by Ronald Marsh

Got there pretty early eventhough i had a reserved seat. managed to hear the group rehearsing "I still haven't found what i'm looking for" and "All i want is you"...two of my favourite U2 songs. I was hoping they would play "Still haven't found". Even though it ruined the surprise, i managed to listen to it twice!

the show was opened by the scottish group Idlewild. the stadium was still half empty. I felt they were overwhelmed by the crowd waiting for U2 and sounded a bit nervous. With the volume cranked up loud, they were very harsh on ears. We did not enjoy their music much.

Next up were Athlete, crowd were more receptive to them - probably because they are more well known. they also failed to create an impression. the general feeling in the crowd was to get it over with and to bring the mighty U2 on! Athlete chose to play some unusual songs from their collection.

After around 45 minutes and a few mexican waves later, U2 were on the stage. They were instantly into the groove. The audience who were indifferent till then seemed to be galvanised into action by Bono instantly. Vertigo was the perfect opener with amazing riff belted out by The Edge. Bono got the audience to sing along and they were perfectly happy to oblige.

the older songs , I will follow and Electric Co. followed. Edge was at his best.

Elevation was next (or was it?). With lot of audience participation. they did not start the song until he worked the crowd into singing half of it. silly lyrics.. but what an effect in the stadium.

After a nice version of Newyear's day with Edge filling the stadium with soundscapes, it was the turn of Beautiful day. Bono did not have much of a voice when he sang that song. I thought his voice might break down at that point. But the audience sang every note of the song and the effect of the audience drowning out the lead singer was i think another nice U2 moment.

Then it was the turn of one of the first songs i have ever heard by U2. " i still haven't found what i am looking for" started with a slightly different guitar from Edge. Lack of practice? or intentional change.. i don't know. the song started like the choir version in Rattle and Hum.. but merged into the original tune.

this was followed by All i want is you. another of beautiful U2 classic which is usually ignored.

Then the light curtain finally came to life.. and when it did it was amazing... it was time for the city of blinding lights. i wonder how it is doing in the chart. whether it is doing well or not, this is an amazing song. the audience as usual enjoyed the sing along.

this was followed by miracle drug which bono dedicated to the nurses and doctors in the audience.

For me the best performance was Some times you can't make it on your own. Except a digital animation of a walking figure, it was the perfect u2 moment.

love and peace or else, a song which i never enjoyed much turned into a very energetic live performance. with bono finishing the drumming on the toms. the drumming reminded me of sunday bloody sunday and that is what it merged into.

Sunday bloody sunday... how can that song fail on a live performance? it never does and today was no exception.

Bullet the blue sky was next making a bold political statement. Bono blindfolding himself and kneeling down reminiscent of the guantanomo bay prisoners.

Running to stand still always work well on a show and it did again. it was beautiful.


i expected a break at this point. but it was going to be longer than usual set list. "One" was nice... the mobile phones coming out and filling the stadium with their lcd glow.

but the in my opinion the ultimate u2 live stadium song... another song i was eagerly waiting for came on with the african flags in the back ground. " where the streets have no name " was amazing as usual.

i think i forgot mention Pride... which got everyone on their feet... it was somewhere in between.

We had only a short encore.

But it was nice to have the crying baby and zoo station back.

the bono like silhoutte against the screen was a good trick.

as i expected all the jumbled incoherent words began flashing on the screen and it was the time for the Fly.... some how it felt a bit odd with Bono playing the guitar and singing the song.

by this time i had given up hope for with or without you, having played so many oldies.

but then the unique bass line filled the stadium and it was time for one of the most popular u2 songs. Bono pulled a girl onto the stage and i thought she was never going to let him go.

Yahweh followed next after a short break. i would have preferred the much better song original of the species.

instead of 40 they winded up with a repeat of vertigo. i am not complaining even though i feel that a group with more a quarter of century back catalogue can do with another song. but what the heck .. this is vertigo tour and why can't they wind up with anouther rousing version of that?

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