The "Play SOMETHING from Pop" Campaign

[The Unknown Caller]

Just NOT Staring at the Sun or an acoustic Please, please.

What about an acoustic 'Do You Feel Loved'?

To me, U2 doesn't deserve credit for playing obscure stuff unless they go all the way and play it right. Sure, an acoustically-played rarity is better than Stuck in a Moment (and what isn't?), but I'd rather they learn to play the album version.

That's an extremely bizarre standard to set. So I presume you'd give, say, Bruce Springsteen no credit despite the fact that he plays a frankly astonishing range of his material, because little of it is identical to the album version?

[satellitedog01]

Nitpicknick... yay :-/

[Monicalea]

Just NOT Staring at the Sun or an acoustic Please, please.

What about an acoustic 'Do You Feel Loved'?

To me, U2 doesn't deserve credit for playing obscure stuff unless they go all the way and play it right. Sure, an acoustically-played rarity is better than Stuck in a Moment (and what isn't?), but I'd rather they learn to play the album version.

That's an extremely bizarre standard to set. So I presume you'd give, say, Bruce Springsteen no credit despite the fact that he plays a frankly astonishing range of his material, because little of it is identical to the album version?

Yes!

People go to a concert to hear live music, music that is of the moment with life and energy that comes from the humanity of the setting. If you want music to sound exactly like a recording, stay home and listen to the recording.

[The Exile]

Just NOT Staring at the Sun or an acoustic Please, please.

What about an acoustic 'Do You Feel Loved'?

To me, U2 doesn't deserve credit for playing obscure stuff unless they go all the way and play it right. Sure, an acoustically-played rarity is better than Stuck in a Moment (and what isn't?), but I'd rather they learn to play the album version.

That's an extremely bizarre standard to set. So I presume you'd give, say, Bruce Springsteen no credit despite the fact that he plays a frankly astonishing range of his material, because little of it is identical to the album version?

What I wrote was that U2 only gets credit if they play the full band version, I wasn't talking about anyone else. I am not a Springsteen fan, but from what I know of his live shows, I would say he deserves as much credit as we can give him. If U2 played the range of songs that Bruce does, I wouldn't ever complain about an acoustic version of SATS. But since they, unlike Bruce, often take the easy way out, I'll continue to grit my teeth whenever Edge takes out his acoustic guitar while the rhythm section goes beckstage for a doobie and cup of tea.

[The Exile]

Just NOT Staring at the Sun or an acoustic Please, please.

What about an acoustic 'Do You Feel Loved'?

To me, U2 doesn't deserve credit for playing obscure stuff unless they go all the way and play it right. Sure, an acoustically-played rarity is better than Stuck in a Moment (and what isn't?), but I'd rather they learn to play the album version.

That's an extremely bizarre standard to set. So I presume you'd give, say, Bruce Springsteen no credit despite the fact that he plays a frankly astonishing range of his material, because little of it is identical to the album version?

Yes!

People go to a concert to hear live music, music that is of the moment with life and energy that comes from the humanity of the setting. If you want music to sound exactly like a recording, stay home and listen to the recording.

My, aren't we sensitive today? When we let that happen our reading comprehension skills tend to suffer!

I never said anything about wanting the live version to "sound exactly like a recording," what I said was that I prefer U2 to play full-band versions of their songs rather than acoustic versions. There are exceptions, like SBS on Popmart, but I still prefer a full version than a stripped down one.

[U2_fan8 [aka U28]]

In answer to the poll's question, HECK. YES.

[TheEdgeIn4D~Too much is NOT enough! {T-PEP}]

I agree with what The Exile is saying. I don't want an acoustic Staring At The Sun.....although acoustic Please from Miami *IS* pretty good. I want my socks rocked off with Mofo or Last Night On Earth.  Some songs are meant to be acoustic. But I feel doing most of Pop acoustically would take the bite out of it.

[satellitedog01]

  To Monicalea - There was a time when U2 improved on songs in the live setting constantly... And the 3 chord acoustic thing Edge (and he is the good guy here) has been doing is simply inferior to a full band version, be it recorded or live. They could perform a version of Don't Take Your Guns To Town with a full band as a one off, and learn The Wanderer and improve on it whilst doing so, and I think it's okay to expect the same with all U2 songs, especially well known ones. The only songs that are okay acoustically are Stay and... Well Satellite of Love could be, but it was an electric guitar and also a cover... Desire and Stuck are both better live with Adam and Larry grooving.

I don't think it's a good thing to defend plain laziness.

[InThisHeartland]

ACOUSTIC MOFO

[Tumbling Dice]

I think that acoustic renditions of songs are ALWAYS inferior to the full band versions.  If a song was meant to be played acoustically, then why isn't the album version acoustic?

[satellitedog01]

Well, I'd rather say campfire and stadium tour don't mix too well.

I have heard beautiful acoustic rearrangements of songs by other artists, particularly love REM's second (Reveal era) MTV Unplugged appearance (up on Youtube, check it out) but it's really gotta be thoughtful and fine-tuned. U2 don't do that, they really take the easy way out with the acoustic stuff (past Zoo TV)

There is no real (I won't take technical limitations as an excuse in 2010) reason for Adam and Larry to back out of playing their own music. They get paid for playing it...

[gnmmet]

To me, U2 doesn't deserve credit for playing obscure stuff unless they go all the way and play it right. Sure, an acoustically-played rarity is better than Stuck in a Moment (and what isn't?), but I'd rather they learn to play the album version.

I agree. Acoustic Please is ok, but the electric version blows me away. If you're going to bring back a song at least do it properly.

[efdeat]

GAWN would get folks in the seats up on their feet . . . be bold, U2.  Bring us some Pop action. 

[Domenico of Lovetown]

Please would be a nice addition to the set.  Scrap In A Little While...

[Farisfan (polished stones)]

I agree with what The Exile is saying. I don't want an acoustic Staring At The Sun.....although acoustic Please from Miami *IS* pretty good. I want my socks rocked off with Mofo or Last Night On Earth.  Some songs are meant to be acoustic. But I feel doing most of Pop acoustically would take the bite out of it.

Very much agreed!!   

Definitely need a full- band POP song!!!!  PLEEEEASE!