I thankfully made the second night in Manchester.Luckily they still had a floor ticket for just short of £80.Positioned myself in the centre of the LCD stage,leaning on the rail separating me from the seats.My positioning and the layout of the stages provided a wonderful intimate experience.Great value for money and a really enjoyable gig.Felt like I was at a club gig.

Experienced a full range of emotions during the couple of hours.Highlight for me was "Whose gonna ride your wild horses",always my favourite U2 song,this just blew me away!
Got a bit tired of the politics and shit.When I go to a rock show I just want to hear great music ,not get reminded of all the shit and unfairness in the world.The political messaging was taking my mind off the great music.
Also wanted to hear stuff from "The Joshua tree".But really glad I finally saw them.These talented lads are doing to go even further.

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mtaylor
No, but it got terrible reviews here in DK. Too much talk and too little music. They have peaked musically (just like most bands) and are now in comfort zone with little desire for development.

Huh. Not from what I've heard. But hey, whatever sinks yer boat!

Yesterday morning, I scored a standing pit ticket for London 1 tonight from the official seller.£84. Looking forward to it.

I can't believe how haggard Bono looks. I know he's almost 60 but he's aged a lot in a few years.

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keefriff99
I can't believe how haggard Bono looks. I know he's almost 60 but he's aged a lot in a few years.

he got shorter and wider.

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grzegorz67
Yesterday morning, I scored a standing pit ticket for London 1 tonight from the official seller.£84. Looking forward to it.

Have a great time gregor.

Should be a really good experience with the huge screens and stage layout etc. I seen on the TV.

Just hope Bono and his boring rantings don't get too annoying.

I don't recall Bono speechifying too much last year during the Joshua Tree tour...however, since I generally agree with his worldview, maybe it just didn't feel long-winded to me.

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keefriff99
I can't believe how haggard Bono looks. I know he's almost 60 but he's aged a lot in a few years.

That's what happens when you stop bicycling. You age rapidly.
Bono should take his cue from this guy :
[www.bicycling.com]

Let him speechify. He's always speechified. Speechifying has always been part of a U2 show. There's always plenty of great music to be heard alongside the talk.

"Am I buggin' you? Don't mean to bug ya... Ok Edge, play the blues!"

(Bono on stage, from Rattle and Hum, show recorded 1987)

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crawdaddy

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grzegorz67
Yesterday morning, I scored a standing pit ticket for London 1 tonight from the official seller.£84. Looking forward to it.

Have a great time gregor.

Should be a really good experience with the huge screens and stage layout etc. I seen on the TV.

Just hope Bono and his boring rantings don't get too annoying.

Ta Tony. Hope you're keeping well.

Bono's rantings were present and correct and served the purpose of breaking up the show, in a Keith's 2 songs sort of a way, though I'd much prefer Keith's 2 songs . With his large scale tax dodging, I find him impossible to take seriously, even when I think he has a point.

I want to see a music show and on that score at least, they mostly delivered, though perhaps not quite as well as last time. Bono is looking pretty haggard these days.

I went to the show with my brother (a huge fan) and teenage nephew. They live near Oxford. You're a born and bred Londoner. How would you get to the O2 for a gig? I'd used the tube every time to date prior to last night.

At my brother's behest, We DROVE.... It took 4 hours. Loads of unhelpful detours courtesy of his stupid satnav and round the whole lower half of the M25 to the Dartford Bridge then in on the A2 and stressful stop-start traffic all the way to the car park.

As a result, I entered the floor half an hour before show time with the floor packed so options were very limited. As you know, I routinely queue early for hours for a spot up front so this was odd for me. Without being naughty, I managed to wriggle into a spot about 4 rows from the B stage so at least got some up close views.

The long thin stage on this tour is actually good for an even crowd distribution and that hanging stage thing, helps everyone to get a decent view for when they're in it. Verdict is overall good, but not entirely worth £84 from my viewing spot and it could do with some Joshua Tree songs.

Afterwards we had to hack our way through the traffic, through the Blackwall Tunnel, a few more dodgy directions from a wonky satnav, nearly running out of fuel, round the North Circular and home.

It will be the tube from now on for me for sure

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keefriff99
I can't believe how haggard Bono looks. I know he's almost 60 but he's aged a lot in a few years.

He had a hair transplant some years ago.
Maybe he'll have some facial work done in time.

Bono never elaborated on that illness he had from 2016 that was potentially life-threatening. I'm sure that took a toll, plus the bike accident from 2014 and the back injury from 2010.

All things considered, he's doing pretty well.

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keefriff99
Bono never elaborated on that illness he had from 2016 that was potentially life-threatening. I'm sure that took a toll, plus the bike accident from 2014 and the back injury from 2010.

All things considered, he's doing pretty well.

I think I read he's having daily physiotherapy to get him through the tour. The time must be coming close when he cannot do shows on consecutive nights. Mick was advised not to by his doctor, when aged 60 and has stuck to it.

I'm fairly sure drummer Larry Mullen's had some facial work done.

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grzegorz67

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keefriff99
Bono never elaborated on that illness he had from 2016 that was potentially life-threatening. I'm sure that took a toll, plus the bike accident from 2014 and the back injury from 2010.

All things considered, he's doing pretty well.

I think I read he's having daily physiotherapy to get him through the tour. The time must be coming close when he cannot do shows on consecutive nights. Mick was advised not to by his doctor, when aged 60 and has stuck to it.

I'm fairly sure drummer Larry Mullen's had some facial work done.

I think you're right. This thread made me watch a 'Joshua Tree' tour show; with Larry walking out alone to start off the show. He and Bono have always been the two lookers in the band. They really got their technology down though - no one was working hard at all, and they got a big hard sound. Im wathcing Edge play and he was barely strumming, but what was audible was massive. Lighting cues were coll too.

Adam and Larry are the handsomest rhythm section in rock (not a high bar to set, admittedly).

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keefriff99
Adam and Larry are the handsomest rhythm section in rock (not a high bar to set, admittedly).

I think Charlie is the coolest drummer in the world. and he dont need facial works like Larry.
Jeroen

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corriecas

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keefriff99
Adam and Larry are the handsomest rhythm section in rock (not a high bar to set, admittedly).

I think Charlie is the coolest drummer in the world. and he dont need facial works like Larry.
Jeroen

Oh yea, nobody comes close to Charlie. He is an excellent drummer and he is totaly beyond cool. As for Larry - just like anyone else, he doesn't "need" a facial work. He probably got one and looks quite strange since then. Adam on the other hand looks better as he gets older.

As usual U2 put on another great tour. Amazing show!! Seen them every tour since 1985 and really like this tour a lot. And very cool to skip The Joshua Tree songs this time around....thinking about the tour last year.

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grzegorz67

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keefriff99
Bono never elaborated on that illness he had from 2016 that was potentially life-threatening. I'm sure that took a toll, plus the bike accident from 2014 and the back injury from 2010.

All things considered, he's doing pretty well.

I think I read he's having daily physiotherapy to get him through the tour. The time must be coming close when he cannot do shows on consecutive nights. Mick was advised not to by his doctor, when aged 60 and has stuck to it.

I'm fairly sure drummer Larry Mullen's had some facial work done.

Do we know he had an illness in 2016? He said many many times he had a "brush with mortality" and that he didn't want to talk about it (yet around the time the last album came out he mysteriously mentioned it in every interview, which I found strange - if somebody doesn't want to talk about something, the logical thing would be not to talk about it). The fact is, that he has aged a lot in the past 3 yers or so...

Ad for the physiotherapy, I don't know about Bono, but I have heard an interview with Adam (a great interview, by the way), where he spoke about how he himself and especially Larry, who sufferes from back pain, were getting regular physiotherapy

I read on a Led Zeppelin facebook page of all places, that there's been some debate on whether Bono is lip-synching or not this tour.
I remember it was mentioned here last tour that he was doing it minimally on maybe one song, but can anyone shed more light on the current situation?

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Seriously doubt Bono is lip-synching. I heard enough faults during the concert to deem it as real singing. Plus they got to realize the back lash it would cause. Of course there's always "never say never".

Seen u2 from the start 1979 up till 1999. After that they lost it. Seen them in 2003 again and was sure had it with them.
Not interested in them anymore. The last 2 records were dull n boring.Bono has an inflated ego. Then again Mick n Keef have an huge ego as well.
Jeroen

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corriecas
Seen u2 from the start 1979 up till 1999. After that they lost it. Seen them in 2003 again and was sure had it with them.
Not interested in them anymore. The last 2 records were dull n boring.Bono has an inflated ego. Then again Mick n Keef have an huge ego as well.
Jeroen

They didn't tour in 2003. You probably saw them in 2001 (Elevation tour) or in 2005/2006 (Vertigo). They didn't tour between 2002-2004

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Hairball
I read on a Led Zeppelin facebook page of all places, that there's been some debate on whether Bono is lip-synching or not this tour.
I remember it was mentioned here last tour that he was doing it minimally on maybe one song, but can anyone shed more light on the current situation?

There was a debate that he was lip-synching the opening song on the US part of the current tour. Judging from the YT videos, he did. God knows why, it is not a difficult song by any means. Anyway, I am pretty sure he doesn't lip-synch other than that. I have seen enough of shows and the singing is different each night. Also, I was in Berlin this year when Bono lost his voice and the show was canceled after 5 songs. His voice was totally shot after three songs, which was a sad experience for those of us who had to leave that evening after 5 songs, but it can serve as an ultimete proof that the show was live :-) Just watch some YT footage of the Red Flag Day or Beautiful Day from 01/09



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-10-24 21:06 by Happy24.

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frankotero
Seriously doubt Bono is lip-synching. I heard enough faults during the concert to deem it as real singing. Plus they got to realize the back lash it would cause. Of course there's always "never say never".

Agreed. Elton outed them for having musicians under the stage but I seriously doubt he lip syncs. The extra musicians caused them enough grief, in addition to all the other crap they get on a regular basis. I think if it came out Bono lip syncs it would end them, just cause they already get more hate than a lot of other bands. I don't think they'd risk that and I feel there's enough times Bono has some issues to prove its genuine. But who knows.

I saw U2 in 2015 and 2017, and there were a few moments where Bono hit some high, soaring notes and I thought to myself, "That doesn't sound like the voice of a smoker (former?) in his mid 50s".

I didn't really think he was lip-syncing though. I can't see him doing that.

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Happy24

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Hairball
I read on a Led Zeppelin facebook page of all places, that there's been some debate on whether Bono is lip-synching or not this tour.
I remember it was mentioned here last tour that he was doing it minimally on maybe one song, but can anyone shed more light on the current situation?

There was a debate that he was lip-synching the opening song on the US part of the current tour. Judging from the YT videos, he did. God knows why, it is not a difficult song by any means.

There are a couple elements to this:
1. The falcetto "woohoo"s in Elevation have always been on tape since that song's first tour in 2001.

2. He sang along to tape on Love is All We Have Left at the beginning of this tour - none of the band is playing (or on stage, for that matter), and for the first couple of shows it was just intro music. As of the third date (or so) they gave him a mic, but it was still more like he was just singing along to part of the intro music.

U2 has used tapes along with the band since 1984, and since 1991 these have been manned by a keyboard player who also plays live with the band on a few tracks. It's not particularly a secret (on the '09-'11 tour they even put a camera down there so he could have his moment in the sun on a couple of songs), but they've always preferred that approach rather than expanding the "on stage" band. To each their own.

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tommycharles

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Happy24

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Hairball
I read on a Led Zeppelin facebook page of all places, that there's been some debate on whether Bono is lip-synching or not this tour.
I remember it was mentioned here last tour that he was doing it minimally on maybe one song, but can anyone shed more light on the current situation?

There was a debate that he was lip-synching the opening song on the US part of the current tour. Judging from the YT videos, he did. God knows why, it is not a difficult song by any means.

There are a couple elements to this:
1. The falcetto "woohoo"s in Elevation have always been on tape since that song's first tour in 2001.

2. He sang along to tape on Love is All We Have Left at the beginning of this tour - none of the band is playing (or on stage, for that matter), and for the first couple of shows it was just intro music. As of the third date (or so) they gave him a mic, but it was still more like he was just singing along to part of the intro music.

U2 has used tapes along with the band since 1984, and since 1991 these have been manned by a keyboard player who also plays live with the band on a few tracks. It's not particularly a secret (on the '09-'11 tour they even put a camera down there so he could have his moment in the sun on a couple of songs), but they've always preferred that approach rather than expanding the "on stage" band. To each their own.

Yup, that's pretty much what the U2 message board says. The Edge's guitar tech (Dallas Schoo) has been adding instrumentation for years.

Pretty much the same thing Rush did...only Rush insisted on triggering all of their additional sounds (backing vocals, sequencers) themselves. All three of them had loads of foot pedals and drum pad triggers so they could manually pipe in additional parts.

Is that more or less integrity? Eh...I'm rather ambivalent. Rush is a band that prided itself on technical dexterity, while U2 is more about evoking emotion and mood with their sound.

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Happy24

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corriecas
Seen u2 from the start 1979 up till 1999. After that they lost it. Seen them in 2003 again and was sure had it with them.
Not interested in them anymore. The last 2 records were dull n boring.Bono has an inflated ego. Then again Mick n Keef have an huge ego as well.
Jeroen

They didn't tour in 2003. You probably saw them in 2001 (Elevation tour) or in 2005/2006 (Vertigo). They didn't tour between 2002-2004

2005.bad show in the amsterdam arena.
Jeroen

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corriecas

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Happy24

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corriecas
Seen u2 from the start 1979 up till 1999. After that they lost it. Seen them in 2003 again and was sure had it with them.
Not interested in them anymore. The last 2 records were dull n boring.Bono has an inflated ego. Then again Mick n Keef have an huge ego as well.
Jeroen

They didn't tour in 2003. You probably saw them in 2001 (Elevation tour) or in 2005/2006 (Vertigo). They didn't tour between 2002-2004

2005.bad show in the amsterdam arena.
Jeroen

Oh yeah, I read about that show. The ArenA sound must had been really horrible back then. I saw U2 twice in the ArenA in 2017 and I have also seen The Stones there in 2017 and all three shows had a really good sound, at least in front of the stage. No Ziggo Dome-like sound, but still very good :-)