by Daniel

This was my first U2 concert ever. I have been a fan since "All That You Can't Leave Behind" but the Elevation Tour was nearly over at that point. I knew I was in the right place when I saw a man dressed as Bono with straw hat, shades and all.

The concert was basically what I imagined. I have seen the Slane DVD, have heard two other Vertigo concerts on CD, and have been following all of the setlists this tour.

This review will be especially useful for those going to the Omaha and Salt Lake City shows...I would expect Portland to be a bit different of a setlist since it is the last Leg Three show.

I love the small portions of songs at the end of the main song is something I always look for. It's nice to hear The Who, the Beatles, and especially other, lesser played U2 songs. Adding the Beatles' "She Loves You" to the end of Vertigo was a nice touch...as has been all of the Beatles snippets throughout the tour. "In A Little While" to close out "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" was beautiful. You could feel the praise being sent upward during "Gloria." "Original of the Species" featured a quiet ballad with everyone sitting down for a change. Bono told a story of everytime he would go to talk to his father over the last ten years...each time, Bob told him that he won't talk to him if he doesn't take off "those...stupid glasses." Bringing a boy on stage for the "No more!" part of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" was quite adorable. He got very involved with the singing/shouting along. The setlisting should have "Johnny Comes Marching Home" and "Hands That Built America" added in for "Bullet the Blue Sky" but that might just be assumed by this point in the tour. "Miss Sarajevo" was truly delightful. To hear Bono's voice in an opera form is so impressive. I was greatly looking forward to hearing this song and him singing Pavoratti's part.

(Encore)
"Until the End of the World" had such power and energy...especially with the full sprint around the ellipse chasing after The Edge. "Mysterious Ways" was equally as impressive with a great colored light display. "Stuck In a Moment You Can't Get Out Of," which is not a song I care for too much, sounded great in its acoustic form. It was performed clear and crisp. Bono followed "Stuck..." with saying that they are going to do a song they've been trying the last week or so (in its entirety, I assume) because of last week's 25th anniversary of John Lennon's death. "Instant Karma" sounded fantastic and was truly one of the top highlights of the show. They sounded perfect on this song including the vocals...which are not easily heard from the farthest row back in the Savvis Center. A fan got to play keyboards through the second half of "Yahweh" but had a hard time doing so. Bono finished singing but kept the song going and had the fan go high to low back and forth on the keyboard as if it was church bells. The fan was having a hard time and kept using just the low notes. Edge had to help him and Bono kept giving instructions over the microphone. He even told him to "use the pedals." It's fun to hear him say things unrehearsed or unexpected...makes the show more personal. "Yahweh" and "40" to close was done with much class as always. Edge and Adam switched instruments for 40. Bono, Edge, and Adam left one by one leaving Larry for a slow drum solo erupting into a louder solo and leaving with a center-stage wave to the crowd.

I was expecting a few more speaches from Bono, but what we did get was exactly what I expected them to be like. I've always heard them on CD on DVD, but to hear him speak in person is a whole new ballgame. The setlist was very predictable (ie, click on the setlist for Charlotte and then St. Louis and hit your "back" button. It doesn't move...except for the addition of "Instant Karma.") I understand though, it is the end of a LONG tour. Of course there were songs played during this tour that would have been nice to hear, but the ones I was greatly anticipating were played. To hear "Miss Sarajevo" was a treat!

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