U2 360 Tour

When U2 released their new album No Line On The Horizon back in early March there was not a lot of buzz generated by the group and their efforts. Hailed by some and hated by others, it lacked a gimmick like their previous two albums. All that You Can't Leave Behind was a comeback for the band; a return to basics and pop song writing. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb had the huge Apple I-Pod campaign surrounding it. Early hype for the new record created the notion that this would be the best record of their storied career. It is not their best record and not even their best record released this decade. So since the album had generated little buzz, the band sought out to create a tour that would put everyone on notice... U2 has arrived (again) and still rocks.

In the past two decades U2 has welcomed bold stage designs for their concerts; the dark industrial look of the ZooTV/Zooropa tour, the McDonalds arch, the lemon disco ball and the neon of the PopMart tour and now the Claw. The Claw is a huge stage piece of brilliant design and awe inspiring magnitude.



The Claw allows the band to perform for the entire audience at any stadium. It is not like most stages that only allow 75% of the audience to enjoy the show. Not one corner of the stadium would be neglected as the band moved across the circular stage trying to reach out to every corner of the audience.

The band started out with four tracks off of the new record and would push through much of the show with songs from the new millennium. They dipped in the well of their classics, playing "One," "Where the Streets Have No Name," and "Pride (In the Name of Love)." They finished off "Beautiful Day," with an impromptu version of the Beatles classic "Blackbird" and even threw in a bit of "Oliver's Army" during the break of "Sunday Bloody Sunday." Live favorites like "Bullet the Blue Sky" and "New Year's Day" were pushed aside for songs like "The Unforgettable Fire" and "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)" which have not been performed stateside for over 15 years. The band displayed that they could continue to perform at a high level. Even the remix dance hall version of "I'm Going to Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" sounded fresh and hip, besting the bands previous attempts to turn a stadium into a dance floor.

Unfortunately while the Edge, Adam and Larry performed at a high level, Bono lacked the urgency and sincerity of past performances. He was energetic and grand like typical Bono but lacked the ferocity of previous tours. Bono has thrived when pushed by social commitment, emotional burden or the perception that the band has lost its relevance. 80's Bono was pushed by a will to succeed, the death of his mother and social causes. 90's Bono was fueled by the constant reinvention of the band. In 2000 Bono was pushed by what he acknowledged as the bands efforts and re-application to be the world's greatest band. A few years later Bono was motivated by the threat of middle age and the passing of his father. What fuels Bono now? His earnest push for social change seems watered down. His ability to create clever slogans has turned into a weakness that does nothing but commercialize his cause. Videos of a war torn middle east during "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and a video clips of Africa trying to cope through AIDS and malaria seem to induce sympathy rather than social change. Even the moving tribute to Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi during "Walk On" felt a bit out of place. Some have criticized the band for inviting politics and social agenda on this tour while the 120 semi's used to haul the massive stage leave a massive carbon footprint. It is hard to criticize a band trying to do good especially when the criticism is that they could do a better job of being good people and promoting causes many neglect. Should we blame them for our high expectations? I think not.

Despite the show lacking some of the sincerity and intimacy of their two previous tours or the media overload of the 90's mega-tours, U2's 360 tour was a joyous event. Bono constantly promoting the notion that, "all you need is love" and a spaceship if handy was inspiring. Hope and possibility was in the air, sponsored by ingenuity and clapping hands. The sound and stage were dynamic but never overshadowed the band's love of performing. If anything U2 might not be pushing new boundaries but refuse to settle. They could get away with playing their standards in arenas and making a 20,000 people seem like a few hundred but choose to dazzle 65,000 people like they were 65,000 fans united by their belief in the band and their music. Grand spectacle is what the band wants to deliver and maybe grand spectacle is what rock music needs. Congratulations U2 for a good show and a job well done.



the setlist

"Breathe"
"No Line on the Horizon"
"Get On Your Boots"
"Magnificent"
"Beautiful Day/Blackbird"
"Elevation"
"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
"Stand by Me"
"Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of"
"Unknown Caller"
"The Unforgettable Fire"
"City of Blinding Lights"
"Vertigo"
"I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight"
"Sunday Bloody Sunday"
"Pride (In the Name of Love)"
"MLK"
"Walk On"
"Where the Streets Have No Name"
Africa Interlude
"One
"Bad/Fool to Cry/40"
"Ultraviolet (Light My Way"
"With or Without You"