by The Fly Guy

The first of two nights in Chicago for the 2018 eXPERIENCE and iNNOCENCE Tour got off to a rocky start....to say the least.  The show start was delayed by almost 30 minutes of its normal start time, due to technical difficulties.  Then just before Lights of Home, Bono fell down some stairs in the screen area.... luckily he was ok and the show did not miss a beat.  I didn't even see the fall as I was at the other end of the arena, so Bono did a great job in recovering.   The show in general was fantastic.  We were at the St. Louis show earlier this month, and couldn't believe how much better the show had gotten.  They seem very comfortable now with the set.  Tonight's setlist had a great performance of Gloria, which sounds amazing paired with I Will Follow, which proceeded it.  The highlights of the night for us occurred on the 'e' stage, as we were right next to it.  We really enjoy the set that is performed with Elevation (especially with the remix intro that has me thinking of 2001 all over again), Vertigo, Desire, and Acrobat.  Acrobat is even more amazing live than I ever could have imagined and the Mr. MacPhisto intro makes it even better.  Bono has really perfected the MacPhisto character since the earlier shows.  I'm still not a huge fan of the screen filter, but it is effective.  I get chills when I see it....it’s kind of scary.  I like the acoustic set with Best Thing and Starring at the Sun.  The set of Pride, Get out of Your Own Way, and American Soul, is so good live.  I wasn't a huge fan of The Blackout or American Soul on the album, but had a feeling I would learn to love them once I heard them live.....and I was right.  Wow, the Blackout is amazing live, as is American Soul.  The crowd really seemed to get into both which always helps make them great live songs. City of Blinding Lights was a great way to close the set, never disappoints live.  I do wish they would consider rotating it though, but I also understand, not a lot of fans see multiple shows, so I can accept hearing it whenever I can.  I have read and heard a lot of complaints about the encore, but having seen it three times on this tour, I personally feel it is very good.  U2 is going for particular feel on this tour, and end the show with One, Love is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way, and 13.  13 is a nontraditional way to close the show for sure, but works especially with connecting with the previous 2015 i&e tour.  I love how Bono returns 'home' on Cedarwood Road and pulls the light from the previous tour out of it.  Its such a beautiful way to end the sequel to the 2015 shows.  Amazing.  Overall, it was a beautiful night in Chicago, even with the technical difficulties, U2 never disappoints!

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