by neal weichel

So we finally make it to the end of the Yellow Brick Road... to Portland! I promised myself I wouldn't read the other reviews before posting mine as it has now been 3 days since I returned to LA but i couldn't do it. Suffice it to say there were many things about the experience that were superlative that had nothing to do with the concert itself. First, the @U-2 party at Kells was a fantastic time and was fun for a reader/participant like me to see the staff enjoying the results of their efforts so much-it was well planned and who knew "Answer guy" was so funny? It was a prelude to meeting people who came from all over to see the finale of one of the best tours ever-by any band-and by almost any measure. Second, the fact that people SPENT THE NIGHT in weather that even people I met from Wisconsin described as bitter cold, tells you how loyal they (we) are. And therein lies the problem I think for some of us...how do THE MIGHTY U-2 DO THAT UNBELIEVABLE-NEVER-TO-BE-FORGOTTEN END OF THE TOUR show? The answer is they couldn't and no one else could either. I met a guy at the porta-john who was waiting/expecting his 10 year old god daughter to get pulled on stage for the THIRD time for SBS. When she didn't I could'nt help but wonder would this great fan still love the show as much? Or be jealous that "Sydney" did instead? So, my point is in thinking about this whole tour and reading some of the reviews about how some songs are tired ("Bullet" won in the @u-2 survey and I suppose i agree) or the crowd wasn't as loud as at "X" city or why why why didn't they play ALL of "Baby Please Come Home for Christmas?" (Bono did snippet it), is HOW DAMN LUCKY ARE WE THAT THIS TOUR EVEN CAME TOGETHER AT ALL? And that is why the entire crew coming out with the shirts at the end thanking the band was so special/emotional to me. And that is why the "Thank You" signs were so great to hold up and see the Band's reaction. Read the reviews from those (from any show) who went to their first U-2 concert and they are 99% GLOWING-like an experience they have never seen before. For me, seeing UTEOTW for the first time this tour from inside the Ellipse (Yes, it was too crowded but hell I was thrilled to be there!) was worth the price of admission alone (check the price of Rolling Stones tickets for more validation that this band does still care about it's fans, and concession prices are set by the venue-NOT the band). Also, look at the ammount of songs the band has done from San Diego to Portland-I haven't counted but I am sure it's over 40 different songs with another 20 snippets along the way. It's not Bruce Springsteen but it's not "The same old set list" either. In Portland I heard Original, Instant Karma and UTEOTW all for the first time and this was my 10th show this tour. And the audience sing-a-long for "Help" was fantastic-a great Beatles vibe permeated the show. Finally, what group would have the balls-and creativity-to have Kanye West open?? He was fantastic and I heard no boos even after his ill-advised Grammy comments (there was one sign in the Ellipse however, chastising him for it). So, to sum it all up Portland was one of the best shows, with great camraderie from the fans and proof that you can't please everyone but it is all becuse of the insanely high bar that U-2 set-one that we know they will continue to try and top...and how lucky are we that they do...? Peace and Merry Christmas!

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