by A.

We had to go through a lot of trouble to get tickets for both U2 concerts in Belgium.
We saw a very good show on Sunday from the seats, but on Monday we went for the heart. We arrived pretty early an had a nice afternoon in the company of other U2 fans. As opposed to other countries the show has been in, there was no way to be sure you got into the heart before the door opened. When they finally opened, it was terrible. Al that pushing and shoving, people who were there very early didn’t get in the venue in time to get into the heart. What a shame…(note to the Belgian promoter: maybe it’s time to get off your high horse and think some more about the people who pay your bills. The macho security guys didn’t even see that people were about to get trampled or fainted.) But anyway, with the help of a friend I managed to get in, just in time to get into the heart.
During Stereophonics we already knew that this U2 concert was one to remember.
We will never ever see them from so close again.
Elevation and Beautiful day were the two very energetic openers we knew from the first day, but then again, it was oh so different. Standing right in front of them, jumping, shouting, clapping…I really felt sorry for all the other 16.000 people that didn’t get into the heart. During End of the world, Bono and Edge started a ‘bull fight’ with Edge as toreador. Bono started to make kicking’ movements at Edges guitar and in all his enthusiasm he hit the guitar and broke two of Edge’s strings.
Then Discotheque followed, with a very nice intro. It was nice to hear to song again, it was played different from popmart, and I actually liked it better. It faded nicely into Staring at the Sun. After Kite and New york they played, Out of control. Bono called it ‘his baby’ since it was the first song they put on a single. It was really nice to hear this one live, very energetic and raw immediately followed by Sunday Bloody Sunday, in which bono did a long speech over the current status of the peace process in Ireland.
Other highlights of the set were The ground beneath her feet, which was played almost acoustic…very nice. Then came one of the highlights of the concert…All I want is you. ‘Mom…everything is gonna be ok…I promise’ said bono. I don’t know if he was talking to someone in the crowd, but for me he was talking to his own mother, referring to his very sick father. Anyway, it brought tears to my eyes.
Streets was overwhelming, as usual. Pride is the one song that I whish they had left out of the setlist…we’ve heard it enough by now. I hoped they would play ‘Sweetest thing’ but they didn’t. No Sweetest thing for Belgium.
But the crowd went nuts, Bono looked very grateful for the ‘who oho’ part which was yelled for minutes by the audience. (Maybe I liked pride a bit, because this was one of the emotional highlights).
The message with Charlton Heston got a ‘boo’ from the crowd and then Bullet was played. Edge’s solo was….fantastic. A lot better than the day before.
Another thing I hoped for was the ‘We’ll shine like the stars….’ verse in With or without you, but Bono didn’t do it. Probably because he had problems with his voice on the two Belgian nights.
The crowd also sang a happy birthday for the Edge, who clearly loved it, although it wasn’t his birthday yet. ‘We’ll make it his birthday month’, Bono said.
After this, bono whispered something in Edge’s ear, and the started to play some kind of new song. It looked like they had to improvise some of it, because Adam came to stand between Edge and Bono, in the middle of the stage, to see what exactly they were doing. It seemed like they had fun. A very nice gesture to the crowd.
After a fabulous ‘One’, came the moment for which the Belgian fanclub had strived for months. The rendition of ‘She’s a mystery to me’ by the band.
The efforts of all the people on U2vl.org payed off. With a thank you from Bono to Roy Orbison, who played his last concert in this venue. This was THE highlight of the concert, for me, because I very much wanted to hear this song live.
Bono thanked the crowd in Flemish and French. Off course this got an enormous applause. Then he said something that no one understood, and no one reacted.
Bono started to laugh and said: ‘maybe you should also try some Irish’.
He than thanked the Stereo MC’s. (but it were the Stereophonics that opened).
The show ended with Walk on, and a lengthy Hallelujah afterwards.

After the concert, the crew immediately started to tear down the heart. Before we had time to take our coats and leave, a piece of the heart was already dismantled.
Boy are they fast, unbelievable…

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