I Will Follow

Setlists from the first two U2 concerts in San Diego (what a city!) are starting to pop up on the internet and although neither of them are particularily surprising, all sources indicate that when they finally make they way to Toronto this September, we're going to be seeing one hell of a show. The setlists didn't change very much between the two San Diego shows - I would imagine that fans who bought tickets for both nights didn't get the variation they were hoping for (but honestly, it's not like we're talking about Pearl Jam here). Here's the setlist for the second show (last week):

City Of Blinding Lights
Vertigo / Stories For Boys (Snippet)
The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send In The Clowns (Snippet) / I Can See For Miles (Snippet)
Gloria
Beautiful Day
With Or Without You
New Year's Day
Miracle Drug
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own / No Regrets (Snippet)
Love And Peace Or Else
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bullet The Blue Sky / The Hands That Built America (Snippet) / When Johnny Comes Marching Home (Snippet)
Running To Stand Still

Human Rights Video:
Zoo Station
The Fly
Elevation

Encores:
Pride (In The Name Of Love)
Where The Streets Have No Name
One
All Because Of You
Yahweh
'40'

A couple of things I've got an opinion on:

1. "City of Blinding Lights" is NOT a fantastic opening song. If you want to open from the new album, at least give the audience what they paid 190.00 US to see: Vertigo. I'm not saying that it's the best U2 song (by far), but as an opener it can hold its own. I personally would die happy if I heard the 90 second build to the first line of "Where the Streets Have No Name", maybe in the dark, charging the entire stadium with crazy energy... but I don't ask for much. They haven't opened with that song, since, like the 1980's.

2. I'm REALLY excited to hear the band play around with some covers. For me, the best parts of going to a concert are a)the covers (some of which have blown my mind) and b)hearing the band play around/experiment with their songs. Knowing that U2 may-or-may-not be playing around with the Gershwin classic "Send in the Clowns" (also my favorite musical theatre song, like, ever) is actually THRILLING. Add to it "I Can See for Miles" (an homage to Steve's favorite band, the Who), and I've got something to look forward to. As a side note, in Montreal in 1985, they played "Amazing Grace", 'Ruby Tuesday" and "Sympathy for the Devil". This band covers and they cover really freaking well. In fact, they once ended a show - like, ENDED ended, with "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You". *sigh*

3. My favorite song of the new album (I'm obsessed with it) is "Original of the Species". I am pretty bummed that they probably won't be pulling it out for the tour. 'Cause let's be honest - it's a LOT better than "Miracle Drug". In addition, it looks like I am AGAIN going to be denied hearing my favorite U2 song ever in concert - that is, "The Ground Beneath Her Feet". It was played in Calgary on April 10th, 2001. I went to see them with Adam on April 9th, 2001. Go figure.

4. The wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am finale of Pride, Where the Streets Have No Name, One, All Because of You, Yahweh (??) and '40' is ALMOST legendary. Almost. Throw "Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me" in there, and finish with Beautiful Day, (which can be replaced with "One Tree Hill" earlier in the set, or "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", which was mysteriously not included), and replace "All Because of You" with "All I WANT is You" and I'd be happy. Again, I don't ask for much.

5. When U2 came to Toronto in 1984 and played Massey Hall, they closed the show with '40'. They did it in 1987 on the Joshua Tree tour as well. This song goes a LONG way back in terms of U2 encore history. They played '40' in '01, but placed it second-to-last, as you can see below.

When I saw the show in Calgary on April 9th, 2001, they played the following setlist:

Elevation
Beautiful Day
Until The End Of The World
New Year's Day
Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
Gone
Discothèque / Staring At The Sun (Snippet)
New York
I Will Follow
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Sweetest Thing
In A Little While
Desire
Bad
Where The Streets Have No Name
Mysterious Ways
The Fly

Zugabe(n):
Bullet The Blue Sky
With Or Without You
One / '40' / The Ocean (Snippet)
Walk On

I just wanted to point out that "Desire" was a HELL of a song to see live - not great on the CD, but fantastic in concert. In addition, finishing with the song "Walk On" was a hell of a decision. We left the Saddledome literally FLOATING. It's weird, I think now, that I saw that show pre-9/11 (and that Walk On and Stuck in a Moment became unofficial anthyms for the american spirit). So much has changed in the world, hey?

I guess, regardless of my hangups, I'm obviously pumped. I have an essay to get back to (like, I'm REALLY procrastinating here), but I'm sure you'll here more on U2 in the months to come!