by Mike

U2 proved why they are the best show around. Despite a sore throat and illness, Bono continued through the entire set without missing a note or an ounce of passion or electricity. The show blew Popmart away!

From the opening notes to "ELEVATION" to the closing rifts to "WALK ON" the Corestates Center rocked and buffeted along South Broad St.

Two songs from their set list that were omitted during the show were "Angel of Harlem" and believe it or not, a U2 show occurred without "Pride". This was probably due to Bono's throat problem. For the remainder of the set, Bono informed the crowd of his illness and asked us to help out along the way. Needless to say, We did!

"BAD" was also omitted from the first night in philly.

"NEW YEARS DAY" was a first for me, and the full "SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY" in all of its glory echoed the pain of distant struggles in a faraway land. There were outstanding versions of "DESIRE", where all four performed accoustically at the base of the heart shaped stage, and "ALL I WANT IS YOU" where most of the 20,000 plus joined Bono in losing their voices.

During middle of "SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY" Bono went to the rear of the stage and summoned a fan to throw him a home-made bed-sheet sized flag of Ireland. He laid it out on the stage like a shrine to his homeland and bowed.

The boys continued to Mock CHARLTON HESTON and his view that there are no "bad guns". Rocking to "BULLET THE BLUE SKY", images of Columbine, hospital trauma centers, and other shocking images that result in gun violence. At te end of "..BLUE SKY", Bono told the crowd that over 600,000 Americans would die from a bullet in the comingyears. The most poignant image, is a little girl entering the living room from the kitchen, only to reach into a paper bag and lift out a pistol.

U2 keeps rocking on, elevated by the passion of their music and feeding on the energy of the crowd.

I'll post pics soon. Unlike the digital freaks, i still use real film. My pics will show more of the lighting from the "plain" stage.

My favorite tune "WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO NAME" rocked, as the sea of U2 fans on the floor and in the seats pogo'd to the beat.

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