by KT

I have to agree with Brian 100% of the post! My 7th U2 show (since October 87) and my least “magical experience” that I took from it. Preface: I am so happy I went and everybody should see them. I’m not disappointed but there wasn’t a knock-out punch that left you talking about how unique it was.

First, the SOUND. It’s 6 a.m. and my ears are still ringing. I was in section 115 first row…I could see every note the Edge played on keyboards. But it was so loud you couldn’t hear a word Bono said between songs (which happened to be very little except the One.org plug and Africa human rights rant. I had the exact same seats for Elevation 2001 and the sound was so much better. Why so loud?

The crowd: The bomb shelter and GA were feeding off the band, they were fist pumping and rockin’. The $160 seaters were older and mellow. Not sitting on their hands but not the same enthusiasm.

Setlist: how could anyone be disappointed with what they played? There will always be one song you wish you heard but so glad you got to hear the other 23.

Love and Peace: spotlights in hand panning the crowd built up the anticipation of a great beginning. Vertigo was carried by the Edge, he owns that song. I .love the stripped down Elevation intro much better than original performance. The crowd gets to “Woohoo!” for awhile. An Cat Duhb-Into the heart is one of my favorite set of tunes from early years, but lost something live. What was Bono doing just laying in a fetal position for half the song?

After that it was the standard set. Nothing new (except anytime you hear “Bad” count your blessings.) Highlights for me and 3 others who drove 5 hours to see them…. Streets for all of us. This song always gets me pumped up and the flags were awe-inspiring. I can hear it every show and never get tired of it. Next was 40 as a closer. Back to the good ole days But give us a little more time to sing with you. And just because Adam and Edge switched sides didn’t make it any more unusual or memorable.
Finally the AB trilogy. Zoo-Fly-Mysterious Ways, so great to hear them in order and sounding great with other standards. But again, what was up with the cheesy hat and communist march? It was a little silly. The Edge again rips up Fly. Great.

Adam, where the heck did you get your happy pills? You were so energetic and interacting with the crowd like you were on Prozac! Good for you. NYD would have been blah without you. And Chicago realized it.

Larry, the Fischer-Price keyboard during Yahweh was sad, but when I got bored from where I was sitting I watched you drum. Every beat was perfect. You hold the group together. He is a perfectionist and puts everything into it.

Edge played like 18 guitars including a huge one for Yahweh. There was a lot of chatter between songs by Edge and Bono and sometimes Larry. Not sure why, but on every song the Edge is the “sound” of U2. He was bluesy on Bullet, electric on Vertigo, and pulsating on the AB trio. While Bono’s voice is fading, the Edge’s voice gets better every time I hear him. Why not throw in Van Dieman’s Land sometime this tour?

U2 after 25 years are polished, well produced and perfection. But Bono is the steam that runs the engine and tonight was not the center of attention, unusual. I missed his stories, his jokes, his intro of the band, his pulling someone on stage. Here’s an idea…Coldplay was there, he mentioned it, why not get them on stage and play “Yellow”. Take a chance! He grabbed a U.N. flag a girl threw from behind the stage and tied it around his neck, but besides that there was nothing different. He did apologize for the ticket mess up, but it was all cookie cutter. No spontaneity, no experimenting, no pulling someone on stage to play guitar, no Pope story. Very little talking. I hope his voice is o.k.

I’m seeing them 3 more times in the fall from different arenas and seats so it will be interesting to compare.

JT 10/10
ZooTV: 10/10
Popmart 7/10
Elevation Pre 9-11 8/10
Elevation Post 9-11 9/10
Vertigo 8.5/10

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