by PERKINS

Well, three days after the Barcelona show and my thoughts get stronger, the show really disappointed me. I have followed the band since 16 years ago, and I have attended all their tours since then. Rock is about improvisation, is having things a little out of control, and I saw a band with the automatic pilot on. It's incredible! I've always seen U2 as a band who always looked at the future, and I was really proud of them, but this show is a mix of the last three tours, and to be honest that's not a good thing, mostly because it doesn't reach the past peaks: the Zoo TV's extravaganza, Pop Mart's spectacular scene , and Elevation's elegance. And concerning to the music I can remember Larry saying that when they'll play a greatest hits tour they will split up? And so? What do you thing is that? "With or without you", "Sunday bloody Sunday", "New years day", "Pride", "Still haven't found", "One", "Beautiful day", "I will follow"... And where are "Exit", "Trying to throw your arms around the world", "One tree hill", "God Part Two", "Wire", "A sort of Homecoming", "Please" or "Another Time, another place"? And concerning the songs they played I didn't liked some of them : Bono was too histrionic on "Sunday bloody Sunday" and he makes the song sound slowly without too much force, I love more the version of Elevation's tour "Bullet the blue sky" than Vertigo's one, now the song is not a killer one. "Zoo Station" and "The fly" are not in their best moment nowadays. And I found ridiculous the abuse they did making the chorus of the songs be singed by the crowd, mostly in the intro of "Elevation". On the other hand I liked "City of blinding lights" with the images behind the band, they also did a good work on "Love and Peace or Else", second "Vertigo" version, "New years day", "Sometimes you can't make it on your own", "Miss Sarajevo" astonished me, "Beautiful Day", "I still haven't found". "Where the Streets", "I will follow" and "Pride" were correct and it was nice to listen to "Electric Co" and "Party Girl". Finally I was so upset for not playing "Yahweh" and the definitive omission of "Original of the Species" from the set.
Obviously the show has been historic, but mostly for it's enormity than for the artistic thing.
I think it's time to think again if be the biggest it's the same than be the best, and when people talk too much about the spectacular side of the huge crowd, sometimes more than music, maybe could be a good idea to dream it up loud again. All of this is a huge marketing campaign , that's not synonym than huge artistic reaches.
I love them and it's hard for me to admit that, but in my opinion things go this way at the present. It could be a good idea to think if they want to be a rock and roll band or entertainers for big crowds.

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