Vancouver 2015 rehearsals reference
Today's the big day when U2 begin their latest trek across the globe, the Innocence + Experience Tour. For the past few weeks, we have been posting diligently all the news and rumours we can get our hands on with regards to U2's rehearsals, first at the Pacific Coliseum and then at the Rogers Arena, Vancouver. We extend particular thanks to U2FanPeter on Interference for his untiring updates and 1981 U2ourfan on YouTube for audio clips of numerous songs.
Those of you who have read U2gigs for years may recall that on the 360 Tour we compiled references to U2's rehearsals in Barcelona 2009 and Turin 2010. This article continues the theme, and collects together links to all our articles on U2's Vancouver 2015 rehearsals.
21/04 (1 and 2): U2 begin rehearsals at the Pacific Coliseum after the stage is loaded in and the crew test the PA with studio recordings.
22/04: first detailed report. Only confirmed instances that Magnificent and The Electric Co. are rehearsed (the latter by Edge solo) or that Every Breaking Wave is done full band.
23/04: Limited reports describe U2 rehearsing Raised By Wolves and Until The End Of The World.
24/04: rehearsals continue - and the string section is reported upon for the first time.
25-26/04: no reports of rehearsals. U2 are believed to have taken the weekend off.
27/04: extensive rehearsals, including the only confirmed rehearsals of Playboy Mansion and One Step Closer. Our original report on this day is here, more over here, and the full setlist is in this article.
28/04: extensive rehearsals, with what proves to be the second set starting to take shape (at the time this appeared to be the start of the show, with Invisible the only song so far rehearsed in an opening role). Our initial report is here and the full setlist is in this article.
29/04: short rehearsal; a segue of Even Better Than The Real Thing into Desire is emerging. Our original report is here and an incomplete setlist is in this article.
30/04: the first stage photos leaked. A number of Songs Of Innocence tracks are finally confirmed, Out Of Control makes its first appearance, the first set with The Miracle as show opener is rehearsed, and we receive news that Sunday Bloody Sunday has been reinvented. Our original report is here and the full setlist is in this article.
01-03/05: No rehearsals reported/U2 head off to New York.
04/05: U2 perform on Jimmy Fallon's show and in the New York subway. This is the first time we learn they have been working on Angel Of Harlem.
05/05: Bono performs at Dave Goldberg's funeral in the afternoon before joining the rest of the band back in Vancouver. They run through acoustic versions of five songs not heard any other night. Our original report is here, a bit more here, and the set is clarified in this article.
06/05: we started to get a good idea of the concert opening sequence. Sweetest Thing and The Hands That Built America are rehearsed for the first time.
07/05: both sets are rehearsed in one night for the first time.
08/05: U2 perform a dress rehearsal on their last night at the Pacific Coliseum and dabiggestu2fan on Interference does a great job reporting it. See also our report of an earlier soundcheck that day here.
09-10/05: U2 take the weekend off, Bono celebrates his birthday, and the stage is transferred from the Pacific Coliseum to the Rogers Arena.
11/05: no surprises in the first rehearsal at the Rogers Arena, fans begin queuing for opening night, and we receive the sad news that Larry's father has passed away.
12/05: U2 perform their lengthiest rehearsal - without Larry, who returns to Dublin for his father's funeral.
13/05: U2, still sans Larry, do a brief rehearsal the day before the tour begins. We also get the first pictures of tour merchandise.
The audio clips (both by 1981 U2ourfan and others), in order of their posting, are Invisible, Raised By Wolves (link in post), Bullet The Blue Sky and One Step Closer, Song For Someone and Sunday Bloody Sunday, Cedarwood Road, Raised By Wolves again, Bullet The Blue Sky again, a third Bullet The Blue Sky and The Hands That Built America, Out Of Control, California, and City Of Blinding Lights.
Songs rehearsed
During rehearsals, U2 are confirmed to have rehearsed the following 42 songs:
Boy: I Will Follow, Out Of Control, The Electric Co. (3)
October: (0)
War: Sunday Bloody Sunday (1)
The Unforgettable Fire: Pride, Bad (2)
The Joshua Tree: Where The Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, With Or Without You, Bullet The Blue Sky, Running To Stand Still (5)
Rattle And Hum: Desire, Angel Of Harlem (2)
Achtung Baby: Even Better Than The Real Thing, One, Until The End Of The World, The Fly, Mysterious Ways, Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World (6)
Zooropa: (0)
Passengers: (0)
Pop: Playboy Mansion (1)
All That You Can't Leave Behind: Beautiful Day, Elevation (2)
How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb: Vertigo, Miracle Drug, City Of Blinding Lights, One Step Closer (4)
No Line On The Horizon: No Line On The Horizon, Magnificent, Moment Of Surrender (3)
Songs Of Innocence: The Miracle, Every Breaking Wave, California, Song For Someone, Iris, Raised By Wolves, Cedarwood Road, The Troubles (8)
Non-album: The Ground Beneath Her Feet, The Hands That Built America, Invisible, Ordinary Love, Sweetest Thing (5)
There were also unconfirmed rumours of an unknown Johnny Cash cover (not The Wanderer or Don't Take Your Guns To Town) and of the three missing Songs Of Innocence tracks: Volcano, Sleep Like A Baby Tonight, and This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now. The latter three came from a report that "everything apart from The Troubles" (which appeared at later rehearsals) had been practiced at the earliest sessions.
It's been fun bringing the rehearsals to you and getting a taste of what's to come. We look forward to sharing opening night and the rest of the tour with you. It's been much too long since 360's final date in Moncton, 30 July 2011. We hope you are excited that U2 are back on the road - please join us for the Innocence + Experience Tour!
Those of you who have read U2gigs for years may recall that on the 360 Tour we compiled references to U2's rehearsals in Barcelona 2009 and Turin 2010. This article continues the theme, and collects together links to all our articles on U2's Vancouver 2015 rehearsals.
21/04 (1 and 2): U2 begin rehearsals at the Pacific Coliseum after the stage is loaded in and the crew test the PA with studio recordings.
22/04: first detailed report. Only confirmed instances that Magnificent and The Electric Co. are rehearsed (the latter by Edge solo) or that Every Breaking Wave is done full band.
23/04: Limited reports describe U2 rehearsing Raised By Wolves and Until The End Of The World.
24/04: rehearsals continue - and the string section is reported upon for the first time.
25-26/04: no reports of rehearsals. U2 are believed to have taken the weekend off.
27/04: extensive rehearsals, including the only confirmed rehearsals of Playboy Mansion and One Step Closer. Our original report on this day is here, more over here, and the full setlist is in this article.
28/04: extensive rehearsals, with what proves to be the second set starting to take shape (at the time this appeared to be the start of the show, with Invisible the only song so far rehearsed in an opening role). Our initial report is here and the full setlist is in this article.
29/04: short rehearsal; a segue of Even Better Than The Real Thing into Desire is emerging. Our original report is here and an incomplete setlist is in this article.
30/04: the first stage photos leaked. A number of Songs Of Innocence tracks are finally confirmed, Out Of Control makes its first appearance, the first set with The Miracle as show opener is rehearsed, and we receive news that Sunday Bloody Sunday has been reinvented. Our original report is here and the full setlist is in this article.
01-03/05: No rehearsals reported/U2 head off to New York.
04/05: U2 perform on Jimmy Fallon's show and in the New York subway. This is the first time we learn they have been working on Angel Of Harlem.
05/05: Bono performs at Dave Goldberg's funeral in the afternoon before joining the rest of the band back in Vancouver. They run through acoustic versions of five songs not heard any other night. Our original report is here, a bit more here, and the set is clarified in this article.
06/05: we started to get a good idea of the concert opening sequence. Sweetest Thing and The Hands That Built America are rehearsed for the first time.
07/05: both sets are rehearsed in one night for the first time.
08/05: U2 perform a dress rehearsal on their last night at the Pacific Coliseum and dabiggestu2fan on Interference does a great job reporting it. See also our report of an earlier soundcheck that day here.
09-10/05: U2 take the weekend off, Bono celebrates his birthday, and the stage is transferred from the Pacific Coliseum to the Rogers Arena.
11/05: no surprises in the first rehearsal at the Rogers Arena, fans begin queuing for opening night, and we receive the sad news that Larry's father has passed away.
12/05: U2 perform their lengthiest rehearsal - without Larry, who returns to Dublin for his father's funeral.
13/05: U2, still sans Larry, do a brief rehearsal the day before the tour begins. We also get the first pictures of tour merchandise.
The audio clips (both by 1981 U2ourfan and others), in order of their posting, are Invisible, Raised By Wolves (link in post), Bullet The Blue Sky and One Step Closer, Song For Someone and Sunday Bloody Sunday, Cedarwood Road, Raised By Wolves again, Bullet The Blue Sky again, a third Bullet The Blue Sky and The Hands That Built America, Out Of Control, California, and City Of Blinding Lights.
Songs rehearsed
During rehearsals, U2 are confirmed to have rehearsed the following 42 songs:
Boy: I Will Follow, Out Of Control, The Electric Co. (3)
October: (0)
War: Sunday Bloody Sunday (1)
The Unforgettable Fire: Pride, Bad (2)
The Joshua Tree: Where The Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, With Or Without You, Bullet The Blue Sky, Running To Stand Still (5)
Rattle And Hum: Desire, Angel Of Harlem (2)
Achtung Baby: Even Better Than The Real Thing, One, Until The End Of The World, The Fly, Mysterious Ways, Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World (6)
Zooropa: (0)
Passengers: (0)
Pop: Playboy Mansion (1)
All That You Can't Leave Behind: Beautiful Day, Elevation (2)
How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb: Vertigo, Miracle Drug, City Of Blinding Lights, One Step Closer (4)
No Line On The Horizon: No Line On The Horizon, Magnificent, Moment Of Surrender (3)
Songs Of Innocence: The Miracle, Every Breaking Wave, California, Song For Someone, Iris, Raised By Wolves, Cedarwood Road, The Troubles (8)
Non-album: The Ground Beneath Her Feet, The Hands That Built America, Invisible, Ordinary Love, Sweetest Thing (5)
There were also unconfirmed rumours of an unknown Johnny Cash cover (not The Wanderer or Don't Take Your Guns To Town) and of the three missing Songs Of Innocence tracks: Volcano, Sleep Like A Baby Tonight, and This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now. The latter three came from a report that "everything apart from The Troubles" (which appeared at later rehearsals) had been practiced at the earliest sessions.
It's been fun bringing the rehearsals to you and getting a taste of what's to come. We look forward to sharing opening night and the rest of the tour with you. It's been much too long since 360's final date in Moncton, 30 July 2011. We hope you are excited that U2 are back on the road - please join us for the Innocence + Experience Tour!
Posted on by Axver