by the big guy (diamond)

***EDITED VERSION****:)


Review Opening Night Vertigo Tour 2005 San Diego.

A Fusion of Boldness and Hope.

By David Schroeder


This tour was a fusion of some of U2's best work and live songs
of the past and incorporated all into one bold presentation on where they're headed.

By the end of the evening Bono gave his audience both a plea and admonition.


The band opened the show with City of Blinding Lights. It was grand in scale and magnificent to behold. At the end, multi colored confetti showered the entire arena. Felt like prom night and the best of all holidays. This gesture set the tone for the evening.

Early on Bono look determined to sell his wares and the audience were like Pavlov dogs lapping up every morsel thrown their way by the singer.

Vertigo came off o.k. San Diego being next to Mexico had a large contingent of Spanish speaking fans in the audience. Later on in the evening Bono promised to visit Mexico in 2006. Stories for Boys were partially sung and came off decent.
I saw early on Bono was going to fuse his past work into this show.

Bono next pulled Electric Co out of nowhere and fused "Bring on the Clowns" and didn’t seem too worried about a potentail copyright lawsuit this time.

Times have changed for U2 esp after being a recent inductee into the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame.

Bono was in rare form.



Next came An Cat Dubh-"The Black Cat" and Into the Heart. Bono was mimicing a rapid cat biting at the audience during Edge's instrumental part,while at center mic. Next they segued into Into The Heart and Bono walked towords the tip of the egg lieing down beautifully singing. He was as comfortable as a carefree pauper laying on a bed of roses.

We were on our way.

Next came Beautiful Day. This was a crowd favorite and the entire arena was on it's feet and LOUD.



Part of the fusing was the large Pop Mart screen was ressurected for a few songs.

Bono struted and ran the same way on the Heart but now the Heart was shape like an Oval or an Egg. There was the large Pop Mart screen that would be used for a few songs thru out the evening-hence the fusing I spoke of.

NYD and Miracle Drug were next and they both came off decent.


SomeTimes You Cant Make It OnYour Own was both poignant and charming.

Love Peace or Else was one of the many climatical moments of the night. Larry had a standing drum kit at the tip of the Egg. Towards the end of the song Bono swipes Larry's sticks and TAKES OVER.

Yes BONO PLAYS the DRUMS and magnificently! Bono is at Larry's standing drum kit with a headband on and POUNDING the DRUM. Like a warrior soilder leading a war parade Bono proudly beats Lawerence's drum.Stoic and proud with his chin high Bono pounded for about 3 mins. It was quite a sight something most have never seen before.

Bono during one part of the show and mimiced a hostage with a blindfold similar to what we all hve seen on the news. I believe it was Bullet the Blue Sky He then segued into Hands That Built America. Very MOVING and THEACTRICAL.





Paul McGunniness was in the Egg and I had chatted w/him earlier.
Bill Walton was there as well..

Next Zoo Station and The Fly were performed. The large PopMart Type Screen was incorporated and grafted in quite well.

Elevation was next and only so so.

Pride and Streets followed Bono admonished the crowd to get involved w/the One Campaign and Africa. This is the direction this band is heading. In 10 yrs time I can see Bono retired from Rock and Rock to exert all of his energies on this cause, which should be every decent person's cause as well.

One was played -a crowd favorite.

All Because of You was an encore song and a crowd pleaser. Yahweh was next and done acoustically. Larry had a computerized keyboard set up close to Adam's location



Speaking of Adam he is probably the best looking of the four now.






The last song of the night was 40. Adam and Edge switched sides.
This classic U2 closer came off touching somber and melancholy.

The crowd knew this was the last song and left peacefully.
Once again all feeling fed and nourished and our souls replenished we exited the arena with smiles on our faces and joy in our hearts.

There were mobs of TV cameras wanting to talk to fans. I avoided these people, I needed to look for my ride Mr Eliv8 (Kev) who has been so kind to put me up for these 2 shows here in SD. A very gracious and hospitable fellow indeed.

Now to prepare for night #2.

diamond
David Schroeder
(the big guy).

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