by Steve

This show was my first Vertigo show, and despite reading up on every setlist, listening to many sounds from previous shows, I didn't know what to expect when my wife and I arrived at the United Center early Saturday evening. When we walked in to the show we saw the hundreds of people lucky enough to be on the floor for the show arriving and like the reports from the previous shows, most of the early arrivals were in the back half of the GA, it wasn't until 7:30-8am the elipse started to fill up halfway. My siblings were in the GA crowd and they told me that there was a lot of issues with the GA process, like cutting in line, U2.com fans without W-FAN tickets waving their u2.com profiles around to get in earlier - and did, it was a mess just like all the other shows have been. I guess GA worked to good on the last tour so someone had to figure out a way to screw that up.

Anyway, onto the show. It was a miracle that my wife and I were able to attend the show on this night, and for that matter the future nights we have tickets for. She was diagnosed with a medical condition which has been very pressing on our money and our way of life. We are newly weds, married in January of 2005 and wanted nothing more to go to some U2 shows honeymoon in Ireland/England in July and just enjoy life together. Unfortunitely the honeymoon hasn't started for us yet, as she is still seeking medical attention, and though the condition is very treatable, getting to that point will take time. So the honeymoon plans were cancelled, put off for another year, and U2? Well, for right now, we are going to experience as much as we can, because this show tonight was a wonderful break from the reality we have been living.

My wife and I were up in the 300 level of the UC and got a really good view of the show. At around 7:25, The Kings of Leon came out, and we promptly left to take in the atmosphere (they just don't excite me like Garbage did on the last tour, but much better than PJ Harvey.) We got back to our seats at around 8:30pm and at about 8:50pm the UC PA began playing Coldplays "Clocks" which made sense later when Bono said that Coldplay was in the audience - as was Keenue Reeves and Gwyneth Paltrow, who were sighted by my siblings in the GA area. The PA sound abruptly tuned off during Clocks and switched to the song prior to the Everyone chant (I can never remember the name of that song even after many fans have cleared it up on Zootopia). The Everyones began and the lights went dark...

Each band member then came onto the stage separtely with their own spotlight, and the beginning of Love, Peace (or Else) began. This was a solid opener, but I reserve my thought until I hear City of Blinding Lights open. I have a feeling I will like City first with Love linked to Sunday because of the war song montage and COBL is just a very festive type song to launch into. Vertigo followed Love Peace or Else and sounded very off. Bono seemed hard pressed to keep up with the band and at times was out of breathe. It was not as upbeat as I imagineed it would be. I began to wonder if the week off was taking a toll on the boys, I wondered if this would be a show they were just warming up on. I also began to think that this could be interesting if this show was indeed the show being filmed for the upcoming DVD. We later found out that they were just doing fan interviews tonight and would video Monday and Tuesday's shows for the DVD.

Then the show took a turn for the better in my opinion. Edge began playing the beginning of ELEVATION and the crowd began doing the OOhs, it was like Elevation Tour again. Once the band picked up in the middle, the place went nuts. One of the many hightlights of the night was when U2 cranked into An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart following Elevation. I didn't think it would be coming in, but wow they sounded as fresh as they did when they came out in 1981, and I couldn't believe I was there to witness it. City of Blinding Lights followed and I know a lot of people don't like this song as an opener, but seeing it at this point, made my wish it came at the beginning. Everyone in our area was singing and dancing to the song....the atmospere was changing. Beautiful Day followed and as always sounded great.

Miracle Drug began with Bono saying a few phrases in Polish I think, with The Edge translating, this was because this day was the Polish Constitiution day and earlier Chicago celebrated it with a parade downtown as they do annually. Edge then hit his pedal to early as Bono was still talking about Chicago, the wonderful city it is and how they are a city of the future and the future needs to be looked at and the doctors and nurses were thanked. Bono was getting a little upset because the timing was messed up so they had to scrap the intro and restart. It was a fun part of the show, seeing that the band is only human. Once Miracle Drug began rolling it made me think of the issues my wife is going through and what so many others are going through. It hit me on a personal level and made me enjoy the song that much more. It was very emotional. Sometimes you can't make it one your own followed and the highlight was Bono hitting the high note for his Dad, the "Do you hear me when I sing..". Great song.

New Year's Day then followed, and began a intesting night for Adam Clayton. Adam began walking around the elipse with The Edge and Bono and it added so much to the song. Best version on New Year's Day I have every seen live! Sunday Bloody Sunday is a staple in my opinion, but for some reason tonight it was a letdown after New Year's Day, but it was great to hear, my wife just loves Sunday and all the power that follows the song. The Sunday Bloody Sunday transition to Bullet the Blue Sky was crisp and great. This was the first time in 6 attempts I actually wasn't poking my eyes out during this song to make it stop. I actually enjoyed it very much and it flowed very well into Running to Stand Still. This song grouped with the Human Rights video made my wife almost lose it, very emotional. In a year in which marks the 60th year since the peace treaty was reached to end World War 2, we have been watching several movies like 'Schindler's List' and 'Hotel Rwanda'. It is amazing what goes on in this world and the lack of human rights in many countries. Very emotional point in the show, and it didn't help when the band played Bad, Pride, Streets, then One. It was like bang, bang, bang. Bad was as beautiful as ever and Pride was uplifting. Bono enticed the crowd to continue with the Oh, OH, Oh, Ohs for a couple minutes after Pride, which was staining on the vocal chords, but great to do. Streets and One don't need explaining because they are always great. Needless to say, it felt great to have my ONE bracelet on (that I bought earlier at the One.org booth earlier that evening) during One.

The first encore started with a screen effect with the Zooropa guy on the screen and a slot machine style of graphic on all 4 above screens. As soon as all 4 screens showed 4 Zooropa guys, the band came out to crank into mini-ZooTV. Zoo Station started it out and sounded wonderful, it was the first time I have heard it live and The fly followed and actully sounded a lot better than on the Elevation Tour. Mysterious Ways then followed and again Adam was out and about on the elipse. Bono met him out there and said "I don't know what's got into this man, but I like it!" He then gave him a hug and they walked around together. Bono along the way had a human rights flag thrown onto the stage and he wrapped it around his neck as he concluded the song.

The second encore was All Because of You, Yaweh, and 40. All great, I thought the transition from ABOY to Yaweh was going to be to harsh, but it sounded great. All 4 members were out on the elipse for Yaweh, which showed the intimencey of the show. Larry then ran back to begin his 'Drum Solo' for 40 and The Edge and Adam (as traditionally done) swithed instruments and sides of the stage. This was my first time hearing 40 in full form and it is just the best way to end a show. Bono thanked all for attending and and appoligized again for the ticket problems. Bono left the stage after he tying his rosary to the mic stand, followed by Adam, The Edge then of course Larry. The crowd continued to sing "how long to sing this song" even past the house lights coming back up. We had hope that U2 would come back for one more, but could one more ever satisify the U2 fan?

Looking back at this night, it was a great show. Despite the rough start the technical problems Bono had with his earpiece, this was a memorible show. This was my wife's first show and several hours after the show she was still thanking me during the night for taking her and convincing her that multiple shows are ok to go to for a band like U2. She is a Tori Amos fan, and though U2 will never replace Tori on her list I think they moved up right next to her. U2 has a way to cast a power I can not explain onto all in the audience. In my book they are the greatest band of all time. I have seen the Stones, REM, and several others in concert and they put on a great show, but they don't cast the same emotion onto a crowd like U2 does. I can't wait until Monday, my wife and I will be back up in the 300 level (with our fan presale tickets!) enjoying yet another wonderful U2 show. Until then love and peace (or else!)

Steve

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Setlist
01. Love and Peace (or Else)
02. Vertigo
03. Elevation
04. An Cat Dubh
05. Into the Heart
06. City of Blinding Lights
07. Beautiful Day
08. Miracle Drug
09. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
10. New Year's Day
11. Sunday Bloody Sunday
12. Bullet the Blue Sky
13. Running to Stand Still
---Human Rights Video
14. Bad
15. Pride
16. Where the Streets Have No Name
17. One
ENCORE 1
18. Zoo Station
19. The Fly
20. Mysterious Ways
ENCORE 2
21. All Because of You
22. Yaweh
23. 40

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