Post your pics, experiences and reviews for this show here.
This Second night was soooooo much better for me than yesterday.
First the opening bands, two reals bands, with talent and songs : Republic of Loose and Kaiser Chiefs.
Second : Even if the night has been a bit rainy, the band seems to be in Dublin for this concert (like if yesterday was a rehearsal). The atmosphere was more intense, Bono cried I think, all the band was smiling, the crowd was a bit better today than yesterday, etc.
Between Paris I, Dublin I and Dublin II, Dublin II is the best for me.
I'm a bit tired so my post is short, but I'm speachless, on a little cloud
Hard to tell what show was better, got there at 11:30 again, got even closer (in the queue), people didn't arrive until much later today. Queue for the t-shirts was crazy...seriously...no soundcheck that I could hear, got in at about 4. Republic of Loose were the worst band I've ever seen live (poor Counting Crows have finally moved up on the list). Kaiser Chiefs were great excluding the new songs (Never Miss a Beat and History...), U2 were again incredible, changed 5 songs and changed the order. A little disappointed we didn't get Bad again but at least I saw it live. Unknown Caller was incredible and I loved hearing In a Little While too, really great show from the boys
Tonight was my first and only GA on the tour. I met the lovely InfinityGirl on O'Connell Street beforehand, we joined the queue at Croker around 1pm and we made it into the pit. However we chose to go out to the outside rail in the centre of the walkway as the pit was a bit too packed. There was a small kerfuffle when the people who had been queueing overnight specifically to get a place on this rail arrived to find their spots taken, but it was sorted quickly and amicably, with the pit-deserters giving up their places on the rail. (Apparently security shouldn't have let us leave the pit at all.)
The sound down there was LOUD, very very LOUD. Lots of sub-bass from Larry's bass drum and marrow-wobbling bass from Adam's guitar. I think I finally understand how the people at the front and the band themselves hear everything a little bit before the rest of the stadium hear it from the speakers on the roof of the Claw - the speakers at the front would drown out a jumbo jet landing on the pitch never mind the delayed sound above.
The crowd at the front was almost entirely from overseas. The Irish tend to go into the gig either just before the gig starts, or (as I noticed last night) even a bit afterwards. There are drinks to finish off you know. But it was strange how all the crowd at the front went mad during the songs but all the cheers for Bono's little interludes about Dublin or Ireland came from the back and sides whilst those at the front stood almost completely silent. The homies were all a wee bit behind.
Highlights of the gig were NLOTH, Unknown Caller, and surprisingly for me, Vertigo - my word, Larry was fairly beating a few shades of shit out of his drums during it - as a (crappy) ex-drummer myself I loved seeing him in aggressive but measured full flow up close.
But the song of the concert is for me the song of the tour: Moment Of Surrender. It's like an intense but edifying confession blasted through an amplifier. Bono fell to his knees towards the end (his own moment of surrender to Croke Park and Dublin?), and it looked like he was offering up a silent prayer as the song continued. A beautiful, affecting moment.
I can't separate the two shows into which was better. Last night seemed much more local, much more of an Irish sing-a-long, much more showing off your new toys to your mates. But I was sitting amongst Dubs last night and they lapped up the many home-boy moments. Tonight for me was more showing off your tunes and your mates that play them - Bono put more references to the rest of the band in tonight whereas it was pure Dub talk last night.
I'm glad it rained - it's summer in Dublin after all
My pictures from this concert : 20090725 Dublin
Can someone explain how the crowding is at the front of the outer circle compared to inside the pit?
From looking from the Inner Cirle at the Outer Circle it looked fairly rammed / uncomfortable.
Thanks
My impressions of the show:
- I'm disgusted at the GA behaviour described by smurphette. It's things like this that make me glad that I choose seats every time. While I admire the dedication of those prepared to travel great distances and then queue for many hours, or overnight etc, is it really worth it? Sadly the 'militant fans' (to quote Larry) seem to spoil things for others by their sheer selfishness.
- This was my second U2 live experience and I have to say it was better than Vertigo 1 in 2005. The band, and Bono in particular, really seemed to crank up the intensity (although if I was being picky, I'd say that Friday's setlist was better - but certainly not a problem for me.)
- The crowd were awesome, especially singing the majority of ISHFWILF while Bono just stood there, apparently in awe. Lovely Stand By Me snippet too.
- Plenty of people were glad that Unknown Caller made a comeback, but I was really hoping for Bad. Oh well, maybe I'll get to hear it some day.
- Damn the Croke Park curfew. Half the concert was in daylight so it would've been nice to get the full effect of the Claw in darkness all the way through.
- IMO, Streets has to be the best live song ever. If Bono really was moved to tears at the end of Saturday night's performance, I can understand why. Band and crowd in unison, stadium shaking beneath their feet - awesome.
- Moment of Surrender is a gorgeous song on album, and also live. I wasn't sure if it could be made to work as a live song, but it does. It's stupendous. Time seems to stop for eight minutes of blissful harmonic perfection...BUT, I'm sorry, but it just doesn't work as a final song, because the concert does end on a slight downer. MOS would be good as a closer to the main set, if they then came back and tore the place apart with some fast songs.
- U2 are danceable! I used to think that Mysterious Ways was their funkiest effort, but the Crazy Tonight remix is pretty damn good too.
- On a purely personal note, there were four empty seats beside my wife and I for the entire concert. In between the Kaiser Chiefs and U2's sets, four Irish girls briefly occupied those seats, but they disappeared and didn't reappear. Where did they go?!
- In block 301 of the Cusack Stand, there were no problems with sound at all. Vocals and music could both be clearly differentiated.
- Can anyone explain Bono's cryptic references to Heuston and Connolly Stations, or was he just making a joke?
- The Chilean girl brought up on stage was presumably the only U2 fan who doesn't know where Bono lives.
- The Walk On performance was genuinely moving. While I think that the bulk of that song is bland, it does have a thrilling conclusion it works better as a live song. The overall impression was very poignant.
- The Claw is a technical marvel, but how can it ever be topped? It's so tall it can be seen from outside Croke Park! When it's fully lit up on TUF and COBL, it is beautiful.
My impressions of the show:
- I'm disgusted at the GA behaviour described by smurphette. It's things like this that make me glad that I choose seats every time. While I admire the dedication of those prepared to travel great distances and then queue for many hours, or overnight etc, is it really worth it? Sadly the 'militant fans' (to quote Larry) seem to spoil things for others by their sheer selfishness.
- This was my second U2 live experience and I have to say it was better than Vertigo 1 in 2005. The band, and Bono in particular, really seemed to crank up the intensity (although if I was being picky, I'd say that Friday's setlist was better - but certainly not a problem for me.)
- The crowd were awesome, especially singing the majority of ISHFWILF while Bono just stood there, apparently in awe. Lovely Stand By Me snippet too.
- Plenty of people were glad that Unknown Caller made a comeback, but I was really hoping for Bad. Oh well, maybe I'll get to hear it some day.
- Damn the Croke Park curfew. Half the concert was in daylight so it would've been nice to get the full effect of the Claw in darkness all the way through.
- IMO, Streets has to be the best live song ever. If Bono really was moved to tears at the end of Saturday night's performance, I can understand why. Band and crowd in unison, stadium shaking beneath their feet - awesome.
- Moment of Surrender is a gorgeous song on album, and also live. I wasn't sure if it could be made to work as a live song, but it does. It's stupendous. Time seems to stop for eight minutes of blissful harmonic perfection...BUT, I'm sorry, but it just doesn't work as a final song, because the concert does end on a slight downer. MOS would be good as a closer to the main set, if they then came back and tore the place apart with some fast songs.
- U2 are danceable! I used to think that Mysterious Ways was their funkiest effort, but the Crazy Tonight remix is pretty damn good too.
- On a purely personal note, there were four empty seats beside my wife and I for the entire concert. In between the Kaiser Chiefs and U2's sets, four Irish girls briefly occupied those seats, but they disappeared and didn't reappear. Where did they go?!
- In block 301 of the Cusack Stand, there were no problems with sound at all. Vocals and music could both be clearly differentiated.
- Can anyone explain Bono's cryptic references to Heuston and Connolly Stations, or was he just making a joke?
- The Chilean girl brought up on stage was presumably the only U2 fan who doesn't know where Bono lives.
- The Walk On performance was genuinely moving. While I think that the bulk of that song is bland, it does have a thrilling conclusion it works better as a live song. The overall impression was very poignant.
- The Claw is a technical marvel, but how can it ever be topped? It's so tall it can be seen from outside Croke Park! When it's fully lit up on TUF and COBL, it is beautiful.