by Pete The Chop

It was like going to church should be. And I almost had missed this concert. After a rather extented tour in Europe I didn't intend to go to one more concert in America mostly due to serious money and time restrictions. But like always with U2 in the end I just couldn't help myself. And WOW!!!! What a concert that was. After the two gigs in Slane Castle I couldn't imagine how on earth even U2 could ever surpass themselves again. Well, they could. And *did*, actually.
From the beginning I was amazed of this overwhelming sense of energy, when one rocking high tempo tune followed the other. Beautiful Day, Out Of Control and Sunday, Bloody Sunday were fireworks of passion and power that didn't leave any time to breathe. U2 had the audience completely on their side from the beginning, and I'd never before experienced such a sense of unity and mutually compassion which jumpstarted the concert to its highest levels. And it just kept getting better and better. The "blues harmonica part" of In God's Country (what an extraordinary beautiful soulful rendition - and my first ever!!!) still sends chills through my bones, and Knocking On Heaven's Door with talented "Jesus" on guitar got me to the verge of tears. Bono's introduction to Please - another life premiere for me - was one of the most touching and capturing moments which showed Bono's deep understanding and sensivity towards the things that *really* matter. I could go on and on like that, describing highlights and special moments of every single song of this concert and every moment in between, but in the end this review would take you two hours to read.
This last concert of this year's Elevation Tour was everything to me that U2 ever did best and now do even better. A celebration as powerful as it was emotional. A two-hour-gospel tune with the audience as the choir. A joyful, heartfelt service to God. A musical journey of a rock band who might now have found what they were looking for.

When we were clapping and singing along to the "Hallelujahs" of My Sweet Lord I felt that I had become part of something much bigger than a band onstage and a crowd watching and listening. U2 couldn't have done that on their own. This night we definitely gave them something back. "What can I give back to God for the blessings he pourred out on me", Bono asked at the beginning of Streets. Well, I think that night we all knew the answer.

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