Uno, Dos, Tres, Catorce!
Seeing U2 live in concert for the second time is like winning a second championship. The first one will always be special but the second is just as sweet. Tuesday night was amazing! Thanks to Mac’s golden ticket, we all ended up getting special wrist bands to access the middle of the circle stage. We were so close to the band that we could literally see Bono and Adam Clayton’s facial wrinkles - talk about up close and personal.
Vertigo
The Elevation Tour was charged with emotion stemming from the events of September 11th. The Vertigo Tour has a different message – one of peace, unity, and the fight for poverty and human rights. Both were effective and truly emotional and spiritual. I’ve said before, going to a U2 concert is more than just seeing a very good rock band. It’s more like a religious experience. I told Mac after the show that modern Christian bands today hide their faith and spirituality to make it in the secular music market. With U2, it’s the direct opposite. Here’s a secular band singing “Yahweh” and preaching about God in front of a packed arena full of people of different races, culture, and religion. You think they’re scared of any backlash by being politically incorrect?
Now It’s Personal
U2 has perfected the art of mixing their song set with some old tunes from The Joshua Tree and Unforgettable Fire albums, to Achtung Baby and Zooropa, to the present hits from All That You Can’t Leave Behind and … Atomic Bomb. The band played for 2 hours straight and there wasn’t a single moment when we felt that we were not a part OF it. U2 connects with its audience. They have a way of making it personal. It’s as if they’re singing their songs personally to you even though there are 50,000 other people in the arena.
Surprise rarities/performances: “The Fly”, “New Song”, “With or Without You”.
Bloody Sunday
“One” was the highlight of the Elevation Tour. They used that song as a centerpiece for healing and allowing people to mourn those who lost their lives on September 11th. This year, two songs brought that same kind of emotion out of me, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “Bullet the Blue Sky”. It’s true what Bono said, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” is now OUR song – meaning, our country’s song. What used to be a song about the violence happening in Ireland back in the 80’s, has now turned in to a song about the struggles of violence in our OWN country and what we’re doing overseas. It’s amazing how some songs have a way of evolving – and evolving in a way with what’s happening in the world and through personal experiences. I will never hear both songs the same way again.
On a side note: When Bono gave the microphone to a little girl in the audience and had her yell, “no more!” repeatedly, “…Bloody Sunday” became all the more real.
Legacy
As much as I love the Beatles, I think it’s safe to say that U2 is the greatest rock band of all time. Any band can create great melodies and catchy tunes. Those bands come and go, but bands with substance who write great songs with awesome messages become legends. Plus, it’s all genuine. I know the majority of the American public is probably sick of Bono. Even Bono admitted that he’s sick of Bono. However, the man has a noble mission, and he’s set on getting that message across even if people don’t agree with him or dislike him. U2, as a band, is like that. They may not care about how people dislike them for their commercial success and personalities, as long as the message gets across – that’s the important part.
I think it’s safe to say too that a band like Coldplay, who I also love, has a long way to go before ever becoming close to what U2 has become and accomplished. Let’s give Chris Martin 10 more albums under his belt and we’ll judge then.
Pre-Game Show
Damien Marley opened for U2. I’ve never heard his music before Tuesday night and I came away very impressed. That was some hardcore reggae, man! Probably more entertaining was his Jamaican, flag-waving band member. This guy’s only responsibility was to wave the Jamaican flag throughout the whole set – a 1-hour set. The flag-waving dude was awesome! Oh, the songs were great too. It’s like going tribal! I dig it.
One Last Thing
Bono actually visited the Chronicle offices in San Francisco on Tuesday afternoon and a bunch of my co-workers actually met him in person. Bummer for me since I work in Concord! ARGH! He met with the Editorial department and provided them with some insight – the piece appeared in Wednesday’s Chronicle. Read it Here.
Vertigo
The Elevation Tour was charged with emotion stemming from the events of September 11th. The Vertigo Tour has a different message – one of peace, unity, and the fight for poverty and human rights. Both were effective and truly emotional and spiritual. I’ve said before, going to a U2 concert is more than just seeing a very good rock band. It’s more like a religious experience. I told Mac after the show that modern Christian bands today hide their faith and spirituality to make it in the secular music market. With U2, it’s the direct opposite. Here’s a secular band singing “Yahweh” and preaching about God in front of a packed arena full of people of different races, culture, and religion. You think they’re scared of any backlash by being politically incorrect?
Now It’s Personal
U2 has perfected the art of mixing their song set with some old tunes from The Joshua Tree and Unforgettable Fire albums, to Achtung Baby and Zooropa, to the present hits from All That You Can’t Leave Behind and … Atomic Bomb. The band played for 2 hours straight and there wasn’t a single moment when we felt that we were not a part OF it. U2 connects with its audience. They have a way of making it personal. It’s as if they’re singing their songs personally to you even though there are 50,000 other people in the arena.
Surprise rarities/performances: “The Fly”, “New Song”, “With or Without You”.
Bloody Sunday
“One” was the highlight of the Elevation Tour. They used that song as a centerpiece for healing and allowing people to mourn those who lost their lives on September 11th. This year, two songs brought that same kind of emotion out of me, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “Bullet the Blue Sky”. It’s true what Bono said, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” is now OUR song – meaning, our country’s song. What used to be a song about the violence happening in Ireland back in the 80’s, has now turned in to a song about the struggles of violence in our OWN country and what we’re doing overseas. It’s amazing how some songs have a way of evolving – and evolving in a way with what’s happening in the world and through personal experiences. I will never hear both songs the same way again.
On a side note: When Bono gave the microphone to a little girl in the audience and had her yell, “no more!” repeatedly, “…Bloody Sunday” became all the more real.
Legacy
As much as I love the Beatles, I think it’s safe to say that U2 is the greatest rock band of all time. Any band can create great melodies and catchy tunes. Those bands come and go, but bands with substance who write great songs with awesome messages become legends. Plus, it’s all genuine. I know the majority of the American public is probably sick of Bono. Even Bono admitted that he’s sick of Bono. However, the man has a noble mission, and he’s set on getting that message across even if people don’t agree with him or dislike him. U2, as a band, is like that. They may not care about how people dislike them for their commercial success and personalities, as long as the message gets across – that’s the important part.
I think it’s safe to say too that a band like Coldplay, who I also love, has a long way to go before ever becoming close to what U2 has become and accomplished. Let’s give Chris Martin 10 more albums under his belt and we’ll judge then.
Pre-Game Show
Damien Marley opened for U2. I’ve never heard his music before Tuesday night and I came away very impressed. That was some hardcore reggae, man! Probably more entertaining was his Jamaican, flag-waving band member. This guy’s only responsibility was to wave the Jamaican flag throughout the whole set – a 1-hour set. The flag-waving dude was awesome! Oh, the songs were great too. It’s like going tribal! I dig it.
One Last Thing
Bono actually visited the Chronicle offices in San Francisco on Tuesday afternoon and a bunch of my co-workers actually met him in person. Bummer for me since I work in Concord! ARGH! He met with the Editorial department and provided them with some insight – the piece appeared in Wednesday’s Chronicle. Read it Here.
2 Comments:
The "How Long" song is called "40" as the lyrics come straight from Psalm 40.
Ah, thanks for the correction. I haven't listened to my old U2 cd's in a long time. I need a refresher.
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