U2 Bring The Love To Town
Apr 26 '01 (Updated May 02 '01)
The Bottom Line U2 are the greatest live band on the planet. Every music fan owes it to themselves to see U2 live at least once in their lives.
U2 Elevation Tour, Reunion Arena, Dallas, April 3, 2001
Much has been made of U2’s getting back to basics on their current Elevation tour. The past decade saw the ZOO TV, Zooropa and PopMart tours, all of which incorporated dazzling visual technology, giant stages and video screens, and even an infamous giant lemon. U2 rarely played an indoor gig during the past decade, and each of the three U2 shows I attended during the 90’s were outdoors in huge arenas. I must admit I was quite excited about seeing U2 indoors for the first time since 1989.
The down side of U2 choosing to play arenas this time around is that there were fewer tickets available, and as a result my wife and my Irish mate Niall and I found ourselves behind and above the stage, actually above the lighting rig due to the steepness of Reunion Arena’s seating. It was quite a change from being on the floor leaning on the stage, though I didn’t let it diminish my enjoyment of the show. U2 and their stage designer Willie Williams tried very hard to ensure that every seat in the house possessed an excellent view of the stage and the band, and used video screens, each focusing on a single band member, to assist the audience. Despite our lofty seats somewhere up near the satellite of love, we were able to see all band members most of the time, and could see three large video screens, high-above the stage, focused on Larry, Bono and Edge respectively. Unfortunately we could not see the screen devoted to Adam, my wife’s favourite. The stage itself was heart-shaped with a hollow center in which three hundred or so lucky fans went wild as the band played around them. There were additional video screens behind the stage, which we were unable to see, so I can’t tell you what kind of images were displayed on them.
Well, enough about the set-up, and on to the show. The band strode on stage with the house lights still on, and launched straight into Elevation, as expected. The band played the song with a huge amount of energy, and Bono really threw himself into it, but from where I stood the mix sounded awful and I could hardly hear Bono’s vocals, which were being drowned out by the crowd, and Adam’s bass was causing some unintended sonic booms. However, long-time sound guru Joe O’Herlihy was quickly on top of things, and by the middle of Beautiful Day the mix was perfect.
From the get-go the crowd were singing word for word with Bono, clapping, screaming, cheering, jumping up and down etc. Not unusual for a U2 concert, but I honestly have not seen an American audience ever get so involved in a concert. U2 concluded their opening triple-shot with Until The End Of The World, which was just as powerful as it was on the Zooropa tour, Edge absolutely tearing up the solo and trading guitar riffs with Bono’s vocals in a sonic sparring match. It seemed to me that U2 had climbed to the peak of Parnassus in just three songs, effortlessly attaining heights that other bands can only dream of.
And then what should they do next but turn the intensity up even higher courtesy of Adam’s opening bass riff for New Year’s Day. I could bet you a million dollar hotel that there wasn’t a single stationary soul in the house. All 16,000 fans were in their own version of heaven/nirvana, passionately belting out the classic lyrics. After such an elevating experience, U2 fittingly fell silent for a few moments while Bono dedicated Stuck In A Moment (You Can’t Get Out Of) to “a great friend we have lost, a great singer and musician, the late Michael Hutchence.” I then unfurled my Australian flag in honor of my countryman, hoping that Bono would spot it and make the connection, but unfortunately he was too busy delivering a spine-tingling soul-filled rendition to notice my flag (which was, after all, behind him). Edge sung some amazing falsetto at the end of the song, a reminder to Bono that if he doesn’t keep delivering the goods Edge is more than capable of filling his shoes!
Next came my favourite track from the undeservedly much-maligned Pop album, Gone. It sounded pretty much the same as it did on the Popmart tour, which was a good thing. The Edge and Bono traded sensational guitar riffs and really took the song into the atmosphere. Bono really deserves a lot more recognition for his guitar playing. I thought its placement in the set was highly appropriate too. The mood of the night took it’s first downturn for the evening with a strange version of Discotheque which seemed to puzzle the crowd, who didn’t get into it. At the end of the song Bono sung a few verses of Staring At The Sun, almost a capella, which pulled the crowd back in. I love that U2 constantly reinvent themselves and their songs, but in the case of Discotheque it seemed they hadn’t quite found what they were looking for (sorry!).
The set list returned to the new material once again with New York, which showcased some fantastic lighting effects and great dynamics from the band and some more virtuoso vocal gymnastics from Bono. I think by the end of the tour the song will be mind-blowing. And then the clock was turned all the way back to 1980 with I Will Follow, to the immense delight of the crowd, with Bono again dueling with Edge on guitar and actually playing the solo. The song still abounds with youthful energy and passion twenty-one years later, a testament to the timelessness of U2’s music.
We were then given an even rarer treat, with Sunday Bloody Sunday, which the band has rarely played since the 1988 Eniskillen bombing. Larry Mullen, Jr. outdid himself with the martial drumming, giving the song tremendous power and urgency. Bono gathered an Irish flag from the audience, draped it over his shoulder, and marched around the edge of the heart-shaped stage throughout the song. Edge delivered yet another astonishing solo. It is truly wonderful to see a band put so much passion into a song they have played thousands of times. Bono inserted parts of Bob Marley’s Could You Be Loved and Get Up, Stand Up to the crowd’s delight. At the end of the song Bono draped the Irish flag over the piano. My wife asked me why he wasn’t giving it back, but she was soon answered as the spotlights focused on the flag-draped piano where Bono took a perch on a stool and delivered a soulful, hymn-like rendition of The Sweetest Thing. I have never before seen Bono play piano in concert, and I must say I was impressed. He is certainly much more than just a great singer.
After The Sweetest Thing Bono gave the flag back to its owner and proceeded to do “something singers hate to do” and introduce the band. He talked about how the band had had several different names and joked that originally it was going to be called the Larry Mullen Band. He then beckoned Larry to join him out on the edge of the heart, much to the delight of the crowd. Next Bono introduced Adam as U2’s first manager, and made fun of him for once having a business card printed which read, “Adam Clayton – Manager.” Bono wanted Adam to join he and Larry, but Adam only walked halfway out before retreating to familiar territory. Last but not least, Bono introduced Edge as having “more children than Abraham” and being “almost as wise.” He then pointed out that Edge was wearing a t-shirt with a large number 2 on it, and said that that is how it should stay. Edge then gently began In A Little While, which Bono and Edge performed without the other half of the band, out in the middle of the crowd. At the climax of the song Bono included the chorus of Van Morrison’s Crazy Love. I know I’ve used the word already, but the song was the epitome of soulful. With the song U2 proved yet again that with just a guitar and vocals they can hold any crowd in the palm of their hands.
Bono then sang an unscheduled version of Desire, accompanied by Edge on acoustic guitar, that had the roadies scrambling to find a harmonica. They managed to get it to Bono in time for him to end the song with a passionate solo, much to the delight of the crowd. U2 once again delved into their back pages with an extended version of Bad which was easily one of the highlights of the night, and highlighted the band’s tightness and ability to improvise. True to form, U2 then took us to even loftier heights with Where The Streets Have No Name, a huge crowd favourite. The crowd’s clapping to the beat and singing along was so loud that Bono could have just taken a break.
After Streets, Edge played the funked-up riff to Mysterious Ways that he had developed during the Zoo TV Tour, and Bono got down with some belly dancers on the video screens. The use of visuals was fantastic during this song, proving yet again that U2 are master showman. Sticking with songs from Achtung, Baby, U2 then segued into The Fly, which frankly didn’t sound as good as it has in the past, though Bono threw himself into it and dived into the crowd at the end of the song, somehow making his way through it to an exit, leaving us to wait for the encore.
The encore began with Bullet The Blue Sky, which is always devastating live. Larry’s thunderous beat and Edge’s solo were simply mind-blowing. During Edge’s solo, Bono turned back the clock to the Rattle and Hum days, bringing out a giant spotlight which he shone on the crowd. The pace slowed right down for With or Without You, performed wonderfully with great lighting/projection effects which filled the entire arena, and concluding with a mass choir of fans chanting “and you give yourself away” – a spine-tingling moment. U2 then played their next-greatest ballad, One, which was equally as moving, and Bono included his now mandatory live extra verse, “Hear me calling/Hear me calling love/Hear me knocking/Knocking at your door”. Unlike on past tours, U2 did not end with One, but proceeded to play a new classic, Walk On, which for my money is the best song from the new album. Bono played guitar again and thanked the fans for giving them a wonderful life. It was a really nice touch on Bono’s behalf, giving recognition to the ordinary folks who make it possible for him to live his dream.
Interestingly, U2 did not play Pride (In The Name Of Love), nor did they play any songs from Zooropa or October. However, they did manage to play songs from eight different albums. U2 proved once again that they are an amazing live band with an endless supply of brilliant songs. I urge all fans of modern music to see U2 live at least once in their lives. In my opinion, you haven’t really lived until you’ve seen U2 live. Pay a few hundred dollars if you have to – it will be worth every cent.
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Epinions.com ID:
Nathanael73
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Location: Michigan
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Traveler Reader Writer
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