U2 Launch 360° Tour In Barcelona
Dave Hogan/Getty
Whether they're outright taking over the Letterman show or having their latest LP remixed by Hype Machine darlings, U2 are a band that tend to go all out with their projects. Bet you didn't know that before. You're welcome. As is their m.o., the band has totally whoa-verhauled their stage show once again for the 360º Tour, which kicked off last night in Barcelona and has thoroughly redefined "performance in the round." Apparently they spent two weeks rehearsing for the show, and judging by these photos I'd believe it took them just as long to erect the monstrous altar to U2's collective ego (or, stage). It looks sensational, obvs. Along with this pic gallery, you can take a virtual tour at 360.u2.com. The setlist aimed to please and was peppered with shout outs to, and quick teases of, Michael Jackson's historic oeveure. (FYI he died last week.) We have some surprisingly good fan video to put you right in Camp Nou, followed by the night's setlist.
"Beautiful Day"
"Angel Of Harlem" (Intro Shout Out To MJ)
Teases of "Man In The Mirror" & "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"
"Unforgettable Fire"
"No Line On The Horizon"
SETLIST (via u2gigs.com)
01 "Breathe"
02 "No Line On The Horizon"
03 "Get On Your Boots"
04 "Magnificent"
05 "Beautiful Day"
06 "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" / "Movin' On Up" (snippet)
07 "Angel Of Harlem" / "Man In The Mirror" (snippet) / "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" (snippet)
08 "In A Little While"
09 "Unknown Caller"
10 "The Unforgettable Fire"
11 "City Of Blinding Lights"
12 "Vertigo"
13 "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight"
14 "Sunday Bloody Sunday"
15 "Pride (In The Name Of Love)"
16 "MLK"
17 "Walk On" / "You'll Never Walk Alone" (snippet)
18 "Where The Streets Have No Name"
19 "One"
////
20 "Ultra Violet (Light My Way)"
21 "With Or Without You"
22 "Moment of Surrender"
The (literally) monumental tour rolls through Europe before coming to this side of the world. Here are those dates.
Posted at 5:31 PM by amrit in Concert, Photo, Video
Tags: Michael Jackson | U2
that is absolutley obnoxious.
Score = -7
Yes, how dare they try to make a stadium show exciting.
Score = 10
My God. It's...enormous.
Score = 7
YEAHHHH! Seeing them in Charlottesville in October!
Score = 2
The Black Eyed Peas are opening for them on the last leg of the US tour? WTF?
Score = 7
U2 handpicks their tour openers and they used to ask great bands. During the Zoo TV tour for Achtung Baby I got to see The Pixies open for them. Public Enemy also opened during that tour. But after POP came out (their most underrated and last great album, embarrassingly absent from above setlist) I had the horrible privilege of seeing Smashmouth and Fun Lovin' Criminals open for them. What on earth are they doing?
oh yeah
Sucking for every album since POP.
Score = 1
No love for Muse or Kaiser Chiefs?
Score = 2
Arcade Fire opened for them.
Score = 0
PJ Harvey opened for U2 when I saw them in 2001.
Score = 0
I still don't trust that Bono...
Score = 1
That edge guy looks kindof..... edgy. I wouldn't leave my daughter alone with him.
Score = 2
They've got Muse opening up for them when they roll through Houston. Also, they seem to have remixed Crazy Tonight as if they were playing it during Pop Mart.
Score = 4
On the "About Stereogum" page it specifically says "Since 2002, Stereogum has been the leading online community for indie and alternative music news, MP3s, trends, and gossip." This post follows none of that. U2 is not indie nor alternative. The writers of this blog have a hard-on for U2, and I wish they would stop posting shit that I can read about on Reuters http://www.reuters.com/article/mediaNews/idUSLU34762520090630
Happy Canada Day!
Score = -29
Would you prefer flavors of the month? U2 was once considered alternative, do we have to stop paying attention to them once they get older? And is it that hard to scroll down to the next post?
Score = 21
I think you need to go back and look at the early posts from Stereogum.
Score = 0
WHOA. That stage looks amazing!!!! Guess it pays off to be a top selling act in this world.
And the tickets are very accessible. I think their Giants Stadium run in New Jersey is like 50 bucks for the priciest (general admission field, if you get there you could actually be right in front of them) Also, Muse is opening that show!
If only I liked their latest music... darn, if that thing had been in MSG I probably would had shed some money on it.
Score = 0
Where do they hide the touring musicians?
Score = -2
under the stage.
Score = 2
This sucks. I miss Zoo TV.
Score = -4
zoo tv was probably their peak concering staging and live show. the new one is huge, but it looks a bit scary at all. anyway, i´ll be on one or two of their shows, because of the amazing audience, the performance of those old guys and the astonishing lights.
Score = 1
At least this time the football season starts in a couple of months. The last time U2 played at Camp Nou they totally ruined the grass and the players complained about it. Oh, I really don't care about U2. I'm just worried about the stadium's grass.
Score = 1
Seeing them in Raleigh. Will be my third time seeing them. Probably wouldn't have gotten tickets but my wife has never seen them and has wanted to for years. If you can check your cynicism at the door U2 is one of the best live shows you will ever see. Also excited to see Muse open for them....hopefully it won't be a toned down Muse set.
Score = 2
Bono's voice is well past it's best and it's kinda sad he resorts to lots of yells to punctuate the songs now. I was excited for this tour but the Claw frankly looks monstrous and other-worldly in a bad way. Anyone else think (and this isn't U2's fault) that the scale of production involved seems way over-the-top given the times?
Score = 0
I just came across the track that they used going into Sunday Bloody Sunday for the tribute...it's called Beshno Az Ney/Windfall, and is by an Iranian artist, Sussan Deyhim. Beautiful track - got it here: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=279277439&s=143441
Score = 1
I want the camcorder of whoever filmed "beautiful day". That crisp resolution is even more impressive than the stage.
Score = 2