by Crewboy

After the euphoria of second night in L.A., I pretty much went into this show (my 6th and final Vertigo show) with the intention of soaking it all in and simply enjoying it. Vertigo simply is a song that has quickly become a U2 staple. I just can't see them NOT doing this song on future tours. It's right up there with Streets in my book....a "must do". As soon as Bono counted it down and the ellipse lights kicked in, the audience went bonkers. Mysterious Ways kicked it and was a plesant surprise. I had heard this song back in April on the first leg...and fell in love with it all over again. I wasn't big on how they had done the song on Popmart or Elevation. But this tour has brought me back to it. Until The End Of The World...a HUGE surprise. The one song that they've hardly done on this tour. Always solid live...and always well received. The rest of the set went over well...but I gotta agree with the people that think Bullet needs to go. It's simply been done to death. They need to "retire" it for a bit like they did with Sunday Bloody Sunday back in the 90's. The first big surprise came when Mary J. Blige came out to sing One. She simply nailed it. With U2, the song is a commentary, it's mellow and dramatic. Mary simply just takes it to church and raises it to a whole new level I never thought possible. The first time I've EVER heard this song played live and the audience just go nuts for it as if it was a rocker in the vain of I Will Follow. It's usally BIC ligher time with this one. But not tonight. Each time Mary opened her mouth...the power and majesty in her voice simply blew me away. And as she was singing, the audience was cheering louder and louder. It's safe to say that One will be a signature song for her as well. Surprise number 2 was Brandon Flowers coming out to sing In A Little While. At first I was skeptical of how he'd sound. He usually sounds nasal on his recordings with The Killers. But he gave a great performance and totally nailed the high notes. He looked very excited to be singing onstage in his hometown with his idols. Then came Bad as the closer. They've hardly touched it on this tour. So when they do play it...it's a treat. This song simply has a power to enrapture an audience. And that it did last night. Now for the downside: The band sounded solid but it seemed as if Edge was the only one totally into the show. After seeing five shows and knowing how much Bono banters with the audience between some of the songs, on this night it seemed as if he was rushing it a bit. They were simply going from one song right into the next, without hardly any of the usual intros they've been doing. For me, in spite of the highlights, it seemed a bit too mechanical for my taste. Maybe I just got used to Bono's stories on this tour...or with the added songs (this show had 2 or 3 more songs than the number they've normally been doing) in the set tonight, the band had to rush to get the show in under curfew, thus explaining the rushed paced I felt the show had. Or perhaps simply, after experiencing what I felt was one of the best U2 shows I'd ever seen earlier in the week in Los Angeles, I walked in simply expecting lightning to strike twice. But all in all...still a solid performance. And that said...my Vertigo experience is done. It's been a hell of a ride and can't wait to do it again in four years. Guess it's time to start saving again.....

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