by filippo

I was outside the heart, almost 4-5 row, on the Adam side so I could see Bono in front of me when he was on the heart

ELEVATION: mind blowing, we was singing every single word of the song especially the wooo-hoooo so I couldn't hear Bono's voice. A very strong opener and a very alive and mad crowd! An explosion of vitality

BEAUTIFUL DAY: mind blowing II, again Bono was trying to sing louder than us but it was impossible for him so he tried to sing the words after ours. During this song magically a plane flied over the stadium, which is near the airport, so it was incredible: just like the video of the song! Unbelieveble. The 4 screens was bigger for the outdoor venue and in the heart there was almost 1500 people (not 4000)

UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD: the Edge began to fell very happy so he began to improvise a lot during verses and solo. They did the bull-fighting at the tip of the heart, which wasn't red and without lights so I think it was more exciting

NEW YEAR'S DAY: no words between or during the first 4 song so we didn't have a minute to take a breathe. This was very fast and loud with the whole stadium clapping hands like one and jumping, even in the VIP's seats. The Edge became crazy Edge with (if I'm not wrong) a different solo from the Zoo and Pop version. Adam and Larry was smiling all the time, they really enjoyed being there. Larry was smashing his drums to be louder than us. At the end of the song Bono began to cry, he was very touched.

KITE: finally Bono begin to talk.We can finally breathe. He wanted to say us, in italian, welcome to the Drop the debt show, but he failed and turnerd out saying something like "welcome to the gate...the debt...all right... smiling embarassed to the Edge. He said that Edge's daughter was there and sang Kite for them. Beautiful song, surely better than the album version. The stadium was lighted by cigarette-lighters and I could hear Bono's voice was not in top form but his heart was bigger than the whole stadium. The last verse was repeated just with his own acustic guitar.

GONE: the edge over the top with a fantastic solo at the end.He was so busy touching every fret of his guitar that he couldn't do the 2nd voice in this and other songs. Wonderful lights.

NEW YORK: loud, touching bass, Bono screaming and moving and running like a mad. He was really out of mind.

I WILL FOLLOW: We start again jump and sing(scream?) for the whole song. The bridge contained the "Ring those bells" part with Bono saying "My soul will never grow cold, will never grow old, Torino will never grow cold, Italia will never grow old"

SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY: HIGHLIGHT 1 OF THE NIGHT. Bono spent the day after the show until 17 o'clock of the showday in Genova for the G8. The city looked like Beirut or Belfast. In italy we have never seen something like this and the day before the show a guy (23 years old) died shooted by o police man during the fight. In the middle of the song he started saying "Violence is never right, in the streets of Genova violence is never right, in the streets of Northern Ireland violence is never right, in the streets of the world violence is never right, words are stronger than any knife, with words we've to stand up for our rights" and then he start to sing Get up,stand up and the touching part was hearing him singing "wipe your tears away, wipe your blood away" referring to the guy. I had to wipe my tears away too.

IN MY LIFE/STUCK IN A MOMENT: Very touching, Bono was singing with his heart more than with his voice. One of the most beautiful song ever written.

IN A LITTLE WHILE: Bono and the Edge at the tip of the heart but a full band version. Bono kissed the Edge and I would have kissed him with the tongue (I'm a man) 'cause he is the most heart-breaking guitarist I've ever heard.

DESIRE: Bono presents the band: "this band would never have had any ambition without this man (referring to Adam), this band would never have had any children without this man (referring to Edge), this band would never have had any BALLS (touching his own balls) withuot this man (referring to Larry), and this band would never have had any problem without me, I like to be in troble". The version of Desire was outstanding and Larry talked for about one minute but I didn't understand what he said. Bono joked with Adam trying to let him sing the part "money-money-money" but Adam was really not able.

STAY: Edge began strumming his guitar at the tip of the heart and someone began singing Satellite of love, so Bono said smiling to this group "calma!" (i.e. calm down or slow down). For about 2 minute Bono let us sing the oooh-oooh-ohhhh hearing and looking to us. He looked very touched.

BAD: The first time I hear it live. Beautiful lights and...what a voice! This time, for the first time in the show, in the "I'm wide awake" Bono was screaming louder than us. He was giving as the whole himself, soul, heart and voice. He didn't care if he was going to lose his voice: he wanted to scream that way and he do it. Without esitation.

Snippets of 40.

WHERE THE STREEST HAVE NO NAME: Lights on us. Again jumping and screaming. Wonderful Edge.

MYSTERIOUS WAYS: "Spanish rock". Bono dancing like Ricky Martin and Edge twistinig on the heart while playing the solo.

THE FLY: The coolest version of this song, the coolest solo, again the Edge didn't do the 2nd voice 'cos he was loving his guitar. Bono smashed himself on the screen like a fly and we was pride to love such a great man.

Encore(1):

BULLET THE BLUE SKY: the intro was the Charlton Heston "Bad Guns". Bono enlighting the crowd talking about Mark Chapman and John Lennon. The edge on his best

WITH OR WITHOUT YOU: What to say? "Turn the lights off. I can light them all!" It ended with "We'll shine like stars". The stadium was in fire.

Encore(2):

ONE: Bono sang this song for Africa saying: "Africa, questa non è la fine ma è l'inizio" ("Africa, this is not the end but the beginning") and thanked Italy for being the first Nation dropping the debt.What a pride!

WAKE UP DEAD MAN: After One Bono whisper to Edge he wanted to give us this song.

WALK ON/HALLELUIAH: Simply the most touching moment! The stage was lighed with the scrolling words of the song (like at the end of a film). I turned myself to see the stadium and it was all lighted by that words. It looked the Heaven.

Encore(3):

PRIDE :HIGHLIGHT 2 OF THE NIGHT. I knew Walk on was the last song of the show but I knew too that something special could have happened in a such special night. So we saw them come in again, after having screamed for 3 minutes. Bono took the mic saying "One more!" It looked like it was the beginning of the show, we was excited like if nothing was happened. We wanted more and we obtained it. For those who say Pride should be dropped from the setlist I would say: you really don't know where the Heaven is!

Encore(4):

Out of Control: HIGHLIGHT 3 OF THE NIGHT. After Pride they was going in the backstage. Adam was already smoking, Larry was already chest bared but Bono pushed them on the heart for an honour lap. They was really happy. When they finished the lap Bono was on stage thanking us while the other three was waiting for him. We was screaming so loud that Bono said the most beautiful words I've even heard: " ONE MORE "
"This is our first single, cause this is not the end, it is the beginning". Out of control was loud cause Bono let us sing almost the whole song while he was jumping trying to push us where his heart was. Somewhere in the infinity.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I read on a newspaper that after the show Bono was seized by a sudden illness and taken to an hospital. It was caused by the busy day and by the show. 2 hours and 30 minutes. What a night. Thanks Bono, Edge, Larry, Adam for giving us yourself!

Return to previous page | Post a Review of this show!