U2 3 Nights Live: Third Night
First there was the interview in Los Angeles. Then there was the DJ set in Chicago. And now, the third night and arguably the most interesting - a live set at the Somerville Theatre in Boston. It was hosted by MTV VJ Sway and broadcast on radio stations across North America. Alan Cross posted live updates from the venue to his Twitter, as did LiveDaily to their Twitter and @U2 to theirs.
Although the theatre only holds about 900 people, authorities expected approximately 10,000 people to descend on the area, trying to get in. These numbers reportedly did not materialise. Read more interesting details about the concert lead-up in this article. Speaking of the concert lead-up, the band did a soundcheck earlier that included Magnificent.
The band performed a total of five songs live and then conducted a Q&A session with the audience. Details of the questions and answers are later in this article. The setlist was:
If you attended the show we ask you to share your concert review or photos with other site visitors. You can post your review of the show here and upload your pictures here.
Early in Boots, Bono called to the crew that there were "too many lights" and asked Willie Williams to turn them down. Before Magnificent, Bono said that Boston "is where it all started for us". Between Breathe and Magnificent, Bono introduced the band and remarked that "only one nation in the world says 'Bowno' and it's not this one". After Crazy Tonight, Bono remarked "wow it's hot in them club gigs", then he thanked everyone for sticking with the band over the years and the radio stations for playing U2's music. He then introduced Vertigo as the last song. Read on for details of the questions given to the band and their answers.
At the start of the Q&A session, Sway noted that No Line On The Horizon has gone #1 in the US with over 480,000 copies sold, and Bono added it has gone #1 in thirty other countries worldwide - but not Finland. The first question was "what is the funniest Spinal Tap moment you've had on tour?" Bono responded that it was when the Popmart lemon broke down before the encore at one concert, and opened only so far to reveal the band's feet. Bono thought it happened in Finland but it actually occurred on 6 August 1997 in Oslo, Norway. The second question was given to Adam, "do you ever get tired of carrying these guys?" He said that he has kind of adopted a different policy of doing what the band tells him and it works out fine.
Edge got the third question, referencing a remark last week that Sting has an uncool nickname: "has Sting called you about David Letterman?" Edge responded that he does actually love Sting, and Sting's only problem is that he's too cool to be cool. Larry was the final of the four to get a question, "is there a favourite fan on-stage moment for the band?" He responded that it was in the Paradise Theatre in Boston in the band's early years; a girl made her way on stage and handcuffed herself to Bono's legs. Bono quipped "that's how I met my missus!" Adam then got a second question before the first radio commercial break; he was asked what he would want to be if he changed careers tomorrow, and he said he would like something where he could meet lots of girls, such as being a fashion photographer. As a photographer, he said, you get to stand around looking cool and somebody carries boxes for you. Bono remarked that it sounds like what Adam does now.
After the break, the Q&A continued on air with a question to Bono. It was from a 16 year old who wanted to know "when did you lose your virginity?" Bono responded that he has been working up to it, and at moments like this, he is tempted to think of Madonna; he feels "like a virgin kissed for the very first time". Sway, who has a young daughter, proceeded to ask Bono how he approached "that" conversation about sex with his daughters, and after Bono asked in return "how do you get on with her mother?", he said that the mother should talk to the girls and the father to the boys.
Larry fielded the next question; "who are you in awe of in the music industry?" His response was simply "Bono". Edge was asked how he knows when a U2 album is complete; he said that a U2 album is never complete, just released. The band know it should be released when they stop arguing and start to really enjoy it. Then Adam was asked "having seen so much", what now impresses him? He said he is impressed by silence, since there is no much noise in the world. He is furthermore impressed by going on tour and taking U2's music around the world.
Another commercial break intervened, followed by a question from Sway to the band. Considering all that U2 have accomplished and the band's stature, Sway wanted to know what is inside them that won't let them take anything for granted at this stage of their career. Edge responded that he has realised the music business has stopped being driven by relationships; the digital revolution has made it about software. Thus, at this moment in time, U2 are driven by trying to re-engage on a one-on-one level. Bono said Adam whispered to him a different, one-word response to Sway's question: "fear". Bono was then asked what song by another artist he wished he'd written; he immediately mentioned Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, describing it as "extraordinary" before singing a brief snippet of it. He went on to describe Cohen's latest tour as the greatest show he has seen, and that Cohen and Bob Dylan are fighting it out for the title of greatest songwriter on earth. This was followed by a question to Larry; "what advice would you give to a young band starting out in today's music industry?" Larry said it is important to be with people who do not always agree with you, and you need to have a democracy where everybody has a stake in what you do - hired hands in bands do not work.
Time began to run out at this point. Adam was asked if he would pursue an acting career, to which he said he would not. Edge was asked what song he doesn't get tired of playing live, to which he said Where The Streets Have No Name. On the other hand, he said there are so many U2 songs he is quite happy not to play, since the band still want to rewrite some of them; he said they might re-record some of their early albums like how many of the great poets re-wrote their classic poems. Bono added that the band were often rushed out of the studio in the early years as they couldn't afford more studio time, and accordingly some "beautiful songs" from that period feel unfinished. He said he would especially like to sing Boy again. After this, Sway wrapped up the radio appearance.
Although the theatre only holds about 900 people, authorities expected approximately 10,000 people to descend on the area, trying to get in. These numbers reportedly did not materialise. Read more interesting details about the concert lead-up in this article. Speaking of the concert lead-up, the band did a soundcheck earlier that included Magnificent.
The band performed a total of five songs live and then conducted a Q&A session with the audience. Details of the questions and answers are later in this article. The setlist was:
- Get On Your Boots
- Magnificent
- Breathe
- Crazy Tonight / Come On Eileen (snippet)
- Vertigo / She Loves You (snippet)
If you attended the show we ask you to share your concert review or photos with other site visitors. You can post your review of the show here and upload your pictures here.
Early in Boots, Bono called to the crew that there were "too many lights" and asked Willie Williams to turn them down. Before Magnificent, Bono said that Boston "is where it all started for us". Between Breathe and Magnificent, Bono introduced the band and remarked that "only one nation in the world says 'Bowno' and it's not this one". After Crazy Tonight, Bono remarked "wow it's hot in them club gigs", then he thanked everyone for sticking with the band over the years and the radio stations for playing U2's music. He then introduced Vertigo as the last song. Read on for details of the questions given to the band and their answers.
At the start of the Q&A session, Sway noted that No Line On The Horizon has gone #1 in the US with over 480,000 copies sold, and Bono added it has gone #1 in thirty other countries worldwide - but not Finland. The first question was "what is the funniest Spinal Tap moment you've had on tour?" Bono responded that it was when the Popmart lemon broke down before the encore at one concert, and opened only so far to reveal the band's feet. Bono thought it happened in Finland but it actually occurred on 6 August 1997 in Oslo, Norway. The second question was given to Adam, "do you ever get tired of carrying these guys?" He said that he has kind of adopted a different policy of doing what the band tells him and it works out fine.
Edge got the third question, referencing a remark last week that Sting has an uncool nickname: "has Sting called you about David Letterman?" Edge responded that he does actually love Sting, and Sting's only problem is that he's too cool to be cool. Larry was the final of the four to get a question, "is there a favourite fan on-stage moment for the band?" He responded that it was in the Paradise Theatre in Boston in the band's early years; a girl made her way on stage and handcuffed herself to Bono's legs. Bono quipped "that's how I met my missus!" Adam then got a second question before the first radio commercial break; he was asked what he would want to be if he changed careers tomorrow, and he said he would like something where he could meet lots of girls, such as being a fashion photographer. As a photographer, he said, you get to stand around looking cool and somebody carries boxes for you. Bono remarked that it sounds like what Adam does now.
After the break, the Q&A continued on air with a question to Bono. It was from a 16 year old who wanted to know "when did you lose your virginity?" Bono responded that he has been working up to it, and at moments like this, he is tempted to think of Madonna; he feels "like a virgin kissed for the very first time". Sway, who has a young daughter, proceeded to ask Bono how he approached "that" conversation about sex with his daughters, and after Bono asked in return "how do you get on with her mother?", he said that the mother should talk to the girls and the father to the boys.
Larry fielded the next question; "who are you in awe of in the music industry?" His response was simply "Bono". Edge was asked how he knows when a U2 album is complete; he said that a U2 album is never complete, just released. The band know it should be released when they stop arguing and start to really enjoy it. Then Adam was asked "having seen so much", what now impresses him? He said he is impressed by silence, since there is no much noise in the world. He is furthermore impressed by going on tour and taking U2's music around the world.
Another commercial break intervened, followed by a question from Sway to the band. Considering all that U2 have accomplished and the band's stature, Sway wanted to know what is inside them that won't let them take anything for granted at this stage of their career. Edge responded that he has realised the music business has stopped being driven by relationships; the digital revolution has made it about software. Thus, at this moment in time, U2 are driven by trying to re-engage on a one-on-one level. Bono said Adam whispered to him a different, one-word response to Sway's question: "fear". Bono was then asked what song by another artist he wished he'd written; he immediately mentioned Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, describing it as "extraordinary" before singing a brief snippet of it. He went on to describe Cohen's latest tour as the greatest show he has seen, and that Cohen and Bob Dylan are fighting it out for the title of greatest songwriter on earth. This was followed by a question to Larry; "what advice would you give to a young band starting out in today's music industry?" Larry said it is important to be with people who do not always agree with you, and you need to have a democracy where everybody has a stake in what you do - hired hands in bands do not work.
Time began to run out at this point. Adam was asked if he would pursue an acting career, to which he said he would not. Edge was asked what song he doesn't get tired of playing live, to which he said Where The Streets Have No Name. On the other hand, he said there are so many U2 songs he is quite happy not to play, since the band still want to rewrite some of them; he said they might re-record some of their early albums like how many of the great poets re-wrote their classic poems. Bono added that the band were often rushed out of the studio in the early years as they couldn't afford more studio time, and accordingly some "beautiful songs" from that period feel unfinished. He said he would especially like to sing Boy again. After this, Sway wrapped up the radio appearance.
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