U2's best live moment?

[TheFly2U]

11 o clock tick tock from Irving Plaza in 2000 is one of my all time faves.

yes!

 

[OrARoundabout]

Out of Control from Slane...especially after the bridge/talking bit, the one decent camera shot Hamish has ever done, the sweeping crane as the final verse kicks in and you see the entire f'ing crowd bouncing up and down.

Bullet from the ZooTV promotional Outside Broadcast video (don't actually have the video, just an rip of the audio)...not sure I've ever heard the song more angry, or with more teeth...Edge just destroys it, like he can barely wait for Bono to finish the damn verses so he can blow his speakers up during the solo...

And I'd forgotten how good the MTV Please performance was...I remember it vividly when I first saw it...it was the peak of crap teen pop, between early Brittany, Nsync, I think some of those college-bouncing-beach happy bands (Smashmouth, etc.)...and in the midst of it, out walk U2, very little hype (given the mid-Pop doldrums), and I'm honestly not sure that the crowd there that night knew what to make of it...real adults walking on stage and reminding them just what rock can actually do to you...I was watching it with my younger sister and some of her friends, and given everything they were in to at the time--and especially having just watched an hour or so of the typical pop-crap show already--they looked almost uncomfortable, like they were embarassed at just how different and powerful it is when a real rock band gets up there and kills it. Like folks used to Big Macs suddenly presented with a personally-made Thomas Keller menu...overwhelm to the point of confusion. Me, on the other hand...still one of my favorite moments of theirs.

Awesome post...are you refering to Bullet from Rotterdam?

 

[I am]

The greatest U2 moment ever was the performance of All I Want Is You Rotterdamn 1990 -01-09. The last 4minutes of this extended version of the song were simply mindblowing!

 

[Vlad n U 2]

My favourite U2 live performance would have to be Please live from Helsinki. Its just so emotional, so epic, really reminded me why U2 are so good and when Edge kicked into his solo, wow, its like the best musical feeling ever.

 

[edgeplaytheblue]

Fav. live moment. Pffffff .... i still think miss sarajevo @ amsterdam 16-07-2005.
I heard the piano and thought : WTF ... this is not running to stand still .....
But it is subjective. Heard so many things over the past 20 years

 

[Vlaco]

Fav. live moment. Pffffff .... i still think miss sarajevo @ amsterdam 16-07-2005.
I heard the piano and thought : WTF ... this is not running to stand still .....
But it is subjective. Heard so many things over the past 20 years

That was really great indeed. First time in years and what a vocal performance

 

[edgeplaytheblue]

Yep and totally unexpected .... that is what you call "the element of surprise" - moment
I really like "running to stand still" but this replacement was awesome. What I said before : I had a WTF-moment .... tears in my eyes ... i have some picture of that moment LOL, thanks to my friend

 

[digitize]

My favourite U2 live performance would have to be Please live from Helsinki. Its just so emotional, so epic, really reminded me why U2 are so good and when Edge kicked into his solo, wow, its like the best musical feeling ever.

Please is amazing.

 

[standrums]

It's going to be Unknown Caller on the 360 Tour

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Please is amazing.

I'm not alone!

Aw John.

 

[Fernando-]

Another one...

Original Of The Species, Milan:

YouTube - U2 - Original of the Species - Milan Italy - Vertigo Tour

 

[adypole]

I've finally concluded on streets from the boston DVD. the start is holy. the lighting, the sound...incredible!

second is of course zoo station from any of the later zoo tv legs. the whole OMG LOOK IT'S BONO!!!!! moment when his silhoutte rises up kicks ass.

 

[God Part III]

"For two magical hours, the rock band U2 achieved what warriors, politicians and diplomats could not: They united Bosnia."

The answer is obvious to me, and I'm surprised noone has mentioned it:

POPMART SARAJEVO

Larry himself said it was the defining moment of his career.

If we're gonna be specific, Streets. It's so incredibly gobsmackingly orgasmicly fantastic.

 

[Howie]

Wire.
YouTube - Rare U2 Wire live 1985

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

or this

YouTube - U2 Adelaide 1993-11-16 Dirty Day pro-shot

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

it has to be the fog and harmonica od running to stand still into organ into streets at zoo tv. Second to that, probably zoo station from sydney.

yes!

 

[Jon Seidman]

Their halftime performance at Superbowl XXXVI was awesome throughout, and then the final moment of Bono opening his jacket to reveal the American flag.

 

[zooropop40]

Best superbowl performance ever!!!

 

[digitize]

Here's their real best live moment (probably closely followed by every performance of Please):

YouTube - U2 - MacPhisto Speech & Lemon (Sydney '93)

 

[JCOSTER]

Live Aid '85: I think was a defining moment...@ least when I saw it live, I remember just falling on the floor to my knees!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHnXOSxka1Q


Exit from Rattle and Hum: Bono is just goes to another place while singing this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAcKHMPHNoQ

 

[financeguy]

YouTube - U2 Dubliners Tribute - Late Late Show 1987

 

[Mac Phisto]

Peace On Earth/Walk On from the 9/11 Tribute to Heroes has always been incredibly powerful for me. It just nails the moment and when Bono yells "I'll see you when I get home, sister!" during the climax, that just may be my favorite U2 moment ever. Bonus points for B-Man losing the shades for the performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJi-QxxeN9s

 

[Jack Bauer]

Also a good performance of Bad,
YouTube - U2 - Bad/All I Want Is You - Popmart Santiago 1998

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Here's their real best live moment (probably closely followed by every performance of Please):

YouTube - U2 - MacPhisto Speech & Lemon (Sydney '93)

This is also among the best.

BEST. SPEECH. EVER.

 

[Fernando-]

Exit from Rattle and Hum: Bono is just goes to another place while singing this song.

I loved that one too, and Sunday Bloody Sunday from Rattle & Hum as well.

 

[SamuelSmeloc]

YouTube - U2 - Tribute to heroes - Walk on

That one is great! The best Walk On performance I have ever seen.

 

[gvox]

Please into Streets a la PopMart is all sorts of awesome, also.

 

[dan_smee]

Without a doubt for me, 2 moments live miles above all others:

1) The transition from All I Want Is You into Streets at Slane. The way Bono is screaming yooooooooooooooooooooo-ooooooooooouuu, and then changes the key mid-note as the synths fire up in the background. The most spine-tingling U2 moment ever

2) The 'fade-away' Bono hits during bad at Notre Dame in 01. The hands cupping the mic and the echo and distance of the voice, brings me out in goosebumps every time.

I know they are both Elevation moments, but that's just how I feel

 

[The Sad Punk]

U2 LIVE Bono Holds High C For Like Fourteen Seconds!!

 

[TokyoRarry]

[Rock'n'Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony]



Hands down.