U2 – The Death Star – 10/12/09
Posted October 20th, 2009 · Artists: U2
I have wanted to see U2 for years and years, and apparently, so has my dear mother. So, when news that they were coming to town arrived (and my dad didn’t want to go), my mom got her and I two tickets to see the guys. They were coming to the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, which is so enormous that even with the roof of the stadium closed, the Statue of Liberty can fit inside. Seriously. So now that you have an idea how big the place is, it shouldn’t be too hard to understand that when I say the sound was terrible, I mean it: the sound was terrible. Full review, photos and sample MP3s after the jump.
Due to an extremely aggravating traffic situation in Dallas, we missed all of Muse, but I can’t say I’m too sad. Muse is fine, but I’d never pay to see them in concert. So as for the numerous problems with having this show at this venue: first, U2′s concept was to have a 360 degree stage, with their contraption/spaceship placed in the middle of the venue. The Cowboys’ monsterscreen literally could not be raised high enough to clear their spaceship (they raised it just for this show), so they put the stage off to one end of the venue, which was strange. Second, for being waaaay up at the top, I could just *barely* make out what Bono was saying. His vocals were exceptionally echoey at the top, but had they opened the roof, I have to think some of that issue would have been resolved. They did no such thing, and as a result, the sound quality was poor. Very poor.
That is not to diminish the awesomeness of the show itself, though. U2′s stage is a monstrosity and it moves and lights up and is sweet. The songs that they play are all obviously top notch and these guys are pros at delivering all of them. I don’t have U2′s latest album, and even though I don’t really know the first three songs they played, they were all cool. The audience certainly went crazy for Get On Your Boots, but I really began to enjoy myself when they went into Mysterious Ways. It’s impressive when you realize that that album (Achtung Baby) came out nineteen years ago and is still very much awesome.
During the main set, U2 hit a personal favorite of mine, Until the End of the World, and hit multiple other extreme crowd pleasers (just look at the setlist below; it’s like a greatest hits album), which the crowd was exceedingly happy to hear. This crowd was mega into the songs, and on I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, Bono sang “I have climbed,” then he stopped singing and left the audience to fill in the rest of the first verse and he didn’t come back until “I have kissed, honey lips…” Very cool.
This show had some exceptionally odd moments, though. During Sunday Bloody Sunday, the light was green and there were visuals of Iran. Or something. During Walk On, Bono dedicated the song to some….lady who was under house arrest and we were supposed to be against it. What did she do? Did she murder someone? If so, I want her to be under real arrest; not just house arrest! Also, during that song about 100 peple walked out with masks of the lady’s face on. So weird. But it didn’t stop there – Bono had some of the weirdest all time shoutouts. He dedicated one song to Tony Romo, Jason Witten……and Tiger Woods. Huh? Then later, he thanked us for coming and shouted out “Richardson!” (Applause) “Ft. Worth!” (Applause.) Then “Fair Park!!” What?! He shouts out to an area that has….exactly zero residents. What. The. Eff.
Stranger moments aside, and terrible sound quality aside, the show was awesome. U2 are master showmen and really good at lighting up a huge venue with their great songs. They are really something worth going to see and I walked away impressed.
U2 – Until the End of the World from Achtung Baby
U2 – Vertigo from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
Setlist (as to what songs I know):
Breathe
Get On Your Boots
Magnificent
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For -> Stand by Me
Stuck in a Moment
No Line on the Horizon
Elevation
Until the End of the World
?
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
Crazy Tonight -> Thank You
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Walk On
One
Amazing Grace -> Where the Streets Have no Names
Break
Ultra Violet (Light My Way)
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender (Weird slow song and a terrible closer)
