Croke Park 1985

https://youtu.be/uMRw2hcJfeo?si=Vv1yVgAA_XLLi86u

Some good footage of the band & crowd.

A couple of weeks before Live Aid.

Bono with a guitar. Not sure if that was a regular thing then. But he sure didn't have one at Live Aid.

There are quite a few videos of Croke Park in 85. However none of Milton Keynes.

Must admit what I have seen of MK I do not like. Too open. In an enclosed stadium there is more closeness with the audience.

Suspect that is why they never played Knebworth after TJT. They didn't do Glasto for decades.

But in 85, they couldn't turn down MK.

https://youtu.be/uMRw2hcJfeo?si=Vv1yVgAA_XLLi86u

Some good footage of the band & crowd.

A couple of weeks before Live Aid.

Bono with a guitar. Not sure if that was a regular thing then. But he sure didn't have one at Live Aid.

Bono opened every show or TUF tour playing guitar on 11 O’Clock.
Just as he played guitar on A Day Without Me on the War tour. Or I Fall Down, etc…
Having him playing guitar on a few tunes was a regular thing until he couldn’t, after his bike accident.

However, Bono never played guitar on SBS, Bad or Pride, hence he didn’t have one at Live Aid.

Quote from: Zoo adam on January 18, 2024, 05:12:55 PM

https://youtu.be/uMRw2hcJfeo?si=Vv1yVgAA_XLLi86u

Some good footage of the band & crowd.

A couple of weeks before Live Aid.

Bono with a guitar. Not sure if that was a regular thing then. But he sure didn't have one at Live Aid.

Bono opened every show or TUF tour playing guitar on 11 O’Clock.
Just as he played guitar on A Day Without Me on the War tour. Or I Fall Down, etc…
Having him playing guitar on a few tunes was a regular thing until he couldn’t, after his bike accident.

However, Bono never played guitar on SBS, Bad or Pride, hence he didn’t have one at Live Aid.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t it on ZooTV that he played guitar the most?

I get the impression that a guitar for Bono in a u2 gig was never much more than a prop.

I get the impression that a guitar for Bono in a u2 gig was never much more than a prop.

I think Soloyan, with his expertise on the subject, could tell us how much he actually played.

I get the impression that a guitar for Bono in a u2 gig was never much more than a prop.

No you don't understand, he NEEDS it. Like his sunglasses he wears indoors and at night.

Quote from: Soloyan on January 19, 2024, 02:38:40 AM

Quote from: Zoo adam on January 18, 2024, 05:12:55 PM

https://youtu.be/uMRw2hcJfeo?si=Vv1yVgAA_XLLi86u

Some good footage of the band & crowd.

A couple of weeks before Live Aid.

Bono with a guitar. Not sure if that was a regular thing then. But he sure didn't have one at Live Aid.

Bono opened every show or TUF tour playing guitar on 11 O’Clock.
Just as he played guitar on A Day Without Me on the War tour. Or I Fall Down, etc…
Having him playing guitar on a few tunes was a regular thing until he couldn’t, after his bike accident.

However, Bono never played guitar on SBS, Bad or Pride, hence he didn’t have one at Live Aid.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t it on ZooTV that he played guitar the most?

Possibly. I honestly have no idea. Did quite a bit of guitar on Elevation too.

Quote from: an tha on January 19, 2024, 08:44:27 AM

I get the impression that a guitar for Bono in a u2 gig was never much more than a prop.

I think Soloyan, with his expertise on the subject, could tell us how much he actually played.

As Edge put it when Bono’s accident occurred, the world doesn’t need Bono’s guitar parts. They found ways around it since.

U2 was never a 2 guitars band. I wouldn’t go as far as An Tha and say it was a prop but clearly, U2 shows and songs were never built around that energy and Bono’s parts were often mixed low. You can hear them if you pay attention but it’s not front and center.

Bono was always a clumsy guitar player. Very raw. Edge compared him to Neil Young. There’s some truth in it, although it was a compliment. I guess the guitar helped Bono to channel some of his energy.

Notable exceptions ! To me these performances are among U2’s best and they all benefit from Bono’s guitar parts :

Stay : acoustic guitar

https://youtu.be/2ar190qI1z4?si=yEQeHwGx7_RxLQCj

Kite : acoustic guitar

https://youtu.be/0D8z_YSJqhw?si=SmFfXm6XakodR1oN

11 o’clock : electric guitar, pay attention to Edge’s solo. Bono is playing the chords when Edge does this and it sounds truly amazing.

https://youtu.be/7MYsQkRWakQ?si=vcKPWeSxoLPJVCWW

All Along the Watchtower : this one is interesting because up until Edge’s solo, Bono’s part is actually louder than Edge’s. Might the only song built for 2 guitars in U2’s repertoire.

https://youtu.be/a9l4qMMIVH0?si=LefjH0ma8GpmoTLg

That’s it, top of my head. There might be more.

Quote from: MPare1966 on January 19, 2024, 10:05:55 AM

Quote from: an tha on January 19, 2024, 08:44:27 AM

I get the impression that a guitar for Bono in a u2 gig was never much more than a prop.

I think Soloyan, with his expertise on the subject, could tell us how much he actually played.

As Edge put it when Bono’s accident occurred, the world doesn’t need Bono’s guitar parts. They found ways around it since.

U2 was never a 2 guitars band. I wouldn’t go as far as An Tha and say it was a prop but clearly, U2 shows and songs were never built around that energy and Bono’s parts were often mixed low. You can hear them if you pay attention but it’s not front and center.

Bono was always a clumsy guitar player. Very raw. Edge compared him to Neil Young. There’s some truth in it, although it was a compliment. I guess the guitar helped Bono to channel some of his energy.

Notable exceptions ! To me these performances are among U2’s best and they all benefit from Bono’s guitar parts :

Stay : acoustic guitar

https://youtu.be/2ar190qI1z4?si=yEQeHwGx7_RxLQCj

Kite : acoustic guitar

https://youtu.be/0D8z_YSJqhw?si=SmFfXm6XakodR1oN

11 o’clock : electric guitar, pay attention to Edge’s solo. Bono is playing the chords when Edge does this and it sounds truly amazing.

https://youtu.be/7MYsQkRWakQ?si=vcKPWeSxoLPJVCWW

All Along the Watchtower : this one is interesting because up until Edge’s solo, Bono’s part is actually louder than Edge’s. Might the only song built for 2 guitars in U2’s repertoire.

https://youtu.be/a9l4qMMIVH0?si=LefjH0ma8GpmoTLg

That’s it, top of my head. There might be more.

Knew you would deliver the goods. 

I get the impression that a guitar for Bono in a u2 gig was never much more than a prop.

There's an interview about it, where Bono admits that he's such a mediocre guitar player but that strumming in the studio helped him write, and playing one on stage helped him keep time.

Quote from: an tha on January 19, 2024, 08:44:27 AM

I get the impression that a guitar for Bono in a u2 gig was never much more than a prop.

There's an interview about it, where Bono admits that he's such a mediocre guitar player but that strumming in the studio helped him write, and playing one on stage helped him keep time.

…Historically, the biggest screw up in U2’s live history might be PopMart’s opening night.
And the lowest point of the show was Bono unable to give the correct tempo to the rest of the band for Staring at the Sun, which is weird since we hear the click track on the PA.

https://youtu.be/JbriItBGGLM?si=YgCmxuhCsvepfnOe

Quote from: Codeguy on January 20, 2024, 05:23:34 PM

Quote from: an tha on January 19, 2024, 08:44:27 AM

I get the impression that a guitar for Bono in a u2 gig was never much more than a prop.

There's an interview about it, where Bono admits that he's such a mediocre guitar player but that strumming in the studio helped him write, and playing one on stage helped him keep time.

…Historically, the biggest screw up in U2’s live history might be PopMart’s opening night.
And the lowest point of the show was Bono unable to give the correct tempo to the rest of the band for Staring at the Sun, which is weird since we hear the click track on the PA.

https://youtu.be/JbriItBGGLM?si=YgCmxuhCsvepfnOe

Plus it was this that opened the door for so many more lazy, stripped down acoustic renditions of full-band songs (IGWSHA, WUDM, Please, Stay, and so on). I'll give them a pass for SBS on Popmart since it kinda worked in that context IMO.

I thought WUDM was great.

Also SATS and Stay were great when new. They just beat the living shit out of them over the decades, until they became absolute yawnfests.

I thought WUDM was great.

Also SATS and Stay were great when new. They just beat the living shit out of them over the decades, until they became absolute yawnfests.

Yup. I’d be glad if they played Please like this again, for that matter.