OT Back from U2 show in Amsterdam

[Maud138]

Wow! U2 was sooooo great.
I loved U2 the first few albums, but then they lost me. In 2005 I got (by accident) a ticket for the Elevation Tour and they swept me off my feet. Yesterday they did that again. What a fantastic rockgroup. What an energy!
I love U2-fans. The audience was amazing. They went completely nuts.
The stage was very impressive and we had good seats (we almost couldn't get closer with seating tickets). My friend (u2 is to her as the Police is to me) said that she never ever had been so close. U2 always plays big stadiums with general admission. So if you don't wanna (or can't) sit in line for hours (or days), then there is no chance of getting near the stage.
Even the sound was good (the Amsterdam Arena is notorious because of the bad sound).
The setlist: somebody said "they played 23 songs. Let's say the U2 made around 200 (?) songs, well then they DIDN'T play 177 songs". It will never be enough.
I missed "I will follow". I cried when they played "the unforgettable fire". What great feelings and memories did that song dig up!
My friend said: Now I'm completely happy! Being here with my husband and best friend, watching my band in front of me, playing the Unforgettable Fire!

For all you, who have a U2 show in prospect: Enjoy! I wish I could go again tonight. Although my throat hurts really bad from all the yelling and singing.

(and when you hear Space Oddity from David Bowie, then you know that the beginning is near!)

Photo's: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14853982@N ... 632876725/
Video Beautiful Day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obXpa7sj-NA
Video Unforgettable Fire http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq879aAyPy4
(please watch HQ)

[samburusunset]

Wow, you did have nice seats Maud.
Glad you had a good show.

[policefan]

Thanks for the review, Maud.

Congrats on those great seats!

[HalcyonLisa]

oh wonderful Maud

I have tickets for U2 at Wembley and I know that I too will cry when they play Unforgettable Fire

[smudge]

Bother - didn't see your post until just now HalcyonLisa. I was there tonight.

By all accounts Friday's Wembley gig was something a bit special. Tonight was good, but maybe suffered from being 'the extra date' - not sold out, and it took a while for the place to achieve lift-off. It took about 15 attempts to get a decent mexican wave going pre-U2 - terribly lame

That said, I enjoyed it. Damn but they're tight. The wigged out stage setup makes for a slightly odd visual experience close up. They're all wandering around so much that sometimes whole songs are performed without all four being in the same physical space.

Unforgettable Fire floored me. Gorgeous. It, well, shimmered. And I blubbed. A simple rendition of Stay did likewise.

A lot of the new album in the first section of the set, and much of it works better live than on record for me. 'Boots' is just plain irritating through headphones, but works as a scream/jump-along. 'Breathe' was fantastic (although in our rather thinly populated and weird section it induced an outbreak of chatting about football behind me. Some people shouldn't go to gigs). Spikey and angry.

I was amused by my first experience of seeing all four at close range. We were about 10 foot from the circular 'runway' that encloses the pit. Bono shimmied past being - well - Bono - shades, throwing odd shapes, singing at the video screen feed cameras. Edge was mic'd for vocals of course, so was belting out harmonies while the person he was harmonising with was half a stadium width away - and that looked, frankly, odd. He looked somewhat bemused, or maybe that's just how guitarists look when they're concentrating. Larry scuttled past once whacking a Djembe during an unexpectedly effective 'remix' of 'I'll go crazy....' with a face that seemed to say 'Get me back behind me fookin' kit!'. And Adam. Well. He just beamed. Lapping it up, blowing kisses to the poor sods in the pit who had been on their feet for hours. Watching him clearly loving what he was doing was a joy.

So yes, dear reader, I spent a fair amount of the gig watching the cheerful bass player. There's a first.

[Susan]

Smudge, I LOVED your review. So much warmth--it jumps off the screen.

I enjoy Adam too. I was on "his" side for one of the shows at MSG on their last tour, right off the floor to the side of the stage (section 71 for those of you familiar with MSG). He does look SO content on stage...he has aged so well, definitely one of those men who is getting better with age.

I am hoping feverishly that they keep Unforgettable Fire in the set when they come to the U.S.
I'll be seeing them at Giants Stadium so although it's in NJ there are no NYC shows this round so this will be a NYC crowd too...I expect one or two changes to the set...bet Angel of Harlem will be there, maybe some Ramones (OR, maybe In a Little While, which I LOVE).

My reaction to "boots" was that it must have been written with the intent to be a great live song, sort of how Vertigo and Elevation served on their respective tours. Giants Stadium is a two-night deal so it will be great fun to see. 40 days to go! Meanwhile I am going to enjoy the hell out of the reviews that pop up here and elsewhere. It becomes part of the fun of anticipating the event!

[HalcyonLisa]

we were up in the seated area, and quite frankly I agree with your sentiment that some people really shouldn't go to gigs. Our tickets cost £85 plus booking fee and the guy beside me left after two songs (maybe he was there for Elbow, you wouldn't have guessed he hardly moved) another guy there on his own in front of us copped off with the girl standing next to them and they really needed to get a room....!!!!

however it was all saved by the coachload of Irish guys behind us, they were like a football crowd and swept us along with them!

The view was amazing but the sound from up there was pants, all you could hear was Bono's voice and Edges guitar reverberating off the roof.

Unforgettable Fire I blubbed like a baby and told my son I could die happy now, he gave his old mum a hug

The whole stadium sang Still Havent Found What I'm Looking For first verse and chorus with just a drumbeat from the stage and the band took out their ear plugs and listened and smiled, that was a real hairs up on the back of the neck moment from where we were standing, also when they turned out the lights at the end and got everyone to put their lights on on their phones to turn the stadium into the Milky Way, it looked great from where I was.

I loved it I must admit, despite the sound not being great, I could go again tomorrow, they were fantastic....

despite the fact it took us over an hour to get out of the car park and 4 hours to drive home!

[DirtyMartini]

[quote="HalcyonLisa"]The whole stadium sang Still Havent Found What I'm Looking For first verse and chorus with just a drumbeat from the stage and the band took out their ear plugs and listened and smiled, that was a real hairs up on the back of the neck moment from where we were standing, also when they turned out the lights at the end and got everyone to put their lights on on their phones to turn the stadium into the Milky Way, it looked great from where I was. [/quote]

Niiice x 2.

Thanks for the reviews, ladies.

[moonstone]

U2 are playing at Sheffield (England) tonight at 9pm but our local radio in the south of England is covering it live. You can listen in at http://www.wave105.com
It starts at 9pm but they're doing a sort of lead up show at the moment.

[smudge]

On Q Radio now too. On DAB, or FreeView. Web feed is struggling.....

ETA: I don't think it is the whole show. Still running an interview now.

ETA again: And it seems to have killed u2.com as well. Contrary to the press coverage, it would appear that this little band are fairly popular in the UK.

[Susan]

Another clusterfuck courtesy of Live Nation with assistance from the New York Jets (football team who plays at Giants Stadium in NJ):

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/ ... =u2&st=cse