U2

[Wooderson]

I thought Moment of Surrender was a minor-key denoument that was perfect for such a noble failure.

Out of Control is the ultimate "We're a band from the Northside of Dublin, this is our first single" throwback to their early days. Selfish? Yes. Legit? Yes.

[matt2007]

I actually fell asleep during the set.......and fell off a chair

[FloorFiller]

don't know if it's been mentioned but they apparently have a second album called Songs Of Experience almost ready to go. this album doesn't leave much hope for it (especially since bands tend to front load the first disc of double-album type releases) but here's hoping for something a bit better

[zero000]

How long until Q gives this a five star review?

[ivan]

I went through the set list last night on the bus to watch The Cribs.

Must admit prob been a bit harsh as I would only have dropped 3 songs.

Elevation , Boots and Veritgo

I love Stay , Faraway so very happy for em to have played that.

I had no issue with em finishing with Out of Contol - they did it to please themselves and anyone that had been there from the beginning - not me I might add I hated em in the early 80's

[bocumaroy]

I had no issue with em finishing with Out of Contol - they did it to please themselves and anyone that had been there from the beginning - not me I might add I hated em in the early 80's

This.

[CaledonianGonzo]

They did it to please themselves and anyone that had been there from the beginning.

Just nobody actually there watching them at that moment - and it went down like a cup of cold sick.

[frostypaw]

The Pyramid isn't kind to ego or selfishness - to me it always seems to work best when played as if it's a smaller stage, treated more intimately than a massive 'its all about me' megashow.

After some of the fully crowd-involved moments of intensity many headline acts have pulled off there you can't just wander on and demand everyone be in awe no matter how big you are.

My lasting memory of U2 is thinking this feels like Oasis/04 - all the hits, no love, no involvement

[guypjfreak]

i was to hammered to care by the end lol but i agree they could have done better which is why i probebly just got pissed

[bocumaroy]

They did it to please themselves and anyone that had been there from the beginning.

Just nobody actually there watching them at that moment - and it went down like a cup of cold sick.

Still think it’s a nice touch. Not really arsed what the crowd wanted.

Just watching the end on YouTube now. Not particularly impressed, and I do like that song. Bono is quite a cringeworthy frontman.

Edited September 13, 2014 by bocumaroy

[cidy]

still reckon if they played the prevoius year when they were meant to it would have been a different set and atmosphere ,when the edge came on with muse and the played streets have no name the whole crowd lifted , , waited years for u2 to play glasto only just got a ticket the year they were originally meant to play and was gutted when they pulled out glorious weather etc,

the weather put a downer on it when they did play and was a total anti climax for me , new album aint too bad only 48 mins long so i imagine theyre next tour will consist of the old faves and a bit of preaching, rumours of 02 residence instead of stadiums in uk which sucks ,get back to average size arenas i say and see how they get on without the space junk and elaborate set ups.

[strummer77]

Didn't they bang on about writing a song especially their Glastonbury 2010 gig which never happened? Then not play it in 2011?

[GlastoSimon]

Didn't they bang on about writing a song especially their Glastonbury 2010 gig which never happened? Then not play it in 2011?

Yep, they played it in some odd places during the European leg of the tour but never at the festival

[incident]

Didn't they bang on about writing a song especially their Glastonbury 2010 gig which never happened? Then not play it in 2011?

Presumably by the time 2011 came around, they'd realised that writing a song about a festival that you'd never played and most of the band had never even visited was probably a bit embarrassing.

As for the new album - there's nothing on there that's actively bad, but it's all generic filler tracks, I can't see any of it being remembered by anyone except the hardcore fans in 10+ years time.

It feels like they've simply run out of things to say - that doesn't have to be a big problem for a band that has such an extensive back catalogue and built its reputation on live performances, the rolling stones reached that point in the 80s. The possible difference is that the Stones were smart enough to recognise that people weren't all that interested in the new material, and for the most part built their shows accordingly. I'm not convinced that U2/Bono will do that, I can see them starting the next tour with 8+ songs from the new album(s) in the set list - and actually believing that's what the people want.

[nufcdwigo]

my god look at this comment

Is U2 the most versatile band ever?

If you like punk listen to Boy or War

If you like ambient music listen to The Unforgettable Fire

If you like sweeping, grandiose rock and roll (a la The Who) listen to The Joshua Tree

If you like traditional American folk/R&B/blues listen to Rattle & Hum

If you like distortion-heavy guitar rock listen to Achtung Baby

If you like Bowie-esque experimentalism listen to Zooropa

If you like electronic music listen to Pop

If you like old fashioned pop song craftsmanship listen to All That You Can't Leave Behind

Other styles of music appear in different places in U2's catalog as well, such as funk ('Mysterious Ways' and parts of the War album), gospel ("I Still Haven't Found..."), krautrock (parts of Achtung Baby), and hip-hop ('Miami' from the Pop album). U2 even wrote a jazz song for Frank Sinatra once.

I'm a massive U2 fan but this is absolute poppy-cock. But in the same vein, 'If you like music...don't listen to Pop'

[nufcdwigo]

I still can't get my head round it. When you watch the footage it looks like they intended to finish with Moment of Surrender then decided they had time for one more so threw in Out of Control.

What was the thinking? Let's finish with a big ballad of that last album that everyone hated, hang on... time for one more. Let's throw in that obscure 1st single that even less people own.

I've listened to the recording of the show quite often and it sounds great but even on CD the drop off in interest is palpable.

Considering the Glastonbury performance was in the middle of their 360 tour, it's not surprising they finished the way they did, as that's how they finished pretty much every gig on that tour (minus Out Of Control). And on the previous tour they used to end with '40' - while I love this song, it literally goes nowhere and just fades out. Not exactly a bang either. I feel that U2 at Glastonbury (for a U2 fan) should've been something special, and I came away from the pyramid at the end of the night feeling nothing but disappointment and soggy feet

[The Nal]

I'm a massive U2 fan but this is absolute poppy-cock. But in the same vein, 'If you like music...don't listen to Pop'

Pop is a great album.

[nufcdwigo]

Pop is a great album.

Well personally I think it's the worst one they've done - haven't listened to the new one yet though

[The Nal]

Well personally I think it's the worst one they've done - haven't listened to the new one yet though

Great article Pop here. Its everything the band should be. Any band really. Daring and progressive.

U2s new album is out on October 16th for non itunes customers. So, unless you buy the product they're endorsing with the new album, you're essentially excluded from listening to the album for a month.

What a big bunch of fucking sell outs. U2 Inc. rolls on........

Edited September 17, 2014 by The Nal

[tevaburger]

it's such a dreadful album. shockingly inept. With 'Horizon' I willed it to be good, I even recall that a lot of us on here were cherring it on as a decent record, etc...hoping it was a return to form, but that was what....2009? and that album really doesn't have staying power with me anymore...but this one just hit my iphone a week ago and I feel spiteful that I may have to give it a few more plays from beginning to end to see if there's anyway I can get into it, because i truly do love the band and some of my most exciting music moments have been in the lead-up to a U2 gig. With this, it's as if they're trying to tap into The 1975 fanbase here...in fact, I reckon that'll be one of their support acts when they tour...The Joey Ramone thing is on every advert break during the American football here in the US,the 'Wolves' song is just dreadful...

(goes off to put on abit of 'A Sort of Homecoming' 'Wire', and then a bit of a War medley with 'Seconds' "like a Song' 'Refugee', 'Two Hearts' 'Surrender'....even a bit of 'Do You Feel Loved' or 'Playboy Mansion')

[LondonTom]

[ICGenie]

I do find a lot of the criticism of the album odd as I think it's brilliant. The last track is particularly stunning.

If people stopped listening to it as a U2 album and just listened to it as an album I suspect they might appreciate it more...

[Mardy]

I do find a lot of the criticism of the album odd as I think it's brilliant. The last track is particularly stunning.

If people stopped listening to it as a U2 album and just listened to it as an album I suspect they might appreciate it more...

Impossible, context is everything. I'll leave you and George Michael to listen without prejudice

The only good thing about this album is it means a new episode of the sublime 'U talking U2 to me' podcast

http://www.earwolf.com/show/u-talkin-u2-to-me/

[ICGenie]

Impossible, context is everything. I'll leave you and George Michael to listen without prejudice

Nonsense, it's perfectly possible to listen to a record without thinking of the artist involved. I can't stand the aforementioned George Michael but I can acknowledge his talent and enjoy some of his songs. I'm perfectly capable of hating some stuff by some of my favourite artists.

It's not necessarily easy but it's certainly not impossible.

[Mardy]

Maybe for you. Not for me. All part of it for me, one of the things I love about music is irrational likes and dislikes, prejudices, dismissing stuff out of hand, the emotional pull of a band you love even when the new album is pony, the narrative behind it, that's why I live it for it. How dull it would be if it were just reduced to a collection of notes and chords.