by Minuet

The boys sounded great and Philly was definitely rockin' this week, but I think we got the short end of the stick on the 2nd night.

Bad, Pride, and Stay were sorely missed from the setlist. I have to say I was a bit disappointed with the song selection overall, perhaps because I hadn't been reading up on the other shows and didn't know to expect a fairly static set. New York is just awful live. I like it on the CD but the verses just drone and the chorus isn't enough to hook the crowd.

End of the World, I Will Follow, New Year's Day, Kite, Sunday, Ground Beneath Her Feet, and Desire were all highlights, though. I also loved hearing a very raw All I Want Is You and my favorite, Streets. The folks in the heart looked like they were having a blast!

Bono's illness may have contributed to the lack of energy tonight, but his voice simply soared on most of the songs... he rarely backed away from the tough notes, even if he wasn't up to Pride. I was really impressed at what he can do while feeling lousy!

It's kinda weird that the stage antics are identical from night to night. I was a little bummed when I read reviews for last night's show and the one in Hartford. All of those cute, quirky little bits of U2 personality (the Fly "splat", bullfighting with Edge, etc.) seem more forced now that I know they do them every night. When I thought they were being spontaneous, it was great!

I guess my review is mixed... I still LOVE U2 and definitely think I got my money's worth, but I would have liked to hear different songs added and gotten more of a "fresh" show. Philly's PopMart show edges this one out as The Best for me.

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