by Leo Lauvenberg

My 4th U2 concert in the Amsterdam ArenA yesterday. After Rotterdam in 1984, Arnhem in 2000 and Seattle in 2005 this was my first real full size stadium U2-act. Nothing new for the readers, but the boys know on how to deal with a big audience. I never expected, seated at the lower rows of the second ring, to ever have to look UP in a 45-degree angle to be able to see the top of the stage. I guess the roof of the stadium was missed by less then 2 meters. A huge stage with all thinkable multimedia embedded. The stage setup made me think of Pink Floyd and Rolling Stones comparisons. Believe me, coming from me, that is as big as a compliment as I can give.
The setup. I've read many fan reviews, some lesser gods amongst us have expressed statements like: 'why don't they stop playing the old stuff like Sunday Bloody Sunday". Let me tell them that 50% of the audience is getting bold, gray, etc. Not saying with this that one should live in the past but let me remind those lesser gods: When U2 started some 30 years ago, they did not fill soccer stadiums, they would be happy with selling little over a few hundred tickets. Why this 'lecture'? Easy fans 'adore' a band for it's accomplishments in the past, not for the latest LP (lol...) CD release, nice from a band to play a few of the new songs, but then do 'the-greatest-hits-thing', that's what the larger audience is coming in for! The result is an easily measurable in dB audience response of the fans with the start of the 5th song, after a start of 4 new album release songs...
To the Irish boys themselves, if they ever get to read this review, keep on going strong, just a little thing, which, I know it's one of their trademarks, politics and rock concert mixtures. When watching Desmond Tutu speak to us I simply could not stop thinking of the Irish Boys swimming in wealth, which they utterly and completely have earned themselves by the way, sailing the southern Pacific between Fuji and God knows what other beautiful tropical destinations whilst screaming: "Please mankind, helps the poor with medicine against malaria and HIV.", and subsequently opening another bottle of France's finest sparkling on the upper deck...
Nevertheless me and my wife had a fantastic night, one more tiny (personal) remarks, I was lacking goose bumps, tears and shivers, would this maybe be because of the entire show being too predictable?
But what the heck, Bono, Edge, Adam & Larry, thanks a lot! Great show! We'll be back some day!

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