by Jon P

What an unbelievable show... three encores... still the best this tour, and I am blessed that it was on my night too.

couple of things:
1.) The second encore of stuck, yahweh, and bad has to be the most beautiful three tune lineup I have ever heard. You want a spiritual experience? there. U2 just gave it to you 3 times. Also, the curtains in yahweh are astounding. By far (for me) the most impressive use of the light curtain in the show... in an acoustic tune, a light show unafraid to address the subject matter of the song... those constantly morphing symbols and people and words, on all 5 curtains... almost too much.

2.) Bono's voice was ON. There is no way to describe it. I've seen U2 a bunch of times and he was comfortable, hitting everything with ease, nailing the "waaa-ooo's" in elevation, the falsetto part ("and it's you...") in sometimes.. that usually only the edge can hit, miss sarejevo omg, the zoo songs, the spiritual second encore and stuck (he nailed it, just naileds it), and then rocked out in the last encore, with enough courage to screw up the lyrics in fast cars and keep going anyways. For no electric guitar, that song is huge. Bono was hitting notes and parts he never does. Usually, once a show, I feel myself defending bono's voice in the harder parts... tonight was the night when he showed me why I don't have to. Perfect. This is the lead singer of U2.

3.) Even from balcony 310, when Bono puts his blindfold on like a bandana in love and peace to the sound of edge's rocking slide, it is the most badass moment of any concert i have ever seen. The arena changed shape, just that moment.

4.) A complaint: First encore, Bono's hat... ahhhhhhh. all his other "outfits" are great... that hat, not so great. I don't know if he's supposed to look like sgt. pepper's lonely rock club band, but i think if he lost the hat, it'd still get across. Also, the dancer thing in mysterious ways... from 310, it seemed very unnecessary, although I know that that woman had the night of her life. Especially how it kept going into WOWY.

5.) Edge can play his guitar solo and run top speed at the same time? what a man. what an incredible guy.

6.) Sometimes is most definitely Bono's song. It's weird, more so than Kite or WOWY or One or STAY, this is Bono's. When we watch him sing, this is not our experience, this is what Bono wants us to know... he doesn't let you think about it any other way... and that knocked me off my feet.

7.) Vertigo is a real treat. I don't know how that song can't sound fresh live. And the fact that lights can make me feel like I'm falling into the center of the arena... go willie williams. Seriously. Talk about upping the ante, this guy is great.

Many people seem to be down on this tour, saying it's not as good as elevation, they draw on a lot of the same songs... Well, all U2 tours have drawn on a lot of the same songs. Some people come to U2 concerts just to hear sunday bloody sunday and Pride. It's U2's job to make them sound fresh, and "sunday" was incredible. Best I have ever heard it, longest I have ever heard it. Completely rejueventated the song for me.

As for this tour, it isn't elevation. The focus is the unbelievable songs on HTDAAB (of which there were eight). I am starting to see what Bono means about it being their best collection of songs... they're unbreakable. This is a tour about losing yourself in music, about doing the most uncool thing there is, standing on a target, playing rock and roll, screaming love. This isn't touchy feely inclusive love (i.e. the elevation tour, which was awesome, for sure), this is in your face, militant love. The Vertigo Tour is one of my favorites (although I will always have a big soft spot for POPMART), and this show, hands down, best U2 I have ever seen. I am impressed, shocked, and reverberated. These guys are the best in the game.

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