by Steve

As a U2 fan who has been seeing the band live since 1983 and the "War" tour in my native UK I have been somewhat puzzled by the negative reviews of the 360 shows, particularly the Rose Bowl show I was at, accusing the band and Bono in particular of "dialling it in".
Having seen the early 80s shows when U2 "gave a damn" and with the Rose Bowl show still remarkably fresh in my mind, even though it was over 3 months ago now, I have to say I still saw a band that very much "gave a damn" and were doing anything but dialling the show in.
Of course, any review is subjective, so who am I to say someone else is wrong, but I'm just sad that those who didn't like the show didn't have as great an evening as I did.
The energy in the 97,000 strong crowd was electric, the sound crystal clear, the visuals stunning, and the band, although more subdued perhaps than on previous tours (due largely to the nature of their more recent releases - more spacious and thoughtful) were in great form throughout.
For me personally this was as good a show as I have seen, and I'd rank it right up there with the Zoo TV shows, which would probably be my U2 highpoint when it comes to live experiences.
The highpoint from this particular show has to be Bono's Amazing Grace segueing into Streets. An electrifying and unforgettable six minutes in an evening to treasure.
Sorry if you didn't like it, but I loved it, and that's all that matters to me.

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