by Mark Satchell

Bono said they were auditioning for the job of best band in the world and 2,000 people said "Yes!".

U2 showed they are the masters of this type of environment. Bono stills stalks and struts his stuff - a man who for twenty years can connect with the audience like no other. Like when he walked onstage in the strobe lights at the beginning of "Until the end of the world" and just kept walking into the crowd...like when he beckons and prompts the audience to sing with him...like when he had to be removed from the audience mid-way through "Bad", how great that song is and how great that U2 can re-invent it with every performance.

This was one of those once-in-lifetime gigs for everyone who made it. "Until the end.." rocked but was eclipsed by "Elevation" - one that Bono clearly loves to perform. We loved "Stuck in a Moment" but welcomed back "11 O'clock tick tock". "Discotecque" came from nowhere and raised the roof - great to see it working without the giant lemon, a big song that is so U2 now. Bono introduced "I will Follow" as their next single! It could be, it still fresh and as inspiring as ever.

Adam, Larry and the Edge are a band that can make big sounds, that is all the more incredible to see and hear them doing it without the massive stadium PA's.

The gig, up to full speed, flew past - "Mysterious Ways" was a great groove (as ever), "All I want is you" as beautiful as ever, "Bad" bittersweet and performed amazingly by Bono - for yet another time the stole the show.

Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou for "40" - dearly missed and welcomed by everyone. Adam left, then soon after Bono, then Edge and last of all Larry, bashing out that almighty rythym with all of us singning along. "How long to sing this song"...it just keeps going. See you in Miami, U2.

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