by Richard

Failure To Launch.

Toronto rarely brings out the best in a band and I think this was the case with U2 last night.

I hadn't seen them since their scintillating show in Buffalo in 2005 (I wrote a review here for that show too) and maybe it was too much to ask for it to be up to that standard.

Instead I thought last nights concert was....a bit dull to be honest.

I'd seen a few setlist from the European leg and had been a little disappointed by the choice of songs. I purposely avoided listening to any recordings from earlier in the tour to maintain some element of surprise, but in the event, surprises were few and far between.

To me it seemed as if the band were just going through the motions. U2 always play well together but these days that's not enough...there has to be something more going on and I think whatever that thing is it was missing last night. Maybe they need something to rally against, maybe Bono has to be angry about something to give the show an edge to it (no pun intended)? Perhaps they have had a little too easy a time of it in the past few years?

The stage was impressive in terms of shear size but apart from that it didn't really do that much. The sound was fine for a venue of that size. I don't know...the whole thing just didn't click with me at all.

It was nice to hear 'The Unforgettable Fire' again though.

I thought Snow Patrol were great - a band I'd previously not had any time for. Dare I say, I enjoyed their set more than the headliners?

As usual the fans were all great and it's nice that we all look after each other in the line up outside the gigs. Wish more bands had fans that are as civilized towards each other!

Richard

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