|
|
|
|
|
"360" Tour Fits Right in at Giants Stadium! A SoundPress.net Feature Article by Pat Cacioppo Magnificent... The second song on U2's current album, "No Line On The Horizon". Or better yet - their concert and stage set-up at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on September 23, 2009. Well magnificent might be a little too modest a word to describe this production. My friend Alyse Liebowitz-Wilusz and I had attended the last two U2 concert tours together and we wondered if they could possibly top what they had achieved in the past ... well, they did by a long shot!!!
 U2: The Edge and Bono perform during the band's "360" Tour. (Photo by Kevin Mazur) The stage on U2's current "360" tour is nothing short of a marvel. The engineering, thought and design that has gone into "the claw" as it is affectionately called is mind-blowing. The stage is 90 feet tall, it supports 180 tons of video screen and sound system. The 360° video screen is made up of 1 million panels itself, consisting of 30,000 cables, 150,000 mechanized pieces and 500,000 pixels in each panel! This massive production is moved in 37 tractor trailers along with an additional 15 trailers for production computers and merchandise. This is at a cost of a staggering $750,000.00 per day!! And get this - there are 3 of these set ups moving around the country being constructed at any given time (it takes 4 days to prepare this epic structure, by the way)! This wonder affords the fan a 360 degree unobstructed view of the band and allows U2 to move around completely. With the addition of bridges and ramps, the band has a very "intimate" connection with the crowd, despite the immense size of this stage. And they can also sell a great deal more tickets since there is no blocked views from any vantage point. O.K. - now lets get to the performance itself!!! Alyse, myself and close to 90,000 other U2 fanatics, (a one time concert attendance record for Giants Stadium), crammed into the stadium. It was quite hot - very hot as a matter of fact with that sea of humanity! The lights go down and this phenomenal circular screen starts to light - it was euphoria for the senses. The band comes out and opens the show with the very powerful "Breathe" off their new album. Dave "The Edge" Evans was "tearing up" his Les Paul from the get-go. Adam Clayton was doing the same on the bass, (heavy heavy riffs). Also from the start, Larry Mullen was his quiet and shy modest self, letting his drum kit do the talking. And of course, fronting it all was the ever unique Bono - completely "over the top" but also very humble and appreciative of the love given from the crowd. Two additional songs from the new album followed "Magnificent" and "Get On Your Boots" - the first single off the new compilation. After greeting the New Jersey crowd, Bono asked us if we wanted "to get a little funky". The band launched into a raunchy version of "Mysterious Ways" - if anyone was not on their feet already, (which I seriously doubt), they were now!!!! Next, Bono said we "were going back a little" and we were treated to a wonderful rendition of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - with the whole stadium singing at the top of their lungs - beautiful!!!
 Bono on the big screen in New Jersey. (Photo by Alyse Liebowitz-Wilusz) O.K., so remember we are in the swamps of Jersey - It's September 23rd, and the Garden State's prodigal son is celebrating his 60th birthday - and Bono doesn't disappoint. Many rumors swirled that Bruce Springsteen was going to be in attendance that night and although the crowd wasn't treated to double rock royalty, (Bruce and Bono together), U2 delivered a very honorable shout out to Bruce for his birthday, giving us a never before performed U2 version of Springsteen's "She's The One" - changing it to "he's the one" in honor of The Boss. During the middle break U2 magically morphed the song into their own "Desire" to the frenzied delight of the crowd and then at the end fell back into "She's The One". Being a "new" song for them there were a few noticeable "slip ups" and at the end a laughing and slightly embarrassed Bono remarked, "excuse us Bruce, happy birthday" and the New Jersey loyalists ate it up!!! Well, with a band with the status of U2 you could go on forever about this show and its extravagances and high points. To finish with the cliff notes version - Bono gave props to Quincy Jones who was in the audience and the band broke into Quincy and Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough". U2 pulled it off nicely!! The rest of the night was a mix of a few of the new songs and a U2 greatest hits list, including both "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Years Day"! The band did not forget their continual fight for human rights, thanking the crowd for donating to the plight of the less fortunate in Africa and bringing to the attention of the world the fight of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi who has been detained for over 13 years trying to bring democracy to her country of Burma, dedicating the closing song of the main set - U2's extremely moving anthem "Walk On" - to her. The encores did not disappoint. "One" was a singular sensation with Bono singing the glorious hymn "Amazing Grace" and then the uplifting decibel shattering "Where The Streets Have No Name". The second encore, (yes there were 2!!!), was the tour de force with Bono emerging in a laser studded leather jacket, (yeah, you read that correctly), and swinging from a huge circa 1940's big band microphone for "Ultraviolet". The night ended with a rousing "With Or Without You" and my personal favorite from the new album - "Moment Of Surrender". After 2 and a half hours of rock and roll insanity, the "congregation of U2" swarmed out into the night, fully satisfied!! Oh, an important after thought - the English band that opened for U2, Muse - look for them to top the charts some time soon. They were better than really good!!!!!! To close - this U2 show ... magnificent???!!!! No - the word magnificent simply is not good enough. Unsurpassable might be better. Rock on!!!!
 Alyse , Pat and U2's "360" stage set-up in the background.
U2 Setlist 09/23/2009 Related Links: For more information on the U2 and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -- U2.com | BUY No Line On The Horizon
 (Originally Published on September 26, 2009) |
PLEASE CONTACT US AT -- PHONE: 973.556.5400|E-MAIL
About Us | Band & Artist Community | Client Testimonials | Concert Tickets New Members & Music | Press Releases | Radio Show | Reviews-CD | DVD Reviews-DVD | Send Music
© 2012 SoundPress.net | All Rights Reserved
|
