by Mike Wood

I have no words !!! U2 on their first night !!! on my first U2 concert !!! it was simply awesome......I'd been waiting for around 10 years till' this moment.

The show began with all the lights turned on. And as many of us expected, they started to rock the house with the blockbuster hit "Elevation". On a very small but impressed heart shaped stage (almost 300 fans were in the inside), the band began to roll on into what would later become a very special night, the first night of all !!!!

For me, it was quite an experience, a life experience which meant completing one of my most desired dreams.

I couldn't believed what I was feeling, they started so simple, but as they promised to all of their fans around the world, this would be a music event, instead of a music extravaganza show like the previous "POP MART Tour"..If you expect to attend to one of the shows, don't expect to see the giant video-wall, surrounded by an uncountable number of ray lights, and all of that stuff (giant lemons are not included in this tour).......get ready to see U2 at their best !!!! in a very private and unique show. Going back to their roots.

After Elevation, Bono said hello to Miami (huge ovation as expected), and now with the lights turned off they played "Beautiful Day", followed by "Until The End Of The World" and the classic "New Year's Day". The 3rd song of the new album to be performed "Stuck in a Moment" was dedicated by Bono to his personal friend "Michael Hutchence"

One of many surprises followed with "Gone" which opened the door to the "POP" section of the concert. At this time numbers of mini-screens (one close to each other) began to raise from the floor behind the band creating the effect of a single large screen and showing some electric colorflashes and different kinds of colorful waves. In the preview of "Discotheque" Bono interact with the fans saying: "Miami.....lot of fun....lots of discotheques.......we recorded a lot of "POP" here..and we'd had done more had not been for your discotheques.....". They concluded this leg with "Staring At The Sun" after it Bono asked: Miami , How is it for the first night ?

Then came the 3 loudest songs of the night, in which you could feel the band playing at their top. "New York" surrounded by a long and white transparent panels simulating the catwalk of a fashion parade in NY. Continuing with "I Will Follow" (Bono saying: "this was our first hit...") and leading into "Sunday Bloody Sunday" in which Bono at the end sang a bit of Marley's version of "Get Up Stand Up"

Another surprise came along "The Sweetest Thing" when Bono took the piano and played the whole song from there (never done before). Then came "In A Little While" in which Bono made a comment about all of the international funds U2 have collected performing this song, he also introduced the band at this time. Next came the ballads "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" (my favorite surprise of the whole show) and the song about addictions "Bad"......

Ending the main set were the superpowerful "Where The Streets Have No Name" , you could feel Bono's power introducing it with the quote: What can I give back to God ???, and finishing it runnin' twice around the heart. Followed by the funky "Mysterious Ways" and the new intro prior to "The Fly" with Bono at the end diving into the crowd and disappearing into them.

Then came the Encore with the against the arms "Bullet The Blue Sky", the classic "With or Without You" showing the stars effect inside the venue, leading to "One" (with the map of some strange places flashing around the arena) in which Bono said: " Thank you for waiting around these many years...thank you for givin' us a good life....."

The dream (now it's real) ended with the so awaited by myself (didn't want it to end) "Walk On" , with Bono playing the guitar and a huge set of lights around the arena, like the giant suitcase with the heart in the middle !!!! and the lyrics of the song currently airing at the screens.......

One thing I will never forget are the words Bono last said on the show after he said Good Bye:

" Have We Got The Job ???????? " this really made my feel at home....... what a finish !!!!!! what an experience....

At the end I know my dream has been realized........by now..........I'm only waiting till' my little sister has the chance to see them live !!!!

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