by CoExIsT

HATRICK (ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE)

By about now, the ordinary man/woman in the street would call me crazy or drop dead stupid for attending my third U2 concert in 4 days. But to me, it felt like the first time again. I just couldn’t get enough and wanted more and more.

The day commenced with having to attend work, so I had to do a 9am-5pm before leaving for the concert. It was a very hot and humid day. I was looking forward to this concert for the most unlikely reason, that being having my 15 year old brother and 25 year old sister accompany me through the U2 experience. It made the experience even more unique in comparison to the previous 2 nights. I deliberately bought the ticket for my brother without consulting him, because I wanted him to experience an unbelievable night and feel true music at its best by the best band in the world. He was during the phase of listening to a lot of rap music, mainly due to the adolescence years, and I wasn’t convinced that rap music was his music out of pure selection. I was sure that U2 would blow him away.

I managed to get to the stadium at about 6.00pm and met my brother and sister. Inside of me, I was really happy they were there with me to complete my hatrick of shows. There was a good vibe in the crowd. We weren’t fussed about trying to be at the front. We took our time, got something to eat and then went into the stadium. As the evening set, it turned chilly slightly. We waited in our spots for about an hour or so before the show commenced.

Then, the moment drew near. There were minutes remaining. We were standing just after halfway. Personally, I was hoping for some surprises in the set list, but either way, I was out there just to soak up the atmosphere, experience the power and magic with my brother and sister beside me. It was an unbelievable feeling knowing that it was my 3rd concert after experiencing two amazing concerts. I was looking forward to seeing my siblings enjoy the same experience.

As the chilly breeze swept across the stadium, the lights went out with the whole crowd on the edge of their seats/heals. Then, the sounds of everyone, everyone emerged. U2 had arrived. The following took place:
• The beautiful harmonic symphony and piano into COBL was unleashed with huge screams from the crowd. Looking at my brother, I could see he was immediately hypnotized by the introduction. It was a perfect introduction song. The sound from the ground floor wasn’t that great initially, but I think it was adjusted for later. Crowd involvement was at its peak with the awooo awoooooooohhhhhhhh vocal. Bono’s vocals were brilliant and strong as ever.
• Then, Vertigo was hammered into. It was my brothers favorite song, and when looking at him, it was patent he was going off as much as the rest of the crowd. Bono looked like he was on fire and wanted to make sure that the final concert in Sydney would go off. I could feel the extra edge in his efforts. Whilst listening to it, it was great quality, like sitting back and listening to the CD player but in a huge area. He was like a fine wine that just keeps getting better and better. It was cool to hear the pump it up snippet.
• Elevation was at its usual best. Every time I hear this song, it gives me some kind of party drug effect. It simply goes off. Bono commented how he sung with Kylie the previous night, and how tonight, he was ours. He wanted to leave a huge mark on Telstra stadium. He added the snippet of Kylie’s song spinning around. It was funny, yet, sung well. The chorus after that snippet was just the most explosive feeling. Unreal. My brother was going off.
• Then, the surprise came. A song I’ve always wanted to experience hearing live was I will follow. It was one of those songs where the beat just gets you into a frenzy. When the Edge began the guitar intro, I wasn’t sure what I was hearing because I wasn’t expecting to be surprised. Then, it clicked that I will follow was being played. I skitzed it. It was crazy, especially the slow verse of ‘Your eyes make a circle…..’ and leading into the chorus. I was very satisfied they played it.
• NYD was next and was at its usual best. Again, to hear the piano introduction live was spine tingling. Whilst my brother and sister weren’t too familiar with this song, they certainly embraced it.
• Beautiful day was next, much to my delight and anticipation in seeing my brothers reaction. It was unreal. His reaction was one that resembled a typical die hard fan. That made my night. Bono’s vocals were at their peak. I just looked into the skies whilst listening to Bono sing and soaked up every note. Crowd and atmosphere was unreal. Bono added a powerful Snippet of Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Blackbird and Michelle. It was beautiful.
• ISHFWILF was next. Bono made note of their appreciation to the Australian fans and how they feel at home in Sydney. Bono made note that it was their 3rd Sydney show and that people said it will never happen again, and then Bono commented ‘Do they not think were coming back?’. When I heard that, I felt a sigh of relief and joy. ISHFWILF was a beautiful song with strong lyrics. Bono’s voice was as good as gold.
• Angel of Harlem was a surprise inclusion at that stage of the set list. It was a song I’ve come to love and it was great to hear live again.
• Then, SYCMIOYO was next. I was looking forward to hearing it live for the last time this year. Bono really made his mark. The high notes were just unbelievable, and for me, it was a very special feeling. My sister loved it as well. Bono sung it with extreme emotion.
• Then the political phase surfaced. It was similar to the previous two nights. However, one movement I will never forget was during Sunday Bloody Sunday, when Bono picked a 8 year old child called Shawn from the crowd, sat him on the stage. Bono then says, ‘for Shaun’s generation, lets turn a song into a prayer (referring to SBS)’. Then, during the verse where Bono screams no more, he invites the kid to join him, with Bono commencing with no more, followed by the kid screaming no more, with each time getting louder and louder until it got to the point where both were screaming their lungs out. It was something that was so emotional and something that can not be explained, only experienced. I was absolutely blown away by this and turned emotionally crazy during the song singing with all my heart a prayer to a universal cause. It was out of this world. My siblings were blown away as much as I was and also, the rest of the crowd. It just comes to show what music can do, and full credit goes to U2 for always taking the effort to promote these very important universal themes.
• Miss Sarajevo was as beautiful as the previous two nights, with Bono having no trouble reaching Pavarotti’s high note. Simply beautiful.
• The human rights declaration slide show was very powerful.
• During Pride, it was amazing to see the crowd go wild from where I was standing. It was such a great live song.
• Then, the moment came when U2 would take us into another world. The introduction into WTSHNN was unbelievable to say the least. Shivers went down my spine a million times. This was the pinnacle of all U2 shows. Words cant describe the feeling. I just thank God a million times I’m a U2 fan to be able to experience this extraordinary feeling. My brother was also blown away. Since it was the 3rd time for me, I just soaked up every note as much as I could. I loved the bit where he goes sings for the last time in the song ‘its allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll I can do’. He held that high note really well. It was incredible.
• Then Bono says ‘Wow, thank you for that…..these 3 nights we wont forget’.
• Bono launched Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft. The harmonic sound before one defined beautiful. It was very emotional and brought shivers down my spine. Bono speaks about the G8 summit to be held in Melbourne the following week. He spoke about poverty and declared ‘Wouldn’t it be extraordinary if this could be the generation that says no to extreme poverty in the poorest places in the world’. Bono thanked the crowd for listening.
• One was played and captured Bono’s emotional plea to the crowd. It was my sister’s favorite song. She loved it. Bono sung it extremely emotionally. It was great to hear.
• The first part of the concert ended finished.
• The band returned with the first encore, and surprisingly played UTEOTW. I was glad they got rid of Zoo Station. At first, I was unsure of what they were playing, and then realized what song it was. It was a great song and one I always love to hear. I was still wishing they played Ultraviolet, but I wasn’t in luck. They sung UTEOTW very passionately.
• Then, another surprise was pulled out of the hat. Mysterious ways. It was a great song to hear, and something different to the Fly. Bono pulled a female from the crowd during this song. Bono looked flamboyant whilst singing it.
• Then, the greatest U2 Ballard was launched once again and reached our hearts. With or without you was something special, need no more to say. The crowds reaction really proved U2’s greatness. Very emotional, especially when singing the snippet Never Tear Us Apart. My siblings loved it.
• The first encore ended
• Then, not surprisingly, the boys unleashed the Saints are coming as the first song of their second encore. I had come to love this song and really went off to this song when it was played. It was a fantastic live song.
• I was hoping for a special song to be played by this time in the concert, however, was disappointed to be honest, but humored by what I was to see subsequently. Instead of playing a popular song, the boys resorted to old times to celebrate 3 nights in Sydney by playing Party Girl. It was obvious the boys hadn’t prepared for it, but no one cared. Bono opened a bottle of champagne as a symbol of celebration. I was lost in the song because it was one I hadn’t heard a whole heap of, and because the band was lost as well, but it was extremely funny. Bono’s says ‘that’s what happens when you take 6 months off…you turn to the drink’. He then sings ‘I know a girl called Kylie (with laughs’ and then sings Kylie’s song ‘I could be so lucky’). It was very funny. Bono didn’t know how to end the song. Bono comments how that many bands would come and go, and declares ‘you will never forget your first love’, referring to themselves. It was funny. They ended it in the most unorganized fashion, which was also funny.
• The finale Kite, was fitting to 3 wonderful nights. I couldn’t get over this song. My previous reviews of the first and second Sydney concerts explained vividly the feelings that were derived from listening to this song. They were absolutely amazing, and I must say, even though it was the 3rd time hearing it, it was a very unique feeling. It was actually sad knowing that it was the last song I would hear after 3 amazing concerts. I tried to make the most of every second left. Once again, the verse “I’m a man I’m not a child…I’m a man who sees the shadows in your eyes” left a permanent memory in me of the U2 experience of 2006, and one I will never forget. Bono’s final words were ‘I know that this is not goodbye’. I hope so. Please come back soon.
• The concert ended, and 3 wonderful nights have become history. Not one person who left the stadium was disappointed. My brother and sister were U2 revolutionized (and I could see that my brother was saying to himself, he (me) was right (about U2). One elderly lady who was leaving the stadium said to her husband ‘Wasn’t that absolutely unbelievable?’ Indeed it was.

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