What is U2s Worst Show?

[connorfin22]

We all know the infamous Popmart Vegas concert, But is that the only time U2 has ever messed up?

[JohnInAthens]

Sydney without Adam.

[jick]

Sydney without Adam.

U2 without Clayton is not U2.

That night wasn't a U2 show, but a U2 tribute band.

Cheers,

J

[JoshuaTree94]

I don't think it's fair to consider that one night a bizarre U2 tribute band appearance in the place of U2 at an important stop on a massive tour. If, however, only Bono and The Edge were playing with a number of other session musicians years down the road from now, maybe you could make that claim. But the Sydney incident was a rare and unpredictable event. It cannot be compared to the living self-tribute acts such as the current incarnation of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

[satellitedog01]

To me it's probably those earlier TUF Tour shows where they played Bad, but Bono couldn't yet hit the Wide Awake line properly. That was miserable and very disappointing. Probably because I had to pay for the bootlegs, as it was still some years before I had internet access, and Bad would've been the highlight.
For an actual audience it was probably that Dutch show on Lovetown where Bono's voice crapped out totally midshow, and they had to finish prematurely and reschedule it to next year. That's why they played gigs in 1990, after they went away to dream it all up again.

[Smee]

I would offer the tempe show early on in the JT tour....where bonos voice was screwed the whole show....and i mean SCREWED, as in,,,,couldnt sing. So bad was it....they added in another date in Tempe, later in the tour, to make up for it

[Smee]

I was just listening to some of that bootleg. As bad as Bonos voice was in that show, i actually prefer it to modern Bonos singing voice. Controversial....but true!

[Joe90usa]

Controversial....but true!

This should be the tag line on your profile.

[xy]

Obviously Sarajevo, if vocals are to be considered.

Say what you want about Bono's voice on the last three tours, there hasn't been a time when Edge had to completely step into his shoes, such as that night.

[DGordon1]

Obviously Sarajevo, if vocals are to be considered.

Say what you want about Bono's voice on the last three tours, there hasn't been a time when Edge had to completely step into his shoes, such as that night.

Fully agree. Those who think Bono was had better vocals on Popmart than on 360 are letting their 90's love cloud their judgement.

[Tumbling Dice]

Obviously Sarajevo, if vocals are to be considered.

Say what you want about Bono's voice on the last three tours, there hasn't been a time when Edge had to completely step into his shoes, such as that night.

I expect The Exile to be along soon to tell you that he was at the Sarajevo show and it was difficult to tell that Bono's voice had gone.  I was listening to it live on the radio and although it was clear his voice went during LNOE, it seemed to recover a bit later on, so that by the end of the show his voice didn't sound much worse than usual.  At least that's how I felt about it.  Bono's voice problems aside, I thought it was a good show made all the more memorable by how significant a show it was for U2.  Clearly it was an emotional night for the band and they weren't going to let Bono's voice going ruin it for them or the crowd, and really, I don't think it did.  They actually performed Miss Sarajevo in SARAJEVO, I mean how cool was that.  Great comments by Bono during the show as well.

[charlottes_mouth]

Take your pick from any 360 show. This tour was when U2 finally lost their dignity and artistic integrity compared to their previous incarnations. It was big for sure but that's about all.

[Smee]

Take your pick from any 360 show. This tour was when U2 finally lost their dignity and artistic integrity compared to their previous incarnations. It was big for sure but that's about all.

HARSH.....but will admit to thinking that the 360 tour is bottom of the pile of all the u2 tours i have seen. I hve a problem with the way some of the classics are performed now. Some are SEVERLY lacking the passion of yesteryear

[DGordon1]

Take your pick from any 360 show. This tour was when U2 finally lost their dignity and artistic integrity compared to their previous incarnations. It was big for sure but that's about all.

HARSH.....but will admit to thinking that the 360 tour is bottom of the pile of all the u2 tours i have seen. I hve a problem with the way some of the classics are performed now. Some are SEVERLY lacking the passion of yesteryear

That's pretty much an inevitability if they play certain songs every show because they feel compelled to play them. Some of the classics need a rest or to be rotated next tour. Some other songs kicked arse though - Ultraviolet, MW and EBTTRT were standouts imo.

[markreed]

The worst show? No show is perfect - it all comes down to the band, the sound, the technical elements, the crowd, your experience. My worst show was the 2009 Wembley#1, because of the crowd being aggressive, angry, very unfriendly, and talking loudly very near the stage. But from a pure performance level, some of the early PopMart shows were sloppy and some of the late 1993 shows were a band on near exhausted autopilot.