by Jennifer Hoge

At first I wasn't planning on attending the show, I feared that it wouldn't live up to the Zooropa tour, and I forever wanted to remember U2 for the energy and fun elements that went into that tour. But after hearing my friends rave about the performance of the Elevation Tour after going to four or five shows I really had to check it out. What could possess someone to attend a show that many times on the same tour? Well, I sure found out in Las Vegas when U2 took the stage November 18th.

I knew this was going to be something special from the beginning. Two friends who I didn't know were attending the concerts ended up with seats next to me, I mean right next to me, how crazy is that? Something incredible had to be coming our way....

No Doubt opened the evening. Gotta love No Doubt's light up drum kit, very cool and where can I get one?! The band was pumped up and belted those tunes out like they'd never been heard before. Unfortunately the sound system for No Doubt was not very good, lots of echo in the venue and it was hard to hear Gwen's lyrics. Sometimes this happens with the opening band when they aren't dialed up into the main switchboard and when the stadium isn't full. Despite the distortion the new material sounded a lot funkier than their old stuff, a definite plus in my book!

Then U2 hit the stage. Such an amazing amount of energy from the band and the crowd, I think we were all feeding off each other. I go to a lot of concerts and my tastes are very diverse but it's been a while since I've seen a crowd that involved in a concert; everyone up on their feet, dancing, signing along, and everyone united this night. It was really an incredible feeling, I truly believe you had to be there to fully appreciate this. Had you attended you would have seen "Elvis" make an appearance in the stands, and hear Bono play "Can't Help Falling in Love", I mean how many times are you gonna witness that?

Although this show was a more strip down version with less of a production then the Zooropa tour or others in the past, it still worked and the band had the sold-out crowd ecstatic song after song. And what a way to lead up to the ending of the show, with the names scrolling of those lives lost as a result of the September 11 attacks, while the band played "One". Thank goodness they went into "Walk On" after that, I really needed something to lift my spirits, some very emotional issues going on here.

It's extremely difficult to keep a band together for as long as U2 has been around, and on top of that to be successful. That in itself really says something about the band. And who can forget to mention Bono's leadership, a true showman who won over the audience throughout his performance.

Thanks U2 for an evening of soulful music, I was pleasantly surprised and then some. You rock!!

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