U2

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nausearockpig
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Re: U2

#101 Post by nausearockpig » Mon Jan 16, 2017 9:37 pm

Yeh do it, that way I can post all my Regurgitator tickets.

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Pandemonium
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Re: U2

#102 Post by Pandemonium » Mon May 22, 2017 2:44 pm

5/21 – Los Angeles, CA – Rose Bowl

01 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
02 - New Year's Day
03 - Pride (In the Name of Love)
04 - Where the Streets Have No Name / California (There is No End to Love) [snippet]
05 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
06 - With or Without You
07 - Bullet the Blue Sky
08 - Running to Stand Still
09 - Red Hill Mining Town
10 - In God's Country
11 - Trip Through Your Wires
12 - One Tree Hill
13 - Exit / Wise Blood (snippet) / Eeny Meeny Miny Moe (snippet)
14 - Mothers of the Disappeared
encore
15 - Miss Sarajevo / The New Colossus (snippet)
16 - America (snippet) / Bad
encore
17 - Beautiful Day / City of Stars (snippet)
18 - Elevation
19 - Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
20 - One / Hear Us Coming (snippet)
21 - The Little Things That Give You Away

This was my 29th U2 show, having seen them every tour (except Lovetown) dating back to 1981. I had previously seen 3 shows on the original Joshua Tree tour (LA Sports Arena 4/18, 4/22 and LA Coliseum 11/18/87), the 4/22 show I still consider to be the best U2 show I've ever seen to date.

I left early late afternoon for the Rose Bowl knowing what a hassle it is getting into the lot once you're off the freeway. Still, it took me nearly 1 1/2 hours to get parked what seemed 1/2 mile from the stadium at the far North end of the golf course parking lot. The plus side, parking out in the sticks served me well as I was able to get out and back on the freeway in about 15 minutes after the show.

Add to that, due to a ticket snafu (my CC wouldn't scan and they had my ticket under my first name, not last), another hour plus just to get it sorted at both the ticket "resolution" booth and will call before I finally got my Red Zone ticket. Virtually everyone working the Rose Bowl was utterly clueless and made a messy situation far worse and more stressful. However, I finally got in and took a good position in the Red Zone only 15 minutes before U2 started.

The Red Zone imo, is worth the $360+ simply because it's not jammed tight, the sound is good, you have elbow room and you have a pretty good view of both the main and b-stages although the main stage is huge and set pretty far back even if you're right up front. There's no chairs in the Red Zone however that metal baracades have little stoops you can sit on to give your legs a rest. There's no dedicated bathrooms, you still have to exit the Red Zone and walk out to wherever restrooms may be outside the stadium. I didn't notice a dedicated bar/drink/merch stand inside the Red Zone but to be honest, I didn't have time to look around.

U2 started around 8:45 with Larry on drums on the B-Stage followed by The Edge, Bono and Adam and slammed into a strong version of Sunday Bloody Sunday. This was followed by New Years Day and a somewhat lethargic performance of Pride before the band went up to the main stage for the Joshua Tree segment. I was really bummed they skipped A Sort Of Homecoming (even with the terrible canned sequencer arrangement this tour), probably *the* song outside the JT deep cuts I was most looking forward to hearing.

That said, I thought up through Bullet The Blue Sky, the show had a lot of energy and great pacing. Once they got into Running To Stand Still and the rather uninspired reworking of Red Hill Mining Town, the energy especially with the audience dropped. I was rather surprised how "thin" In Gods Country came off live - one of the few times Bono's previous guitar playing actually added to the original 80's live version. Trip Through Your Wires and One Tree Hill (dedicated to Chris Cornell and family) were both solid, faithful renditions that went over very well. One of the highlights of the show was how well Exit was played. Basically a straight, very tight, intense performance like the original Joshua Tree tour that should make the band rethink why it shouldn't be included in future tours. Mothers Of The Disappeared capped the JT set and the band took a few minute break before coming back with the honestly lame version of Miss Sarajevo.

A strong performance of Bad was a welcome addition in the following slot and overall, I think rearranging the encore for this set works much better then previous shows this tour. Ultraviolet wasn't quite as strong as the 360 tour version and certainly nowhere near as emotionally powerful as the ZooTV tour version. The new "electronic-y" arrangement of Beautiful Day with the Daft Punk vox effects is not very good but Elevation still is a major crowd pleaser. While the band spent most of the set after the pre-JT on the main stage, Bono did come down to the B Stage again during the encore.

By "One," people were starting to stream out of the stadium in droves and as I've mentioned elseware, putting "The Little Things That Give You Away" as the final song in the set does it no favors, especially considering imo, it's not a very strong tune comparing with non-LP songs like Electrical Storm and Windows In The Sky.

Overall, I think it was a good show, not great, certainly not a patch on any original JT shows I saw back in the day. Musically, the band still seems strong although their age is showing in how much less the move around on stage these days. I really didn't hear any issues with Bono's voice although using the canned Pavarotti vox on MS when Bono used to impressively sing the part himself live really saps that song of any drama it used to have on the Vertigo tour. I know a number of people have complained about Bono's "preaching" but honestly, aside from the speech preceding Ultraviolet and the frankly obnoxious, distracting video (really, politically correct equating someone like Ellen D or Hillary Clinton with real pioneering, courageous woman like Malala Yousafzai?) for the song, it wasn't anything more or less then usual "preaching" for post Y2K U2.

The sound was very good, not quite as powerful and sharp as the 360 tour and certainly not as painfully loud as the IE tour. Solid, deep bass when it was needed. The huge video screen that makes up the main stage backdrop featured crystal clear video. Often, especially during the first half of the JT set, short films like travelogues of the desert and staged montages of people doing things like putting on helmets or (Edge's wife dressed like a cowgirl) painting a shack with the American flag dominated the tiny figures of the band. Often it was like a band performing in front of an IMAX nature documentary which probably sucked for those in the nosebleed seats. It wasn't until later in the set that the screen was used more for traditional close-up images of the band members performing.

I will say being my 3rd unpleasant Rose Bowl experience out of 3 (Rolling Stones 1995, U2 2009, last night), I will never see anyone at this stadium again. The place is just a traffic and logistics nightmare and the staff is uniformly the most clueless of any venue I've been to. I'll take the LA Coliseum or Anaheim Stadium any day of the week if I gotta deal with a stadium show.

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Larry B.
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Re: U2

#103 Post by Larry B. » Mon May 22, 2017 5:36 pm

Cool, cheers for that review. I'm sorry it wasn't as great as other U2 shows you've seen.

29... fucking hell.

I think I've already mentioned it, but after seeing U2 in Glasgow in late 2015, I was amazed by how the made their shittiest songs sound good live. They just made the "experience" really beautiful. I always said, before attending that show, that it was probably going to be my last time seeing them. I had already seen them 3 times in Chile and 1 time in Argentina, and we went to the Glasgow show basically because my wife had never seen them before. But after that show, I can't not go if they confirm a date in Chile for this anniversary tour.

I won't have to worry about the traffic either, as my new flat is a 25 minute walk to the national stadium.

I was a bit disappointed by the lenght of this JT show, only 22 songs... but then I double-checked and it seems like a pretty standard lenght for a U2 show. Maybe it's just the fact that the show is split in 3-4 songs, then JT, and then 6-7 songs, that it seems (on paper) a bit shorter.

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Pandemonium
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Re: U2

#104 Post by Pandemonium » Mon May 22, 2017 8:34 pm

Larry B. wrote:Cool, cheers for that review. I'm sorry it wasn't as great as other U2 shows you've seen.

29... fucking hell.

I think I've already mentioned it, but after seeing U2 in Glasgow in late 2015, I was amazed by how the made their shittiest songs sound good live. They just made the "experience" really beautiful. I always said, before attending that show, that it was probably going to be my last time seeing them. I had already seen them 3 times in Chile and 1 time in Argentina, and we went to the Glasgow show basically because my wife had never seen them before. But after that show, I can't not go if they confirm a date in Chile for this anniversary tour.

I won't have to worry about the traffic either, as my new flat is a 25 minute walk to the national stadium.

I was a bit disappointed by the lenght of this JT show, only 22 songs... but then I double-checked and it seems like a pretty standard lenght for a U2 show. Maybe it's just the fact that the show is split in 3-4 songs, then JT, and then 6-7 songs, that it seems (on paper) a bit shorter.
Up until the ZooTV tour, their standard set was about 16-20 songs tops and almost always well under 2 hours long.

I will say last night's show seemed to move along pretty quickly at least up until the post-JT encore section. They really move through the Joshua Tree segment pretty efficiently. IMO, some of the classic burnout songs they play every tour like With Or Without You and Sunday Bloody Sunday sound a lot better this time around then the past few tours. Opening with SBS played pretty much straight like the album version at a decent tempo is like a blast of fresh air after that laughably bad version they were playing on the last tour. Exit kicks ass.

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Re: U2

#105 Post by Pandemonium » Tue Jun 06, 2017 8:11 am

Hey Larry, here you go. U2.com has confirmed more NA and SA dates will be added for Sept and Oct. It is rumored that single Atlanta and Anaheim dates may be added in the gap between the St Louis and San Diego shows if they sell well. Dates officially confirmed so far include:

Sun Sep 3 - Detroit, MI Ford Field
Tue Sep 5 - Buffalo, NY New Era Field
Fri Sep 8 - Minneapolis, MN US Bank Stadium
Sun Sep 10 - Indianapolis, IN Lucas Oil Stadium
Tue Sep 12 - Kansas City, MO Arrowhead Stadium
Sat Sep 16 - St. Louis, MO The Dome At America’s Center
Fri Sep 22 - San Diego, CA Qualcomm Stadium

The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 Mexico & South America
Tue Oct 3 - Mexico City Mexico Foro Sol
Sat Oct 7 - Bogota, Columbia Estadio El Campin
Tue Oct 10 - Buenos Aires, Argentina La Plata
Sat Oct 14 - Santiago, Chile Estadio Nacional
Thur Oct 19 - Sao Paulo, Brazil Morumbi Stadium

(from U2.com)
Ticket prices start at $35.00 with general admission floor tickets at $70.00. There will be an exclusive priority presale for U2.com subscribers starting Thursday, June 8th (10am) through Saturday, June 10th (5pm) local times for subscribers who may have missed out on the previous presale opportunity along with new subscribers. There will be a 4 ticket limit for subscriber purchases and a 6 ticket limit commencing with public sales. In North America, all floor tickets will be paperless unless otherwise noted. Special guest for the North America concert dates to be announced.

In Mexico and South America, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds have been confirmed as special guest for all dates. Tickets will go on sale Wed. June 14th in Mexico City, June 15th in Bogota, Buenos Aires and Santiago and Friday June 16th in Sao Paulo. There will be an exclusive priority presale for U2 Subscribers at U2.com starting Thursday, June 8th (10am) through Saturday, June 10th (5pm) local times for U2.com. All times local. (Subscribers will be emailed more information ahead of the presales.)

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Larry B.
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Re: U2

#106 Post by Larry B. » Tue Jun 06, 2017 10:21 am

Yeah, just got confirmation. These are the most outrageous prices I think I've ever seen.

Floor tickets are around $160. The location I was aiming for has been priced at $230, and it's only the 4th "best" location. Not even with numbered seats.

We can't really go to the floor area, can't really risk that location with my wife's blood pressure and fucking brain hemorrage risk, however low... so if we go, it'll most likely be those $230 seats.

I'm even considering not going, but then I get this picture in my head of A Sort of Homecoming into Pride into Where the Streets Have No Name and I think I'll just have to go. Work has been good, so I think I can afford it. It's just that... you know, in a country where the median wage is around $600, having tickets priced at $560 seems immoral.

I'm not a paid subscriber to U2.com, so I'll wait for the 2nd pre-sale, which is exclusive for my mobile company. We'll see how it goes.

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nausearockpig
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Re: U2

#107 Post by nausearockpig » Tue Jun 06, 2017 4:01 pm

just fucken go and eat noodles for a couple of weeks, remember the concert forever... the other option is to not go, keep the money, eat normally, not remember the normal food you ate, and regret not going....

EASY.... (for me to say as I'm not you, and all the way over here!)

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Larry B.
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Re: U2

#108 Post by Larry B. » Tue Jun 06, 2017 6:05 pm

nausearockpig wrote:just fucken go and eat noodles for a couple of weeks, remember the concert forever... the other option is to not go, keep the money, eat normally, not remember the normal food you ate, and regret not going....

EASY.... (for me to say as I'm not you, and all the way over here!)
Yup, that's been my exact reasoning for the past few hours. Talked it over with my girl, and I think we're just going to go. Fuck it.

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nausearockpig
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Re: U2

#109 Post by nausearockpig » Tue Jun 06, 2017 6:30 pm

Larry B. wrote:
nausearockpig wrote:just fucken go and eat noodles for a couple of weeks, remember the concert forever... the other option is to not go, keep the money, eat normally, not remember the normal food you ate, and regret not going....

EASY.... (for me to say as I'm not you, and all the way over here!)
Yup, that's been my exact reasoning for the past few hours. Talked it over with my girl, and I think we're just going to go. Fuck it.
Fucken do it cunt.. :bigrin:

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Matz
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Re: U2

#110 Post by Matz » Tue Jun 06, 2017 9:51 pm

230? I'd pay that if Jimi Hendrix came back or Zeppelin or Pink Floyd back in the day. Not U2. Especially not if I'd already seen em live a bunch of times. They play their songs exactly the same way every time too, don't they, so where's the thrill

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Re: U2

#111 Post by nausearockpig » Tue Jun 06, 2017 10:23 pm

Matz wrote:230? I'd pay that if Jimi Hendrix came back or Zeppelin or Pink Floyd back in the day. Not U2. Especially not if I'd already seen em live a bunch of times. They play their songs exactly the same way every time too, don't they, so where's the thrill
The thrill will be in larry's pants.....

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Larry B.
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Re: U2

#112 Post by Larry B. » Wed Jun 07, 2017 2:44 am

nausearockpig wrote:
Matz wrote:230? I'd pay that if Jimi Hendrix came back or Zeppelin or Pink Floyd back in the day. Not U2. Especially not if I'd already seen em live a bunch of times. They play their songs exactly the same way every time too, don't they, so where's the thrill
The thrill will be in larry's pants.....
Absolutely. If after the show I don't get some serious action after splashing out that kind of money, I'm gonna be seriously pissed off.

By the way, just got confirmation that Chile's ticket prices are the most expensive in the entire tour. :neutral:

And regarding Matz's comment... I totally understand where you're coming from. My problem is that when I see myself in 30 years time, or even 5 years from now, I'd see myself regretting not going to the show. After The Beatles, I see U2 as the "biggest" band of all time. They've pushed so many boundaries for so long, they're a living legend of a band. They've toured the world like... 4 or 5 times now - and I mean almost literally the entire world, including Latin America. Touring just the US, Europe and Japan isn't really "the world", is it? But these guys are like 80 and still pack stadiums everywhere they go, and the live shows they put on are on a whole different level. They hit the jackpot in that sense with ZooTV and haven't looked back since. Their shows are an attack on the senses. I'm so happy I got to see their PopMart tour, for instance. It was only 8 years after Chile got their democracy back, and it was the first truly mega-huge live show here... and it was amazing. I think I can't not go.
Last edited by Larry B. on Wed Jun 07, 2017 2:52 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: U2

#113 Post by kv » Wed Jun 07, 2017 2:49 am

Perry, Dave and Eric could all become junkies again and make the best Jane's album ever titled "fuck you etty" and I wouldn't pay $230 to see em....but hey if they still get you off Larry...make it happen

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Re: U2

#114 Post by nausearockpig » Wed Jun 07, 2017 2:53 am

Larry B. wrote:
nausearockpig wrote:
Matz wrote:230? I'd pay that if Jimi Hendrix came back or Zeppelin or Pink Floyd back in the day. Not U2. Especially not if I'd already seen em live a bunch of times. They play their songs exactly the same way every time too, don't they, so where's the thrill
The thrill will be in larry's pants.....
Absolutely. If after the show I don't get some serious action after splashing out that kind of money, I'm gonna be seriously pissed off.

By the way, just got confirmation that Chile's ticket prices are the most expensive in the entire tour. :neutral:
If all else fails, go spank off in the toilet after the show. Use you left hand ( if you're right handed ) and you'll be sorted.

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Re: U2

#115 Post by kv » Wed Jun 07, 2017 2:59 am

Larry stop typing

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Re: U2

#116 Post by nausearockpig » Wed Jun 07, 2017 3:04 am

kv wrote:Larry stop typing
:lolol:

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Re: U2

#117 Post by Larry B. » Wed Jun 07, 2017 7:25 am

kv wrote:Larry stop typing
Haven't slept properly in about two weeks, my brain is a bit fried at the moment.

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perkana
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Re: U2

#118 Post by perkana » Wed Jun 07, 2017 6:13 pm

We got confirmation yesterday. I would love to go. But I've already spent money on the Peppers, a music festival and a race. I wish someone would take me, but not ask for anything in return :lol:

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Re: U2

#119 Post by kv » Thu Jun 08, 2017 4:47 am

Creep!

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Re: U2

#120 Post by creep » Thu Jun 08, 2017 3:32 pm

kv wrote:Creep!
perkana wrote: but not ask for anything in return :lol:
Can't make that promise :wave:

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Re: U2

#121 Post by wally » Thu Jun 08, 2017 4:51 pm

perkana wrote: I wish someone would take me, but not ask for anything in return :lol:
That's not how any of this works. :wink:

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Re: U2

#122 Post by drifter » Mon Jun 12, 2017 5:42 pm


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perkana
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Re: U2

#123 Post by perkana » Mon Jun 12, 2017 6:37 pm

wally wrote:
perkana wrote: I wish someone would take me, but not ask for anything in return :lol:
That's not how any of this works. :wink:
Yeah, I know...I could reciprocate with another show or a fancy dinner. But that's it :lol:
I just read the first presale day was sold out in 15 minutes. The fuck I'm going to even try to get a ticket. The only time I was able to get a decent one, was when I suscribed to the U2 fan club for their presale.
If they had done it like the Chili Peppers (didn't have to pay anything to get into their presale), I would have tried. I'm fucking old for this shit.

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Re: U2

#124 Post by Pandemonium » Tue Jun 13, 2017 9:01 am

perkana wrote:
wally wrote:
perkana wrote: I wish someone would take me, but not ask for anything in return :lol:
That's not how any of this works. :wink:
Yeah, I know...I could reciprocate with another show or a fancy dinner. But that's it :lol:
I just read the first presale day was sold out in 15 minutes. The fuck I'm going to even try to get a ticket. The only time I was able to get a decent one, was when I suscribed to the U2 fan club for their presale.
If they had done it like the Chili Peppers (didn't have to pay anything to get into their presale), I would have tried. I'm fucking old for this shit.
U2 traditionally does ticket drops (at least here in the US) for really good seats and the general admission floor during the last few days before show dates even for shows that show as "sold out" for months in advance.

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Larry B.
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Re: U2

#125 Post by Larry B. » Tue Jun 13, 2017 10:33 am

The online sale here was absolute shit, so I just went today and stood on a line for an hour, but finally got my tickets. Decent seats, spent around $400. The show better be fucking good, because nobody is reciprocating me with a fancy dinner...

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