April 3, 2011 - Estadio Unico de La Plata, Buenos Aires

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
A bizarre, and much shorter show last night, with a dramatically cut setlist, in front of an inexplicably gullible crowd.

I gave everyone clear advance notice on my blog that I was going to go to Buenos Aires to watch a Boca Juniors match on Sunday evening, and that the U2 show would therefore have to start a bit later than usual when I got back from the football. I was tired when I got back to La Plata, but in a great mood, as it had been a very dramatic match in front of a wild crowd. Boca had been losing 1-0, but had come back to win 2-1, scoring a very late goal which caused complete pandemonium in the stadium.

When I got out of my taxi at the stadium back in La Plata, I could hear U2 sound-checking Sunday Bloody Sunday. I had to walk from the south east corner of the stadium around to the north west corner where my entry gate was. I’d a ticket for a seat behind the stage for the third time here. I could hear U2 sound-checking Scarlet and then Walk On as I walked on around the stadium. Interestingly, I discovered on entering the stadium that It had actually been a public soundcheck in front of a full house.

The actual concert began as soon as I arrived. It had a radical new opening. The show had a cleverly ironic new start, with U2 leaving the stage. There was a huge cheer from the crowd, perhaps the soundcheck had been a bit ropey. Space Oddity and Even Better Than The Real Thing were out. Instead, U2 started the show with the Tutu speech video. They had developed a mathematically logical opening, and began the gig with the suitably titled One, which was loved by a hyped-up crowd, although I’m not convinced it’s an effective opener for the whole stadium as nobody in U2 turned around to wave to me. Streets was next, and had everyone jumping around enjoying it, and Bono and Edge popped back to say hello.

And here is where the problems started. After a mere two songs, U2 left the stage again. Two songs? How dare they. I hadn’t dashed back from Buenos Aires to see a main set with just two songs. And unbelievably, nobody else noticed. I was staggered. Everyone was going nuts as if they’d just seen one of the best U2 concerts ever, the gullible fools.

U2 returned to the stage to play Hold Me Thrill Me, With Or Without You and then Moment Of Surrender, with Bono scaring his poor microphone with the intensity of his singing. I was just settling in nicely to see what would be up next with this radical new setlist, when inexplicably U2 left the stage again, and didn’t return.

Everyone was roaring very loudly. I thought initially that they shared my outrage at this farce of a gig, but they were actually roaring their approval. They were happy. With just five songs! (Albeit five well-performed and emotional songs.) But this was an outrage. I couldn’t believe that U2 could do this to me. Or to a stadium full of other fans. And worse than that, the other fans didn’t seem to mind. They accepted this farce as if they had received more than value for money.

I tried to start a protest by telling everyone that U2 usually play over twenty songs, and that a mere five songs was totally unacceptable. However everyone I stopped to rant to about this outrageous injustice just gave me huge hugs or happy handshakes.

But then people here are like that, crazy friendly and welcoming. I’ve been very rather far too spoiled by my very rather far too generous hosts here.

Viva Argentina!
 
sigh

nice one Cathal - you are one lucky mucker! footie and u2 in Argentina. wow!
 
heh i had to read thru that twice before the penny dropped :D
 
To miss most of a U2 show to go and watch "la bosta" play is hard to believe. Makes me shudder. However you did get one of their typical comeback matches which much to their regret put us at the top...
 
sigh

nice one Cathal - you are one lucky mucker! footie and u2 in Argentina. wow!

Thanks hedge, it was six nights in Argentina, three crazy concerts (or parts thereof) and two mad matches. And a lot of Argentinian beer, wine and asado. Oh, and those lovely Argentinians too of course!
 
Back
Top Bottom