U2 Lists: Top 10 Live Songs That Rock
@U2,
July 24, 2009
By: Joe Hebert
[Ed. note: This is the 11th in a "U2 Lists" series, where @U2 staffers pick a topic and share their personal rankings on something U2-related.]
 One of the hotter topics on the @U2 Forums since the band started rehearsing in Barcelona has been the set list. Those who have been around for a few tours know that this is a never-ending discussion, but one of the slants that is getting a lot of play on this tour is the tempo of the songs that are showing up on the set list.
More than a few members on the forum are clamoring for more up-tempo songs to really drive the crowd into a frenzy. They point out that a preponderance of the songs on the last two releases has concentrated in the mid-tempo range. Sometimes you just want to rock out and a stadium setting for a concert is one such place. I can get on board with that.
So, as I sat here waiting for the tour to come to the States while sipping iced tea in the heat of summer, I fell into a daydream about this very topic.
Suddenly, Paul McGuinness and Willie Williams were sitting there with me and asking me for help with the set list. They were concerned with the tempo of the show and wanted my input on how they could rectify this situation. I chose to take the path less travelled to solve this dilemma. Here's what I told them.
10) Gone "Gone" rocks live. When played with passion, it really gets the crowd going. Getting even more particular, I would recommend they play the awesome mix released on the Best of 1990 - 2000. I remember sitting next to my CD player and pressing over and over...No. 9, No. 9, No. 9...
9) The Refugee This song is all about playing with intensity and a fire that would get any crowd going. In addition to big drums and some cool guitar licks, it even has room for massive audience participation. This song is made for a stadium setting. Bring it on.
8) Bullet the Blue Sky I know this song has its share of fans who are tired of it, but I have always loved not only the way it is reinvented every tour, but also how it is reinvented multiple times inside each tour. And Edge's solo is always awesome.
7) Wire If you are a fan of the bass and want to see Adam leading the way, this is a song you want the band to dig out of the closet that it has been hiding in. Almost frantic in its pace, it races from start to finish and drags you along whether you want to go or not. Trust me...you want to go.
6) Discotheque Pop was not universally accepted in the States, but you can't sit through a performance of this song without tapping a toe or totally losing your mind as you revisit the dance beats that shaped a generation of music.
5) The Electric Co. Sometimes we need a jump to kick-start ourselves and reinvigorate our lives. In this song, Edge takes personal responsibility for giving us a kick in the pants and getting our blood pumping at levels that stimulate even the most jaded U2 concert attendee.
4) Two Hearts Beat As One With all due respect to all the other songs on War, this is the best song from that album and it is scintillating as a live song. You can hear all four band members pushing hard from start to finish to drive this one home.
3) I Will Follow When played with pace and passion, this one will pull you to your feet and demand that you pogo for the entire song. And on those special nights where the band is channeling their roots, this song can transport 80,000 people back almost 30 years.
2) Exit This song is total immersion in a deep, dark place that resides in all of us. Like a black hole, we are powerless to escape it. As we exit out the other side, we look around at the rest of the audience to see who came out unscathed and who will never be the same.
1) Out of Control Isn't this why we come to a U2 show? Sure we're there for many reasons, but I absolutely want to be able to forget about everything going on in my life for a couple of hours and explore the limits of who I am in relation to the music being played. I want to be out of control and I know this band can take me there. Get in...there's room for you, too.
© @U2/Hebert, 2009.
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