by Aaron Willis

Well, going into the concert I expected the setlists I've seen many times before, but let me tell you this was not a typical U2 Elevation concert. Sure they played Beautiful Day, Elevation, Kite, etc., but they also mixed the set up a little more, took out songs, and added at least one new treat! The show opened with Graham Parker who sounded a little like Tom Petty. His performance was great and he even threw a Ramones song in at the end. Before bursting onto the stage with Elevation, All You Need Is Love and Sergeant Pepper were played. U2 then burst into Elevation & Beautiful Day. Then End of the World Came which I'd seen at the last show in Philadelphia I went to. Bono threw in a few surprises like taking his sunglasses off early in the show, something he rarely does these days with his sensitivity to lights. Bono looks less ridiculous without glasses and it shows he has aged quite well. A fan held up a sign Knocking on Heaven's Door and was picked from the crowd to play guitar. Bono commented, "You better know how to play, or....." He played guitar along with Edge and Bono inserted some lines about picking him out of the crowd. Another great surprise was when they launched into a very emotional Please which hasn't been played during this tour. Throughout the whole show, the crowd was really reved up and Bono often took a moment and just stared at all of the people who were happy he finally decided to come to Baltimore. I'm surprised he didn't spend time with our city's Mayor, Martin O'Malley who also has a band and is of Irish descent. A very emotional Bono also played a powerful version of Kite and talked about losing his dad and also about his father-in-law who "took care of me when I couldn't eat so well." He also snuck Out of Control in early saying it was their first single (wasn't 11 O'Clock Tick Tock?), and during the guitar solo played an eighteen year old Bono pitching before a record executive. Kind of funny seeing a forty-one year old man pretending to be a kid. Before playing One, Bono reminded the audience of the 1980's when England was brought into the terrorism from the IRA and how some in the UK treated Irish who had come into the UK to visit. He begged us not to do the same with Muslims in this country and quoted his favorite line from the Koran, "the one closest to God is the one who makes me laugh!" The ending was pretty similar with Walk On, but he threw blurb of Peace on Earth in the beginning. All in all, much better and more energetic than the last show I went to in Philly. I'd like to see them add more tunes to the list which include, Two Hearts Beat As One, Running To Stand Still, So Cruel, Electric Co.(Definately), All Along the Watchtower, an electric full band version of Desire, Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me Kill Me, Holy Joe, Tomorrow, and Tryin to Throw Your Arms Around the World. Well, when it get my photos develop, I'll post them on this site. Judging from the many flashes I saw tonite, there should be plenty on their way.

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