by Stephen

Was in the Red Zone for this concert, but had a good wander around as well. I'm dumbfounded by the mostly glowing reviews by the media of this concert. There also seems to be a lot being said about the crowd not being 'that into it'.

There was a very good reason; the technical issues with the Edge's guitar were severe and lasted not just for a couple of songs but for the whole show. This gig was essentially U2 without a guitarist. I'm not exaggerating.

The band were clearly frustrated and struggling and the tracks would have sounded 'off' even to a casual observer. It's no wonder there was little energy in the crowd. Edge's guitar effects drive the melody, power and emotion behind most U2 songs. Take it away and you're not left with much. (A great example is seem in the documentary 'It Might Get Loud').

And what's with starting the show and entering the stage with the house lights on (to a rubbish, nothing track I might add)? Absolutely no sense of theatre or drama. Very un-U2. Contrast that with ZOO TV in 1993 when a silhouetted Bono goose-steps onto stage to the powerful intro of Zoostation. That is how you begin a concert. It's also a shame that some of U2's most ordinary songs have become tour staples and crowd pleasers. I'm looking at you 'Beautiful Day', 'Elevation', and 'Vertigo'. The band are still making great tracks, it's just that they somehow don't seem to realise which ones they are. How 'Get On Your Boots' gets played and 'No Line on the Horizon' doesn't, I'll never understand.

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