by Nigel

Bono enters the stadium like a prize fighter, making his way down the side of the B stage surrounded by bouncers and completely focused on the task ahead. As Bono ascends the 3 steps to the B stage he is draped in the Australian flag and the opening chords of City of Blinding Lights ring around the stadium. The opening sequence of the show is electrifying which includes Vertigo, Elevation and Until the End of the World. Bono pauses for a moment to welcome an archbishop from Africa to his first ever rock concert and then plays Still Haven’t Found.

During Beautiful Day the sound becomes distorted and there is frantic activity at the end of the song to rectify the problem, Bono adds to Edge’s woes by making a few jibes, “working with a perfectionist this usually happens” & “guitar is sounding a bit fuzzy” Edge shoots Bono a look (struck off Christmas card list Bono) and launches into Angel of Harlem however the problems continue.

Larry and Adam leave the stage leaving Edge and Bono to play The First Time, for the first time, an amazing version.

Bono takes off the shades and dedicates Sometimes to his father and plays it for his brother Norman and his family who are in the house tonight.
The angst section opens with Love or Peace and by this time Edge is making up for lost ground and he really is on fire, these songs are really intense, a fantastic vocal performance on Miss Sarajevo closing this section.
The next 3 songs, Pride, Streets and One are now far more aligned with Bono’s campaign for reducing third world debt and therefore seem all the more powerful, Streets is the song that gets 60,000 fans singing their hearts out and yes it was louder than the night before according to Bono. I must mention Adam here; he was having so much fun and worked his bass to the limit.

Welcome to the Zoo as The Fly metamorphosis into Mysterious Ways and then one of the highlights of the night, Bono starts to sing With or Without You to the girl he pulled out for a dance during Mysterious Ways, he is on his knees and holding her hand and all she can do is wipe away the tears.
There is no holding back as the band launch into the final sequence with a pulsating Saints and a great version of Party Girl including obligatory champagne, then Kite rounds of the night well that is what Bono thought, I think Edge was getting his own back as he started the opening chords for Bad and he calls your man back and says we are doing one more, Bono does not disappoint and an exhilarating Bad with snippets of Ruby Tuesday and 40 have the crowd eating out of his hand, well those who had stayed. Bono tells us that we now should go home to bed and Edge thanks Sydney, I am sure it was a reference to someone he had met earlier in the day and not another capital city he believed he may have been in.

This had been my first show in 5 years and 11th in 21 years and it blew me away, it was worth the overnight flight from Perth and queuing for 14 hours to get a spot on the railings. Adam, Bono, Edge and Larry you did not disappoint and I thank you for the music and inspiration that you have provided me and many others of the years don’t leave it too long before coming back.

Finally I would like to thank everyone that I met and the organization at Telstra Dome was great, the security team did and awesome job, well done guys.

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