by Alan Bannon

Before U2 came on stage a member of the crew came out to explain the slight delay in starting the concert due to people still arriving and also the brightness. As Irish weather goes it was exception – blue skies etc.
The band came out on stage at 9.10pm and played until about 11.40pm – longer than a typical show. This was the fourth concert I’ve been to on this tour and probably the best (also at NJ 17th & 18th May and Dublin 24th June). The atmosphere in the crowd before and during the concert was brilliant, the band put on an exceptional performance and seemed to really enjoy it. I think due to the previous two concerts haven gone well the band was more relaxed and festive and it showed in their performance and the length of the concert. At the end of the concert Bono mentioned that due to traffic issues before the concert the Gardai allowed the curfew to be extended by 30 minutes, which they used with a bit more.
Highlights for me included: An Cat Dubh, Zoo Station, The Fly and 40.
Bono dedicated Into the Heart to “our friends” from Crumlin Children’s Hospital and Bono took a young girl on stage during the song.
Before Miracle Drug Bono talked about Christopher Nolan and his poetry about whom the song is written and who was also at the concert.
During Sunday Bloody Sunday Bono spoke out against detention without trial in the Middle East, what the Irish know as internment. He also referred to the Bloody Sunday of 21st November 1920 (which included killings in Croke Park). He pointed out with optimism that people have moved on from these events.
Again during Running to Stand Still he paid tribute to Aung San Suu Kyi, the elected leader of Burma under house arrest.
Also during the show Bono paid tribute to Shane MacGowan of The Pogues.
On completion of the second Vertigo performance, this time with impressive lighting and video back drop and a few lines from Stories for Boys, most people thought the concert was over and started moving towards the exit. Then U2 returned to the stage to play Yahweh and 40 (which stopped the exodus).
Overall this was a brilliant U2 concert, definitely one of the best I’ve been to (it would be up there with Earl’s Court 19th Aug ‘01). It meant a lot to the band, Bono mentioned towards the end of the concert that the three Dublin concerts exceeded their expectations.

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