by Zoodoctor

My final scheduled Vertigo show, number 4, after NJ2, MSG 6, and Atlanta 2 (3 nights prior.) My buddy and I had fantastic seats, Adam's side of stage, about 10 rows up. Lot's of preshow energy...early start time, last show in NYC, etc.

We missed the Patti Smith warmup due to work related commitments (unfortunately!)

The show had 3 distinct and separate components, IMHO. First, the pre-encore set was the usual high energy awesome, experience we all know to expect. Second, was the first encore AB numbers which, like Atlanta 2, were life-altering. But third, and I am still confused by, was the apparent disaster on "Instant Karma." More on that later.

From our vantage point we could see the teleprompter for Bono, could see interaction with the road crew, which was constant throughout the show, and see facial expression and body language by the band...smiles, confused looks, and waves. This was phenomenal and adds a whole new dimension to the experience.

Highlites: The Electric Co.-Send in the Clowns- See Me, Feel Me number was awesome. Bono does the SM, FM part while basically, crowd surfing at the top of the ellipse. The Edge's solo while lapping the ellipse is very cool. My second MLK experience which is beyond words in impact. And Bono absolutely nailed the Pavarotti part of MS.
The crowd in Sec 75 was great, and thank you very much to the lovely young ladies who bought us drinks, which were much appreciated.

UTEOTW was magnificent. I have seen them perform this song now on 4 straight tours and each tour it gets more powerful...Bono's bolt around the ellipse at the end and The Edge's driving solo were awesome! Most of MW was great...the gig with the young girl was touching, and she spun with Bono and he gave her a brief piggy-back ride while singing on the main stage...they did not go around the ellipse as described above! Could Bono have hurt his back at this point? The remainder of the song after he quickly sent her back into the crowd was pedestrian.

Observations: IMO, WOWY, Pride, and Bullet seem very tired live and almost are too rote for the group...maybe they should be re-tooled or not played every night... I realize this is near-heresy!

The final encore: Look, Instant Karma is a terrific song by a music and World Legend...but it should have been a snippet at the end of All Because of You, or intermixed with Bad! Patti Smith clearly had issues...and I would not like to speculate what they were! Bono repeatedly nudged her as she seemed to miss her cues, and seemed to be repeatedly referring her to his center teleprompter. Also, Adam and Larry seemed to be looking at her with incredulous faces as if "what is she doing?" I did not see her spit at Larry as previously questioned. They left the stage with The Edge still playing, and returned to an aborted reprise of IK. Then a quick wave and they were gone.

Where was Yahweh and 40 as on the printed setlist! Listen, I have followed this tour on a daily basis since Day 1 and I realize that changes are healthy and necessary...BUT...for the final show in NYC the ending was not done as one would have hoped!

Anyway, the Boys are awesome in my book no matter what, and nobody can be perfect 100% of the time.
Could the long touring schedule be too much for them? Bono did say at one point "see you next year." So maybe contrary to the Edge's published words they will be doing US stadiums next summer.

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