**SPOILERS**Las Vegas 2 U2eiTour Show Thread

[d.darroch]

U2 ALWAYS changed the set every night on the I &E tour. 6 shows in London, 6 different shows. Usually only changing 2-4 songs, but they did.

So, my expectation was they would do the same as EVERY arena show I’ve ever seen (47 arena shows). The band changed a ‘favor’ they were doing for fans going to more than one show. And, I was hoping they were changing/playing different songs for fun and impact too.But, you are right, this tour is meant to be seen once! Wonderful show!

Right. By drastically, I meant beyond 2-4 songs, but your point is taken.

You obviously aren't one of these fans, but I get really frustrated for -- not at, mind you, FOR -- fans who have unrealistic expectations. It happens every single tour. THIS TOUR -- the new one, the one that is always about to start -- is ALWAYS the one where the setlists are going to wild and wide open and the band is just going to let the music speak and focus less on tech and visuals and they are going to play 3-hour shows. Oh, and if a show was canceled on the last tour, the expectation that city will get an extra-special show this time to make up for it.

I don't know if there's an influx of new, wide-eyed fans who come in every time with these expectations, or if some folks just can't let go and will always be dreamers, but it always makes me cringe to see these expectations. Grandpa over here just smiles and shakes his head. Drowning Man? No, child. Elevation. That's what you are going to get.

That's the thing though. I don't see anyone with unrealistic expectations, complaining that the set isn't drastically different from night one to night two. Sure, we have "write your dream setlist" threads. But they are just lists of dreams, not expectations (other than in the early days, when night one & two of i+e were looking like they'd be completely different). Every post I've read with complains about the lack of variation, people are hoping for one or two changes, no wholesale changes. If people had expectations of drastic changes, then yeah, I'd agree with you. But I don't think one or two changes is too much to ask.

Maybe the band have had issues. Not happy with other rehearsed songs like WGRYWH, ABOY & The Showman. Or maybe they've needed  St Louis & Vegas 2 to be shorter for some reason, technical issues, timing, health, something else. Who knows.

But hopefully we'll know by the conclusion of LA2, whether we'll get a rotation slot or two or not. A couple more days to rehearse a bit & get another song or two up to scratch. Or a couple of days, to chill & relax, before doing it all over again at LA1.

We shall see.

Correct me if I am wrong, but Las Vegas was the first two-night stand of the tour, right? I wouldn't say there's not going to be any variation at all based on one 2-night run. It feels like they are still figuring out what works best, but given the narrative nature of this tour, they may at some point lock in on a setlist they really like it and play it every single show. At these ticket prices (other than the floor) they have assumed that not that many people are seeing multiple shows.

Agree, it's early days, & the shows still coming together. I'll wait & see, & see if I want to purchase another show, based on a touch of variation.

Heck, maybe they are actively trying to discourage it in the future to free up tickets? That might be a dangerous game to play.

They'd certainly be playing with fire.

Give me the setlist with Gloria and Red Flag Day and we are 5 x 5.

Haha. I could have written that, if it was a choice between Gloria & ABOY. I've had those thoughts, "please RFD, please Gloria, & please not ABOY"! But I guess I'm willing to risk it for a bit of variation over my few shows. For those doing a single show, then yeah, best set possible. But how about if it was reversed, & the band chose to dump RFD for ABOY, & you got ABOY x 5, ouch! Give me some variation.

[d.darroch]

IMO, UTEOTW is the weakest song on Achtung Baby -- not that it is a bad song, but someone has to finish last -- and that thing has been played to death and back over the last 25 years.

Not my favourite song on the album, but I absolutely loved UTEOTW on i+e, so full of energy, concluding with those awe inspiring visuals! That's one song I certainly don't mind having a repeat performance at e+i.

Haha, I love that the world is so varied, opinions that are polar opposite. But U2 are damned if they do, damned if they don't. Impossible to keep everyone happy.

As for the album, like someone else said here, TTTYAATW & So Cruel are the weak ones for me. While I think the final three are all brilliant, positioned perfectly on the album. The best ending sequence to any album ever!

[cmmott]

I've never understood the fans who complain about how the band doesn't change the set list for every show. They don't put a set list together because you have chosen to go to or stream 2, 3, 20 shows of the same tour. I'm sure the band very much appreciates that you are a big enough fan to want to see them that many times on one tour, but they really put the set list together for the 75% or so of the audience that is only going to see them that one time. The band never mentioned shaking up the set list each night, and have never really been known for doing that anyway, so I'm not sure why some fans get upset with them when it is YOU having placed YOUR expectation of different songs each night on them.

U2 has never been a band that shakes up the list a lot, so it amazes me that there are still fans out there that put this expectation on them and then get upset when it doesn't happen.

Don’t disagree in terms of expecting wholesale changes. They have to assume most of the crowd is seeing only one show. Maybe throwing the minority of us going to multiples a bone with a 1-2 song change up. My primary concern is dependency on new material that has led to lack of crowd engagement. Let’s face it, part of the U2 live experience is the audience connection and that is missing on this tour. I love the new stuff musically and it sounds great but it loses punch when 90% of the audience are on their keesters.

[d.darroch]

My primary concern is dependency on new material that has led to lack of crowd engagement. Let’s face it, part of the U2 live experience is the audience connection and that is missing on this tour. I love the new stuff musically and it sounds great but it loses punch when 90% of the audience are on their keesters.

Yeah, that's the only reason that I wouldn't mind Streets being added late in the show. Just to get the casuals out of their seats & involved. I haven't seen a show yet, but from what's been said the show seems to peter out for much of the audience.

[Saint22]

IMO, UTEOTW is the weakest song on Achtung Baby -- not that it is a bad song, but someone has to finish last -- and that thing has been played to death and back over the last 25 years.

Not my favourite song on the album, but I absolutely loved UTEOTW on i+e, so full of energy, concluding with those awe inspiring visuals! That's one song I certainly don't mind having a repeat performance at e+i.

Haha, I love that the world is so varied, opinions that are polar opposite. But U2 are damned if they do, damned if they don't. Impossible to keep everyone happy.

As for the album, like someone else said here, TTTYAATW & So Cruel are the weak ones for me. While I think the final three are all brilliant, positioned perfectly on the album. The best ending sequence to any album ever!

See, because U2 shows are so visual and scripted, I can accept static sets from them more readily than I can some other acts. Also, I get why some the songs I am honestly over -- like Vertigo and Elevation and UTEOTW -- stay in. I further understand that U2 aren't the guys who can just play a song they've not thought of in 10 years at the drop of the hat. They aren't accomplished musicians in the TECHNICAL sense.

U2 shows are about creating a vibe and an atmosphere, and it takes a specific recipe to get it right, and I think they are still playing around with it. Removing the crutch that is Streets -- Bono himself said 'no matter how bad a show is going, we always have Streets looming to save the day' -- just added pressure, IMO.

[Gravy11]

The only thing I’d like to see changed up before I go.....the encore.  Give me something upbeat before I leave. I remember leaving Giants Stadium after ZooTv and “Love is Blindness”. What a macabre exit, lol. Just my two cents. I’m also not a fan of 13. Really, the only song I Sometimes skip on SOE. 

[miryclay]

The only thing I’d like to see changed up before I go.....the encore.  Give me something upbeat before I leave. I remember leaving Giants Stadium after ZooTv and “Love is Blindness”. What a macabre exit, lol. Just my two cents. I’m also not a fan of 13. Really, the only song I Sometimes skip on SOE. 

It's their art, they can do what they want. #noemotionalgoodnight

[Saint22]

The only thing I’d like to see changed up before I go.....the encore.  Give me something upbeat before I leave. I remember leaving Giants Stadium after ZooTv and “Love is Blindness”. What a macabre exit, lol. Just my two cents. I’m also not a fan of 13. Really, the only song I Sometimes skip on SOE.

I love ending shows on a pensive note. Most U2 shows have had slower closers. 40, Love Is Blindness, Can't Help Falling In Love, One, Wake Up Dead Man, Yahweh, Moment Of Surrender. It's kind of tradition.

[bass slap]

Anyone got a link for the 'zootiful world' walk on track? 2 great songs combined, curious and would like to hear it..
I liked beat on the brat ramones with ebttrt infusion which they dropped in favour of people have the power.. (shame)

[Ron2112]

Went to both Vegas shows and walked away pretty disappointed last night. After seeing them 23 times, this will be the last time I see them multiple times on a tour. They sounded great, but your literally watching the same show again.

After seeing them open 'The Joshua Tree Tour' last year in Vancouver, I would've dutifully paid to see the EXACT same show the next night...  I think that your stance here underscores the fact that this is a sub-par U2 show...  Now that the opening night anticipation has fizzled, it's becoming painstakingly clear that it's very probable that this is the worst U2 show ever, but still better than most other's offerings...  that likely has more to do with the state of music these days...  I mean, 'Acrobat' sounds better live than I thought that it would, but if 'Achtung Baby's weakest track is your highlight then you've got problems...:-)

So Acrobat is a weak song and U2 are only good live these days because of the state that music is in...

I think something is painstakingly clear alright...

I think the earlier post was spot on.  "Acrobat" IS a weak song, and there's a reason that the band has avoided playing it all these years.  I mean, if you've listened to a ton of live shows over the years, then yeah, it's different, and from an academic standpoint, hearing "Acrobat" is cool, but I'd rather hear just about any other track from AB.  And I've got to think there are a lot of people scratching their heads when that song is played.

So, their most requested song and the song that was raved about for years on here is now suddenly "weak"

Basically, you're saying it's sh**....

I notice you're new....

That's awesome how you make the translation from "it's weak" to "it's sh*t". 

Look, "Acrobat" just doesn't hold up with the rest of the material on AB.  I think the band knows that, which is why it took them 26 years to get to it.  Regardless this forum and the live petition -- by definition -- are a group of uber-fans, and don't represent the average person going to see the band.

As far as me being "new", my first U2 show was 12/11/1982.  I understand what to expect from a U2 concert.

[Saint22]

Went to both Vegas shows and walked away pretty disappointed last night. After seeing them 23 times, this will be the last time I see them multiple times on a tour. They sounded great, but your literally watching the same show again.

After seeing them open 'The Joshua Tree Tour' last year in Vancouver, I would've dutifully paid to see the EXACT same show the next night...  I think that your stance here underscores the fact that this is a sub-par U2 show...  Now that the opening night anticipation has fizzled, it's becoming painstakingly clear that it's very probable that this is the worst U2 show ever, but still better than most other's offerings...  that likely has more to do with the state of music these days...  I mean, 'Acrobat' sounds better live than I thought that it would, but if 'Achtung Baby's weakest track is your highlight then you've got problems...:-)

So Acrobat is a weak song and U2 are only good live these days because of the state that music is in...

I think something is painstakingly clear alright...

I think the earlier post was spot on.  "Acrobat" IS a weak song, and there's a reason that the band has avoided playing it all these years.  I mean, if you've listened to a ton of live shows over the years, then yeah, it's different, and from an academic standpoint, hearing "Acrobat" is cool, but I'd rather hear just about any other track from AB.  And I've got to think there are a lot of people scratching their heads when that song is played.

So, their most requested song and the song that was raved about for years on here is now suddenly "weak"

Basically, you're saying it's sh**....

I notice you're new....

That's awesome how you make the translation from "it's weak" to "it's sh*t". 

Look, "Acrobat" just doesn't hold up with the rest of the material on AB.  I think the band knows that, which is why it took them 26 years to get to it.  Regardless this forum and the live petition -- by definition -- are a group of uber-fans, and don't represent the average person going to see the band.

As far as me being "new", my first U2 show was 12/11/1982.  I understand what to expect from a U2 concert.

You aren't new, but you sound new, both to U2 and the Internet. Stating your opinion as universally accepted fact -- as you just did again -- is going to cause you trouble.

Look, "Acrobat" just doesn't hold up with the rest of the material on AB.  I think the band knows that, which is why it took them 26 years to get to it. 

1. That first sentence should end with 'in my opinion' unless you just enjoy annoying people.
2. If U2 though that, there are 11 other songs from AB they could be playing in that slot, and several from the other 90s albums that would serve the exact same thematic purpose. MacPhisto could just as easily sing Zooropa, Lemon, Daddy's Gonna Pay or even Gone in that spot and it work.

[cmmott]

Why must differences of opinion always devolve into personal attacks and questions of true fandom. None of us will ever see a show the same way and that is the beautiful part of it all. We follow a band that preaches openness and the embracement of differences yet we attack those differences at every turn. I have followed this forum for years and rarely post and this is exactly why.

[BlueSquirrel]

Thanks for this post. That's exactly how I often feel while reading this forum. There's so much bickering sometimes. I have to say it can even get a bit discouraging...

[laoghaire]

Yes it would go over a lot nicer if opinions are stated as such and not as facts.

"New York really doesn't do it for me, I find it so generic." Awesome, let's share our takes.

"Acrobat is clearly the weakest song on the album and the reason they can't sell tickets." Buzz off.

[Saint22]

Yes it would go over a lot nicer if opinions are stated as such and not as facts.

"New York really doesn't do it for me, I find it so generic." Awesome, let's share our takes.

"Acrobat is clearly the weakest song on the album and the reason they can't sell tickets." Buzz off.

This is ALL I am saying. When you state your opinion as a fact, you start drawing false conclusions. Case in point, saying that since Acrobat is the weakest song the album, U2 must know it, and that's why it didn't get played for 26 years. Start with an incorrect premise, and you are going to end up with a false conclusion.

The idea that this setlist is causing sluggish sales is giving me a headache. Like I said before, 90 percent of these tickets sold either in presale or hours after they went live 6 months ago. The setlist wasn't even a gleam in Edge's eye yet. Look at the shows on u2.com's tour page that aren't sold out. Look at the stops from last year. Now look at the ones that are showing sold out. Now, look for those shows from 2017.

Notice anything?

BTW, I absolutely LOVE New York.