by Acadie

Like Jeff Bradley, I was at both Toronto (05/24) and Buffalo, and overall I agree with his view-- that Toronto was great while Buffalo was a 'concert for the ages'. Bono's voice was certainly stronger in Buffalo, but in Toronto he showed great passion for his new son, and for Dylan. I assume "forever young" was sung for both. But the Buffalo set list was tighter, almost perfect (maybe replace "Desire" with "Wild Honey"?), and Bono's passion was extraordinary. He sang "Walk On" with more passion and energy than he did "Elevation", believe it or not. The audience, young and old, was far more tired at the end than he was! Bono simply would not allow that Buffalo crowd to go home without being elevated. This may have been because, according to reports, at his last Buffalo show in 87, Bono had voice problems and the crowd sang most of his songs. In Buffalo last night I also thought he was losing his voice during "in a little while" and on "Stay", but that may have been part of the emotional effect. "SBS", "Bad", "WOWY", "One", "Walk On" were sung with incredible range that really amazed the crowd. Bad, my favourite U2 song, was beautifully completed by 40.

Perhaps because of where I sat, though-- in Toronto I was in the cheap upper seats, in Buffalo I was with the yuppies-- the Toronto crowd seemed more passionate, and much easier to elevate than the Buffalo crowd, which did not really kick in, from where I was sitting, until "I will follow". Too bad, because the set list before that was also fantastic. "A Day in the Life"-- perhaps the best of the generally adolescent Beatles' catalogue that I practically memorized between ages 8-10-- was gorgeous, though its introduction was marred for me be the pot blowing middle aged lady (?) who was shouting for Bono to shut up and sing. Memo to pot-blowers: Don't bring it to U2 concerts. You will end the evening much higher if all your human capacities are present and able to respond to U2's incredibling moving, intelligent, and soulful music!!

EBTTRT leads in perfectly to MW: "let me be your lover, tonight". 'Gone' live is so much more intense than on "Pop", and live it sounds much more personal, almost autobiographical. The song fit so perfectly after Kite-- "I'll be up with the Son, I'm not coming down!!". Kite itself is a masterpiece live, quite similar in effect to Bad, and in Buffalo I loved how Bono sang the final verses again, alone on acoustic guitar, which perfectly stressed the point of that song's final past tense, "in the time when new media, was the big idea... that was the big idea". Ie, technology is today's news, but years from now, even in the lifetime of Bono's children, it will all be ancient history, but a soulful song like Kite will fly forever. The references to "Boy" at the end of "Follow" were also need reminders of how far this band has come, through the years.

I was quite shocked to read the media reviewer for this concert downplay its political element. The Heston image worked perfectly-- cheers for the message, hopefully only from the dope-blowers-- and then silence when the little girl picks up the gun that can only hurt "bad people". Before the final verse of Pride, Bono told of speaking to a "righteous man," a man who marched with MLK in the Civil Rights movement, who now speaks of 'Africa's slaves today. Bono said that for every $1 of our aid, Africa pays $8 in debt repayment: "Can you believe that". It is hard to believe, and we need to demand that our media begins reporting it more! Bono in fact then called for "revolution," in the streets if need be. Or at least demand that our politicians support the 'drop the debt, Jubilee campaign'!!. As SBS says, via Marley, "get up stand up, stand up for your rights". Hardly apolitical, as the media reviewer claims. Glad to see a political science professor (see fan reviewer) there to pass the message along.

The show is ultimately about the soul, and humanity's need both to love each other and be loved by Eternal Love, God. From the opening music, Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" to the concluding, post-concert playing of "Grace," this could not be clearer without passing over the line between art and sermon.
On Elevation, Bono clearly prays to the heavens on "Love..won't you tell me something true, I believe in you". The full SBS,with the quiet acknowledgement of the "victory that Jesus won," is back, more passionate than ever. The Psalm reading at the start of 'Streets" eloquently states Bono's desire to give back to God, together with the audience, and his run around the tracks shows that "he's still running" the good race. Maybe "Still Haven't Found" is not being played because "elevation" is what U2 has been looking to do, all these years. The transformation of "in a little while" to a "gospel song," before Joey Ramone "left us", is also very moving. The dark side of the soul is also shown, as UTEOTW culminates in Judas (or Macphisto, at end, with the little horns?) kissing Edge on the check before being finally thrown to the ground by Edge's great guitar music. The final video call on the Fly, to "love me," to love even the slimeball rolling around in the mud, is a vivid reminder of what God must go through in looking down upon sinful humanity. Then "One" is a powerful prayer calling us "to carry each other" despite how we hurt each other. "She's a mystery to me" is both romantic, and a beautiful nod back to "Mysterious Ways". "Walk On," dedicated tonight for "An Sung Sui Ki" (sorry about the spelling) and Amnesty International" is a stirring reminder of a deeply spiritual person who lives in a place that "has to be believed, to be seen," and also a dramatic call for us to leave behind any baggage unnecessary for our soul to "walk on.. to the Almighty". Ending with "Hallelujah" (which set list leaves off) was the perfect way to end a concert of divine praise that the media review rightly described as being, in the end, about faith. In Buffalo, Bono, the Spirit Herself may not have been embarrassed to show up!! (See tour program for reference). One day we'll look back, and then we'll see, where we held, how by this Love...(Mysterious Ways).

A summary like that cannot do justice, of course, to the spiritual power of the show, or its variety, but hopefully readers of these reviews will have some sense of how special these Elevation shows are. They combine the spiritual passion of 80s U2 with the musical and technological sophistication of 90s U2, all the while breaking new ground-- upwards, to the heavens-- for what is already, by far, the greatest rock and roll band ever. I cannot imagine a better album than ATYCLB, or a better concert than Elevation, but maybe U2, with the Spirit's help, will continue onto even higher ground.

Thanks U2 for elevating my soul, and may God continue to bless each of you!!!

P.S. My only trivial complaint is that Buffalo is not listed on the official Elevation tour poster. Maybe that's appropriate, though, because moments like last night's concert belong not to human attempts to measure time, but to eternity, when there will be no time for sorrow.. no time for pain.. no time.. no time... ("Streets," Popheart live version).

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