U2...Slick .....Brilliant !!!

aubs1

So we went to the U2 concert at Soccer (FNB) stadium last night.....and as I've mentioned before, I am not really a fan, but I was blown away!!!

They played about 50% of their older stuff, and some songs i did not even know. Yes, they did use backing tracks, which was integrated with the "Visual Spectacle" that made the show a stunner.......hey, I'm not a "review writer" either, but my take was that this was the SECOND BEST show I have ever seen, in terms of pure entertainment and professionalism ...... after the Rolling Stones at Ellis Park 1995.

I was a bit disappointed with the sound mix for The Springbok Nude Girls, IMHO, it was pathetic ....just can't figure how the SA engineers just don't get it right. The band before them (don't know who they were) was mixed a helluva lot better......

I would like to see what Squonk thought of the show....(U2)! I suspect he's probably still sleeping.....hahaha Btw.... the "CLAW" sent Eli over the moon!!!! He loved the show, and is now an ardent U2 fan.. ?

The show ended at about 11:25pm, and we were home by 00:32am ....... awesome!!!

DonovanB

I'm sorry I missed it. I'm not the biggest U2 fan and I believe Bono had some political things to say before the show.

Nothing beats a great, professional show IMO.

MIKA-the-better-one

My dad went and is still talking about it.... I saw them on the vertigo tour a few years back and it was mind blowing.......

Squonk

The show itself was spectacular, the sound was hugely loud, my ears are still ringing ?

U2 were awesome, the stage with that screen was incredible stuff. The lights etc all top notch. As Aubs says, the professionalism and entertertainment were way off the charts.

Music - They did a lot of modern stuff, from Joshua Tree onwards(If you can call that modern). Not many from the first 4 albums.

Highlights for me were "I will Follow" almost shades of that young energetic Band.
"Sunday Bloody Sunday" was almost spiritual, I felt that old U2, they were there for 5 minutes, no funny arrangements, exactly as I remember it.

"Where the streets have no name" was extremely powerful, in the middle of everything Bono intorduced Hugh Masekela who blew all 100 000 people in the stadium away. I didn't know that Hugh was actually that good, it was as if U2 took a back seat and let this Maestro take centre stage, brilliant move by U2.

Bono was impeccable, lots of energy, voice didn't falter untill "With or without you", could have been this mic that he was swinging on that was a bit dodgy.

The Edge played a differrent Guitar on every song(freaking show off). I found his playing to be excellent and he has a less flashy stage presence than Bono and Adam Clayton, more REAL, if you can get what I am trying to say.

Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton are an excellent rhythm section and didn't dissapoint.

The only thing that peed me off about the whole thing was Bono, he must be the most irritating Git this side of the Mississippi. He comes across as the Sultan of Cheese 8) Every piece of dialogue, all the world peace and the plight of the people in Burma quips start to work on your nerves after awhile.
He even sang Amazing Grace, trying to add more emotion to his cheesy bickerings, what a plonker?
If you could get past the "Bono Thing" it was a great concert

Hats off to the management, getting in and out was top notch, and I found all the staff very friendly and helpful

Took my camera, but didn't check the batteries, what a wally?

DonovanB

Squonk wrote: Took my camera, but didn't check the batteries, what a wally?

What a Squonk... ?

aubs1

Squonk wrote: The only thing that peed me off about the whole thing was Bono, he must be the most irritating Git this side of the Mississippi. He comes across as the Sultan of Cheese 8) Every piece of dialogue, all the world peace and the plight of the people in Burma quips start to work on your nerves after awhile.
He even sang Amazing Grace, trying to add more emotion to his cheesy bickerings, what a plonker?
If you could get past the "Bono Thing" it was a great concert

I fully agree, but forgave him in the "overall scheme"........ was absolutely cheesy ........ but the piece with Madiba I thought was cool...... ?

And the only thing that pissed off my wife was that you could'nt find a souvenir program or t-shirt......she wanted a t-short....hahaha ..... at least nowhere where we were sitting ....... but she enjoyed the show!!!

deefstes

I was blown away. To me, perhaps the most awesome thing of the night was that stage. There's no front, side or back view of the stage really. We were sitting on one of the side stands and we never really felt cheated out of good views because the show really is a 360 degree spectacle.

Did anyone count the guitars that The Edge was playing? I lost count but can remember the following:
At least two different Fender Stratocasters
Gibson SG
Gibson Les Paul (goldtop)
Gibson ES-355 (I think)
Gibson Explorer (or something closely resembling it)
Rickenbacker 330
and of course his good old Fender Telecaster.

Some pics:

The stage

The Edge playing a Rickenbacker 330

Bono and The Edge using the stage

Another incarnation of the stage

Bono

Adam Clayton with his Fender Precision Bass

On a negative note, we didn't share your experience of a good organised event. Quite the opposite, I thought the organisation was downright pathetic. The park & ride for the Coca Cola Dome afterwards was an absolute dog show of note. We got to bed only at 02:30 and we were some of the lucky ones who got on a bus earlier. I'm sure there are peeps who only got to bed around 05:00 or so.

Also, why one should have to queue for 3 hours (yes, 3 hours!!!) to buy a t-shirt or queue for an hour to buy a drink is beyond me. It's pathetic organising, there's just no other word for it.

Bob-Dubery

Squonk wrote: The only thing that peed me off about the whole thing was Bono, he must be the most irritating Git this side of the Mississippi. He comes across as the Sultan of Cheese 8) Every piece of dialogue, all the world peace and the plight of the people in Burma quips start to work on your nerves after awhile.
He even sang Amazing Grace, trying to add more emotion to his cheesy bickerings, what a plonker?
If you could get past the "Bono Thing" it was a great concert

I never know how to feel about things like this. Not that Bono presented himself in this way - it's a U2 concert, it's Bono, the crusading is part and parcel of what they're about.

A couple of years ago I was at a festival at which Billy Bragg was the headliner for the first night. I didn't see him. I went to one of the "side" venues and took in a night of excellent Americana. The next morning over breakfast I had a chat with a lady who had been to see Bragg (her son bought her a ticket) and was still reeling. She hadn't expected the overt political content.

My instinct was to say "duh! It was Billy Bragg, what did you expect?" But I sat on that because it quickly transpired that whilst she'd heard the name before she really didn't have much familiarity with Bragg and his work and reputation.

To me it's part of the schtick, and even if I don't expect it (like the time I saw Chambawamba who wanted money abolished, the royal family thrown in jail etc etc) I might react one way or the other but I don't feel shocked. I also reserve the right to disagree with the artist. But I often think of that lady recovering from a dose of Billy Brag.

Should concerts come with warnings like those on a cigarette box? "Warning! Political content!" "Warning! Bat biting!" "Warning! Gratuitous tushie shaking!" etc etc?

Squonk

@ Bob - I dont think I would mind the whole Political Content thing, It's just the way Bono does it.

Even when he talks between the songs and doesn't appear to be politicing, he is just so cheesy.

He carries on about the plight of the activists that are locked up in the world and then picks up a guitar and sings "Amazing Grace"
I reached for the tissue and blew my nose ?

On the other hand I must say that he is an excellent Frontman, one of the best. Should let The Edge do the talking, but then after watching "It might get Loud", that might be a bit dodgy ?

Bob-Dubery

Ah well.... another point well and truly missed. Please carry on as if I never said a dicky bird. ?

Squonk

Blackberry Pictures untill the battery died

I was starting to get excited just to be in the Stadium

"U2" Almost at the Stadium

The stage and stadium filling up fast

I cant recall who the opening act were, but I thought they were excellent. Kind of North African with some arabic tinges. Excellent musicians!

It's a Beautiful Day, U2 concert opener. This was my view (Bald head and all) but as you can see U2 just a tad bigger than matchstick men!

aubs1

deefstes wrote: I was blown away. To me, perhaps the most awesome thing of the night was that stage. There's no front, side or back view of the stage really. We were sitting on one of the side stands and we never really felt cheated out of good views because the show really is a 360 degree spectacle.

Did anyone count the guitars that The Edge was playing? I lost count but can remember the following:
At least two different Fender Stratocasters
Gibson SG
Gibson Les Paul (goldtop)
Gibson ES-355 (I think)
Gibson Explorer (or something closely resembling it)
Rickenbacker 330
and of course his good old Fender Telecaster.

I saw in addition to the above:

2 x Les Pauls (GT and Burst (not too sure which, but definitely another )
1 x Gretsch

...... and then I stopped counting ........ ?

Yes Deefstes, it was an Explorer, he opened with it.

Awesome pics mate!!! We only shot video...... ?

deefstes

Squonk wrote:I cant recall who the opening act were, but I thought they were excellent. Kind of North African with some arabic tinges. Excellent musicians!

Mariam & Amandou. They hail from Mali. I'm glad you enjoyed them (and judging by the cheers they evoked from the crowds it appears that most people did) but I'd have to be honest that I didn't enjoy them. I agree that they had some interesting motifs of Arabian / North African sounds but I just can't seem to enjoy music that takes on phrase (however exotic it might sound) and repeat it over and over and over and over...
and over.

I agree with Aubs1 though, their sound engineering was just several tiers better than Springbok Nude Girls'.

Tonedef

Deefstes, do yourself a favour and grab the album "Triptych" by The Tea Party. You'll be a convert to that sound and style, I guarantee it. Their signiature experimental sound has been dubbed "Morroccan Roll".

Mr-M

A few hours before the show

The massive space ship set up close

And even closer

The jubilant crazies who camped overnight to get into the inner circle rushing in

The stage while they're unboxing everything and setting up before U2 went on

The Edge's amps close in

Dallas Schoo, the Edge's guitar tech and Adam Clayton's unnamed bass tech walking around testing the wireless packs

Starting out on Beautiful Day...

Tearing down and packing up after the show

deefstes

Tonedef wrote: Deefstes, do yourself a favour and grab the album "Triptych" by The Tea Party. You'll be a convert to that sound and style, I guarantee it. Their signiature experimental sound has been dubbed "Morroccan Roll".

I'll give it a shot as I'm always keen to try something new and I generally do like unconventional styles. I just find it hard to imagine that any style would appeal to me if it relies so heavily on repetition. Call me a repetitiophobe ?

Tonedef

Think of it as the Rolling Stones with a heavy eastern influence. Its magic. And Jeff Burrows is my fave male vocalist.

Squonk

For those of you who were there and are old enough to remember Frankie Goes to Hollywood!

Did you notice them slip in 'Two Tribes' during one of their songs? Bono also mouthed off "Relax" a couple of times....

giggsy

With all this U2 love going around, thought I'd just throw this out there... I have a photo signed by The Edge that I may consider selling if anyone is keen (I got my signed Kings of Leon photo today and that has bumped The Edge off the wall!) PM me if interested or if you want to see a photo... of the photo

Riaan

Awesome pics! I can't wait for Friday...we booked into a B&B in Greenpoint so we can walk to the stadium. Expecting to meet up with a couple of old friends so it won't be an early night anyway.