U2 Live Review @ City of Manchester Stadium (Manchester) - 14 Jun 2005

Photos:Elly Roberts

Live Review

Everything about U2 is big. The stadiums, the presentation, the music, the sound, and yes, even their photo passes! In the run-in to the Live 8 global showcase, this was U2's second gig of 2005's Vertigo European ten date tour. A complete sell-out, sixty thousand excited fans packed out the impressive Man City ground to witness arguably the biggest band on the planet, do their thing. Twenty five years, and 17 albums later - I finally get to see them. It was worth the protracted wait.

Coming on late to a huge roar, messianic frontman Paul Hewson, (Bono to me and you), he lead his storm troopers through a spectacular two hour fifteen minute show. Sombrely dressed, and more modest by comparison with ZooTV and Elevation tours, I detected some kind of mourning, either personal or global. Gone was Bono's make-up and array of hats, replaced by simple black outfit, as were his band mates. Later political references symbolised their deep empathy for the state of the world, so perhaps I was right after all.

However, the tone was up-beat from the minute go, as they ripped into their powerhouse opener (and closer) Vertigo, considered to contain one of the best riffs of all time. This sent the crowd delirious, laying the foundation for a superb night of arena engulfing music. Right now, they are probably the ultimate arena band, with 26 years of experience behind them. They may not take too easy to the tag of pop group - the most successful in the last two decades - but that's exactly what they are. Their music is global in appeal and warmth - global warming if you like. This time, they exuded a kind of self-assured confidence in their ability to unite the entire planet. Incredibly, they have the rare knack of touching everyone in their path - politicians, men, women and children. Successive bands have come and gone in their lifetime, and there's no sign of them fading away. They always seem to deliver the goods at the right time. Like all great bands they've taken huge artistic risks which have paid-off. No such risks tonight though. Blasting out classic back-catalogue hits like I Will Follow, New Year's Day, they set a frenetic and unrelenting pace, without even talking to the crowd. When it came at song seven, City Of Blinding Lights, it was simple,

Hello Manchester. I remember the first time the band passed through this city. This is the city of the future. This is the band of the future

as we all screamed with approval. Bono knows exactly what to say and when to say it. Bouncing back into action they didn't put a foot wrong: crowd pleasers all the way, mostly hi-energy. Behind them, the never-ending back-screens lit up the twilight as countless images rolled by. Split screens and multi angled camera shots beamed around the stadium. You could see and here them everywhere, as they constantly paraded the sweeping thrusts way out in the crowd. Trying hard to play down the technology, it was impossible to ignore the back-up, and it got more impressive as the night rolled on. A tender Sometimes (You Can't Make It On Your Own) dedicated to Bono's late father, briefly stalled the juggernaut. His achingly beautiful delivery stunned everyone. Back to Rock'n'Roll, the tempo raised again as the upper tier bobbed - Sunday Bloody Sunday, Pride (In The Name Of Love) soon gave way to Where The Streets Have No Name , dropping a further register to the song that has been voted the greatest off all time in just about every poll - One. That did it for me.

Unified, we all went for it as if it was a message to the world - and it probably was.

Two encores brought more thrills as we saw techno over-dive kick-in for The Fly, a dazzling Mysterious Ways, and a thumping reprise of Vertigo.

I'm still dizzy!

Elly Roberts