by hosive tsang

After nailing a solid set list the previous night, the goal was to hit another one this time with City of Blinding Lights as the opener. What followed was a very live LA flavored show. Here’s why:

More Spanish before Vertigo; not just the counting. I couldn’t understand most of it. I either blame the acoustics being behind the stage or my senior high Spanish teachers.

Dodger blue. Someone hands Bono a cap and Bono asks What’s this? And Is it food? He proceeds to put on the cap to cheers and a jersey? For a short bit.

Magically endowed women. Bono pulls a woman on stage to dance with during Mysterious ways. Then an uninvited? spherically endowed woman also hops on. Bono mumbles something about this being LA, grabs the hand of the first woman and runs away from the seductress. Bono confesses to being a little scared but then takes the second woman’s arm and walks around the circle. Finally he kisses both good night. Except golden globes gets on the floor like a cat and crawls toward Bono before turning around and shaking her rear. Bono turns away shaking his head but laughing and seamlessly adds the “it’s alright, it’s alright” to fit the situation and the song. Afterwards, Bono is laughing about it with Larry. The woman however meets with a group of security and is led upstairs and out the door? Before the concert, there was a plethora of women in the lobby with plunging, plunging necklines. I did not realize that it was foreshadowing.

Guest stars. Bono adlibs some Chili Peppers who I assume were in the audience; similar to other venues when artists are in the house. Quincy Jones is in attendance for a fact; because Bono says so.

Something special just for you: Last night in town, U2 gives us the Ocean and Unchained Melody. Catching the last show after a long stay makes for magic.

Ashley Simpson moment? Did anybody else catch when Bono’s mike was at his side but his voice was still coming out of the speakers? I immediately repent of my blasphemous insinuations. Forgive me. Bono in 2008.

Other tidbits:
Each band member got a special moment.
Larry played a mini keyboard on Yahweh as he does nightly. He also leaves last from the stage after 40 and a mini drum solo.

Adam moved around a lot more tonight including a trek to the back of the stage. Enough for Bono to point it out by saying his name to encourage him to do some more. Adam later strolls around the ellipse.

The lights go out on One except for the spotlight on the Edge who gets an extended solo.

Bono shares a story about meeting the pope and trading eye blinders for the rosary necklace. He makes a face to simulate what the pope looks like with shades.

The reaction to kings of Leon was not as strong tonight as last night. The band notes this by thanking the audience for being respectful. However, the band thinks they sound better than last night. They leave nicely tonight as opposed to angry the night before.

The tour is evolving nicely with two solid set list arrangements as they head north through California. The next thing we can ask and hope for is more new songs off the album, rotating in more memories from the past and oddities. I request Crumbs, Original of the Species; Ultraviolet, Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World, Stay; Lemon and Big Girls are Best. That last one might have been good for tonight. How about by the time we all meet in Chicago?

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