by Scott D. Sanborn

Lights up. U2 walk out casually baring themselves before the thrall of thousands of screaming fans. This subtle gesture of exposure to the houselights and the sea of people entrenches the belief that this is a refined, back to the music, spiritual revival of a concert. Yes, the spiritual, that ubiquitous spirit (holy or otherwise) emanates off of every note, off of every scream. U2 came here as they always do - to meld passion with spirit and weave that back into the reality that has allowed those things to become dormant.

The energy was clearly established by PJ Harvey's set of poetic intensity. Working through new and old songs alike, PJ delivered a show that consumed even fans new to her sound. A little bit Siouxsie Sioux, a little bit Chrissie Hynde, and a little bit Patty Smith made PJ's sound come alive, and it is no wonder that she opens for U2 because few artists bring as much class and intensity to the stage a PJ. Her music and lyrics can be evocative or confronting but always they cleave deeply into the soul. This was a remarkable and edgy start to the experience of the Elevation Tour.

Busting right into Elevation and Beautiful Day, U2 did not need to reapply for the job (a tag phrase that was omitted from this tour stop); clearly, u2 has been reinducted as the best band in the world! The band highlight the concert with smooth juxtapositions between classic U2 and newer material. A surprise was the inclusion of three songs of Pop and none from October. If you have been a lifelong U2 fan and concert goer, then this show revived old memories and feelings that you thought were only preserved on old videos. Truly, no longtime fan could have ever hoped to hear Bad sung with such force and precision of notes. Bono sounded, on the "I'm wide awake"ine, as if he were in a time warp back to Live-Aid. In his early forties, Bono sounded like he was still in his early twenties. It was a remarkable vocal performance that allowed subsequent songs like Where the Streets Have No Name, With or Without You, One, and Walk On to soar to heights unexpected.

The Edge continues to be a one man symphony on stage. His jangling guitars and echoing effects bore out a personality like no other. At times, the music slashed out of his guitar was nearly palpably seen piercing the very hearts of the Detroit crowd.

Larry was in rocking form, still looking more pissed than elated. Adam seemed restrained, barely venturing out upon the catwalk, yet he managed to break into numerous smiles and interact with the crowd in the heart quite a bit. All in all, U2's rhythm section did what it always does; that is provide a sonic backdrop or canvas from which Bono and the Edge paint the gorgeous musical expressions that are U2.

Kite and Stay were beautiful pieces in this set. Both songs were so imbued with subtext and grace that they transcended the general intense atmosphere of the Palace. In fact, Stay became a revelation, a moment of Zen where truly the entire place felt like it was one. Sadly, the Detroit audience was restrained and conservative and seemed to miss the deeper significance and eloquence of moments like this. Likewise, the Palace crowd seemed to miss the irony in Mr. Heston's credo which preceeded Bullet the Blue Sky.

A U2 show is an experience and cannot be engaged in any other way. This experience unites people and elevates them beyond the mundane, beyond the perfunctory lives they may be living and for a few hours dangles us in the air like angels. The music was like a revival. The interaction and presentation with crowd was unifying (and only Bono can gesticulate and coordinate this type of union this effectively). The subtext reached out to touch and to show who we are or who we can be. The friendship on stage bewteen Bono and the Edge hugging and dancing back and forth playfully with one another is indicative of the mood and the theme that reached the seats and the standing masses. Love is what binds us. Love is where our spirit is. "We get to carry each other. Cary each other."

Return to previous page | Post a Review of this show!