by Patrick M

Seattle I & II: My Slow Recovery from an Elevation Tour Hangover

I began this U2 weekend tired and weary from a busy and sometimes depressed season of my life. Two nights, obscene amounts of money, and 3 renditions of Vertigo later, I discovered much more than I thought I would. The following is as much about my story as the concerts; I simply cannot talk about this band and these songs any other way.

Perhaps it was because I was seated behind the stage, or perhaps it was due to me being alone amongst the thousands of fans w/o my wife and friends who usually accompany me to these things, but the first night just didn't leave me with the thrill and connection to something bigger I hoped for. I felt like the band was still feeling their way through the set list, not really sure of the song transitions or where to emphasize the message. The message of the Elevation Tour was so simple! For me, I attended those shows (3 of them) knowing I was going to be picked up and dropped off on a higher plain. I was going to be pointed upwards, and encouraged to look with thankful eyes to God the Almighty. The songs were oriented toward a personal and inward spiritual experience. Bono would be quoting scripture, and then ripping through the most Spirit filled worship songs ever written (imho, of course). It was Christianity the way I needed it to be: passionate, personal, and loud.

As I sat through my first Vertigo show, I longed for what I knew U2 shows to be, or, rather thought they should be. Love and Peace to open? Seemed too mellow and ironic to open. Streets-- the song of songs-- came too early and mixed into the theme of Pride which tonight I didn't quite understand. Miracle Drug didn't hit me as powerful as I hoped it would be live. There were transcendant moments, of course--Vertigo, The Fly, 40 to name a few-- but the gig reminded me of the early Popmart shows I saw where things weren't very polished yet.

When I got home, I couldn't help but reveal my disappointment to my wife, but couldn't quite articulate what I was feeling. The whole theme just seemed off. The message of Vertigo seemed to me lost in my expectation of seeing Elevation Tour Redux. Bono had exchanged his articulate piety for some kind of ambiguous 'all for the people' overall message. I admit (confess?) that over the past few years I haven't tuned in very closely to Bono's work with DATA and the One Campaign. Where was the thrill ride? Where was the Spirit-filled worship? Looking back, I see how I was too narcissistic to embrace Bono's work outside of the thrill-inducing and personally indulgent rock-n-roll of U2.

I actually didn't sleep well the night inbetween shows partly because of this unrest. Worse yet, I was cranky and biting toward my wife for most of the day prior to the 2nd show. Things were not right with me. As the 2nd show began and unfolded, I became increasingly attune to the Vertigo Tour vibe. To begin with, who the hell decided that Vertigo Tour had to be like the Elevation Tour? (hint: he's writing these words!) The flow of the set list for the 2nd show struck me as focusing much more on the theme of this tour. Especially having Love and Peace as the entrée into the middle portion of the opening set (instead of opening!) followed by Sunday, Bullet, and Running to Stand Still (slyly dedicated to the US Armed forces). No one does the anti-war message like this band, grounded in meekness like a firmly rooted oak tree. By the time 'Bad'-- my other song of songs-- began, I was undone. This song further humbled my soul to get ready to receive the call to love contained in Pride. As Streets began, and Bono expanded on Dr King's notion of a Dream for equality, I "Got it." That is to say, I began to understand U2 again on their own terms, and just what the Vertigo tour is all about. Bono declared, "Dr. King's dream is Moving On" repeatedly as the opening to Streets began to swell, and I saw and felt how Bono was using the king of inspirational U2 songs to amplify the mandate to Love. I don't recall touching the ground during this song. I was fully on board with this band once again, and it had cost me (thankfully) my arrogant narcissism. Bono's words about the One campaign and clever use of the audience's gadgetry were a great opener to the beautiful "One." If there's one aspect of the Vertigo presentation that I think sums up the message it's the metaphorical image displayed during One. Bono's live image is amplified to reveal many other faces that together comprise him. We are all One. The suffering of any other human damages the image of all humanity.

I realized: U2 present Christianity closer to the way God (not me) needs it to be: humble, angry (at injustice!), and moving forward.

The show went well from there, although I don't really track with the Auchtung Baby set-Zoo Station, The Fly, and Mysterious Ways. They certainly rock in their own way, but Zoo Station is just so well remembered as the opener to Zoo TV, and I prefer the alternative beginning to The Fly that the band used during the Elevation tour. Again, maybe I'm just too nostalgic...

Absolutely brilliant show, though. The line of the night came before the last song. After bono scurried around to each band member with a directive to alter the set list, he said something like, "Encore. That's French for 'play the same fucking song again.'" And the band ripped into Vertigo for the second time of the night. This band is brilliant, silly, passionate, and most of all à memorable. Can't wait to see what they cook up for Portland in December.

Of course, the above murky observations and bombastic conclusions are of those of one fellow, and if the show(s) spoke to you in a completely different way, Awesome! They may be prophets to me, but this band is so many things to so many people. I hope you'll share with me what they are to you.

In Love,
Patrick

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