chocky

On another (non-U2) website there was much talk about U2 lip synching at their Boston shows.

Several forum members (casual U2 fans) allege Bono lip synched Crumbs and partially lip synched at least 3 other songs. And they claim he was busted - big time!! Especially at the end of Crumbs.

They also claim Edge lip synched the backing vocals on a number of tracks - and pretended to be singing when Bono was clearly not in time with his pre-recorded lead vocals.

Can anyone verify these claims or comment on how much lip synching actually goes on at U2 concerts this tour.

I haven't seen U2 live since '97 (being an Aussie) but I've seen footage that suggests some songs have been played to backing tracks for both instruments and vocals - such as Beautiful Day (which had/has both).

And I've often suspected the Spanish call-out vocals in Vertigo were not really sung live by Edge (on the many TV performances).

I'd love to hear first-hand comments.

Miroslava

B was definitely lipsynching during Walk On Sept. 20 at Chicago






My short answer is no... been very close lots of times, and have not noticed any of this...

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corianderstem

I'm lip-synching this post right now ... can you tell?

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nurse chrissi

way too many improvisations to be lip-synching

TheBrazilianFly

As far as I know only Edge's BD vocals are pre-recorded, maybe some of the woohoos on Elevation too. I don't know why Bono would lip-synch to Crumbs, he pulled it off very well on the first time he did it. MAYBE at the end for the harmony part between Edge and Bono for Crumbs was pre-recorded but I don't know. Bono's voice seems to be in great form, I don't know why he would lip-synch.

bono_man2002

I think at San Diego , looking back on the DVD from San Diego II (and I was there too) Edge wanst live on the spanish call outs ...but thats about, maybe the backing on beautiful day too....(look at the boston dvd)

gorman

There are a few backing vocal tracks, but the main vocals are always live. There are also very, very few backing vocal tracks. Let's not start this silly topic again. Someone should really lock this

clerks

Even if it's true, which it's not, I don't care.

Does that make sense to you?

Stop being a debbie downer or bob bummer.

Miroslava

I reaaaaaally wanna, but I guess we'll let it go

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timothius

Just send the vocal tapes down here to Australia and we can have a listening party instead of the tour.

gorman

As I'm sure you'd tell everyone, the last thing Bono's lips are doing is synching. You had them too busy doing other things

If you shout...

I can't believe I've not yet posted about this...

On 9/21 in the Chi, I had seats immediately behind the stage (very close, too), so I could see a good deal of what was what...I can't tell you how hard it was NOT to read the teleprompter and maintain at least some surprise about the setlist.

Three things, though, were DEEPLY and profoundly disturbing:

1) The same "extra" guitar part that Daniel Lanois supposedly played in Toronto during "Bad" was recreated on 9/21. This despite the fact that only Edge was playing guitar.

2) Edge "forgot" to sing vocals during several songs which, on the PA, featured his voice. I'm thinking particularly of "Vertigo," "Sunday Bloody Sunday," and "City of Blinding Lights." Now, I must warn you that it's been a few weeks, now, and that my memory may be slightly off. I hope not to be flamed, for even if I've accidentally added a song, the basic fact remains true. I was watching intently.

3) This one was uncool. When "With or Without You" started, Larry did not. For about fifteen seconds, I'd say, he was not playing the drums. But the drums could be heard. He suddenly picked up his sticks, stumbled a bit, and started playing. Now, as far as logistics go, I have no idea how this worked out and didn't descend into chaos (I mean, you can't PRETEND to play the drums), but it DID happen. I was really fucking pissed...

Anybody have any insight into any of this? Am I reading into shit too much? Am I perhaps just noticing things that during my previous five shows (I was farther away--quite a bit so, at times) that were always there? I don't watch the dumbass screens, so it's hard to say for sure. Fill me in, if possible. I'd love to be proven wrong...though it'll be pretty tough for me to convince myself what I saw with my own eyes was wrong...

If you shout...

Oh, yeah...

Gorman and others are right about Bono...with as much fucking up of the lyrics that he does, there's no way any lipping is going on. They'd need to have recorded a new performance prior to, like, every night's show...and what would the point in that be...?

TheBrazilianFly

That's how With or Without You starts, with a drum machine first, then Larry comes in. Just like it's on the JT record and that's how they've been doing since they fist started playing it.

gvox

1. In Toronto, Edge found himself away from the mic before one of his backing parts, and it began without him...he made it back before it ended. I think this was Beautiful Day. Big Deal.

2. The drums beginning of WOWY has been prerecorded since day fucking one. Its a LOOP, yo. Larry's not fumbling and of course it works out, cause he's waiting for the right time to come in.

Over and out.

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