It Happened Last Night
U2 / Photo by Sally Ryan
Photos by Sally Ryan
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>> David Byrne Calls Out U2!
U2 Dazzle the Senses at Chicago Tour Opener
The Irish quartet toned down the politics, amped up the spectacle, and rolled out the hits at Soldier Field.
By Kyle Ryan 09.13.09 10:40 AM
U2 / Photo by Sally Ryan
If U2's latest, No Line On the Horizon, didn't get people talking, the band seemed on a mission to make damn sure their U2 360° Tour -- which debuted Stateside in Chicago Saturday night (Sept. 12) after romping through Europe all summer -- did just that.
Check out 10 awesome shots of the band's 360º tour here.
Of course, how could it fail with its centerpiece: an enormous claw-like structure pierced with a towering, glowing spire hulking over a rotating stage and 360-degree screen. It's precisely the kind of thing that leaves concertgoers staring slack-jawed and primed for the sensory overload the world's biggest band is required to provide.
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Photos by Sally Ryan
MORE ON SPIN.COM:
>> Review: U2, 'No Line on the Horizon'
>> Magazine: What Makes U2 Run?
>> David Byrne Calls Out U2!
And even if they're not actually the world's biggest band anymore -- Coldplay appears to have lapped the Irish quartet, in terms of record sales -- and even though the Claw has come under fire for its massive carbon footprint, with the 120 semis needed to haul the stage from town to town creating enough emissions to fly U2 to Mars and back, as one report suggested, the thing just looks so cool.
As the pillars of the music industry collapse, there's something comforting in the spectacle concert. With the economy still struggling, it takes guts (and/or paralyzing delusions) to say "Screw it, let's load up 120 semis and hit the road."
The rapturous audience greeting U2 on the first night of its North American tour clearly didn't have carbon footprints on their minds. From the moment the band stepped onstage for No Line's "Breathe" to when "Moment of Surrender" closed the night, U2 were greeted as conquering heroes.
The 23-song set began with four songs from No Line and kept its focus there; U2 played seven of the album's 11 tracks. It also stayed mostly in the new millennium, with four songs from All That You Can't Leave Behind (crowd favorites "Beautiful Day" -- which sounded amazing -- and "Elevation" among them), and two from How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (including "Vertigo," which U2 often played twice at shows during that tour).
Usual suspects filled in the remaining holes: "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," "One," "Pride (In The Name Of Love)," "With Or Without You," and "Sunday Bloody Sunday," which U2 re-contextualized -- via green lighting and images -- from an anthem about Ireland's Troubles to the green revolution in Iran.
It wouldn't be a U2 concert without some references to the struggles of others. Aside from a moving tribute to Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi during "Walk On" -- punctuated by a few dozen concertgoers taking the stage's outer ring holding masks of Kyi's face -- and a video of Desmond Tutu thanking people for money raised for medication in Africa, U2 kept the focus on the music. In doing so, they also kept the crowd on their side. With so many people in this country struggling, now isn't the time to beat them over the head with pleas for people in foreign lands.
Now is the time for a gigantic claw, a stunning light show, and loud rock music. Even a frontman with pronounced messianic streak like Bono knows sometimes you just need to go all out. In that sense, U2's timing is impeccable.
U2 set list:
Breathe
No Line On The Horizon
Get On Your Boots
Magnificent
Beautiful Day
Elevation
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Stuck In A Moment (You Can't Get Out Of)
Unknown Caller
Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight (Remix)
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Pride (In The Name of Love)
MLK
Walk On
Where The Streets Have No Name
One
Bad
Encore:
Ultra Violet
With Or Without You
Moment Of Surrender
One problem with this review.
There is NO way on earth that Coldplay have taken over U2 as the world's greatest band, NO way. It's not just about the records sold, it's about the shows they put on as well. U2 shows are far more superior than any other show.
Apart from that, a pretty decent review.
Review from Tour in Chicago. If you really like U2 regardless of the sound quality, or song selection then by all means I hope you will enjoy the concert if you have tickets. If you do not have tickets, I would suggest staying that way and saving your money. This out of all their shows I've been too, was all lights and bs and not a whole lot of anything else. They are getting up there in age, but I think Mick Jagger will be dancing in his coffin! This may be the last concert I ever pay to go see U2 , very dissapointing. Coldplay isn't bigger than u2, that's just your opinion based on what? giving u2 a bad review in their concert doesn't reflect the years of how they've translated messages in their music about world issues and war. u2 will become a classic band, coldplay, i don't think so...
I went to see Coldplay in Des Moines and was at the U2 concert last night. I thought Coldplay's concert was much better. I thought the sound at Soldier Field sucked and Coldplay's energy was much better. The claw did nothing to foster a sense of intimacy, and which would I rather listen to, a majority of songs from a very mediocre "No Line on the Horizon" or arguably the best Coldplay thus far, "viva La Vida"? Compared to the Vertigo show I saw in Chicago, I also thought last night's concert left much to be desired.
For those who like the copy and not the original, you may be satisfied with Coldplay. It seems to me that anyone who is poor is not No Line On The Horizon but you ...
One of my long standing dreams was to attend a U2 concert live. . I know all the words of their songs by heart …well they are performing this year. Next weekend I’m going to visit my sister and we will attend them; I've got U2 tix from Ticketsinventory.com, so I'll be analyzing as well as enjoying the concert.
http://www.ticketsinventory.com/concert/u2-tickets/
I saw them last night (9/13) and they were as great as ever. You'll have a great time, Louise! It's hard to believe Bono can still sing like that. I've seen them three times and they're performances are consistently flawless. They're the only band I would want to see in a stadium. I've always agreed with U2's politics and am glad they haven't shied away from expressing them just because the media thinks its uncool or pretentious.
I was at the 9/13 show, GA tickets, about 20-30 yards from the front. Amazing. Warning:This is a rock concert. Leave your inner "viva La Vida" at home. There are no subtlies here, everything is huge, loud and in your face. What a viscral expereience. Like riding a rock-and-roll roller coaster, you really feel like you are a part of this thing. My highlights were city of blinding lights and the end of the world, but they made everything sound like an anthem. Well worth the epic struggle of getting in and out of Soldier field.
At least one Chicago reviewer was honest -- the concert really wasn't that great. I think fans Recall the name came from the word fanatic) would lap up a bowl of U2 crap and call it great due to blind allegiance to the band.
It's no coincidence a misguided, idiotic remark about U2 comes from "Anonymous".
Clearly you're as cowardly as you are clueless.
I attended both shows and I am still speechless. The claw has to be seen to be believed-it literally takes your breath away. I have seen 17 U2 shows, going back to Zoo TV and I don't think they have ever sounded better. I am so anxious to finally see U2 in Boston. Don't believe the naysayers. This is the show of the century.
I went to Coldplay and then U2 in Toronto. There was no comparison...the energy and spectacle of the 360 show was something that really has to be seen to be believed.
As to the mantle of 'World's Biggest Band', its worth noting that the Coldpaly show sold 40,00 tickets here, but you could still get some within the last month before the show. U2 sold out 62,000 for the first show within hours, and then another 62,000 for the next night within a few days after..
As th the buzz, when U2 came to town every paper was running front page stories and radio stations were falling over themselves trying to get Bono et all to appear, while the band themselves were mobbed everywhere they went..
Coldplay got a nice review in the entertainment section.
One is a good band....the other are rock royalty.....
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