by Phil K

The buzz in Dallas this past week for U2's Saturday night show was something else. TV, Radio, Newspaper--it was everywhere. Dallas has traditionally been a one show per leg city. However, since the spring Vertigo show was canceled due to Edge's daughter's illness, the only Dallas area appearance carried a demand I have not seen in 20 years of concert going. Incredible. Guess that's what happens when U2 schedules only 1 show in the nation's 5th largest market with a population of 5 million people.

This was my seventh and final Vertigo show. It's been great to see it grow from a good show early in leg 1 to equalling or surpassing Elevation in leg three--no small feat.

Dallas had it all. Strong set list. Significant audience participation including the best 'pulled from the crowd guest band member' I can recall in the now 21 U2 shows I have experienced in my life. The satisfaction in Bono's face watching this guy perform Angel of Harlem reminded me of the satisfaction you see on his face while performing live with BB King in Rattle & Hum. Bono's voice even on the second of back to back nights was incredibly powerful. Miss Sarajevo has been such an awesome addition.

I recognized after Anaheim 1 that this show is about The Edge. He is the centerpiece of HTDAAB. He's been unleashed on this tour in such a major way and he was so incredibly fired up on this night. The guitar solo on Electric Company was the pure definition of leaving it all out there. Absolutly punishing at the tip of the ellipse by himself. Vertigo is the true defintion of a rock show.

Admittedly so, I am a U2 homer--but I am also an avid concert goer in general and go to a lot of shows by all kinds of artists. Nobody can argue after seeing U2 live that this is the absolute standard by which all live performing artists should be measured. Band, production, design, everything. They never cease to amaze me and they set the bar so high for other touring artists.

Forgive my rambling but being my last show of the tour, it's my last posting until the next tour which, if history serves true, will probably be in another 4 years. It's been a great ride in 2005. I've met a lot of cool people along the way, from Anaheim to Phoenix to Munich, Germany to New York to Dallas who share this passion and totally 'get it'. I have yet another slew of memories that will last me a lifetime.

Till the next tour...
Phil K

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