A serious question - Are U2 still any good live?

[Insomaniac]

As there are not that many U2 threads I thought I would create another one to see if we can somehow fathom why U2 have been chosen. Fair enough they were great in the 80's but that was some time ago. Having watched the following video I can be sure that I will be elsewhere on the Friday night. With a headliner of this quality are we witnessing the end of Glastonbury? Whatever next? I shudder to think.

In years to come will people ask the question "Where were you when you saw U2 at Glastonbury"? Will the answer be "In the pyramid field". My real fears are that this could actually happen.

[The Nal]

I saw 2 of the gigs in Croke Park during the summer and they were both very average. Bonos voice sounded good to be fair, the stage was way too much and took away from the music. The new stuff is shit and they play the old stuff slower and in a lower key. That said, they played a few songs that sounded as good as ever, Bad and New Years Day being two.

They’re corporate darlings now though. “Thanks to Blackberry for helping us build this stage”. f**k off Bono.

[bouncing beetle]

I've been going to see U2 for over 20 years and they have never been anything short of amazing.....except for this year in Cardiff.

They weren't bad but just not brilliant. That said I have high hopes for Glastonbury. The key problem this year was the stage. It was just too big and it was in the round, regardless of the stature of your band it's pretty difficult for 4 men (one sitting down!) to fill a stage of that size and keep the crowd entertained.

The Pyramid is the size of stage U2 are adept at performing on and they should feel a lot more comfortable without having to remember all of their choreographed moves as well as playing the songs.

This should be amazing as long as they tweak the setlist, the new album is weak but a band doesn't stay around for as long as U2 have without knowing how to deliver live. They certainly aren't stupid and I really don't see them opening with 'I'm gonna go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight (remix)'.

Can't Wait

[Insomaniac]

I've been going to see U2 for over 20 years and they have never been anything short of amazing.....except for this year in Cardiff.

[Wooderson]

As there are not that many U2 threads I thought I would create another one to see if we can somehow fathom why U2 have been chosen. Fair enough they were great in the 80's but that was some time ago. Having watched the following video I can be sure that I will be elsewhere on the Friday night. With a headliner of this quality are we witnessing the end of Glastonbury? Whatever next? I shudder to think.

[theaface]

To the OP, you do realise that that video is a parody, don't you?

[GingerRock]

To the OP, you do realise that that video is a parody, don't you?

[greenblood]

As there are not that many U2 threads I thought I would create another one to see if we can somehow fathom why U2 have been chosen. Fair enough they were great in the 80's but that was some time ago. Having watched the following video I can be sure that I will be elsewhere on the Friday night. With a headliner of this quality are we witnessing the end of Glastonbury? Whatever next? I shudder to think.

In years to come will people ask the question "Where were you when you saw U2 at Glastonbury"? Will the answer be "In the pyramid field". My real fears are that this could actually happen.

[5co77ie]

They were okay when i saw them in 1980 in Fiesta in Plymuff - although their long cuffed shirts made them look a bit too new romantic for me - they sounded quite punky as I recall, they also were later in Roots above C&A and seemed nice enough - have they changed much?

[marktea]

Unfortunatley a reasonable question about U2's live form (compared, say, to a few years ago) is spoilt by all the rubbish about 'the end of Glastonbury'.

Unless you are being sarcastic of course??!!

But on the basis you are not, it really is stupid to link the two. It's perfectly obvious why U2 have been chosen and they are a brilliant coup as a festival headliner. Yes there is risk but isn't there always - Jay Z, The Verve, Blur?? The key point now is that its up to U2 to deliver and we will just have to wait and see.

They clearly are keen to do this and it is clearly not for the money. The travel will not make it easy for them but they have a great chance to deliver something special. The intriguing thing is that they are definitely capable of it. But of course there are no guarantees and thats part of what makes it (and the festival) interesting. I'll be there to see what happens.

[scaryclaireyfairy]

A very interesting point. Could this year be the turning year for U2. Even you a diehard U2 fan has noticed their decline. I believe the video in the link above is from this year and all ties in with Nostradamus' now famous prediction that 2009 would be the loss of their title "greatest band in the world". Apparently this is also linked to the death of sarcasm.

[Ed209]

As there are not that many U2 threads I thought I would create another one to see if we can somehow fathom why U2 have been chosen. Fair enough they were great in the 80's but that was some time ago. Having watched the following video I can be sure that I will be elsewhere on the Friday night. With a headliner of this quality are we witnessing the end of Glastonbury? Whatever next? I shudder to think.

[Insomaniac]

YAWN. Youre an idiot.

[Insomaniac]

Well there's not many other answers to that question.

Idiot

[theaface]

What's up with U2 fans. I post a pisstake U2 video and write a load of bollocks about the end of Glastonbury and everyone takes me seriously.

[ampersand]

The key problem this year was the stage. It was just too big and it was in the round, regardless of the stature of your band it's pretty difficult for 4 men (one sitting down!) to fill a stage of that size and keep the crowd entertained.

[Wooderson]

<snip>

[Insomaniac]

Welcome to the internet, where despite your best intentions, weak attempts at humour are not always immediately apparent. How is everyone else expected to be in your joke, when it's virtually impossible to properly intone sarcasm through a keyboard?

Not that it's hugely important, but I'm not even a U2 fan. Indifferent at best, but I'll probably go to see them. The point being, you immediately assume you're being lambasted by U2 fanatics instead of seeing that your joke backfired and your clever attempt at sarcasm was missed by all.

[Wooderson]

Apologies to all those who took me seriously, especially, poor wooderson who seems to have been really upset by my nonsense. In future I will try and be more specific when making a joke by first announcing it, perhaps using some smilies, and then explaining it afterwards.

[Ed209]

I was going to tell you off for not taking everything you read as literal, but I just realised you must be a 9 year old or a U2 fan so will let you off.

Edited November 24, 2009 by Ed209

[Insomaniac]

You are a total moron.

Edited November 24, 2009 by Insomaniac

[Breeze]

They’re corporate darlings now though. “Thanks to Blackberry for helping us build this stage”. f**k off Bono.

[theaface]

In future I will try and be more specific when making a joke by first announcing it, perhaps using some smilies, and then explaining it afterwards.

[ampersand]

You are kidding? What a cnut. That kind of shit would go down grand at Glasto - Not.

[TheGayTent]

U2 are absolutely superb live.

Unfortunately the crowd will be shit.