U2 @ THE UNITED CENTER / MAY 12th, 2005
Mrs. Famous and I headed to the United Center last Thursday to catch U2 in their fourth (and last) Chicago appearance on this leg of the Vertigo tour. We listened to openers Kings of Leon from a bar area on the outside concourse...not bad, but not at all my cup of tea.
Some of you know, I'm pretty die-hard when it comes to this band...but I'll take a shot at being objective as well: The overall mix/sound was a little muddy, Bono in both stage presence and vocal performance was nowhere near as energetic for a large part of the show as I remember from the Elevation tour and the absence of anything at all from POP was very disappointing.
That said, the show was still absolutely amazing. The stage setup looked to be a carbon copy of the 'heart' from the last one...but that couldn't have been farther from the truth. As sick as even I am of hearing 'Vertigo', that tune in combination w/ an insane light display that wound around the crowd/band/all points in between and an amped up arena of people singing along...killer. I really can't do the stage/lights justice, a great juxtaposition of the over-the-top ZOO TV/POPMART set-ups and the more understated Elevation.
More importantly would be the music. Like I said, sound coulda/shoulda been a lot better, but after a while I forgot all about it. Crowd was was singing along to just about everything, always cool to see that many people in unison...even if it is for only a few hours. Funny enough, two of the biggest highlights for me were 'Elevation' and 'Beautiful Day'...both were '...and the clouds parted' sort of performances, band and audience in perfect syncopation. Political messages abound, w/ 'Sunday' and 'Bullet' being used as plea for an end to violence in the middle east and 'Streets' and 'One' a platform for the ONE Campaign to end global AIDS and poverty.
My favorite part of the show was the Achtung Baby trifecta in the 1st encore. Whenever I see 'End of the World' performed live, it solidifies that the EDGE is probably the most amazing guitarist I've ever seen and ever will. Goosebumps. That nite's version of 'The Fly' had balls I didn't hear from the last go around, sounded great.
So, twas a good show...a BIG show.
Complete opposite of the Wilco show the Saturday before @ the Vic and, as much as I loved that, I just need to bask in a huge rock'n'roll spectacle sometimes. I wasn't disappointed.
Setlist:
Vertigo/All Because Of You/Elevation/Gloria/The Ocean/Beautiful Day/Miracle Drug/ Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own/Love And Peace Or Else/Sunday Bloody Sunday/ Bullet The Blue Sky - The Hands That Built America (snippet) - When Johnny Comes Marching Home (snippet)/Running To Stand Still/City Of Blinding Lights/Original Of The Species/Pride (In The Name Of Love)/Where The Streets Have No Name/One
Encore 1: Until The End Of The World/The Fly/Mysterious Ways/With Or Without You - Strangers In The Night (snippet)
Encore 2: Yahweh/Bad - Norwegian Wood (snippet) - Sexual Healing (snippet) - 40 (snippet)
Mrs. Famous and I headed to the United Center last Thursday to catch U2 in their fourth (and last) Chicago appearance on this leg of the Vertigo tour. We listened to openers Kings of Leon from a bar area on the outside concourse...not bad, but not at all my cup of tea.
Some of you know, I'm pretty die-hard when it comes to this band...but I'll take a shot at being objective as well: The overall mix/sound was a little muddy, Bono in both stage presence and vocal performance was nowhere near as energetic for a large part of the show as I remember from the Elevation tour and the absence of anything at all from POP was very disappointing.
That said, the show was still absolutely amazing. The stage setup looked to be a carbon copy of the 'heart' from the last one...but that couldn't have been farther from the truth. As sick as even I am of hearing 'Vertigo', that tune in combination w/ an insane light display that wound around the crowd/band/all points in between and an amped up arena of people singing along...killer. I really can't do the stage/lights justice, a great juxtaposition of the over-the-top ZOO TV/POPMART set-ups and the more understated Elevation.
More importantly would be the music. Like I said, sound coulda/shoulda been a lot better, but after a while I forgot all about it. Crowd was was singing along to just about everything, always cool to see that many people in unison...even if it is for only a few hours. Funny enough, two of the biggest highlights for me were 'Elevation' and 'Beautiful Day'...both were '...and the clouds parted' sort of performances, band and audience in perfect syncopation. Political messages abound, w/ 'Sunday' and 'Bullet' being used as plea for an end to violence in the middle east and 'Streets' and 'One' a platform for the ONE Campaign to end global AIDS and poverty.
My favorite part of the show was the Achtung Baby trifecta in the 1st encore. Whenever I see 'End of the World' performed live, it solidifies that the EDGE is probably the most amazing guitarist I've ever seen and ever will. Goosebumps. That nite's version of 'The Fly' had balls I didn't hear from the last go around, sounded great.
So, twas a good show...a BIG show.
Complete opposite of the Wilco show the Saturday before @ the Vic and, as much as I loved that, I just need to bask in a huge rock'n'roll spectacle sometimes. I wasn't disappointed.
Setlist:
Vertigo/All Because Of You/Elevation/Gloria/The Ocean/Beautiful Day/Miracle Drug/ Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own/Love And Peace Or Else/Sunday Bloody Sunday/ Bullet The Blue Sky - The Hands That Built America (snippet) - When Johnny Comes Marching Home (snippet)/Running To Stand Still/City Of Blinding Lights/Original Of The Species/Pride (In The Name Of Love)/Where The Streets Have No Name/One
Encore 1: Until The End Of The World/The Fly/Mysterious Ways/With Or Without You - Strangers In The Night (snippet)
Encore 2: Yahweh/Bad - Norwegian Wood (snippet) - Sexual Healing (snippet) - 40 (snippet)
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