by Micah Wiederholt

This was my first time seeing U2 and i had high expectations. They had been getting alot of flak in the press (flopmart) so i was hoping i wouldnt be disapointed. Little did I know that this concert would surpass all others i had been to in every category showmanship, crowd participation, etc... The concert was an A, nearly flawless (except for Miami). I must recommend trying to get good seats, though, we were 20 feet from them at all times (sec 4 row 30), we later moved up more.

Fun Lovin Criminals opened the show. They were a lot better than I had expected them to be, instantly getting the crowd by first playing U of Madison fight song. They stuck mainly to their hits and left the stage at around 8:30. Then Howie B came and spun records for close to an hour.

The tension was really rising, finally the giant screen lit up and Pop Muzik came over the pa. U2 entered through the front of the stadium, on the left hand side of the stage.

The crowd was going wild, and I like most people stood up on my chair. The band ripped through an awesome version of Mofo which in my opinion is ten times better live -- they really transform it into a rock song.

The band was in very good spirits- Edge and Bono were all smiles. Bono's voice was amazing, near perfect, even hitting the high notes in Pride and With or Without You.

The rest of the set was pretty standard, mixing old and new tunes. Although I thought the new tunes held their own with the old, crowd participation wasn't very familiar with the new material. Highlights were definitely I will follow, Where the Streets Have No Names, Pride, and Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me. Staring at the Sun and One were also very good, as was Discotheque.

This concert was everything I expected and more. If you have the chance to attend Popmart, this is a must see, definitely worth the high prices.

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