[direwolf74]

Ok, so I was looking at recent setlists from the European leg of the Vertigo tour, and with the exception of one show, I've noticed that they've been playing "Vertigo" twice every night. They open the show with it, and then close with it as well. Now I'm a huge U2 fan, but playing your big hit twice in the same show is pretty freakin' lame, especially if you have a back catalogue the size of U2's. Anybody know the reasoning behind this? Is there some kind of significance to it, or are they just too lazy to rehearse one extra song?

[chris]

I've downloaded some of the fan recordings from this tour (u2torrents.com) and it is true. As well, check out this thread: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.hipbase.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7183">http://www.hipbase.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7183</a><!-- m --> for more grumblings and info.

[scottitude]

That's just plain dumb and a waste of time. What, like the audience is going to forget they heard it by the end show or is it in case they were in the beer line and missed the opening? I don't get it.

Queen used to play We Will Rock You twice, usually as an opener and part of the closing sequence but they were always two different versions; one much like the album track and one that was so thrashing fast that you had know idea what hit you. It was like two entirely different songs.

Thank GOrD...er...uh...Paul that The Hip has better setlists!

[Spycouple]

Saw the Pixies do this with "Wave of Mutilation" not long ago. First time in the set it was the slow version, then the did the more familiar version in the encore (last song of the night). Not sure if it was planned or if they just needed to come up with a song quickly that would leave the crowd heading home happy.

It worked pretty well at the time, but not so sure that would be the case if it became a standard part of their set list, which seems to be the case for U2. And even more concerning on the U2 front, it seems like the playing of Vertigo twice is way to try "establish" the song as a classic U2 number when it already borders on being an advertising jingle.

A slow and then an uptempo version of "Sunday Bloody Sunday"? Yeah that could have some punch. But Vertigo got pretty tired pretty quickly, and the Atomic Bomb album really didn't have a lot going for it aside from this track. Too bad they're content to beat it into the ground.

[prz]

A slow and then an uptempo version of "Sunday Bloody Sunday"? Yeah that could have some punch. But Vertigo got pretty tired pretty quickly, and the Atomic Bomb album really didn't have a lot going for it aside from this track. Too bad they're content to beat it into the ground.

I guess then you know they did that with Sunday Bloody Sunday during the Rattle and Hum tour? Its one of the best versions of SBS out there.

They say the reason they are doing it this tour is because when they first started out they often played the opening song or hit twice in the show. Not sure if that makes sense or not, But hey when you are U2 you can say whatever you want and the crowd goes nuts for really no reason.

Personally I wish they always just closed with "40." Hopefully they will in Toronto.

[cferneyh]

A slow and then an uptempo version of "Sunday Bloody Sunday"? Yeah that could have some punch. But Vertigo got pretty tired pretty quickly, and the Atomic Bomb album really didn't have a lot going for it aside from this track. Too bad they're content to beat it into the ground.

I guess then you know they did that with Sunday Bloody Sunday during the Rattle and Hum tour? Its one of the best versions of SBS out there.

They say the reason they are doing it this tour is because when they first started out they often played the opening song or hit twice in the show. Not sure if that makes sense or not, But hey when you are U2 you can say whatever you want and the crowd goes nuts for really no reason.

Personally I wish they always just closed with "40." Hopefully they will in Toronto.

I've got an older U2 boot where they play The Ocean at the beginning and end of the show (1981-03-06, Paradise Theatre, Boston, MA).

I'm not sure the "we used to do that" argument is all that good of an argument. But maybe I'll try that if I ever crap my drawers.

[Spycouple]

I guess then you know they did that with Sunday Bloody Sunday during the Rattle and Hum tour? Its one of the best versions of SBS out there.

Didn't know that, but it makes sense. Thanks, I may have to find a copy. I have heard the slow version when they did it on the Pop tour, so I'm not surprised they'd give it double duty in a set.

Now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever been interested in live U2 recordings. That's not to say they aren't fanstastic live performers, which they are (even with a crap album like Atomic Bomb), but in terms of recordings, their studio work (almost) always seems way more interesting.

And on that note, I don't think Pop gets enough credit. They push themselves out a little bit further on that record than on others, and I kind of have mixed feelings on the band "coming down" on ATYCLB (I guess Bono wasn't really all that "Gone" after all). I like ATYCLB as a record too, but wished they had waited one more album (or at least mixed it back up again with more Pop craziness or something else entirely on this last one). As far as Atomic Bomb, the DVD that came with the album was better than the actual album IMO.

[direwolf74]

Why all the "Atomic Bomb" hate? It seems like I'm the only one around here who actually likes it. As an album it's very focused, and I think it's probably the best thing they've done since Achtung Baby. Miracle Drug, Sometimes You Can't Make It, All Because of You, City of Blinding Lights, A Man and a Woman, and Crumbs From Your Table are all stellar tunes in my opinion. Bono's voice is the best it's sounded in years, and I love how the Edge just lets loose on this record. His crazy guitar freak-out at the end of Love & Peace or Else is great, and the mix on that song is fantastic. Ya gotta listen to it with headphones for the full effect. It's pretty cool.

[Spycouple]

Why all the "Atomic Bomb" hate? It seems like I'm the only one around here who actually likes it. As an album it's very focused, and I think it's probably the best thing they've done since Achtung Baby.

It just seems like a pointless album. After returning to their "roots" sound with ATYCLB and releasing two best-of retrospectives, to do an album that kinda touches on - if not rehashing - much of their past sound... I just think they would've been better off going somewhere else with it. It has its moments (like with Edge's guitar work, but that's almost expected), some beautiful U2-soulfulness (e.g. Bono's solid on "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own"), but it also has some cringe-inducing lyrics ("All Because of You" and "Yahweh" in particular), and the album never really takes you for a ride the way their previous albums have the ability to do.

ATYCLB took a while to warm up for me, and I just barely got there (and a buddy of mine who once put U2 as his favorite band all-time couldn't even get that far with it). I just can't get over that hump with Atomic Bomb. If it had a song like "Ground Beneath Her Feet" somewhere in it, it might have brought me back for multiple listens, but there's no "wow, i gotta hear that again"-effect anywhere on this last disc.

Ya gotta listen to it with headphones for the full effect. It's pretty cool.

Try "Ground Beneath Her Feet" with headphones. Could contain the single best U2 shiver up the spine inducing moment. Completely flips the song on its head with a flick of a switch. Bloody well brilliant.

[direwolf74]

ATYCLB took a while to warm up for me, and I just barely got there (and a buddy of mine who once put U2 as his favorite band all-time couldn't even get that far with it). I just can't get over that hump with Atomic Bomb. If it had a song like "Ground Beneath Her Feet" somewhere in it, it might have brought me back for multiple listens, but there's no "wow, i gotta hear that again"-effect anywhere on this last disc.

I don't know, I think there's plenty of moments like that on the album. The chorus to "Miracle Drug" is absolutely gorgeous. And when they go into the bridge on "Sometimes You Can't Make It", I get shivers every single time. I also find "City of Blinding Lights" to be incredibly sweeping and cathartic. That song really soars. Can't wait to hear the live version of that tune when the inevitable DVD comes out.

As for them simply rehashing their sound, I don't necessarily agree. True, the classic U2 sound is all over Atomic Bomb, mostly due to Edge's guitar, but at this stage in their career these guys don't have anything left to prove. I don't think they're rehashing themselves at all. I think they're just having some fun being "U2". On the last couple of tours, it's just been four guys on stage playin some rock n' roll. No Zoo TV, no giant lemon. Just the primary rock n' roll ingredients of bass, drums, guitar, and vocals. They already went through their experimental stage with Achtung, Zooropa, and Pop, and now they just wanna rock out a little bit. I haven't seen them on their current tour, but from what I've heard their live show has never been better (aside from the obvious complaints about them playing the same song twice). It's obvious that the last two records have totally re-energized these guys. I'd bet good money though that their next album won't sound anything like ATYCLB or Atomic Bomb. It won't be Radiohead or anything like that, but I have a feeling they'll eventually head down the experimental route again and put out something totally different the next time around.

And I agree, "Ground Beneath Her Feet" is a beautiful song.

[The Darkest Canuck]

no pun intended, but i would kill to hear them play "hold me, thrill me, kiss me, kill me", such an amazing song, it would be so cool to see live.

[fingernailsonhull]

I agree. Hold Me would be killer. I would also love to hear Electrical Storm live. It's such a beautiful sounding song and the ambient noise and guitar work mesh perfectly.

[tigerthelion]

I don't care how good you are as a band. Playing the same song twice in a concert is inexcusable and ridiculous. It's just plain wrong. If the Hip did it I wouldn't be impressed at all. Ah well, Bono is GOD so I guess he gets a pass from most people. I mean, this stunt sounds like something Ashlee Simpson would do.