The Irish foursome delivered an awe-inspiring performance in front of a packed house at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington Monday night, featuring a powerhouse set list of new, old and classic rock covers. U2 dazzled their fans with an array of vibrant multicolored (LED) and spinning LCD lights during several of their top tunes, including ones from Achtung Baby, Joshua Tree and the new No Line On The Horizon (NLOTH).
The Dubliners began their spectacular set list with the soulful rock ballad, Breath (from NLOTH), featuring the quintessential crooning from Bono. As with many of the band’s new tunes, this track is more emotionally impactful while delivered live as opposed to their studio album version.
The dance pop track Get On Your Boots was transformed into dynamite rock n’ roll track filled with battering-ram style percussion from Larry Mullen Jr., fierce guitar grooves from The Edge and thunderous drums by Adam Clayton.
U2 later delved deeper into their precious discography to unearth a scintillating dance version of Mysterious Ways from Achtung Baby, which had everyone dancing from their seats. The band then morphed into a low-key version of The Beatle’s Blackbird. The 40-inch HD Screen provided 360-degree panoramic views of the entire band on stage.
The band reached perfection during their tearful blues-laden acoustic version of Stuck In A Moment. Bono and The Edge showcased their masterful vocal range during this unplugged rendition from their Grammy Award-Winning Album All That You Can’t Leave Behind.
One of their signature features of the night was their fantastic reworking of NLOTH’s Crazy. The band employed a mash-up of UK mix maestro Redanka’s Electro-House version with the Dirty South Remix. This new concert tour staple helped galvanize the fan’s spirits and became a very participative moment during the night's festivities. Before the start of U2’s masterful encore performances, Bono payed homage to those leaders and organizations that supported the underprivileged in Africa with medication supplies and educational resources. Bono then provided a rare solo-cover of Amazing Grace which then built into a flawlessly executed Where The Streets Have No Name. The Edge’s menacing guitar rhythms were on full display as the band crooned in unison during the heart-pounding chorus.
The band’s finest hour came when they paid tribute to their 90s dance-driven album Zooropa with a computer-generated screen, featuring a psychedelic spaceship with space aliens before launching into their epic masterpiece Ultra Violet Rays. Bono’s heart-wrenching vocal croons about finding love during times of emotional crisis. His divine lyrics reach magical proportions with “Your love is like a lightbulb swinging over my bed.”
U2’s incredible set list was capped off with their chill-out, Caribbean influenced tune, Moment of Surrender from their new album. Bono closed the night by saying, “Don’t forget about us.” With a fan’s limited remix album on the way and new EP next year, the Irish super group sensation left fan’s clamoring for more before heading home for the night.
Grade: A
SKYNOTES
Opening for arguably the world’s premier “Super Group” is a difficult task. These talented UK lads provided a colossal spark before the main attraction took center stage to promote many of their songs from their new LP, The Resistance. The band kicked off their short set with the rock opera-esque Uprising. The song featured impressive savage guitar riffs and the vocally unique stylings of Matthew Bellamy. Who can not be motivated by a chorus featuring the phrase, “We will be victorious?” Map of Problematique perhaps unofficially pays homage to recent New Order material and vintage Led Zeppelin. The band closed their mesmerizing set with their radio friendly hit Starlight.
Published 10/13/09
