lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
WAIA gotta be like that?
Next Album Rumours Thread II - Songs of Ass Scent
- Thread starter DaveC
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WAIA gotta be like that?
LuckyNumber7
Blue Crack Addict
Oh BD, this thread is making me IWF and OOC.
AndrewCowley
Refugee
This thread got really interesting for a while. Now it’s gone stupid.
So it's about time for the band to deliver something new. Next week sees the 3-year anniversary of SOE. Would be nice to get some rumours the band planning a new release, knowing that it will take at least another year for a release...
The_acrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
Even before COVID, I didn't figure we'd see a new album until late 2021 at the earliest. Now I am really wondering about late 2022. It depends on if U2 want to do an Achtung Baby tour in 2022 or not? I can see AB30 in 2022, and then an album in late 2022, and then the tour for that album in 2023-24. I don't believe U2 will play any shows in 2021... I'm not sure anybody will!!
AndrewCowley
Refugee
2021 will be another year of total hibernation. New album will be end of 2022 at the earliest. No concerts until 2023. You can still do AB 30 in 2023 since the tour went to December 1993.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
Something to consider:
Touring ZooTV again is a lot more complicated logistically than what they were doing with JT30, which was essentially just the one big screen. I have a hard time believing they would replicate the hanging Trabants, the multitude of various screens, etc. and take it across the U.S. and Europe, let alone the other markets in Asia, South America, Australia.
However, the inability of bands to mount tours in the foreseeable future presents an interesting opportunity for U2, something that has been proposed before in different guises for different album promos, and akin to what some other bands, including C*ldplay, have done before.
The internet and streaming have replaced satellite TV as our main media interfaces in this century/millennium, the old channel surfing gimmick of ZooTV is a bit outdated for most people. So why not embrace this and do a single live performance to commemorate AB and the tour, and stream it worldwide via one of the bigger services, like Netflix, HBOMax, Amazon Prime, or AppleTV+, YouTube? This way they can set up as many bells and whistles as they want to because it's a one-time only show and they won't have to lug the stuff around the world from city to city. If they really wanted to go meta, they could do it in an open stadium and park a bunch of old Trabants inside that selected fans/celebs could sit in for the safe, "drive-in" concert experience, with appropriate social distancing.
They could also find a way to make it interactive for those who watch it live, or accept requests/fan video messages in the weeks leading up to it? So maybe in-between sections of the show they could put up people's memories of the tour and album, or maybe you even have public figures/fellow artists contributing? You'd still be able to deliver a multimedia presentation that would update the original show's approach.
Just a thought. It's going to be a while before huge shows, especially ones with GA floors are going to happen again, and I imagine if U2 tours again they would want to do it with whatever new material they're working on. A livestream concert would be a brilliant move in terms of appearing vital and current with what artists are doing now, and be in keeping with the spirit of what they're commemorating.
Touring ZooTV again is a lot more complicated logistically than what they were doing with JT30, which was essentially just the one big screen. I have a hard time believing they would replicate the hanging Trabants, the multitude of various screens, etc. and take it across the U.S. and Europe, let alone the other markets in Asia, South America, Australia.
However, the inability of bands to mount tours in the foreseeable future presents an interesting opportunity for U2, something that has been proposed before in different guises for different album promos, and akin to what some other bands, including C*ldplay, have done before.
The internet and streaming have replaced satellite TV as our main media interfaces in this century/millennium, the old channel surfing gimmick of ZooTV is a bit outdated for most people. So why not embrace this and do a single live performance to commemorate AB and the tour, and stream it worldwide via one of the bigger services, like Netflix, HBOMax, Amazon Prime, or AppleTV+, YouTube? This way they can set up as many bells and whistles as they want to because it's a one-time only show and they won't have to lug the stuff around the world from city to city. If they really wanted to go meta, they could do it in an open stadium and park a bunch of old Trabants inside that selected fans/celebs could sit in for the safe, "drive-in" concert experience, with appropriate social distancing.
They could also find a way to make it interactive for those who watch it live, or accept requests/fan video messages in the weeks leading up to it? So maybe in-between sections of the show they could put up people's memories of the tour and album, or maybe you even have public figures/fellow artists contributing? You'd still be able to deliver a multimedia presentation that would update the original show's approach.
Just a thought. It's going to be a while before huge shows, especially ones with GA floors are going to happen again, and I imagine if U2 tours again they would want to do it with whatever new material they're working on. A livestream concert would be a brilliant move in terms of appearing vital and current with what artists are doing now, and be in keeping with the spirit of what they're commemorating.
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An Cat Gav
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
pacemaker
Refugee
I'd love this. They could integrate VR into it - having the choice of whose POV you could watch from, various vantage points throughout the venue, lots of cool ways to implement it.
Whatever real touring they have left in them, I'd like for as little of it to be nostalgic as possible. I'll save ZooTV for if/when consumer level time travel becomes a thing.
I think the business of U2 will alternate between nostalgia/stadium and new album/arena.
Stadiums: Easier to sell 50k+ tickets to the casual fan on the promise of hearing all their favorites. One night in each market except NY and maaaaybe LA. JTT proved one night is enough everywhere else. If there’s somehow unfulfilled demand, that’s just good hype.
Arenas: Really for the hardcore and well-heeled casuals. Personally, I’d love meaningful arena residencies with deep cut setlists (I thought the e-stage grab bag in 2015 was fun), but they’d need a competent marketing and communications team and some confidence.
This all seems SO far away right now, but a boy can dream.
AndrewCowley
Refugee
For the last touring cycle, I&E + JT 30 + E&I, they got away with hitting the major markets with both arena and stadium tours. They totally milked it, with high ticket prices as well. Will be interesting next time around whether their popularity allows for this. It might force them to create a combined new album + AB 30 show instead of having completely seperate tours for each. Not to mention they are getting old any may not be up to multiple touring cycles again.
It could diminish their appetite to bother with a new album. Instead the next tour could just be full on AB 30 without a new album at all. A bit like Roger Waters did with The Wall recently. Use modern technology to reinvent what was, in its day, innovative but which can be taken so much further today.
So I think there’s lots of possibilities. Pretty sure though it will be more condensed than the 2015 - 2019 schedule.
It could diminish their appetite to bother with a new album. Instead the next tour could just be full on AB 30 without a new album at all. A bit like Roger Waters did with The Wall recently. Use modern technology to reinvent what was, in its day, innovative but which can be taken so much further today.
So I think there’s lots of possibilities. Pretty sure though it will be more condensed than the 2015 - 2019 schedule.
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mikal
Blue Crack Addict
I’d prepare for 2023 earliest unless the band has been secretly recording all this time.
pacemaker
Refugee
I'm not going to get my hopes up, but I have to believe they've done SOMETHING worthwhile towards starting the next cycle. Maybe once the dust of the ATYCLB reissue settles and the holidays pass, we'll start getting a sense of what might be coming. Maybe. Probably not.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
ascender_RS
Refugee
As much as I'd love to see a Zoo TV tour anniversary thing, I'm not sure I'd like to see a full blown tour with the concept reimagined. Part of what made those shows so special was so many things coming together at the right time like the proliferation of satellite tv, media coverage of the gulf war etc. There was also an incredibly high level of energy on stage every night where they did the new songs justice, but there was also quite a relaxed feeling to sections of the show where they seemed to let loose and really be enjoying it.
It was such a different beast to the Joshua Tree tour which lent itself quite well to an update where they played the album in full and made use of that expansive video wall backdrop. I think that while there could be a clever way of bringing the staging & concept up to date, I have a horrible feeling that the band's performance would be something very different due to their age and that it just be a bit of a poor pastiche.
Some things should just be left alone imo.
I'd love to see them do something though, a live performance of the album from start to finish that they stream? Or release all those alternate versions of tracks they recorded in Berlin? With the way the world is, maybe that would be a good opportunity to do something different to mark the occasion while not committing to a new tour or anything which I don't think is possible just now anyway given how long it takes to prep for these things.
To be fair though, they did a lot for the 25th anniversary with the documentary and the reissue, so I'm not sure what else there is to release without being a blatant cash grab. Some pro-shot shows, one from each leg? As if that would ever happen!
It was such a different beast to the Joshua Tree tour which lent itself quite well to an update where they played the album in full and made use of that expansive video wall backdrop. I think that while there could be a clever way of bringing the staging & concept up to date, I have a horrible feeling that the band's performance would be something very different due to their age and that it just be a bit of a poor pastiche.
Some things should just be left alone imo.
I'd love to see them do something though, a live performance of the album from start to finish that they stream? Or release all those alternate versions of tracks they recorded in Berlin? With the way the world is, maybe that would be a good opportunity to do something different to mark the occasion while not committing to a new tour or anything which I don't think is possible just now anyway given how long it takes to prep for these things.
To be fair though, they did a lot for the 25th anniversary with the documentary and the reissue, so I'm not sure what else there is to release without being a blatant cash grab. Some pro-shot shows, one from each leg? As if that would ever happen!
The_acrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
Other than hearing Acrobat again, and finally witnessing Love is Blindness live, I have no interest in an Achtung Baby 30 tour. I’d much rather they just put out a new album and tour that. However, as they proved with Joshua Tree, nostalgia fills the stadiums. They wouldn’t be doing stadium shows in places like Indianapolis, Kansas City, Buffalo etc on a new album tour. That is why I think they’ll be inclined to do an AB/Zoo tour in 2022, before they do a new album tour.
The concert industry as a whole has suffered a lot this year and will continue to suffer in 2021. So by 2022, hopefully life is back to normal, and a stadium tour from U2 would really be a great shot in the arm. I do believe such a tour should go heavy on Europe. Achtung and Zooropa are more European by nature anyway, and U2 have underplayed Europe since 360. Aside from the major cities like Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris, etc. Get back to Helsinki, Vienna, Oslo, etc!
The concert industry as a whole has suffered a lot this year and will continue to suffer in 2021. So by 2022, hopefully life is back to normal, and a stadium tour from U2 would really be a great shot in the arm. I do believe such a tour should go heavy on Europe. Achtung and Zooropa are more European by nature anyway, and U2 have underplayed Europe since 360. Aside from the major cities like Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris, etc. Get back to Helsinki, Vienna, Oslo, etc!
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There was a time when people used to stand up in protest the stupidity that is U2 acronyms in this place.
I miss that time.
I miss that time.
A ZooTV refresh in 2022 wouldn't shock me.
Heck, there's even a bumper on U2XRadio right now that includes a fan talking about what a great idea it would be.
I think after all this they're going to be itching to hit the road.
Much like all of us.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
Are you itching too? Might want to get that checked out.
#shuttlecrab #scuttlingtostandstill
#shuttlecrab #scuttlingtostandstill
ascender_RS
Refugee
Who really wants a Zoo TV refresh? Apart from the accountants, is it mainly people who didn't see it first time around?
Zoo TV was a product of its time and of a much younger, hungrier band who were at the absolute top of their game. I really don't want to see a poor pastiche of that special tour.
Zoo TV was a product of its time and of a much younger, hungrier band who were at the absolute top of their game. I really don't want to see a poor pastiche of that special tour.
AndrewCowley
Refugee
Ok so what was the basis / catalyst for JT 30? Nobody here probably wanted it either.
I’m sure U2 took note. Put on a lazy show, by their standards, and you can sell out stadiums. Why wouldn’t they do it again?
I’m sure U2 took note. Put on a lazy show, by their standards, and you can sell out stadiums. Why wouldn’t they do it again?
ascender_RS
Refugee
At the time the rumour was that they shat the bed with their album plans and decided to do that instead?*
Like with many decisions the band makes, I'd love to be a fly on the wall to understand reasons for them, alternative options they considered etc. Time is not on their side as things stand, I'd much rather see them make & tour new music, but you're right, if someone is willing to drive another truckload of cash to your house for touring an old album rather than writing and rehearsing new stuff, it must be tempting right?
* I may be totally forgetting the chain of events that led up to the JT tour, but that's as I remember it ??????
The_acrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
Kind of like the question of which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Was SOE delayed to make way for the JT Tour?
Or did the JT Tour happen because SOE was delayed?
I actually remember sometime in late 2016 was perusing a Bonnaroo message board. Somebody had intel that U2 were going to be named headliners for the 2017 festival, and that they'd be playing the entire Joshua Tree album. That was the first I ever read anything about the JT Tour, before any of the U2 forums were tipped off to it. I remember at some point in 2016 we were hearing solid rumors for the Experience portion of the tour to take place in 2017, and then those rumors stopped. I remember ticketmaster accidentally let a date slip, Oct 20th 2017, in Columbus Ohio. (Columbus is my city, so I was super excited, and then super sad it didn't happen.)
I believe that SOE was pretty much finished by late 2016, but they held it off because the JT Tour seemed like a better move, financially. And since the anniversary was in 2017, they had to act then.
pacemaker
Refugee
I've always wondered if the idea of performing JT in full at Bonnaroo came first (whether from the fest or the band), and that spiraled into a full on anniversary tour to space the i+e/e+i tours out, and allowed continued work on SOE.
pacemaker
Refugee
I couldn't get tickets to i+e (ditto e+i, eventually), so was extra pumped about JT30. Exit was worth the price of admission, the rest was an exceptional cherry on top. It was also 20 years to the day since I first saw them at Popmart in Philly.
Watch them do ZoomTV next year, or something else as cringey as it is endearing.
Watch them do ZoomTV next year, or something else as cringey as it is endearing.
The_acrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
I don't really feel like Achtung Baby played in sequence would make for a good flowing setlist. They might have to mix up the order, or just do a whole show where they play every song from the album, but not necessarily in order. Zoo Station is obviously a solid show opener, but they would probably start with a few hits before AB, since they'd want it to be fully dark by the time the Zoo portion starts.
Bono would have to find clever ways to utilize The Fly and MacPhisto characters that are relevant and not cringey. The fact that he's in his 60's instead of his 30's mean there are certain things he can't do anymore, and certain ways he can no longer act without seeming ridiculous. But then again, the right to be ridiculous is something he holds dear.
That all being said, if they do go ahead with this AB30 show, I will be buying tickets to multiple shows, and have a great time. Finally seeing that Love is Blindness guitar solo is definitely a bucket list item for me!
Hewson
Blue Crack Supplier
I saw 3 shows on the original Joshua Tree tour, so the big treat was getting to see RHMT performed live...until of course they fucked it up eight ways to Sunday with Edge on piano, no guitar and canned horns...an abomination.
But Exit still rocked 30 years later.
pacemaker
Refugee
Oh yea, same. Big time. I'll plan travel if need be, start a merch fund, etc. I talk about wanting new stuff over nostalgia, but I'm excited that they're still doing stuff at all... when they do it. If they do it.
I guess it stands to reason that we could hear a (non-bootleg-soundtrack-half-band) version of So Cruel live next year.
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