by CB

The best description of U2's June 11th Philadelphia show is, good, not great, just good. It made me think of how people must have felt when they saw their rock idol Elvis, but the fat Elvis, not the skinny, sauve, dont-step-on-my-blue suede-shoes Elvis, it was reminiscent of watching the Rolling Stone's, and realizing for the first time that they were old, and that their time had passed. The group played their instruments well, they played a lot of songs people wanted to hear, but Bono did not once rise to the occasion and belt it out, it seemed that anytime he had the opportunity to tear down the house, he would backoff or cop out, I would have respected him more if the band played 2 songs with heart, than wimp out on 20+, I did read that he had throat surgery a few years back, so I am sypathetic, but this was my 6th U2 show, (I was there for The Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree and Zoo TV)and it almost broke my heart. Bono is so concerned about acting like the image of Bono, instead of just being the singer in the group that everyone knows and loves. It's the Al Pacino syndrome, he is a characture of himself. There's no more suspension of disbelief. He's a rock star, trying to act like a rock start. It's like when Dorthy looked behind the curtain. I feel like I looked behind the curtain, and now I wish I hadn't, I wish I just stayed home and listened to the CD. I know we can't live in the past, I know they are not 20 yrs old anymore, and things change, and I do think they've written some beautiul new music, but if anyone would really like to know what I'm writing about, just pop-in (or rent) Live At Red Rocks.

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