To me Kanye West should be THE most exciting and interesting opener U2 have had all tour. There have been some great bands, and some sh*t ones, but this is certainly the most interesting and original. It kinda looks backward to me that people get excited about a very very very middle of the road band like Keane, but pile shit on someone like Kanye. If you think U2's music has any sway or pull or cultural meaning anymore, think again, and not only that, but realise that the guy who currently has it in spades is one Mr Kanye West, and somehow U2 have got him as an opener right at the peak of that. It's an incredible combo, you are getting two Grade A, Premium concert tickets for the price of one. If you are talking the last 2 years alone, Kanye is lightyears bigger than U2 in a strictly musical sense. Way ahead. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, if it were U2's only album and if U2's whole history was within the story of that album, should rightfully be opening for College Dropout or Late Registration. So go along, you don't have to be a hip hop fan, you don't have to agree with his politics, but at least understand that you have tickets to see one of the most original, interesting, innovative and flat out exciting artists of this decade and not only that, but U2 are on after him. It's got to be one of the best concert tickets available this year.
I always used to think that U2 fans were a little bit smarter, a little bit more open to new ideas than most. I think they did too, a decent chunk of their back catalogue wouldn't exist if they didn't. If anyone is ignorant enough to boo Kanye West, that is an incredible shame in more ways than one. If anyone in here is standing near someone who boo's, could you please throw a punch on my behalf, because I'd kill to see that double billing - I think everyone in the building is extremely fortunate. Remember, for a long time U2 were the type of band that actually had a hell of a lot more in common with Kanye then they would with a band like Keane. Things change, but hopefuly fans can recognise that in him, the band clearly do.