by misterboo

An amazing show, much better than i remember both Popmart and Elevation being. I had forgotten just what a charismatic frontman Bono is, and he seems more rock 'n' roll on this tour than on Elevation, jumping around, kicking the air, posing and prancing. A few points:

- At the start of City of Blinding Lights, Bono notices a girl in the audience celebrating her 21st birthday by holding aloft a pair of helium balloons. Bono grabs them, parades them around the catwalk and as the intro to the song ends he lets them go. Watching them float up into the atmosphere as the band plays this dazzling song was such a beautiful, beautiful touch.

- Some rarely-played songs for this tour: I Will Follow, I Still Haven't Found and All I Want Is You. The omission of All Because of You not really missed by me, but would've been nice to hear Mysterious Ways i suppose.

- Bono made a pensive little speech before Miracle Drug, saying that the riff reminded him of the song used to communicate with the aliens from 'Close Encounters'. He paused as edged played, apologising for "Enjoying it myself for a minute there". Another speech about the upcoming G8 summit in Gleneagles and the Live 8 concert. Bono told us he'd be in Edinburugh and hoped to see some of us there.

- Several things thrown on stage for Bono's enjoyment: a green cammie during Elevation, which he tried on but didn't fit. A Make Poverty History banner which he held aloft and wrapped around himself. I counted more than one Irish flag thrown up there too.

- Bono inserted a few lines of the hymn 'O Come All Ye Faithful' (into the end of Vertigo, i think) and a bit of 'Live Forever' by Oasis for the benefit of Mancunians.

- Amusingly, Bono didn't seem to know where he was. Kept referring to how beautiful the Stadium of Lights looked, which is about a hundred miles down the road in Sunderland.

- A girl pulled up on stage for With or Without You, got down on her knees and bowed to him before embracing him.

- Clayton very active around the stage, enjoyed his little jaunts out onto the catwalk and looked as though he was really lapping up the audience reaction to it. Unfortunately, Edge stuck to just one side of the stage all night. Adam seemd to be having a bit of a problem with his finger or pick or something at the end of New Years Day, and almost missed the start of his bass part for one of the songs, giving his tech a 'Phew' expression when he just made it.

Oh what a night! And London on Sunday could be even better.

Big shout out to the guy from Manchester Uni i met in the GA queue as well. Hope you enjoyed the show as much as me.

Return to previous page | Post a Review of this show!