okay, so my review is this.
When they came on and Bono started singing and the big screen flashin images, I seriously felt something was lacking. It was like there was no massive 'wow' factor, but only because Im so used to U2 doing great big 'powerful' type openings that they have done in the gigs, like in Zooropa/PoPMart/Vertigo - you feel a group always tries to surpass their last intro, and even when they played Mofo at MTV as the opener I felt chills down my spine, but anyway this just hit me as 'okay'.
But then, Edge does that little magic riff just before Bono sang second verse, suddenly I could hear the proper U2
it was really about halfway through the song, I felt it kicked off better!
but you know in a way, while this song is bloody fab - for some strange reason I felt pretty strange with the performance. it was like a newish yet familiar sound for U2 and the performance was so toned down I really felt like the guys were being about 25 years old again. yeah, really! I felt that if you could take how the boys were (their age and image) in the video for Stories for Boys and had them play that song that.... my gawd!
it was a weird feelin, it really was, like the very young U2 and the present old U2 combined in song and performance. I cannot quite put finger on what exactly I mean, LOL!
I know, Im strange!
but yes, and then Bono wearing the eyeshadow as a new image, at least he is keen to keep U2 a little different every couple of years they come back out!
on a side note, congrats to Kings of Leon, loved their performance, loved GA performance too, and glad to see Pet Shop Boys finally get their award, their performance was very good, and Lady GaGa can fuking sing so well! way up to wee Brandon Flowers too!
Take That were brilliant, as usual! and Beyonce should have won, not Kate!