Stingray to Surrender

7 Nov 201184
Caroline van Oosten de Boer knows a thing or two about seeing U2 on the road. Founding editor of U2log.com (2000-2011) and author of 'U2 Live - A Concert Documentary' (Omnibus Press, 2003), Caroline guesses she's seen the band play sixty-plus times.

Who better to kick off a new series in which we ask guest columnists to select their  own 22 tracks for the upcoming, live  double-CD 'U22' ?

(If you already subscribe to U2.com don't forget to cast your vote and if you don't, here's everything you need to know about 'U22'.)

Read Caroline's 'U22' tracklisting then get in the comments below and tell us what you think of it.

'U2360°.  A tour named after a stage concept? The centrepiece a creepy 4-legged hulk dubbed ‘The Claw’ with orange pimples and pastel green trousers? You are having me on, right? But when the lights went down and the sound swelled, it worked. You see live concerts are as much about pyrotechnics as sex is about hydraulics. That is to say, not much. What really matters is the connection we make between our individual experience, and a lyric and a melody. That’s where the intimacy occurs. In short: it’s about songs. The songs are bigger than the performer – and U2 had a beautiful, relevant, new album full of gorgeous tunes to work with.

A live tape enthusiast since the early days, I have always preferred listening to full concerts - raw, unedited audience recordings - rather than the polished official product. Forced to select 22 tracks from different shows, trying to create a coherent document of the tour, I find sequencing a bitch. Do I roughly follow the flow of U2’s own setlist or do I create my very own ‘perfect’ show? It’s a bit of both. My U22 collection suffers from the fact that I have a yin for rarities and the fact that there are songs on the longlist, mainstays in U2’s shows, that I’ve either never cared for or never want to hear again in my life. (I’m looking at you, Pride.) This leaves me with an abundance of mellow tunes and little leeway to shape light and dark in the set. I had to drop in one or two tracks that weren’t my first choice. Compromise, that’s nothing new to you…
 
So here’s my personal U2360° live brought back to 22 songs, hand picked to create, hopefully, a credible souvenir of the tour. Claw not included.'



1.    Return of the Stingray Guitar

2.    Breathe

3.    No Line on the Horizon

4.    The Fly

5.    I Will Follow

6.    I'll Go Crazy if I Don't Go Crazy Tonight (Remix)

7.    New Year's Day

8.    Electrical Storm

9.    Your Blue Room

10. Stay

11. Spanish Eyes

12. Miss Sarajevo

13. Unknown Caller

14. Zooropa

15. The Unforgettable Fire

16. City of Blinding Lights

17. Ultraviolet (Light My Way)

18. Scarlet

19. Mothers of the Disappeared

20. Bad

21. 40

     22.Moment of Surrender
Comments
84
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1ocean
Good List
I would add Magnificent, and Even Better..You can leave out Crazy (Remix), the original is so much better in my opinion, and City of Blinding Lights. Godd song, although was more appropriate last tour...
two unforgettable songs
Even better and the unforgettable fire should be on the list. It's not an option! :)
JamMasterFlash
Great list!!!
Except I'd trade Spanish Eyes for Real Thing.
linehan4u2
SONGS NOT ALREADY ON CDs
Pretty solid, PLEASE everyone vote for songs that have not been on live cds in the past 8 years.
D1A31O
out of control
I picked almost 90% of these songs... but I realize it won't happen. anyway I would out "out of control" instead Scarlet or Spanish eyes...
mich40
:-)
That's a pretty nice setlist. Not too far from the ones I picked. I like that she added most of the NLOTH songs....the songs that became the ugly stepchild on the last leg of the tour. :-(
droo
Great!
Way to go Caroline! Your Blue Room, Zooropa, Scarlet, Mothers and Electrical Storm! How I would love all of these to make the actual product. Sadly, only Zooropa will. That said, it really does need Even Better Than The Real Thing.
DominikSteinberg
What about Mercy?
I like this list but i think Mercy and Winter should be included.
evilgenius
Even Better
I concur with LetMeInTheSound7. Fantastic list, but it feels incomplete without the 2011 live version of Even Better Than the Real Thing. I'd drop Mothers of the Disappeared or Unknown Caller.
michael_p
Pick The Ones That Aren't On The DVD
This is mostly and awesome list! But I suggest replacing the songs on this list that are already on the DVD with the songs that are not on the DVD.
spaul810
one tree hill
nice selection but one tree hill instead if COBL.
michael_p
Some are on the 360 DVD.
Some songs on this list are already available on the U2 360 DVD. I suggest we replace those songs with songs that aren't on the DVD. That way, we'll get the most live recordings possible from the tour! Songs To Be Dropped (because they're on the DVD): 1) No Line On The Horizon, 2) Unknown Caller, 3) The Unforgettable Fire, 4) City of Blinding Lights, 5) Ultraviolet, 6) Moment Of Surrender, and then 7) either Breathe (since it's on the bonus features DVD) or I'll Go Crazy (but if it's the version with Discotheque then definitely keep it because that version isn't on the DVD). Songs To Be Added (because they're not on the DVD): 1) All I Want Is You/Love Rescue Me, 2) Angel Of Harlem. 3) Desire, 4) Even Better Than The Real Thing (new version is AWESOME played live), 5) Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me, 6) One Tree Hil1, 7) Out of Control (it would be awesome to hear this live after 30 years!)
zizzag
missing
i think beautiful day should be there aswell
Hardfelt
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Reckon I'd be pretty happy with that CD. And the running order is refelective of the mood of recent shows - bring it on!!!
shadent
Decent
Personally I'd do away with I Will Follow and New Years Day, after nearly 30 years of playing them and releasing live versions do we need to hear them again?
danielsentana
Real Thing remix
At least that ought to be there. Otherwise a wonderful setlist
keirdubois
Looks good to me
Nice job. :)
1love
Bad/40/Moment Unbelievable!
I love 1-7 and 11-22. I would rework the middle a little and drop Mothers. Maybe add "One," Streets" and "Walk On." You can't separate "Scarlet" from "Walk on". But that show would be amazing! "Bad" / "40"/ "Moment of Surrender" would leave me breathless!
Danny7925
Great, but ...
great, but you can not miss ¨Where the streets have no name¨
caroline
Choices...
I really wanted 'Soon' on it, but it wasn't on the long list. And I overlooked Hold Me, Thrill Me - which would have at least added something vaguely from the Pop era. Would also have included Out of Control ideally.
coach
Streetless set?
The humanity!!!!!!
chrisd
Pretty good...
I could live with that Caroline, good choices! Looking forward to this CD... smart move guys :-)
LetMeInTheSound7
Real Thing?
Great list but I really think "Even Better Than The Real Thing" should be on the CD. It's perfect! :)
marco_van_basten
Good choice
but there not cities...
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