30% of the show , merch lines were crazy the end of the night & they had an Exclusive boston shirt ..... certainly a good variety , i few people i know that went last night wanted to hear a few more classics & stuff from Joshua tree ................Of course none of these people went to the last tour either .

 

Back to the discussion of "big shows" vs. "stand there and play":

I really believe some songs work better when done "big", and as Exhibit A, I'll throw out "Invisible" from 2015. I watched some promotional live versions of it - sounded fine.

But with the presentation in an arena? It really comes to life!

 

I just found out I may be going to MSG tonight - psyched, as I've never seen them before. Does anyone know what time they've been hitting the stage? As far as I can tell, there's no opening act. Thanks!

 

No opening act and they go on between 8:30 and 8:45 typically. Show is around 2:15.

 

I posted in another U2 thread, but I’m on vacation this week and enjoying U2 Experience on XM Sirius. Nice mix of old songs, new Experience songs, b-sides and live versions.

 

I hope they keep the channel after the end of the month. It is a good one. Especially if they start programming like the Bruce and PJ channels and include some of the more famous bootlegs.

 

I haven’t heard bootlegs yet, but they are playing live tracks from dvds.

 

I saw both LA shows this tour and both had Raised by Wolves between Sunday Bloody Sunday and Until the End of the World. I hadn't realized until just now, U2 hasn't played Raised by Wolves since LA. It was the same visuals as the 2015 tour, but it is a great live song and adds a lot to the show.

My personal low energy part of the show is the version of Your the Best Thing About Me they are playing. I get why that song is played at that spot of the set, but it something more.

 

Have some older relatives who have just seen them for the 1st time on this tour. Loved it. Old songs and new. A few other relatives also that saw U2 for the 1st time on the JT tour and are now going back to see them again on this tour. I found that interesting and kind of cool I guess. Late U2 fans. A couple of the relatives are pretty intense music fans but had never been to a U2 concert before.

 

Of this 4 show NY/NJ run, the only one I can't go to the the last MSG show on 7/1.

That means they'll pull out some rare songs, and Patti Smith will show up and sing something.

This kind of stuff always happens to me.

I enjoyed the last 2 nights.......and managed to get one of the New York t-shirts.

 

Good news - the station has been extended for another month through July

SiriusXM’s The U2 Experience extended through July

 

Great news! I have 8 hours round trip of driving a rental car to a client site this July and will enjoy this channel again.

 

Has there been a single guest performer this whole tour? Patti was at the Tuesday show and Gaga was there Monday but neither performed.

Also, has there been a single audience member brought on stage? Haven't seen any at my 9 shows...

 

Is there something special about the NY shirts? A photo of it possible?

 

Really good review and inside start of this tour from Irish magazine HotPress
From eXPERIENCE to iNNOCENCE: Inside U2's American Tour | Features | Reports | Hot Press

 

Anyone...?

 

Bono: "Get Off My Stage!"

 

Damn - I hoped you had a real reply!

I guess this probably means there haven't been any guests/fans on stage - or just that no one wants to answer my question!

 

I've been following the setlists along the way and I'm 99% sure there haven't been any so far. Definitely a good thing IMO, especially pertaining to the fans being onstage to stand around and hold a phone.

 

Thanks. I figure if neither Gaga nor Patti Smith came on stage in NYC, no one had come on stage anywhere!

I think this supports the notion that the band clearly views the 2o18 as a much more coherent narrative than 2015. They were willing to muck with the setlist in 2015, bring up fans, and entertain guest performers, whereas in 2018 they're really stuck to the script.

I get the preference for a looser show, but I respect what they're doing here...

 

I’m looking forward to the tour when they SKIP “vertigo elevation beautiful day” for every concert instead of JT hits!

 

Oh man. This is my dream. And I like those songs, just...they need a rest for awhile.

 

I feel that pain, but those songs seem unlikely to leave for the same reason Springsteen trots out "The Rising" and some other songs from that era: they make the artist look less "oldie".

Sure, it's been 14-18 years since the songs you mention were released, but for an act that's been around 38 years, they're still "new". Leave out those and U2 has to go back to 1991 for hits fans want to hear.

Same goes for Bruce. Ignore the "Rising" stuff and you really got go to the 80s for "fan favorites".

And we all know the "Joshua Tree" songs will be back next tour!