by hosive tsang

Last night in Chicago for u2 and they showed how much they love this town. i told my boy joewu and his girl kim, here for their first concert that the boys always do something special on the last night after a week of shows here. a few years back, they inverted the set list when the goal was elevation. last night, they fueled up and capsized the ship as bono told us at the start the goal was liftoff.

here were the ingredients for this unique set list just for you Chicago:

opening with vertigo for the first time.

all because of you second and usually reserved for the encore, signaling to the hardcore fan that the encore would be different tonight. read: get ready. then later they play another encore selection in the main set list: original of the species. read: really get ready.

they play a bunch of stuff that has only been played a few times so far this spring: original, gloria and the ocean. during the ocean, bono fumbles around for the name of the club that they first played this song at in chicago. he mocks the girl who says Mexico. finally, after searching the audience, they come up with the park west. later, he dedicates running to stand still to the us military...especially the boys from fort wayne (he thinks) who are here tonight. bono says the names are coming slow tonight...but they know who they are.

No kids or bellydancers on stage tonight. Instead, two folks with a ginormous banner that has indifference with a slash through it.

the encore! starts off with the debut of until the end of the world for vertigo! then we get with or without you later...played only once before on this leg(?). and they end with bad/norwegian wood/sexual healing/40.

a real crowd pleaser which is always good news bad news. everyone was singing and rocking including the casual fan who was chatty during my favorite rarity, original of the species. the old dude behind me was making his move during that tune to his two(2)underdressed dates. but i sang nonetheless. However, i saved my voice for my gig on saturday.

Surprise after surprise makes for great, great fun. Bono thanks Chicago for a great week! Kings of Leon also declare their love for Chicago to a tepid crowd.

also my last night in Chicago. tonight was just me and theresa. see you all in my birthtown, my love and near future home: nyc with hopes of crumbs, stay and... new york. Of course.

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