Fluxblog’s Matthew travels to Missouri to see the band in concert at the Savvis Center in St. Louis. He reviews both the opening act and U2, and touches on the political implications of the current ‘heart of darkness’ part of the band’s set. There are some good reactions in the comments.
“Love and Peace Or Else” was far better in St. Louis than in the 10/8/2005 MSG set, as was the rest of the so-called ‘heart of darkness’ mini-set that also includes “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “Bullet The Blue Sky.” Though I quite enjoy “Love and Peace,” this is by far the weakest part of the Vertigo tour – for one thing, these three songs in a row feels more than a little redundant on a musical level, but more than that, there are very troubling political implications in the repurposing of the latter two songs…”
The comments have some merit though the issue, in my view, is not Love & Peace. They’ve actually performed that song very well on this tour.
SBS has been over done, but I was amazed at how the building still jumps when they play it. Go figure. At least they were smart in how they attempted to keep it relevant (i.e., Co-Exist…Father Abraham…).
The weak link is Bullet, as it has been on every tour with the exception of The Joshua Tree. The song has been a constant in the set lists through the years, yet with each tour they’ve felt compelled to modify the version they play. Sort of suggests to me that they’ve never really felt like they had it quite right.
My sense is that they should get out of the anti-war segment one song earlier by dropping Bullet. They could go to Miss Sarejevo earlier or, perhaps, they might pull an old tape and remember how good Exit used to sound live…
The comments have some merit though the issue, in my view, is not Love & Peace. They’ve actually performed that song very well on this tour.
SBS has been over done, but I was amazed at how the building still jumps when they play it. Go figure. At least they were smart in how they attempted to keep it relevant (i.e., Co-Exist…Father Abraham…).
The weak link is Bullet, as it has been on every tour with the exception of The Joshua Tree. The song has been a constant in the set lists through the years, yet with each tour they’ve felt compelled to modify the version they play. Sort of suggests to me that they’ve never really felt like they had it quite right.
My sense is that they should get out of the anti-war segment one song earlier by dropping Bullet. They could go to Miss Sarejevo earlier or, perhaps, they might pull an old tape and remember how good Exit used to sound live…
Less is more- Sunday Bloody Sunday has been transformed- the singer has a become a father X times over, seen first hand and met many kids who will be lucky to make it to adulthood, so bringing up a kid during the song makes perfect sense to him. He’s got to relate to the song based on who he is today, not back in ’83- therefore, less anger, less ‘Clash’-like- or else it just becomes cabaret- and no one wants that.
I think Bullet’s lost its bite a while ago, Edge’s record version still holds up and the immediacy of his slide solo has kinda gone since ZOOTV- It just doesn’t go up the spine the same way.
Bring back “Exit”, lick o’ paint here, a bit of a topical, updated lyric there and….
See the Hands That Build… Can Also Pull Down!!
Less is more- Sunday Bloody Sunday has been transformed- the singer has a become a father X times over, seen first hand and met many kids who will be lucky to make it to adulthood, so bringing up a kid during the song makes perfect sense to him. He’s got to relate to the song based on who he is today, not back in ’83- therefore, less anger, less ‘Clash’-like- or else it just becomes cabaret- and no one wants that.
I think Bullet’s lost its bite a while ago, Edge’s record version still holds up and the immediacy of his slide solo has kinda gone since ZOOTV- It just doesn’t go up the spine the same way.
Bring back “Exit”, lick o’ paint here, a bit of a topical, updated lyric there and….
See the Hands That Build… Can Also Pull Down!!
Interesting. I’m not a huge fan of LPOE but it’s still growing on me after over a year. I’m sure it will be played on the 4th leg but dropped for U2 next tour.
I agree SBS gets such a good reaction nowadays that the band feel happy to play it and, just as impotantly, Bono is confortable with the high notes in the new key of A minor.
Bullet has had it’s day. It was great in the 80’s and the ZooTV version was genius but i really don’t know why they play it still. The only explaination is that it is an easy song for Bono’s voice.
Interesting. I’m not a huge fan of LPOE but it’s still growing on me after over a year. I’m sure it will be played on the 4th leg but dropped for U2 next tour.
I agree SBS gets such a good reaction nowadays that the band feel happy to play it and, just as impotantly, Bono is confortable with the high notes in the new key of A minor.
Bullet has had it’s day. It was great in the 80’s and the ZooTV version was genius but i really don’t know why they play it still. The only explaination is that it is an easy song for Bono’s voice.
…As to the ‘repurposing’ of Bullet- “dedicated to the U.S. military” and the dichotomy– it’s as grey as it gets- the reality is, without a strong force (i.e. military)- human kind has yet to evolve past the need of defense and strength to define itself, to further and defend its ideals (i.e. Human Rights)- and like it or not, whether the politics, decisions and actions are agreeable or not, people who serve in the military make the machine work. This is not a black or white issue.
So Bullet is dedicated to the U.S. military, not because of its destructive capability, but because of what it defends and what it could build– either way, it has to be done by people- even people you could easily get caught in argument with…
Pragmatically, if the goal is an end to stupid poverty and gross injustice and inequality (in the objective sense), and you need to enlist people you might not agree with to make a change, you need to find common ground somewhere. Change is what’s needed, not a constant re-definition of what’s wrong.
The call/response is still “NO WAR!”.
I forget, are any lines of Acrobat being heard these days? “….to Walk like This, and Act like That?”
…As to the ‘repurposing’ of Bullet- “dedicated to the U.S. military” and the dichotomy– it’s as grey as it gets- the reality is, without a strong force (i.e. military)- human kind has yet to evolve past the need of defense and strength to define itself, to further and defend its ideals (i.e. Human Rights)- and like it or not, whether the politics, decisions and actions are agreeable or not, people who serve in the military make the machine work. This is not a black or white issue.
So Bullet is dedicated to the U.S. military, not because of its destructive capability, but because of what it defends and what it could build– either way, it has to be done by people- even people you could easily get caught in argument with…
Pragmatically, if the goal is an end to stupid poverty and gross injustice and inequality (in the objective sense), and you need to enlist people you might not agree with to make a change, you need to find common ground somewhere. Change is what’s needed, not a constant re-definition of what’s wrong.
The call/response is still “NO WAR!”.
I forget, are any lines of Acrobat being heard these days? “….to Walk like This, and Act like That?”
Bullet is actually Paul McGuinness’s favourite song..probably why it is still played on every tour.
Bullet is actually Paul McGuinness’s favourite song..probably why it is still played on every tour.
There are a couple of tired songs. Bullet done in the same vein as it was played on the Zoo TV tour would, in my opinion, help. Pride is terribly tired and over done. Great song with a great dedication and message but could use a vacation for a while. If nothing else, turn up the volume on Bullet and drop Pride for Please…
There are a couple of tired songs. Bullet done in the same vein as it was played on the Zoo TV tour would, in my opinion, help. Pride is terribly tired and over done. Great song with a great dedication and message but could use a vacation for a while. If nothing else, turn up the volume on Bullet and drop Pride for Please…
I was still under the impression that Paul McGuiness’ favorite U2 song, though I’m sure there’s more than one, is ‘Bad’.
I was still under the impression that Paul McGuiness’ favorite U2 song, though I’m sure there’s more than one, is ‘Bad’.
I’d pay to see them play ‘I Will Follow’ 22 times.
I’d pay to see them play ‘I Will Follow’ 22 times.
are you kidding peanuts? bullet is awesome – the edge’s solo worth admission alone, esp the zoo tv version. i would kill to hear drowning man – it’s never been played live.
are you kidding peanuts? bullet is awesome – the edge’s solo worth admission alone, esp the zoo tv version. i would kill to hear drowning man – it’s never been played live.
Interesting as I’ve been thinking of blogging
my thoughts on the same segment for quite awhile.
I disagree with most of the original blog or
the one it references. I actually think the
LPOE/SBS/BTBS and then Miss Sarajevo sequence
has become one of the most powerful sequences U2
has recorded in concert. Although the SBS and
BTBS renditions are arranged as in the Elevation
tour, the ways this songs are interconnected
(via CoeXisT) is amazing.
And I don’t believe for a second that Bono
is intending to make BTBS a pro-military song.
Rather, it’s more than ever an anti-war song
but in this case, it looks at the conflict
from the soldier’s point of view, pleading
almost demanding to come home. The version
of the sequence in Portland was chilling,
with Bono slamming the mike stand down and
moaning/screaming “I want to go home”. When
he was kneeling like a prisoner in Abu Ghraib,
an American flag that had been drapped over
some equipment looked like a coffin. And when
he did his “dedication”, he included the word
“young”, clearly an indication that the
majority of soliders dying in the conflict are
young, not much older than teenagers. Remeber,
Bono clearly enjoys performing inside a
contradiction and this song emobidies it this
tour. It’s the center of the backbone of the
whole show, which includes those three songs
before it and the four songs after it.
Interesting as I’ve been thinking of blogging
my thoughts on the same segment for quite awhile.
I disagree with most of the original blog or
the one it references. I actually think the
LPOE/SBS/BTBS and then Miss Sarajevo sequence
has become one of the most powerful sequences U2
has recorded in concert. Although the SBS and
BTBS renditions are arranged as in the Elevation
tour, the ways this songs are interconnected
(via CoeXisT) is amazing.
And I don’t believe for a second that Bono
is intending to make BTBS a pro-military song.
Rather, it’s more than ever an anti-war song
but in this case, it looks at the conflict
from the soldier’s point of view, pleading
almost demanding to come home. The version
of the sequence in Portland was chilling,
with Bono slamming the mike stand down and
moaning/screaming “I want to go home”. When
he was kneeling like a prisoner in Abu Ghraib,
an American flag that had been drapped over
some equipment looked like a coffin. And when
he did his “dedication”, he included the word
“young”, clearly an indication that the
majority of soliders dying in the conflict are
young, not much older than teenagers. Remeber,
Bono clearly enjoys performing inside a
contradiction and this song emobidies it this
tour. It’s the center of the backbone of the
whole show, which includes those three songs
before it and the four songs after it.
If they drop ‘Bullet,’ when will fans be able to duck out to the toilets? 😉
If they drop ‘Bullet,’ when will fans be able to duck out to the toilets? 😉
SBS and Pride are overplayed and just damn boring right now. They should be dropped from the setlist and replaced by songs like Surrender or Wire
SBS and Pride are overplayed and just damn boring right now. They should be dropped from the setlist and replaced by songs like Surrender or Wire