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Niamh_Saoirse

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Irish Independent
March 30, 2005

Bono's in top form at the band's 'best ever' opening concert

AN ecstatic Bono, lead singer with U2, yesterday spoke of the "magical" start to their first tour in three and half years which opened before a sellout crowd in San Diego.

Manager Paul McGuinness said of the opening stadium gig: "Of all the tours, it was the best first night we ever had."

The stage itself may have been stripped back to the basics but the band proved they have lost none of their sense of theatrics or liking for special effects.

Opening this US section of their world Vertigo 2005 tour, in a city which is home to a large US naval base, the band did not shy away from overt politics.

At one stage during the set, the Declaration of Human Rights was scrolled on a giant screen across the stage. At another point during 'Bullet the Blue Sky', Bono sank to his knees blindfolded, the symbolism re-inforced by the song being interspersed with lines from the anti-war song 'When Johnny comes marching home'.

In all, the band played 22 songs, including in the early part of the set a selection from their very first album 'Boy', as well as six songs from their most recent album, 'How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'.

In the final half of the show, as 'Pride in the Name of Love' came to an end, Bono told the predominantly white audience: "Martin Luther King had a dream, he wasn't just talking about the American Dream. His dream was even bigger than that, it was a dream big enough to fit the whole world, it was a dream where everyone was equal under the eyes of God. Everyone."

Speaking after the show, a new slimmed-down Bono joked how he had lost weight in preparation for the tour: "The fat Elvis period is definitely over," he said.

Along with manager Paul McGuinness and guitarist the Edge, he also took time after the concert to talk by phone to Gerry Ryan for his radio show on RTE.

Commenting on the gig he said: "It was very good. I'd give it a ten. The opening is really special, really magical."

The Edge told RTE: "We did pretty well and even outdid ourselves and went beyond what we were expecting.

"Bono was brilliant as well, he was really on top form. It is really an incredible feeling when you've been in the studio for so long and you put the album out and then suddenly you get the chance to play the songs and see the fans again. It was just great and we're really looking forward to the rest of the tour and obviously the high point which will be Croke Park."

Many of the songs have not featured in previous live sets; even before last night's gig the band had again changed the show's content and running order. "It was a nightmare for the production people but we were right," said the Edge.

Bono said of the decision to include a reading from the Declaration of Human Rights: "San Diego is the base of the US Navy so there was some stuff in 'Bullet the Blue Sky' that had to be said.

"These giant heads made of smoke appear in the middle of the arena and they speak the articles in the Declaration of Human Rights about torture and arrest and respect for people. I meant to dedicate it the hostages and other people to keep it right."

Manager Paul McGuinness told the show: "It's all very well being the biggest band in the world but you also have to be the best. . .I was very proud of them, they absolutely pulled it off. They are better than ever. . .they're still making great records after 25 years." U2 will play 13 cities in North America before arriving in Brussels on June 10 for two months of European shows including two sold-out concerts at Croke Park.

The European leg of the tour will finish in Lisbon in August.

A third leg, kicking off in Toronto in September, will feature 33 more dates in North America and run until mid-December.

Eugene Moloney
and Lynne Kelleher
 
Why didn't they do Original of the Species, One Step Closer and Crumbs from Your Table? Those songs would have sounded awesome live.

Otherwise, it was a very solid set list. But there weren't any songs from Pop or Zooropa, although they never really play songs from Zooropa anway.

I'm still wishing for them to play Acrobat.
 
TwoAmericas said:
Why didn't they do Original of the Species, One Step Closer and Crumbs from Your Table? Those songs would have sounded awesome live.

Otherwise, it was a very solid set list. But there weren't any songs from Pop or Zooropa, although they never really play songs from Zooropa anway.

I'm still wishing for them to play Acrobat.

Yes I'm seeing a lackage in awesome pop songs.
 
They also didn't play Walk On or UTEOTW.

To me, they should play every single song, even Elvis Presley and America. I love this band so much. I can never get tired of hearing their songs. Imagine a U2 concert that lasts like 12 hours. :drool:
 
I would take a nap if they played One Step Closer. I mean, it's a great song, but live? A waste of concert time! They need to ditch The Fly, Zoo Station, and Elevation in favor of OOTS, UTEOTW, and SOMETHING off of Pop (LNOE!!!) :yes:
 
LivLuvAndBootlegMusic said:
I would take a nap if they played One Step Closer. I mean, it's a great song, but live? A waste of concert time! They need to ditch The Fly, Zoo Station, and Elevation in favor of OOTS, UTEOTW, and SOMETHING off of Pop (LNOE!!!) :yes:


Amen to that!
 
Why dont they play UTEOTW anymore :sad: :sad:

Does anyone see hopes for them to play this song at some point of the tour???
 
wild honey 7 said:
Why dont they play UTEOTW anymore :sad: :sad:

Does anyone see hopes for them to play this song at some point of the tour???

I REALLY hope they add it back in. Everyone loves it, and it's basically fail-safe. It's not that difficult for Bono to sing, and Edge's played it so often he never messes up, plus the crowd goes nutso!
 
LivLuvAndBootlegMusic said:
I would take a nap if they played One Step Closer. I mean, it's a great song, but live? A waste of concert time! They need to ditch The Fly, Zoo Station, and Elevation in favor of OOTS, UTEOTW, and SOMETHING off of Pop (LNOE!!!) :yes:

I could live without Elevation, but Zoo Station? Nooooooo! LOL! Having missed the Zoo TV tour, it would kill me if they dropped it for the third leg.
 
Thanks for this article Niamh! :up:

I'm praying for UTEOTW too! It's up there with the best! :yes:
 
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