No Crumbs From Your Table, but wonderful show - although I think they’ve all aged on this tour and looked a little tired. Like seeing an old friend you haven’t seen in awhile, but when you meet up it’s like you just spoke to them yesterday. Bono doing Pavarotti’s piece was amazing, he’s taken it to a whole new level with that one. Bullet the Blue Sky, Edge showing off his guitar solo licks, very sweet. Even though I’ve known for months the gist of what they’d been playing each night, it still pleasantly surprised me. I will Follow, One, Mysterious Ways, Until the End of the World, Pride - made me think that guitar line is Edge’s signature. I’ve seen them do these tunes several times and they still bring tears to my eyes. Love and Peace with Bono and Larry on drum in front of me was exhilarating. Still Haven’t Found, With or Without You, started out with City of Shining Lights, I love that tune “oh you look so beautiful tonight!” They used the rolling lights less but to great effect, the flags of the world with Africa and the Edge really belting it out, Vertigo, Elevation, Beautiful Day.
Sometimes You Can’t Make it on Your Own, Bono took off his shades to sing his Dad’s song. The show has evolved more than I would’ve guessed judging from scanning their web page. I was amazed at how clear and strong Bono’s voice has remained after nine months on the road. He’s made the comment that when his Dad died he left his voice to Bono – It’s visible. They’re such a perfectly melded machine, a well balanced unit, very stable and that’s why they’ve lasted. Larry really is the hunk of the four of them, back behind them all pounding out the perfect beats, Bono mentioned he’s the flirt of the band prompting a shy smile from Larry. Bono had the Santa girl and another girl up with him on the stage. While not exactly copping a feel, pretty close….it seemed the touch of a stranger was a healing touch to ease the pain of life. You know Bono has seen pain and suffering in his travels that most of us will never experience.
The logistics of getting to the show were amazingly easy, plane is one hour, airport five miles, downtown bus to Delta Center four short stops and free to boot. Downtown is nicer that I would’ve thought, a double decker walking mall not unlike Helena, but much bigger. Surveying the crowd downtown it was as if no U2 show was about to happen, not a very hip looking group, but the crowd inside the arena was totally enthused and by the time U2 hit the stage, the place was packed.
No one doing things alone here though, I was noticeably the only person walking around on my own. Makes me wonder how many lonely folks stay at home for lack of a buddy to go out with. Probably more than a few. I’m glad I just dove in and decided to come by myself. I would’ve hated to miss this show. It’s sometimes hard to be the most enthused one about stuff, movies, Pearl Jam, etc. – the most excited one in the room, so sometimes it’s just more fitting to do these things alone. It would’ve been great if Wed could’ve come, I know she would’ve appreciated it as much as I did, but it was not meant to be. Lunch ran long and missed the boat on The Family Stone so went to see Harry Potter. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Plot was easy to follow – effects were creatively different – all magic wands and dragons, believable. To be swallowed by a maze, we’ve all had nightmares like that one. The next one should be a real kicker after the kids have all completed puberty. Herminie in love with Harry, and the red head in love with Herminie. So like real life.
