Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that everything they played over the three nights had already been performed elsewhere on the tour - not necessarily on the European leg, but still played nevertheless.
Technically you're right, emotionally you can't be more on the wrong street. The 3rd Dublin night was exceptional in many aspects. It was the longest show, U2 have EVER played so far: with a setlist of 28 (!) slots and a legion of snippets, too. With the European stadium leg unfortunately being not very flexible on setlists (hopefully not a hint for 2009!) – on the contrary to all the other legs, especially in USA II and Oceania– U2 played one of the best gigs, I've ever witnessed.
From the opening thunder of "Vertigo" (standard opener) we were treated with the house rocking "All Because Of You" as a surprise in slot #2. Only to be followed by October's much too often neglected gem "Gloria" (only performance in Europe!): the crowd went nuts and I wasn't the only one to ask, "why not play this vintage tune more often?". Still jumping, "Elevation" crashed in followed by the beautiful couple "An Cat Dubh" and "Into The Heart" (only performances in Europe!). The former Boy track had Bono adopting as his cat stage persona, while the latter was Bono face to face with a very young guy, impersonating the "heart of a child" – wow!
"Beautiful Day" had its Beatles' reference, "Found" even had the Thin Lizzy one – the "Boys Are Back In Town"(you can call this a rarity, too)!
Then Bono moved onwards to the B-stage, when the band decided for the piano driven "Original" and then the for so long missing hymn: "Bad", sung beautfully, in a quieter, reflective mood, another "only tonight" for the whole European leg –with Bono stretching the tune with a beautful rendition of Dublin's nostalgic tune, "Dirty Old Town" (another rarity, friends!).
After all these surprises, the usual set went on –with nice performances of "City Of Blinding Lights", "Miracle Drug", "Sometimes" with its moving funeral reference "Black Hills Of Dakota" and "Love And Peace". There it is time to stop, because on the third night U2 played (the usual) "Sunday Bloody Sunday" then, but with a strenght and emotion, I've not witnessed very often. All the anger on Iraq war, all the anger about the hatred of former decades between Irish and British, all the blood the Croke Park witnessed back then was adressed by Bono and pushed in this incredible choir of the audience, who were one voice. "Bullet" with its snippets kept this spirit, followed by its Joshua brother "Running", that was stretched with a nice snippet of "Walk On", too. "Pride", "Streets" and "One" came on – and U2 even had time for a brief "Unchained Melody" (another rarity these days).
The encore was "Zoo", "The Fly", "With Or Without You" and the 2nd "Vertigo", that even had its full circle predecessor "Stories For Boys" in it. Who thought, it would really be the end of this Springsteen-like marathon, was proved wrong. "Yahweh" was played, and then with the classic '40' (one of only 3 performances in Europe, and the very first one in front of a big audience for ages there) brought the final curtain.
No, after all this, euphoria and even hysteria might turn up – I wanna go there toooooooo! Understandable, but you might get a wrong picture. The 2005 show was exceptional even in regarding all U2 shows played in their hime town. Such a "longest night" never has happend before there. And I doubt, it will happen again that way.
Take the '87 shows for example: They were great, but so was the whole tour in Europe. Dublin was no exception, apart from the atmosphere to see U2 in their home (which can be a diffult and often from media side criticized thing, too!). Take the '89 shows: They were great, but so was the whole tour. The 'New Year's Gig' was another story with its emotions, but certainly not because of the setlist. Take the '92 shows: they didn't happen at all! Take the '93 shows: They were great, but so was the whole tour. That we have one show recorded perfectly, could lead to too much overrating here. Take the '97 shows: They were nearly just the same as the rest of the the European leg, with some new snippets, a lot of emotion, but that's it. Take the '01 shows: they were NOT in Dublin again, but in Slane – with not much setlist change to other European shows either. An exception 2005 was not the 1st, was not the 2nd night – only the 3rd one.
So, let's see what the future brings. In other words. Great U2 concerts can happen everywhere, not necessarily only in Dublin!
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I'm going to try and get tickets to at least one of them.
