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U2:UV Achtung Baby at the Sphere

49 reviews have been written by 39 users.

2023-10-07 - Las Vegas

Written by Carrickrer - 5 months ago

Didn’t queue early for a wristband, firmly against these fan led lines!
Went to Sphere at 1pm for merch as weren’t sure what was going to be available come showtime, many other fans had the same idea?. Queued for about 1.5 hours but got all we wanted, they had plenty of stock. Arrived at 7pm, entered venue about 7.10. Grabbed a drink and headed onto the floor. Got a spot about 5/6 rows from front on the Edge’s side, great spot and absolutely no need to join a queue from the day before! On the rail is not necessarily the best place to be as stage is higher, in fact this was the only draw back is that we didn’t get full experience of stage (but at the end of day it’s just lights).
Atomic DJ just didn’t do it for me (personal opinion)
However when he finished his set the anticipation and excitement started to grow in the crowd. When the band came on there was a great energy, and then the show started! WOW, sound was Incredible, impossible to be clearer, the use of the screen outstanding. It truly has to be seen to be believed, YouTube videos, impressive as they are, simply don’t do it justice. So many highlights, So Cruel and Love is blindness were outstanding. Streets is always a highlight (the intro-goosebumps every time)
Sphere need to do a bit of work around exit of GA, only had 2 exits open. Able to go up through 100/200 section. Overall an amazing experience that will live long in the memory. Well worth the airfare from the UK?
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2024-02-17 - Las Vegas by ajny4 rated

My second show at the Sphere & I think the band was better than the 10/7 show, which was, to..
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2024-02-23 - Las Vegas by podiumboy rated

One of the most incredible things I've ever seen! Finally seeing The Edge play the guitar solo for "Love..
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2024-02-17 - Las Vegas by clayboy103177 rated

Personally, the greatest U2 concert I have attended. And I’ve been going since 97 Popmart. I was too young for..
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Stories of Surrender Tour

11 reviews have been written by 11 users.

2022-11-09 - Nashville

Written by whitneyweaver - 1 year ago

After 24 hours of processing last night’s performance, here are a few of my thoughts on Bono’s “Stories of Surrender” show.

THE ART OF OVER-DELIVERING
This event was promoted ONLY as a “book tour”. Expectations were that Bono would make an in-person appearance, possibly participate in a moderated interview/conversation, and maybe perform 2 or 3 acoustic songs at the most. This would have been a compelling event that would have satisfied and pleased both fans and critics alike.

No one was expecting this to even be “a concert” much less a fully imagined, tightly scripted, choreographed, staged theatrical production that told a cohesive overarching narrative story showcasing completely new and reinvented musical interpretations.

The theatrical dynamic of this show was a complete and unexpected surprise that no one saw coming.

AMBITION & THE INHERIT RISKS
Bono was clearly NOT “winging it”. This show obviously required significant preparation, planning, and practice. From the script, to the stage and lighting design, to the blocking, to the casting of the supporting musicians - this was not Bono simply phoning-in his version of “Springsteen on Broadway”.

This ambitious storytelling vision was VERY HIGH risk. I can’t think of many artists that would even dare to try and attempt to pull something like this off with a straight face without the safety net of irony.

This bold creative choice required FULL commitment and a fearlessness of slipping into the pit of pretentiousness (i.e. “Turn Off the Dark 2.0” with a young Paul Hewson as Peter Parker’s understudy.)

MONEY DOESN’T MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND
This is the smallest tour in Bono’s career in the smallest venues he’s played since the second leg of the “War” tour in 1983. Producing and performing a show with this scale and creative risk with relatively minimal financial gain for a proven stadium act only adds to the shock and awe.

Call me naïve, but in an age of cynicism with art in the midst of a long losing streak versus commerce. Maybe it IS possible to "dream it all up again". Now, more than ever, “We need new dreams tonight”.
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2022-10-16 - Cheltenham by CHINNERS rated

The venue was situated in the centre of Cheltenham in Montpellier Park in a temporary festival setting. It held around..
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2022-11-28 - Madrid by LikeASong rated

Little can be said about Bono that hasn't already been said a thousand times. Rivers of ink have been poured..
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2022-11-28 - Madrid by mofo2 rated

The show was great from start to finish. It was very entertaining when Bono told his stories, and exciting when..
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Joshua Tree Tour 2019

25 reviews have been written by 23 users.

2019-11-19 - Adelaide

Written by ChillyPhilly - 4 years ago

U2's first performance at the sacred Adelaide Oval - and their first in Adelaide since the Vertigo Tour in 2006 - was yet another one for the ages. The date was their third in Australia since the U2360 Tour visited in 2010.

Fans lined up from the day before, organising their own queue outside the venue - later honoured by the stadium. In the evening on the night before the show, some gathered at a karaoke bar in Adelaide's CBD, where there was a gathering of cultures, experiences and memories joined in celebration of U2's music.

On the day - 19 November, 2019 - Adelaide's temperature hit 34 degrees Celsius but went up a notch when U2 fever maxed out. The band flew from Melbourne in the afternoon, opting to travel from the airport to Adelaide Oval for soundcheck. They were warmly greeted and walked alongside their vehicles for a short distance to say both thanks and sorry for taking so long to return to Australian shores.

Noel Gallagher and his High Flying Birds were outstanding, playing a fun, cheeky and energetic set as the stadium slowly filled. Gallagher read the vibe perfectly, and his banter would not be out of place in an Adelaide pub.

A cheer went around the stadium when U2's entrance song, 'The Whole of the Moon' by The Waterboys', began playing. They were now minutes away from what would be a tour de force.

The performance opened with Larry Mullen Jr's militaristic drum beat of 'Sunday, Bloody Sunday'. This was followed with the bouncing 'I Will Follow', then Adam's pumping bass started off 'New Year's Day' before 'Pride' concluded an energetic opening several songs. The only notable omission was 'Bad'.

Even in the heat of the night, the band continued to perform with purpose, delivering a highly energetic show. Bono acknowledged the efforts of Australian firefighters battling bushfires in the days leading up to the night, and later the band spoke about Irish inventions, with Larry mentioning flavoured Tayto potato chips (Joe 'Spud' Murphy).

U2 concluded their performance with a highly charged encore considering of live favourites that included Elevation, Vertigo and Beautiful Day; but they retained Every Breaking Wave and Love is Bigger Than Anything In its Way. Adelaide Oval sang much of 'One' for Bono to close the performance, and as is tradition, mobile phones were turned into a sea of torches.

The next day, a glowing review of the show was front page news. Despite being away for so long, the band created a memory that will last for just as long - but hopefully with not as long a wait until their next visit!
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2019-11-22 - Sydney by neoninfusion rated

I wasn’t originally going to this concert due to the similarity to the 2017 JT tour and the poor venue..
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2019-11-08 - Auckland by Jono99 rated

I was born in February of 1999 and basically ever since then i have been listening to this band, especially..
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2019-11-09 - Auckland by mrgunter rated

Having missed seeing U2 over the years for a variety of reasons (family, work), I made sure I got the..
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Experience and Innocence tour

165 reviews have been written by 131 users.

2018-06-06 - Montreal

Written by jennagirl - 5 years ago

What a ride! Montreal shows always have that something special. Tonight had that magic and even more than night 1. I was number 150 and this time got on the catwalk close to the e stage - perfect spot to see both stages. This tour really is about the story, and how the songs fit together to tell that story. Starting with LIAWHL and ending with 13 works so well. While personally I could go without the repeat of the Iris/CR/SBS trio they do fit with the narrative. And it proved a show can work without Streets, WOWY - in fact you forget they didn't play JT, and it can be argued COBL has taken the role that Streets has in other shows (not saying COBL is equal to Streets of course). Would have been nice to hear RFD but other than that the lack of variation in the setlist wasn't an issue; the show felt as fresh and exciting as the prior night. Highlights - Elevation (sorry but it is great live and gets the crowd crazy), Vertigo, Acrobat - (Edge and Adam, wow ), COBL, Love is Bigger, American Soul, and surprisingly, One - it was very special tonight. I always think of what Bob said to Bono about a "professional" show way back- but a U2 show really is, in all the positive aspects of this meaning - the fans paid a lot and the band delivered by putting on an incredible show.
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2018-11-06 - Dublin by u2fancat rated

We made our way to the concert way too early, but the rain had stopped, and we had little else..
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2018-10-08 - Amsterdam by ronsanjoy rated

I've seen U2 play live a lot since 1987, but this gig is defenitely in my top three of all..
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2018-07-01 - New York by Larlar rated

I overall enjoyed it a lot. It was such a wonderful concert and its always great seeing these guys again...
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Joshua Tree Tour 2017

255 reviews have been written by 204 users.

2017-08-01 - Brussels

Written by U2Bad2017 - 3 years ago

American landscape in Belgium

That show has been special to me. I went to USA for the first time in May-June 2017. I went in Arizona and California and saw the kind of landscape the band saw and used for their album "The Joshua Tree" but also for the visual of this tour. So seeing them two months after my USA trip was special to me. I went to my fifth U2 gig with my father. We had GA tickets and well Belgium is not known as a good organized country. Doors were supposed to be opened at 4pm. To enter in GA in King Baudouin stadium there are two doors. With a bit of logic and organisation you open those two doors on same time but they didn't and one of them has been opened before the other one. I was not on the lucky door but it didn't matter. We had a good spot. If you look at the drums on main stage we were in front of it and if you look on B-stage it was on our left at maybe five meters. So we had a great view on B-stage and we were not too close of the huge screen of the main stage, we actually had a good view on the screen, not too far and not too close. I mean in my opinion being in first row of the main stage for this show wouldn't be great because stage and screen are too large and you wouldn't enjoy the show the best. Of course if I would be in first row of the B-stage it would be the best but my spot was great like I said. So after a few hours of waiting we had the opening act and what an opening act. It's like having two gigs for price of one and half. We enjoyed Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds concert. "Champagne Supernova", "Wonderwall", "Don't Look Back In Anger" it was a nice moments. I mean the atmosphere was the one you can have on a hot summer day. Lot of sun, hot weather, nice sunlight on stage, people were in good mood and in peace with lot of smiles listening good music from Noel and his band it was really cool. Crowd sung some songs like the ones I mentioned before and Gallagher joked with the crowd wich was pleasant. Also a word about the stage. Well like usual U2 didn't make it small and minimalist. A large main stage (59 meters), behind it a large screen (61 meters long and 14 meters high) with a high resolution (7200 x 1560 pixels). On the screen we could see the shape of the Joshua Tree. That shape made the 14 meters of the screen high but also 9,1 meters higher than the screen, so 23,1 meters high. Then there is a catwalk and a B-stage wich looks like the Joshua Tree. The tree trunk stage is 37 meters long and on the end of the trunk around it there is a 17 meters wide B-stage in form of the Joshua Tree. So a cool stage.

During all the waiting, before the opening act and after it, poems in English has been showed on screen. Then "The Whole of the Moon" from The Waterboys could be heard from the speakers and people gets excited because everyone knew it's mean showtime.

We saw Larry Mullen Jr walking on catwalk to the B-stage and then launched the concert with "Sunday Bloody Sunday", The Edge appeared second, followed by Bono and then Adam Clayton. All the band is on B-stage so pretty close of my dad and I. Of course a classic song like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" made the crowd happy and some of them jumping and it's an energic start. Nobody in sit in seats place. Band then played a new version of "New Year's Day". They actually played and sung the last verse they usually skipped. The song was so longer than usual and in a kind of new version. People were happy so my father and I were too. Crowd made clapping during the song. Band was energic and our view were good. They were playing and moving all around the B-stage so everyone could see each of them closer to them from time to time.

Then came THE moment. After four gigs without my favorite song (even if that song was on the printed setlist of my first U2 concert they didn't play it on that night) they finally played it. I heard "Bad" in concert for the first time. To be honest if I could had "A Sort Of Homecoming" and "Bad" like they did in Seattle on 14th May 2017 it would be perfect. But back to "Bad". As soon as first keyboard introduction notes started, the crowd really appreciated it. I could hear "Aaah" all around me. I remember that when first notes has been played I turned back to see my father face and said "Yes" happily. It's my favorite song and I do really love that one. I can't explain. It's just a beautiful song with a nice sounds and atmosphere like U2 can created and it start quiet to became wild and wild and it put lot of energy and emotions on same time. And if you look the video of this concert you will see that the crowd is wild during "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day" but on "Bad" the crowd is just listening and seems quiet but it's not the boring quiet, it's the kind of quiet when a crowd is into the song and enjoyed it and the kind of quiet when a crowd is astonished by a performance. I'm a guitarist myself and during my first small concert I did at my college with friends we lived something similar but way less good than U2 of course. It was an exhibition and we were there to play music while people were looking at pictures. And we had three songs to play, it was our first gig and we only made a few quick rehearsals. I didn't talk on microphone because I was so stressed. So we just started to play a first song and to be honest nobody were really looking at us and I think nobody realised we started to play and everyone was talking. Then we started to play the second song and during it I made a guitar solo and suddenly in 20 seconds step by step the crowd became silent and quiet and they looked us until the end of our small gig in a deep quiet and it's that feeling in much bigger and deeper I recognize in the crowd during "Bad".

Even if it's my favorite song I didn't recorded with my phone, I wanted to be into it and to enjoy it from start to end and I did. Lot of people didn't used their phone during it. There were lot of phone for first two songs but not here wich was better. I can play it at guitar so I know how wonderful is it to play it but listen it is great too. And the "Heroes" snippet is a good one as well and everybody recognized it and sung it. Anyway good song that make everyone in the audience alright and agreed on it. There were clapping and singing. I think I kept my eyes on the band singing all the time and making the clapping when it need to do it. Well Bono messed a bit in the lyrics but it didn't matter. Also everyone in seats place were still standing. Intense performance.

"Pride (In the Name of Love)" followed and well I would prefer "A Sort Of Homecoming" or another song but only because I already heard it at almost each of my fifth U2 gig and so yes even if I like the song and think it's a good one I would like some change but it's only to me. Crowd appreciated it and made the "Oh, oh" wich lead us to "The Joshua Tree" part of the set.

At the end of "Pride (In the Name of Love)" the screen wich always been off before turned on to show some messages before turning all red with the shape of The Joshua Tree in black while the orgue introduction of "Where The Streets Have No Name" was starting. Larry Mullen Jr walked at the end of the B-stage to give his drums stick and then rejoin other members all standing in silence on B-stage. Then the band walked on main stage, stand at the foot of the tree for a few seconds and then The Edge launched the song. Like usual during this one crowd became wild and when the screen show an West american road trought the desert we could see the crowd like us appreciate the quality of the video. Visuals were really good and of course reminded me my recent USA trip wich was awesome. Something I really appreciate in that live version is the fact the introduction lasted quiet long like in the album version, it's something which give me the magic feeling of the song as well as seeing thousand of people jumping and singing it. Energic and great moments.

"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" followed and visuals were once again really cool. Bono drunk a Belgian beer at the start of the song. Crowd sung the first two verses and the chorus and in this live version drums and bass started at the beginning of the song wich was nice. There has been some clapping from the crowd too. Everyone really enjoyed the song as well as me and my father. It's the first one I ever learnt to play at guitar after all so it's a bit particular for me. Song end on people singing the chorus.

"With or Without You" followed and as soon as it started the crowd make a huge noise of satisfaction. A live version closer of the album version as ever. Nice visuals from the Death Valley and crowd singing the song and also making the "Oh, oh". Some lightfire in the audience and some clapping. Band walked on main stage on this one. Good moments.

"Bullet the Blue Sky" came then. Darker song, visuals still showing USA, and what a great live version. Close of the 1987 version with The Edge also using a "Wah Wah" effect and a bottleneck. Great guitar parts, nice crowd wich sung and was energic. Solid drumming too, in two word, amazing song.

"Running To Stand Still". Quiet song played on keyboard. This song is a great one too and is maybe underated. There is emotion in it and it was cool to heard it. Bono ended it with some harmonica parts. People sung it a bit and used lightfire again. Nice moments.

"Red Hill Mining Town" followed. First time for me I heard that song live and well I was expecting better. I was expecting the guitar parts like in the album version and well I was dissapointed by the keyboard but also the small orchestra playing it. So glad to saw it live but I was expecting better.

"Welcome to the side two of the Joshua Tree itself" said Bono to launch "In God's Country". I love that song and since the snippet Bono made of it in "Beautiful Day" in Rose Bowl in 2009 I wanted to heard it live and tonight this became true. I loved the guitar, bass and drumming parts, the energy in it and visuals were nice especially at the start with the Joshua Tree, the mountains and the sun. I also appreciated the Irish flag on the landscape and the end.

"Trip Through Your Wires" was the next one. I like that song. For me there is the typical American sound U2 was looking for. A bit of country and south music in it. I also liked the visuals again, with the woman painting the USA flag on her house. Guitar parts were good as always. For a first time hearing this song I was happy of it.

"One Tree Hill" followed. And really I was so happy to heard it. It's one of my favorite song of that album. I like the sound in it, the guitar parts and when The Edge lets himself go to a good guitar solo. And I always thought I will never hear that song live unless I go to Australia but I finally saw it live and I really appreciated that performance even if the guitar solo was not the best I heard for this song. Also visuals were once again really beautiful.

"Exit" was the next one. It began with a short video clip showing western and cow-boy. One of them looked a bit like Fred Trump, the father of Donald Trump, but was not him. However his name in the clip was Trump and he made the promise to protect the village by building a wall around it. One of the villager said he is a liar. I learned after the show that this short clip came from a 50's TV series called Trackdown. Then the song started and two hands apparead on screen with messages on them. One had "Love" the other had "Hate" on them. During the song Bono came on B-stage for the first time since the start of The Joshua Tree set so we could see it closer wich was great. That live performance was a great one. Lot of tension, intensities, energy in it. Musicaly song was awesome but guitar parts were really great. Bono had energy as well and light show was cool.

Bono stayed on B-stage during most part of "Mothers Of The Disappeared" before going back on main stage. Visuals showed a dozen of women holding a candle in their hands. Song was nice and I loved it and was glad to heard it for the first time live. Song ended on crowd singing the "Oh, oh". Band came then in front of stage to applause the crowd while Bono made a speech of thank you and said the stage has been build in Belgium. End of The Joshua Tree set and time for the first encore. During the wait the stage was in dark and the shape of The Joshua Tree was in blue.

Then a face apparead on the screen, probably a Syrian woman, and a speech was written on the screen. Well unfortunately almost nobody could see it. Speech was too low on screen and behind the drums set. Pictures of devastated Syria followed and "Miss Sarajevo" renamed "Miss Syria" was played. Not my favorite song but not a bad one neither, it's a nice and emotional one. Visuals were a war and ruined Syria. During Pavarotti singing part, a giant flag with a woman face on it travelled on seats place and it's a prerecorded Pavarotti singing wich could be heard. Crowd was quiet but listening it carefully. Bono thanked them.

Bono then launched the crowd with a "Oh, oh" while a pretty visual similar to an aurora borealis was on screen and while a prerecorded remix version of "Beautiful Day" could be heard from the speakers. This of course launched the song itself. Bono was on B-stage for that one so close to us for our pleasure. Also a funny fact from "Exit" to the end of the concert, Bono didn't wear his sunglasses wich is rare for him. Anyway back to "Beautiful Day" it was a bit of a different version played here. Introduction was a bit new and the verse "See the world in green and blue" was sung by Bono but also by robotic voices. Song is still nice and give energy to the crowd. I heard it at each of my five U2 show I attended so yes in a way if they would play another I would be happy but I was fine with hearing it.

"Elevation" was next, here too it's a nice song wich gave energy to the gig. Third time i heard it after 2005 and 2010 but I liked hearing it. Visual of Larry Mullen Jr waving to the crowd was fun and cool. "Vertigo" followed and well even if it's a good song, first it's not their best one but also hearing it at each gig became tiring. I heard it six times in five concerts, it's enough. Please skip it and play another one instead. Crowd reacted good but my father and I were maybe the only one who were boring by this song. Same way of playing it since 2005, same joke about Spanish lessons since 2005 and even same visuals of red and black circles since 2005. Really guys on next tour just forget about that song.

Bono walked back to main stage at the end of "Vertigo", so he stayed on B-stage for "Beautiful Day", "Elevation" and "Vertigo". A word about stage and how band used it. Main stage was 59 meters long but mainly the band stayed in the middle of it on about 15 meters almost all the concert. They rarely walked along the stage so why having a 59 meters stage long when you used maybe 20 meters of it. And about B-stage, members used it for the four first song and then only Bono came on it during "Exit", "Mothers Of The Disappeared" and the three song I mentionned before. So Bono used it good but other members didn't go on B-stage often wich was a bit dissapointing. It's not so bad but if The Edge or Adam Clayton would go on B-stage once or two after The Joshua Tree set it would be good.

"Ultraviolet (Light My Way)" followed and I was happy to heard it. Pictures of many, many women with their names apparead on screen during that song. I recognized many of them and discovered many as well. I remember of Anne Frank, Hillary Clinton, Marie Curie, Queen Mathilde, Patti Smith, Nafissatou Thiam, Emma Watson, Malala Yousafzai, The Suffragettes and The Pussy Riot. Good songs and Bono again came on B-stage half of the song and stayed on it for next one.

"One" was the one. Stadium became dark with only phone lights from the crowd who sung some parts of the song. Classic one but good one with great guitar parts on it. Happy to heard it. Bono then thanked us the crowd but also remembered that U2 has a special connection to our country. A lot of innovation and staging came from Belgium. After all his thank you he launched the last song of the night "I Will Follow". That one of course make all the stadium happy and wild. A great old rock song to close the show. I loved it especially when he made some Werchter references saying it's happy memories. We could clearly see they were happy to play it and to made that show in Belgium. And in conclusion I would say I lived a great show and concert, a good afternoon and night, a nice opening act, a nice setlist and some impressive visuals and I had a nice spot in GA to watch all of that so yeah I loved that gig.
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2017-06-23 - Toronto by Hwy_Girl rated

“FULL CIRCLE”

A circle:
-a perfectly round shape
-a line that is curved so its ends meet and every point on the..
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2017-05-20 - Pasadena by ahn1991 rated

This was the first of two shows at the Rose Bowl, and the first two night stay of the tour...
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2017-05-21 - Pasadena by ahn1991 rated

I attended night 1 with seat tickets and this time I had GA tickets. Wow, what a completely different experience..
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Innocence and Experience tour

309 reviews have been written by 192 users.

2015-11-28 - Dublin

Written by u2fancat - 8 years ago

Not as many people looking for tickets tonight - unlike last night, where we had the guy mimicking the homeless, with a sign that read "Ticketless. Please help." And the couple who'd flown over from Amsterdam, on spec..

Possibly this was because it was earlier. We'd got there early, to grab my friend a t-shirt; goodness knows, I have enough! Mind you, there was a small queue when we got to the stand. We had plenty of time though, and with two of us it was easier to squeeze to the front. And she had soon secured a t-shirt of her choosing, in the correct size. Just as well she wasn't looking for a Dublin-specific one, though - they were already down to their last ones in white, selling the display shirts. And other styles only had Large sizes left..

Climbing to our elevated seats, I had an attack of the wobblies again, and the very kind usher trotted back to give me his arm. That makes such a difference! We had a good view, if further back than I'd have liked. It did occur to me that, if seats this high up / far back were sold at the premium price, where were the lower-priced ones?! Practically every seat there must have been sold at the higher price. The only ones I could think of that might have been sold cheaper were those end-on to the vidiwall, and those right at the far edges. Or maybe the back five rows. Few enough, anyhow.

I had a good look at the people sitting behind us, when they arrived, to see whether they looked likely to complain if I stood. They didn't seem the type, but you never know. Handily, for once the guy roaming the stands, selling wine, happened our way, and I treated myself to a bottle. It was the last show of the year for me, after all! And I could use the handy cup-holders attached to the seats. The wine was a little sharp, but never mind.

My friend asked whether I was excited. More nostalgic, was my reply. Just think - I've spent almost a year planning for these concerts, anticipating them, organising transport and accommodation, surmounting obstacles, waiting with bated breath.. and here I was, waiting for the very last one to start. 'Twould bring a tear to the eye.

The place duly filled to capacity, and it was time for Bono to come on. And to my delight, almost everybody in my section jumped to their feet as soon as there was a whiff of anything happening! Ah now, THIS is what a U2 concert is supposed to be like - just like the good old days. Bless - I could stand and sit when I wanted, and it was terrific to see the manic enthusiasm of people on all sides. This crowd was head and shoulders above any other on the tour.

I roared myself hoarse at the very start - well, why not? It'll be a while before I have a valid reason again. The Electric Co. was manic, and by the end of the first four, I was as breathless as usual.

Mysterious Ways was interesting - of course, Bono always brings someone onstage to dance with at the end of this song. Well, tonight - once again - he had a special guest lined up - enter Miss Panti Bliss! She made a spectacular entrance, in a sparkly dress and sky-high heels, strutting her stuff along the catwalk she was born to tread. And after she and Bono threw some shapes, he handed her the mobile, to Meerkat the next number, which turned out to be Desire. And he asked the "Queen of Ireland" to use it to film the "Queen of Rock and Roll" - enter Imelda May.. So Desire was Panti Bliss filming Imelda May singing a duet with Bono. Cue much confusion on Meerkat, with international viewers wondering (a) was Panti Bliss RuPaul? and (b) who was the other one..?

After the dramatic and unexpected entrances of these two, Angel of Harlem began with what Bono described as a third first.. when The Edge broke a guitar string! Always handy to have a spare.. guitar. The usual chorus of "Olé, olé, olé, olé" filled the gap, and again Bono had to quiet people so they could do the quiet numbers. Bullet the Blue Sky ripped its way through the auditorium - the rhythmic clapping of the audience was quite chilling, as scenes of brutality filled the screen.

The break before City of Blinding Lights gave the two ladies in the row in front of us an excuse to leave - they hadn't stood at all for the entire show, which I don't think they got much from. And yes, we got Bad, for the third night in a row - which is another first. Thank you, gentlemen - you made a few thousand people very happy. To end the best show of the best tour ever, they left us with 40 - movingly dedicated to the late Dennis Sheehan, whose family were there, it seems. And so, farewell from me to U2 for this year.. see you next year?
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2015-10-14 - Antwerp by U2Bad2017 rated

The Edge side

Fourth U2 show for me, the first one in my own country. I was there with two friends..
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2015-10-30 - London by u2fancat rated

So, I ended the week with another U2 concert! I swung by home first - I wanted to shop on..
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2015-11-24 - Dublin by u2fancat rated

Well, what a difference it makes to arrive early! The corridors were practically deserted, and I was soon able to..
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U2 360° Tour

766 reviews have been written by 382 users.

2010-09-18 - Paris

Written by U2Bad2017 - 3 years ago

A Magnificent birthday

My third U2 gig, still in France stadium but this time we were far away from the stage. We were in A9 block. Like the previous time there were me, my father, my mother and my brother but also an uncle and two friends. We left Belgium in direction of Paris. After getting in the stadium and found our seats we bought usual tee-shirts and drinks and the waiting started. Oh by the way this concert took place six days after my 18th birthday so it's a nice birthday gift I had.

About setlist songs I never had in live before and that I got at this show were : "Return of the Stingray Guitar", "I Will Follow", "Mysterious Ways", "Until the End of the World", "North Star", "Mercy", "Miss Sarajevo" and "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"

The opening act was Interpol and well I didn't really appreciate them. I prefered Snow Patrol or Kaiser Chiefs. Stage and stadium were still very huge. At 20:45 we can hear "Ground Control to Major Tom" so the song "Space Oddity" of David Bowie. It meant showtime.

Band arrived on the still massive and impressive stage. It's seems simple to say but as simple their enter was it was quiet amazing. Imagine a full stadium of 96,540 people becoming wild and throwing white ballon when the screen showed U2 walking to the stage with all lights on. They then started to play a new song "Return of the Stingray Guitar" and Bono did his showman walking on the B-stage circle, jumping and talking to the crowd and screaming "Allez c'est parti". He then made the stadium screaming "Oh, oh" and all the stadium turned the light off (Willie) at the same moment "Beautiful Day" began. Classic song but nice effect and good show introduction. Bono ended it on a "Edge is beautiful".

I knew then that it would be either "I Will Follow" or "New Year's Day". My father was hoping for "New Year's Day" as it's one of his favorite one. Both of them would be fine to me and the band played "I Will Follow" wich was the first time hearing it for me so I was happy and I jumped like lot of people in the stadium. "Get on Your Boots" followed then and well quiet energetic but not my favorite song. A much better song has been played then "Magnificent". I like that song and guitar parts as well as bass and drumming parts are really good. I remember that Adam Clayton walked off behind the stage and played for the back of the stadium. Bono did a quick look to see where was he and said "The magnificent Adam Clayton" at the end of the song and was close to him in the next song. I also remember watching the solo of The Edge with my binoculars.

A song I never saw in gig before followed it "Mysterious Ways". I did appreciate to heard it for the first time live. Bono who was energetic since the start of the show played with the crowd on one of the two bridge and made the people waves with their hands. He then sung the song on the same microphone as The Edge, nice moments.

Band energy, crowd playing and Bono show was still there for "Elevation" with a Bono full of energy who took a ballon to change his voice and played with it before doing the same with a hat from the crowd. "Until The End Of The World" followed for my great pleasure as I like this song and never saw it live before. Light show was amazing so was the bridge moves. Bono played to annoy The Edge and Adam Clayton for fun. Guitar solo was great and I watched it with my binoculars. Band was in playfull mood.

"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" was the next song. Before it there was the first calm moment since the start of the concert. Bono thanked Interpol in French before introducing the band. "Je vais vous présenter le groupe, à la basse, le renard d'argent, Adam Clayton, à la batterie, notre beau gosse, Larry Mullen". When he saw Larry Mullen didn't get it Bono told him "I'll explain later" and both laughed. "À la guitare", the crowd already applaused strongly. "Le mystérieux, énigmatique, le Louis Pasteur du Rock 'N' Roll, le père de Hollie and Arran pour n'en citer que quelques-uns, The Edge". Bono then introduced himself as "Votre humble serviteur, le Bossu de Notre-Dame" and the song started. People sung the first verse with a bit help from Bono and the chorus.

Two next songs were unreleased new songs and so people listened them and kept quiet. "North Star" was a quiet one played only by The Edge and Bono while "Mercy" has been played by the whole band and has more energy.

"In a Little While" and "Miss Sarajevo" were the two next. Two good songs and nice to hear them especially the second one which was the first time for me. On the first one Bono took a lucky girl on stage and layed down his head on her legs. He then made her a walk on stage and ended dancing with her on the bridge. Frank De Winne apperead then on the screen saying the last lyrics of "In a Little While" and during that the first note of "Miss Sarajevo" started. Bono received applause after his scream during the song.

Screen growed for "City of Blinding Lights" and we had the same sequence as in 2009 show with "Vertigo" "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" "Sunday Bloody Sunday" with a nice snippet of "Get Up Stand Up", "MLK" and "Walk On". Songs were nice, band full of energy especially Bono and crowd reacted positively. Only change between 2009 and 2010 band skipped "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" wich was a good thing. I love that song but you can't hear it each time you see the band because if you do then you have less chance of hearing a song you never heard before.

Time for first encore (I remember my brother asked me if the gig was over. Not yet I told him) with the same Desmond Tutu speech that lead us to "One" who started with an improvised small guitar solo from Bono. Classic song with nice guitar parts and all lights from mobile phone from people gave a nice visual.

"Amazing Grace" introduced "Where the Streets Have No Name". As soon as first organ pipe sound started while Bono was still singing "Amazing Grace" the crowd reacted. All was beautiful in that song. Guitar parts, bass parts, Larry had a powerful drumming and Bono had so much energy. The visual, the light, the stage and the crowd were amazing. Bono and The Edge came to the back of the stage playing for the back people. It was a really good moment and so much positivy in that song. At the end Bono thanked the crowd "Vous avez été formidable".

Second encore was there then. I remember my brother asked me "So now this is the end" and me "Still not yet". A video showing two extraterrestrial people in a small rocket travelling in space apperead on the screen. Then the claw (name of U2 stage) flyed over the two extraterrestrial people rocket and took their place on the screen. Baby Zooropa face apperead then asking "What's time is it in the world" and then singing something that I honestly can't remember. I know he said something like "Baby, baby, baby" but I can't remember the rest. Anyway that lead us to "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me". A nice surprise to hear it. The band hasn't played it in a tour since the "Popmart" one so definitely a good song to hear live. Light show and jacket was similar than 2009 show for "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)". Guitar parts and Bono performance were great.

End of the show was the same as 2009 gigs "With Or Without You" and "Moment Of Surrender" closed the set. Similar songs, similar lights and visual. Crowd appreciated and phone lights were seen in stadium. Good atmosphere and people made the "Oh, oh". We could cleary see that U2 enjoyed to be there, enjoyed the show and the crowd. They were in a good day with lot of energy and happiness. The crowd also really enjoyed the show. At the end of the show Adam Clayton said "Thank you Paris, you have been great", Larry Mullen Jr said "Merci, au revoir, bonne nuit" while The Edge was laughing. Then the guitarist said "Thank you Paris, thank you" and for once Bono said nothing. They then took all their times to leave the stage and waves the people. End of a great night.
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2011-07-05 - Chicago by decisivenessmc rated

Real Thing: I wish that Zoo Station was used to open 360 shows with the AB set. That would be..
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2011-07-30 - Moncton by DanielLikeAlbum rated

Overall, this show in Moncton is a phenomenal conclusion to the 2009-2011 360 tour full of many positives, such as..
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2011-07-20 - East Rutherford by EDDMB rated

Loved it.A great way to end the 360 tour for me.The band played a great show this night.They were all..
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Vertigo Tour

446 reviews have been written by 138 users.

2005-07-10 - Paris

Written by U2Bad2017 - 3 years ago

An impressive bloody Sunday

I remember that day, I was 12 years old and I was going to see my favorite band. Four years before it I already tried to see them during their Elevation Tour but I couldn't have ticket. This time my father got two tickets by doing queue at a real shop (not on internet) and on the D-day we took the road from Belgium direction Paris. The night before I had difficult to sleep because I was so much excited and on the morning of the concert I woke up with a headache but I was still very much happy. We took the road and I was so excited that I couldn't stop talking and we listened U2 music during all journey. It was not my first concert ever. I already saw Peter Gabriel in 2003 and 2004 but my favorite band of that time was U2 and so being able to see them in concert seems nearly impossible for me (We tried twice in 2001 and in 2005 we didn't have ticket for Brussels or for Paris 1). So it was nearly impossible for me to see them and however I was on the road to the gig.

A dream was coming true. I remember how impressive I felt when I saw the France Stadium from the highway for the first time. The building seems huge to me. We drove the car under the stadium and after some security check on the car and on my father and I (three day before there were the London terrorism attack) we walked to the Z gate of the stadium. It was about 2pm and I remember I was feeling impressed by all small shops selling U2 articles and U2 music could be hear anywhere (in each bars, each shops) and everything, everywhere was like a huge U2 party. It's something that even now make me think that atmosphere at a U2 concert is particular. Now I saw about one hundred of gigs and even if we could hear some music of the band near the concert place, it's never as huge and impressive as we could see or hear around a place where U2 will play a gig. It's different, more intense, more shops, more bars, more music, more excitement. I remember that before that day I already hear some comments saying that atmopshere around a U2 concert is unique and I can say that on that day when I was walking around the France Stadium those comments hitted me and seems really appropriate. I was impressed. Then We reach the Z gate and just sat down waiting for the opening. I remember my father calling my mother and brother to tell them we were arrived safe. As a big reader I started to read my book "Bono by Bono" written by Michka Assayas and I was not the only one reading that book. A little bit before 4pm excitation was there for everyone. Everybody just stand up and rush near doors which were still closed. It was my first experience as an outdoor concert and I was impatient to come in but false alerts like my father said came often.

Then a bit after 4pm doors opened. I remember climbing steps and steps and I was almost in top of the stadium while going inside and I had my first view of the whole empty stadium and my first view of the stage. It's difficult to express the feeling I had when I saw that stage. I was 12, it was my first outdoor gig and there is a massive stage in front of me and it's on same time massive and impressive but also just like normal like the stage is just quietly there. It was a mix of the both feeling. I think seeing the whole stadium from the inside for the first time also astonished me. We walked down the stair to join the ground and tried to went as close as we could to the stage. Unfortunately there were two GA categories and we were not in the front one. Also as a 12 years old boy I was not tall and so couldn't see things very good but I didn't care I was there. After a while of course we wanted to buy a tee-shirt, drinks and need to use the bathroom wich where in the back of the GA. Since my father didn't want to let me go there alone (I was only 12) we lost our spot but when we went out of bathroom and walked to the front I realised that since there were less people in front of me my view was better on the stage. So we still went to the front but not as close as before and like that with less people in front of myself my view was correct. Even if we were not particulary close of the stage.

I don't really remember the first opening act, The Music. I have some memories of the second opening act, Snow Patrol. After that stadium was full and excitement was there. Some ola in the seats but also in the GA. It was the first time I was seeing that and it was huge to me to see so many people connected between them.

Then the song "Wake Up" of Arcade Fire has been played. Time for U2.

"Larry Mullen Jr, Adam Clayton now, say hello, bonsoir, hello hello" said Bono and immediatly the crowd repeated the hello, hello. "Un, deux, trois, catorce" and the show began. The band already caught the crowd in their hands, I was jumping and screaming lyrics of "Vertigo" in a bad English (I didn't speak it at that time). I also remember I phoned my mother and brother at home to let them hear the first song of the concert.

"Out of Control" when Bono kicked a glass of water in the crowd has been followed by "The Electric Co". It's during the solo of that song when The Edge came on B-stage that I saw him for real with my eyes for the first time. A few seconds later I saw Bono on the other B-stage. Seeing them in real for the first time was like a dream coming true for me.

After that very energic start band began to play "Elevation" and the crowd immediatly started to sing the "Ooh, ooh, ooh". Bono didn't need to lauch them. Right after "New Year's Day" started and my father pressed my arm and made me a wink and a smile because he loves that song (so do I). Adam Clayton walked on the B-stage during The Edge solo and I could see him for first time. "Beautiful Day" followed and it was indeed a great day for me and my father.

"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" was also a good moment. At the end of it seeing and hearing for the first time a whole stadium singing a song togheter while seeing Bono walking on B-stage is kind of impressive for a 12 years old boy.

I learned a few years after that the band scheduled to play "Bad" at that moment but didn't. When I learned that I was dissapointed because it's one of my favorite song. But during the show I never been dissapointed and when "City Of Blinding Light" has been played I was still very happy. Screen turned on and it was very pretty.

"I want to say an happy birthday to my godchild who is here tonight, Hollie, it's her 21st birthday, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Hollie, happy birthday to you" said Bono before asking to the crowd "En Français" wich the crowd answered by singing "Joyeux anniversaire" to Hollie who is The Edge daughter. This cute moment has been followed by "Miracle Drug" and "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" (when Bono made an appareance on B-stage). Great songs, nice singing by Bono and The Edge and of course nice guitar parts. I remember the giant character on the screen.

"Love and Peace or Else" was the opportunity to see Larry Mullen Jr for the first time since he was on the B-stage. Actually the whole band moved on two B-stage during that nice song. I could see them and I enjoyed the song that I found good with a nice guitar solo. Followed by "Sunday Bloody Sunday". It was a pleasure to hear it, sing it, scream the "No more" and jumped on it. My father really appreciate "Bullet The Blue Sky" and I did too. I clapped my hands in rythm at the end of "Bullet The Blue Sky" like the majority of the crowd.

I didn't know "Running To Stand Still" at that time but I enjoyed it and tried for the first time to do like everyone using a light during a gig. I was looking around me all the time to see that spectacular view of thousand and thousand of small light. I remember I burned myself at the end because the light became quiet hot after a few use.

Then one of my favorite U2 song of that time "Pride (In the Name of Love)" has been played and I was jumping and singing. I was also screaming the "Oh, oh" at the end and was impressed by all the crowd singing and didn't really realise I was a part of them doing the same. I hear Bono talking in French "Mais ce soir, c'est un rêve Africain". And all the crowd kept doing the "Oh, oh" until the first notes of "Where The Streets Have No Name" started. I also remember all the African flags. The crowd turned crazy during "Where The Streets Have No Name" and I was not the only one then jumping and screaming the song. That moment definitely put a great ambiant during the show.

Just before "One" Bono did a French speech to the crowd. I remember me and my father applausing and thinking "well said, he is right". "One" was truly a great song that night.

The band then left the stage with a "Bonsoir Paris".

After a few minutes a screen divided in four turned on with Zoo TV era pictures. Then like a slot machine four faces of four unpopular people at that time appeared on the screen. I remember Michael Jackson was there. Crowd reacted badly to those faces. Then two faces were replacing with the Zooropa face and two other faces apparead and once again crowd reacted badly to them. Those two faces were replacing by Zooropa faces to make four Zooropa faces on screen. Crowd was finally happy and "Zoo Station" began with lot of positive reaction from the people. Bono on screen was acting like in the introduction of the Zoo TV show and came into the B-stage again (for my great pleasure since I could see him again even if it was far away from me). The Edge also came on the other B-stage.

When "The Fly" started both my father and I were happy because we loved the "Elevation Tour" version. Screen was a reminder of the Zoo TV era it was astonishing and song was energic, The Edge solo was good, crowd was happy and I was jumping and singing. I remember I was still jumping and screaming when "With Or Without You" started and I saw a woman looking at me with a smile on her face. She maybe thought this kid is crazy but I think she was more like smiling like an adult sometimes do when they see a child being very happy. Anyway "With Or Without You" was good. I used the light again and burned myself again. I remember Bono took a girl from the B-stage with him and leading her to the main stage. She said hello to each member and I thought she was lucky. I sing most of the song too and like all the crowd made the "Oh, oh". We learnt at the end of the song that the lucky girl was Fanny. Band left the stage and it was time for a second encore.

It began with "All Because Of You" which was followed by a wonderful acoustic song "Yahweh " who has been singing by the crowd too. Just before singing it Bono thanked The Music and Snow Patrol for opening the show. The last song of my first U2 gig was the same as the first one "Vertigo". It's weird to play twice the same song and I wished we could have another song to conclude but oh well I was happy to see that band. Words "The End" then apperead on the screen to conclude the show. Crowd of course applaused the band long time after the end of the concert.

My day dream didn't end yet. My father bought me a poster and I recorded some songs of the show on my old Sony Ericsson and listened them while talking about the show to my father on the way back home. I remember we paused on a highway shop. He took a coffee and I took a tea. There was a sign "Out of service" on the slot for money and I was so tired I didn't get it and removed the sign and was about to put my money in the machine but my father stopped me and lead me to another machine where I got my tea. I was exhausted but truly happy and it's on that funny little story that my review end.
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2006-02-12 - Monterrey by Bloodraven rated

20 years of my life waiting to see them, and this is what I got.

The crowd was disappointing, even before..
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2005-03-28 - San Diego by cesar_garza01 rated

Here it is, the first Vertigo show. Technically not the debut of the songs (there was a rehearsal in L.A...
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2005-05-18 - East Rutherford by EDDMB rated

Great show.I was lucky to have attended 4 shows from this tour.This show stands out,as well as NYC 10.07.05.But,the band..
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Elevation Tour

362 reviews have been written by 99 users.

2001-10-13 - Hamilton

Written by mattfromcanada - 6 years ago

As this was my first GA experience, I took the day off with my brother and stood in line in the early October weather. It wasn’t that cold out, but as we were in one spot for much of the day a chill could catch you. Fortunately, that was made up for by the wonderful experience that is a U2 GA line. I’ve had 6 GA shows and have only ever been disappointed in one of them. My brother and I have always loved U2, and somehow during our teenage years (late 90’s) ‘Out Of Control’ became our signature driving song. When we got in, the Heart was full so we parked ourselves just to the right of the tip of the Heart. So when they finished New Year’s Day and Out Of Control started thumping….well if you’ve experienced it, you know. To top it off, Bono pulled a fan on-stage old school (way to go Arun!), we got Angel Of Harlem, and my personal favourite, Bad. Hear Bad live that close on a GA experience is probably in my top 5 U2 moments. Again, if you’ve experienced it. A surprise cover of ‘What’s Going On’ followed in the encore which U2 just somehow made their own, and we were treated to the ‘Shine Like Stars’ tag on WOWY. Again, the GA crowd knew what a treat that was. I don’t know if U2 will ever come back to Hamilton, I don’t know if they know. This was to date, the only show ever in Hamilton. There were 18,000 luck fans who get to say they were there, and I'm proud to have been one of them.
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2001-11-23 - Phoenix by MattG rated

Even though the sound was the only thing meriting a 4.5 star recording, some of the treats throughout this show..
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2001-04-15 - Portland by DanielLikeAlbum rated

Fantastic performance on the 1st North American leg of the Elevation tour with everyone being in good form not only..
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2001-11-18 - Las Vegas by WojBhoy rated

I like this show, I won't beat around the bush on that - sure, I wouldn't say it comes close..
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Popmart

380 reviews have been written by 122 users.

1997-12-12 - Seattle

Written by Thefredmartin - 6 years ago

Hey Lads and Lassies! It's been a long time since this show, nearly twenty years, but it's a story I've told a thousand times to a thousand people and I still can't believe how moving this show was.

The show tech was going so badly that Bono, ever the optimist, beat the life out of his microphone. He was pissed and we in the front row knew it. I don't think the rest of the stadium could see it. It was like being close to a fight. Only the people close by could see the emotion and anger.

So me and my friends did the only thing we knew how to do - we started singing. It ended up being the greatest U2 moment I think I could possible have had. Honestly.

I wrote a lot about it in a post on my blog HERE. I hope you'll like it.
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1997-12-03 - Mexico City by loftarasa rated

No lows, just highs really!
This was one of the first bootlegs I listened to and is since then my..
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1997-05-26 - Washington by cesar_garza01 rated

To me, this is the best Popmart show of the first leg. Crazy things happened to U2 in Washington. The..
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1997-06-12 - Winnipeg by Pegpop rated

On Thursday, June 12th, 42,270 U2 fans were ready to welcome the band to the prairies. It was the Canadian..
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ZOO TV

608 reviews have been written by 167 users.

1992-03-15 - Providence

Written by carbide - 2 years ago

15/3/1992 - Providence, Rhode Island - This review has spoilers
This show alternated to the band trying new things out in songs to being a mostly standard Zoo TV show at first glance.. There isn’t much to say about the first few songs, everything was pretty normal up until One, at which you can make out one or two lyrics from the Hear Us Coming verse, even though it was sung completely differently. The B-stage set is very solid too, and Bad is an absolutely great version, with a great Fade Away section, and this is the first time Zoo TV Bad has had a snippet other than All I Want Is You. Running To Stand Still has Bono be more daring on the choruses, and Streets is a great version too. I’ve saved the best thing until last here. The encore is absolutely perfect, maybe even the best Zoo TV encore I’ve heard so far. Bono’s on top form on Desire, Ultra Violet and With or Without You, the final one there having an amazing Shine Like Stars snippet, and the first two having just generally fantastic, emotion filled vocal performances. Love is Blindness comes on, and it starts as a pretty standard version. Not an issue with the vocals, as expected, he generally does great here. Then the solo hits. I’m fucking blown away. This Love is Blindness solo is absolutely filled to the brim with emotion, anger, sadness, defeat and so many more things. Edge just doesn’t stop with this one. He keeps going for around a minute straight, and ends it perfectly by bringing back the keyboard riff from the beginning of the song, which is the most perfect way to end Love is Blindness. That encore left such an impression on me, I just want more from this tour, it’s absolutely mindblowing.
9/10
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1992-03-17 - Boston by carbide rated

17/3/1992 - Boston, Massachusetts - This review has spoilers
Here we see the first major variations in the Zoo TV setlist..
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1992-04-23 - Vancouver by Breemsicle rated

One of my favorite 1st leg shows, second only to the Boston Saint Patrick's Day show.

Highlights:

Even Better than the Real..
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1992-04-23 - Vancouver by decisivenessmc rated

Highlights
Even Better Than The Real Thing:
high note on the take me higher, but it's really strained.

Mysterious Ways:
had some subtle changes..
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Lovetown

195 reviews have been written by 80 users.

1990-01-06 - Rotterdam

Written by MWSAH - 15 years ago

Sometimes I wonder why I was born in December 1988, one year before this lovely concert in Rotterdam. I was probably in my cradle as a 1-year old boy when Edge hit the first tabs of Where the Streets Have No Name in Ahoy Rotterdam on that special 6th of January 1990, 90 kilometres from my hometown.

I often ask myself the question: what would it have been like to be part of the audience during a Lovetown-show. I fell in love with the Point Depot gigs in Ireland, and the Rotterdam-shows from early January were even better, some say. Lovetown:the name itself explains it, like BB King spells during When Love Comes To Town: L-O-V-E. Yes, I love rock, I love U2, but I especially love Lovetown. Don't get me wrong, because I know the Joshua Tour was enormous and awesome. And Zoo TV was one big happening, followed by Popmart, whether you like it or not. Also Elevation gives me special feelings and was my favourite tour for a long time. But Lovetown is top-notch. The mix of songs between the Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum, performed in small places with BB King's Orchestra makes Lovetown the best tour for me. I didn't take long and U2 didn't even cross the world with it. But the modesty of it does it for me. Like Bono says at a Point Depot show: 'After all these big places, we wanted to play a small place'.

Lovetown also marked the end of a decade in which U2 finally showed itself to the world in full glory. Live Aid in 1985 was a very important turning point, sealed by the release of The Joshua Tree. But U2 felt that every end had a start. U2 was looking for a new direction and needed time.

The energy and commitment of U2 was awesome back then. Bono was at his prime. His voice was a mix between the Joshua Tour and the upcoming Zoo TV. And U2 really enjoyed what they were doing. Lovetown was not a show, it was no entertainment like Zoo TV or Popmart. It wasn't a show with political context, like Vertigo. It was based on music, pure music, pure rock and roll. And you can feel the excitement and joy of U2 trough these shows. I guess they enjoyed every bit, like the audience.

U2's first European success was actually founded in Holland, where the single I Will Follow became a giant hit. Bono mentions this during this Rotterdam show when they start Love Rescue Me, when he says: 'And this is also a good place to end, because we more or less started here ten years ago. You've been very good for us, thank you!'. The crowd was ecstatic.

This show is awesome. It has reached a nice spot in my top ten favourites, I think. It's equal to the Point Depot shows, with U2 really on fire. I missed New Year's Day and Bad, but I know U2 played 4 shows at Rotterdam. The Bad from the 10th of January is one of the best there is.
This show is quite memorable as The Unforgettable Fire was played for the last time. I listened to this show trough my Sennheiser CX300 and my eyes shut. I transferred myself to Ahoy, Rotterdam, 18 years ago, being in the audience. I felt the energy, I experienced U2 in their best days
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1989-11-18 - Sydney by cesar_garza01 rated

A very special show for multiple reasons: they had to evacuate the venue due to a bomb threat (sounds familiar?),..
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1989-12-11 - Paris by cesar_garza01 rated

What a way to start Lovetown in Europe! The crowd was already going nuts even during the PA songs and..
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1989-10-12 - Melbourne by cesar_garza01 rated

The band continued their epic residency in Melbourne with this 4th show and this is one of the best! This..
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Joshua Tree Tour

326 reviews have been written by 113 users.

1987-06-17 - Cologne

Written by bodoheil - 8 years ago

The atmosphere was very foul. It was my first U2 concert, but not my first stadium concert, and I remember it well. The rain had started in the afternoon, but in the morning and around noon it had been very hot. There was a terrible pushing and shoving of the audience waiting at the entrances for doors open, and many seemed to be well drunk and I did see many, many empty drinks containers, beer cans, wine packs and bottles outside. The doors open seemed badly organised. Some a few yards away opened before others did, the seemed to be little coordination. People were pissed off by that, they wanted an equal chance in the run to the centre stage spots.

The openers, I remember The Pretenders, Big Audio Dynamite and Lou Reed, were all booed and generally badly accepted, at least in the part of the audience I happened to be stuck in, which was third, second row, slightly to the right of centre stage. The place looked like an open battle for the first row and of course I participated first, being rather stoutly built and not one to back off easily. This concert had meant the world to me, after I had gotten hold of a ticket, through a multitude of different lucky concurrences.

I believe, I cannot be sure anymore about it, that The Daltons opened last. I might confuse that, though, with a show I might have seen on the internet of that time, after all, it's been 28 years.

When WTSHNN began with its droning synth-sounds and the guitar's delayed arpeggios, and the band appeared one by one, the crowd went mad and the stifling squeeze got worse. But when the bass and the drums joined and slowly built up the song's hard pushing, driving beat the crowd went berserk. I had a fight with an American, a GI by his crew cut and confidence, and the security did not notice. He hit me in the nose, but luckily he could not swing properly, for lack of room to move. I could not get my arms up enough, so I hit where I could. The security were highly unprofessional (I did that job later in life myself) and completely taken aback with the sheer violence of the crowd's pushing forward, the yelling and the screaming of girls who obviously were in acute fear. The waves of people’s shoving often moved me ten or more yards away from where I had been before. I remember the moment when the band jumped into the first song and the red lights flooded all over the rain-drenched crowd. The heat from the electric lights washed over the people and actually felt quite warm on the face. Seconds afterwards clouds of vapour of the drying rain partially took away the sight of the stage.

I had had enough by then. I withdrew to the seats ranks, found myself a place and watched from about a hundred yards away. I was deeply disappointed with the on-goings and felt betrayed and let down. I had thought that we had all been there together to celebrate the same thing. I had been wrong. U2 had become a phenomenon and had stopped being a rock and roll band. They were a sensation, not music to dance and sing the lyrics and to feel alive by, because the songs spoke to you about your life and you inner self. This was a spectacle, not a concert. No one danced. They all fought. No one sang. Everybody screamed. No one had fun. They all tried to hold on to their place or get a better one by being more brutal than the opponent, because that is what everybody was, an adversary and a rival in trying to be as close to the band as possible. Do not think that I was naive about it. I understood as I do now that people want to be as close as possible to their lucky stars. But I wasn't expecting the brutality I encountered, and it did not seem to make sense, and I was not prepared to put up with it, as I would not be today. I do not think that it was anything else but sheer good fortune that there wasn't anyone killed in the throng in front of the stage. It was brutal enough for that. None of my later U2 shows had that quality and quantity of ruthlessness and viciousness.

When 40 began I was on my way out, walking outside the stadium trying to hitchhike my way back to where I was due. I remember feeling like hell. It took me weeks to be able to enjoy the music again.
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1987-06-13 - London by howare rated

My first time watching the boys and is still my favourite.
Travelled from Liverpool as a 17 year old with my..
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1987-12-20 - Tempe by DanielLikeAlbum rated

Overall, it was an excellent conclusion for the 1987 Joshua Tree tour, with the band in fine form throughout, delivering..
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1987-05-29 - Modena by cesar_garza01 rated

I really liked this bootleg, Italian crowds are always the best, they really add a lot to the experience. To..
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Conspiracy Of Hope

23 reviews have been written by 11 users.

1986-06-13 - Rosemont

Written by MattG - 14 years ago

Everything I WASN'T looking forward to about this show, I loved. "Pride" and "Maggie's Farm", I wasn't all that cracked up about listening to. The former is on just about every show I ever listen to, and it gets tiring, the latter I just didn't care much about. They ended up both being phenomenal.

The "Norwegian Wood" intro to "Bad" is outstanding, and chorus gives me goosebumps. Listen to some recent shows (Vertigo, 360°), and then give this one a spin- Yes, folks- Bono DID used to sound like that

Everything about this show is simply gorgeous. Download it RIGHT. NOW.
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1986-06-13 - Rosemont by johnetnaicsurf rated

Oh my fu...in` goodness what a brilliant show.
Today first time Iistened/watched this awesome concert. What an oustanding performance, especially..
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Unforgettable Fire Tour

264 reviews have been written by 75 users.

1984-11-06 - Glasgow

Written by Edi - 6 years ago

We were all young. The place was crammed. U2 were already massive in Glasgow by the end of 1982 and had played bigger venues (the legendary Apollo). In 1984 it was a difficult ticket to get.

The Barrowlands is essentially a dancehall with a spring-loaded wooden ballroom floor but quite a low ceiling. This all made for much 'bouncy-bouncy' and the very definition of a sweat-filled room! Condensation was literally running down the walls and dripping from the ceiling (I even remember it dripping from my elbows !). You could wring it your t-shirt.

The Watherboys were support who were also very big at the time& they did sing of course All of the Moon !

The energy in the crowd and from the band was incredible. New songs from TUF and older songs went down a storm. Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill (from Simple Minds, local Glasgow boys and friends with U2) were at the back and the crowd all spotted them & sung to them. (Bono a month later in January 1985 joined the Minds on-stage at the same venue for New Gold Dream which blew the roof off).

We only had tickets for the first night but it was so good we went back up the next day and queued up for on-the-door tickets with probably 100 or more others. I remember a scuffle broke out in the queue as some people started singing sectarian/Irish Celtic songs. They were quickly shouted down by others stating '...we are U2 fans, we are not here for that, the band would not want it, we are better than that'! We got in again having barely recovered from the previous night dehydration.

...and U2 brought the house down again.

A mere 7 months later they would conquer the world at Live Aid and everyone would know what all the fuss was about.

...and 34 years later I still want to get tickets for the next tour in 2018 !

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1984-10-27 - Brussels by IxDay rated

I was 19. I didn't drive.
We were more or less 10 kids from my neighborhood who went to this show..
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1985-03-21 - Chicago by Ali709 rated

mazing! It was the first ever Unforgettable Fire tour bootleg I listened to. It exceeded my expectations. It’s a very..
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1984-11-05 - Edinburgh by aussiemofo rated

I recommend this bootleg for those wanting to capture U2 in full flight during their TUF period. They were in..
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War Tour

198 reviews have been written by 73 users.

1983-05-05 - Boston

Written by cesar_garza01 - 9 years ago

First of all, the FM broadcast is NOT from this concert, it is actually from the show next day, so I think this is the first proper review of the show. And what a show! The band feed from the Irish-Bostonian vibe in the house and they gave it all. The main highlight of this boot is the last performance ever of Tomorrow. If you are a Tomorrow "completionist" like me, you must get this. I don't know why it wasn't played regularly. Another excellent performance was Two Hearts, with the Let's Twist Again part extended. 11 O'Clock was excellent as well. I'm a sucker for the Drowning Man snippet and the final solo is amazing. In Surrender Bono invoked the spirit of Michael Jackson and it was great. I liked the Brick/ A Day Without Me combo too. There's an unlisted snippet of Send In The Clowns in Electric Co. Perhaps the only song I can't consider good is Party Girl. They were still playing with it and it's not the version we know.
Funnily enough, Bono did mistakes between songs, like saying "It's great to be back in NY" (WTF?) or introducing NYD as Two Hearts.
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1983-08-14 - Dublin by CMIPalaeo rated

I wanted to give higher than 4 stars. There’s a lot to like about this show - several songs are..
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1983-08-14 - Dublin by DanielLikeAlbum rated

A mostly fantastic home gig from the Summer Festival leg of the War tour, with everyone in fine form for..
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1983-02-26 - Dundee by ahn1991 rated

The only reason I gave this bootleg a 4 star rating is because Like A Song is performed live.

This..
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October Tour

115 reviews have been written by 32 users.

1981-11-29 - San Francisco

Written by CMIPalaeo - 4 years ago

Excellent early October show, just about up there with the Lido Beach gig the following month. That one benefits from better sound, but this one has got a longer setlist.

The very ending of Stories For Boys is cut, which is a shame as it was very strong. The sound is good throughout (barring Gloria) but does waver somewhat here and there.

Ultimately, I was on the fence between 4.5 and 5 stars, but given the strength of the performance went for the full 5. The sound quality is decent enough that it's not much of a setback.

Highlights:
- I Threw a Brick Through a Window/A Day Without Me
- An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart
- With a Shout
- Rejoice
- The Electric Co.
- 11 O'Clock Tick Tock/The Ocean (very long and excellent!)
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1982-07-04 - Werchter by cesar_garza01 rated

U2 playing in Werchter for the first time (they eventually became the headliners just 3 years after) and they gave..
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1981-08-16 - Slane by CMIPalaeo rated

An interesting show. Not great, but not as bad as the band cracked it up to be. Many of the..
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1982-01-26 - Dublin by daymo1202 rated

A good friend of mine was at this show and was billed as U2's homecoming show in Dublin in January..
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Boy Tour

144 reviews have been written by 50 users.

1981-03-18 - San Jose

Written by Dystopian45 - 7 years ago

As I remember it, this was a free show or cost next to nothing to attend. It was held in the student union ballroom of San Jose State University. This room was built to be earthquake proof and the floor was suspended on something like springs. When the floor got packed and the music started and people started moving in time with the music the floor started to act like a trampoline. No kidding. If you timed your jump you could launch yourself 3 to 4 feet off the floor. They had to have crew guys hold the P.A. system in place as everything started to wobble. I saw XTC, Huey Lewis, Fabulous Thunderbirds and more in this room and all the shows were amazing with a very intimate vibe. I miss those days.
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1981-05-11 - Denver by cesar_garza01 rated

Excellent Boy bootleg with one of the best sounds available. The previous source was incomplete, but now we have the..
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1980-09-12 - Scarborough by iTim rated

Still early in the tour and their career which probably explains the lack of enthusiasm in the audience. The band..
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1981-05-15 - San Francisco by CMIPalaeo rated

Excellent early show, with just about all the Boy Tour material represented. The band are energetic and really doing a..
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Early Days

36 reviews have been written by 24 users.

1980-02-26 - Dublin

Written by Lukinator - 2 years ago

2/26/1980 - Dublin, Ireland

Executives at Island Records saw this show, and after it, signed U2. Ireland Records choice was understandable, as this gig contains so much energy from all four of the guys. Though, even though how much energy there was, Bono's voice is no where near as good as it would be in the coming months on Boy, and its tour. A funny part of the show is when right before Trevor(which would later become Touch) some guy gets on stage and starts swearing at the band. Security was good at National Stadium though, and he was taken off stage in a matter of seconds. After this incident, Bono makes the cheeky remark of "Thank you, dont mention it". The crowd, besides the guy that stormed the stage at the beginning of Trevor, were absolutely loving up the show. It is very cool listening to a lot of U2's early unreleased / not released in its form played songs.
Some of the examples of these songs that would be vastly changed are the previously mentioned Trevor, and Silver Lining(which would eventually become 11 O' Clock Tick Tock).
A must listen for that, because they are all great versions, along with Shadows and Tall Trees (the only Boy song not played on the Boy Tour), Another Day (U2's actual first single, and also wasnt played on the Boy Tour), Twilight (which is surprisingly better than the single version), Out of Control, and Another Time Another Place (which along with the other Boy songs played, sounded very different from their Boy counterparts), and also because of how significant the show is in U2's history. A great first taste of U2.

Official Release: Cartoon World on the Boy Deluxe edition

Fun Fact: Allegedly The Electric Co. made its debut at this show and was great, though there is no recording of this encore
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1979-10-22 - Cork by LikeASong rated

One of the first recordings that exist from the band in its earliest stages. Just for that, this concert should..
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1980-02-26 - Dublin by Bullet_Blue rated

The tracks that latter would be included on Boy have different lyrics or structures, so it's very interesting listening to..
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1979-10-22 - Cork by cornellazar rated

I love this show / recording. All the old, unreleased tunes are stellar Punk/New Wave and hint at what U2..
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Various Dates

189 reviews have been written by 77 users.

2018-06-30 - Bourne

Written by john2u - 5 years ago

We were one the few radio station winners to win this contest. Each radio station only had one grand prize winner (SF, KC, HOS, MIL, DC, NY & BOS) but last two cities were able to bring more guests (NY+10 & Bos+20) but didn't get flights or 2 nights at 5 star hotel like the remote station winners. So there was probably around 50 radio winners and rest were radio people and sponsors of the show all of whom were very nice to us (probably less than 150 in all). Very intimate show with Bono being very relaxed and very talkative the whole time.

Having seeing six shows on the current tour I knew this would be a very unique experience. The morning of the show they transported us remote winners by train to Cape Cod and then by a luxury transport van. We were taken to a another beach house where we spent most of the day there until the band arrived at main beach house. I must say I was thrilled with the show and my entire time there. Special thanks to my friend Wendy for picking me to join her on this once in a lifetime experience.
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2015-10-16 - London by ajr rated

Having seen a tweet late last Thursday afternoon from U2ComZooMods inviting a reply with just my name to maybe get..
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1983-12-18 - London by partygirl65 rated

I didn't have a ticket to this show and I got a single 5th row ticket as a return at..
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1987-11-11 - San Francisco by Unknown rated

A true raw outdoor performance. Engagement with the crowd takes place at some level on almost every song. Three..
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