Why has nothing from Pop been played since Elevation Tour?

[markreed]

I never understood the absence of "Pop".

PLEASE is one of the finest songs they have ever done. The segue into Streets on Mexico is magical. Dropping MLK/WO and running the set as Sunday/Please/Streets to end the main set? That would've been something. Shunting the encore to MLK/Walk On/One would've been wiser.

Sing the first verse of "DISCOTHEQUE" over the bugnuts drum outro to "Crazy Tonight". It works. It belongs. There. Right there.

[So Cruel]

I love Pop but I highly doubt we'll get to see them play much from that album in the future. Maybe 1 song here or there.

U2 has a formula that they stick to. Usually about 22 songs (give or take a few)

5-8 songs from the album they are promoting
12-16 hits/warhorses

This usually only leaves a few songs to choose from out of the hundreds they have written. If we see any Pop songs at all it would probably be at the most 1.

[Sugarcube]

Mostly because the band were ashamed of POP - or at least the reaction to it. I think it's a great album and loved POPMART.

I guarantee the same will apply to NLOTH - very few (if any) songs will be played on future tours from NLOTH because it's crap and the public reaction to it wasn't great and the single tanked. In fact they dropped most of the songs from NLOTH for 360 meaning the tour became a Greatest Hits Tour. At least with POPMART they stuck to their guns and played a significant number of songs from the album throughout.

[markreed]

Well, if 360 had been done & dusted by May 2010 without a break, you might be right, but considering by the time Leg 3 started, the album was 18 months old, no wonder they didn't play their usual 7 songs from it by then : the record hadn't been played live for 10 months, and the last single was also 10 months old at that point. 360 Legs 3-7 didn't have an album to promote.

[Sugarcube]

Well, if 360 had been done & dusted by May 2010 without a break, you might be right, but considering by the time Leg 3 started, the album was 18 months old, no wonder they didn't play their usual 7 songs from it by then : the record hadn't been played live for 10 months, and the last single was also 10 months old at that point. 360 Legs 3-7 didn't have an album to promote.

I hear ya - but the following lead me to believe the never intended 360 to tour NLOTH:

1) the stage concept (ie a stupidly ugly metal claw) had nothing to do with NLOTH visually
2) the name 360 had nothing to do with any of the concepts on NLOTH
3) they very quickly dropped lots of songs from the album. I can't think of a tour in recent memory when they DIDN'T play a song from the album they were touring as their opening tune. Witness Beauftil Day or rubbish instrumental Stingray replacing any cut from NLOTH.
4) NLOTH is a really poor record
5) Boots is probably the worst single they have ever released
6) bonos sunglasses

[Droo]

Yes, we all get that you don't like NLOTH. Change the channel. This show is getting old.

[markreed]

What he said!

[DGordon1]

He's a wind up merchant.

[spooked1oo]

I want Mofo. Just saying.

[mattressjedi]

They haven't played anything from POP since the Elevation tour because NLOTH was a bad album and they decided to play arenas/stadiums for Vertigo and stadiums only for 360.
Can't believe you can't see this!

 

[tigerfan41]

I'm not sure why they don't just extend the setlist to 3 hours and include some of the songs people have been asking for. I'd love to hear a couple songs from Pop at least....and at least a few from NLOTH. If Springsteen, McCartney and even the Foo Fighters can do the 3 hour setlist, why can't U2?

[singnomore]

I guess its simply as perfectionists they know they didn't finish the album sound the way they wanted. That's what sticks in their minds and makes playing any songs a harder decision for them.

Who knows in the next arena tour which will be b-sides and rarities - who knows!

[spooked1oo]

Am I the only person who kind of hopes U2 goes with releasing the "dance album" first, just so that they naturally play more Pop on the tour?

[markreed]

They haven't played anything from POP since the Elevation tour because NLOTH was a bad album and they decided to play arenas/stadiums for Vertigo and stadiums only for 360.
Can't believe you can't see this!

 

.... because NLOTH is not a bad album. It's the best U2 record since 1997. But then, I like bands that don't try and stuff their albums full of pop hits but just try to make the best records they can. NLOTH just doesn't fit into your idea of what a good U2 record should be but fits into what U2's idea of what a good record should be.

Why can't U2 do a three hour setlist? The longest show on the 360 tour was 2hrs 37mins. That's a good length. Not everyone can play drums for three hundred hours on tour, or sing for three hours a night. That is damn hard work.

[spooked1oo]

They haven't played anything from POP since the Elevation tour because NLOTH was a bad album and they decided to play arenas/stadiums for Vertigo and stadiums only for 360.
Can't believe you can't see this!

 

.... because NLOTH is not a bad album. It's the best U2 record since 1997. But then, I like bands that don't try and stuff their albums full of pop hits but just try to make the best records they can. NLOTH just doesn't fit into your idea of what a good U2 record should be but fits into what U2's idea of what a good record should be.

Why can't U2 do a three hour setlist? The longest show on the 360 tour was 2hrs 37mins. That's a good length. Not everyone can play drums for three hundred hours on tour, or sing for three hours a night. That is damn hard work.

First off, ATYCLB was better than No Line (in my opinion). Second, I don't think anybody on U2 would have much trouble playing three-hour setlists except Bono; in his old(ish) age his voice needs to stay fresh every night. As a drummer, I can honestly say that Larry's playing isn't exactly exhausting.