by hosive tsang

I returned to my college home to watch u2 make love to Chicago.



Some Chicago Moments:



Before the show, one of the stage managers came out to make a special pre-show announcement for his hometown. He declared that when the band was discussing locations for the new tour DVD, the choice was obvious: u2 had chosen Chicago. He said that u2 always does a good show and often does a great show…but tonight, to prepare for a magical show. Our part was to…be Chicago! Later, Bono declared that we were starting get liftoff!



Bono shared how he fell in love in Chicago. Staring out into the skyline, he understood the magic of Miles Davis. It was Chicago that helped him come to enlightenment. Then over time, Bono said he also fell in love with Chicago. He had come to share the future with Chicago. Though he bought some things from the past with him like Sunday bloody Sunday and streets, he wanted to share the future (miracle drug and the new tunes) with this city of the future.



Bono brings a girl on stage during the encore. He is surprised at her height and wonders how Chicago grows them so tall and beautiful. Gloria tells Bono that she wants to play Party Girl and he helps her along. Meanwhile on stage, the edge insists that Adam play bass but Adam declines. They had already switched instruments for 40. The edge trying to fumble with the bass once again asks Adam to play bass. Larry sorts out the chaos by pointing out that bono and Gloria are almost done anyway. The edge seems content with that assessment.



Bono also brings a little girl on stage during into the heart and asks her her name. She says Janelle. He says that Janelle is a beautiful name and adds that “my name is….(pauses)…Paul.”



Bono sings lines from Bullet with Butterfly Wings (better known as the rat in the cage song) at the end of Electric Co. Members of the Smashing Pumpkins likely in the crowd tonight. Maybe lyrics from Bruce Springsteen and The Killers, both in town for shows, later in the week?



The Edge was raging in his guitar from the start. During vertigo (the second song), he motioned emphatically to Dallas (his guitar tech) to turn it up. Dallas was a bit stunned before rushing down to move the dial to 11. The Edge lingered all night on notes, playing extended versions of his parts(An Cat Dubh and others). He was chopping at the Joshua tree again.



Adam was smiling and playful all night. He made several trips around the ellipse and was not stationary for long. He moved to the locations of the others and hung out with each of the band members to push them on in their expression: with the edge at the piano on the side and in the middle of the stage; with bono at the front of the stage and Larry at….well, the drums. Adam was especially animated.



Larry was pounding heavily in the background with energy. That energy was on full display during Yahweh, which was performed with all the band members at the “tip” of the ellipse. I’m not sure if they had brought all four members out to the tip on this tour for Yahweh yet, but the timing seemed off…so Larry had to sprint out there to meet his mates. And dash back for 40. But Larry looked like a grown up Dash from the Incredibles.



We were once again in the front row of the ellipse thanks to my magical wife, Theresa. She came without a ticket tonight but wanted to join me and my groomsman, Angelo. She lined up in the morning with drama swirling with security and fans with numbered waiting lists. But she got a released GA at 1p. Once again, it was her ticket that got us into the ellipse. And once again, the venue folks graciously allowed our party of three.

So front row on edge’s side for the Chicago DVD. But wondering if they would use tonight’s shoot because of some broken lights on the scrolling video screens. I hope they do because the band’s energy was magical as advertised. And so we can get on film.

:T

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