by t0kdag0n

I got a surprise call from a friend today at 5:30 with the magic words "extra ticket". Having attended Friday's show and walking out with mixed feelings, I was ready to give it another go. Part of the problem I had on Friday was being in Section 422, where the mix lacked that vital punch and being placed near a concession stand with the damn Yankee game on, where so called "fans" were craning their heads every 30 seconds to see the next play (and Bono thought the cell phone guy was bad). Well tonight that wouldn't be an issue as I was placed 3 levels below in Section 121. The sound and crowd were much more engaged leading to a better experience all around. That said, I still have a few criticisms. I do wish the set was mixed up a bit more, having really wanted to hear Discotheque, Daddy's Gonna Pay, Zoo Station and / or The Fly. Really though, it shouldn't matter what the band plays if the crowd is rip roarin charged. Once again, I felt the audience could have been much much more explosive. The floor was rockin' but there were times when the rest of the arena were sitting on their arses! Can you blame the band for phoning it in when that is the case? OK, they didn't quite phone it in but they could have gone off a bit more. It really is symptomatic of the bigger picture though and that is that U2 doesn't seem to be as hungry this time around. They are lacking that urgency they had on the Elevation tours. Back then they had something to prove and boy did they! I also feel the Vertigo song rotation lacks the power Elevation's had. Gone is Gone, Kite, and New York . . . 3 big highlights. Of course I know they need to make room for the newer material but Kite, in my opinion and several others I know, was a BIG standout from the Elevation tour which is now unfortunately MIA. It is also my opinion that it's time to rest Sunday Bloody Sunday, Bullet the Blue Sky and Pride. I also felt Fast Cars was a bit overkill for two nights in a row. I agree with those who say it's time for the band to reassess their live show. From this fan's perspective, Vertigo Tour is lacking some of the key elements that made the Elevation Tour so special. Beautiful Day is missing that spark, where at the end Bono would launch into the "The Goal is Soul!" rap. That would bring the house down! The energy is even missing when the band takes the stage, as the Elevation remix that would play on the PA would really get the crowd amped. The past two nights of Vertigo, I hate to say, where flat in comparison to the 4 nights of Elevation I attended. Now don't get me wrong, even an average U2 show is more spirited than just about any other active touring band, but if you want to see where I'm coming from check out the MSG show 6/17/2001. That was a night for the Ages. Everyone . . . *everyone* was fully engaged and the band not only fed off it but threw it back at us 10 fold. They may still have it in them, but in 2001 the band wanted to show everyone that they were the World's Greatest Rock Band. They still are in 2005 but are they as hungry to show us once more the Sound of a Rock Band in Full Flight?

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