As day gave way to dusk, and dusk in turn yielded to darkness under the shadow of the CN tower, my pulse increased as it struck me that I really was about to see U2. And then, I saw the cars roll in.
They were in the stadium.
As I looked onto the green monster of a stage, the speakers blared "Space Oddity" by Dave Bowie, and one by one, the members took the stage. Larry went to the kit and immediately started pounding the skins. Ash-haired Adam took his lanky stance with the bass. The Edge slung his guitar over his shoulder. And then a rather short man in a leather jacket came out. But enough of that... on to the concert.
In standard form for the 360 tour to that point, U2 opened with "Breathe", a song from their new album which I am still warming up to. A good friend of mine drew attention to a different lyrical interpretation of the song, casting it in the light of establishing one's personal identity. I'm still considering this, although I can say that it's very much a beat-like poem set to music, like nothing else they've ever written. In my mind, it took them a few songs to really get reved up. Next on the setlist was "No Line on the Horizon", a somewhat more compelling song from the new album, performed in front of a stark screen of black and white. Instrumentally, this was a very tight performance of a song which harkens a bit more to the glory days of the Joshua Tree. Bono's introduction of the band was disarmingly humourous, with a low key charm which contrasted with the high, operatic drama of the Popmart tour or ZooTV. Bono called Adam a "sexual predator" and dropped references to the "space ship" they were performing in and claimed that they had "some new songs, some old songs, and some songs they could barely play". It was blatant false humility on the last claim.
Next up on the roster was "Get on Your Boots", which I frankly think is one of their most ridiculous songs to date. Time will not redeem this song. It is the "Some Days are better Than Others" of the new album, without the contrived seriousness. "Magnificent", on the other hand, is hands-down the best song of the new album, a glorious return to old form, and an Augustinian declaration of worship. Their performance was indeed flawlessly magnificent, and with Bono's arms outstretched and eyes closed, I felt he was leading the unknowing crowd in worship of the Magnificent. Next was a rendition of "Beautiful Day", a personal favourite.
However, the next song -- "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" -- is the point where I felt the band began to capture the crowd and show their true magic. Bono let the crowd sing the first verse, and his singing of the rest of song was sweetly soulful. It was undeniably magical. "Elevation" came next, and then the rare and strange song "My Blue Room", which I admit I was not familiar with. The video, though, was a strangely haunting one, linking the viewer to an astronaut on the International Space Station. If it were a lesser band, it may have been a momentum killer. "Unknown Caller" followed on its heels, with a karaoke like screen.
Next, they pulled out one of my all-time favourite songs: "Until the End of the World". A musically epic, and poetically brilliant song, it is an exploration of sin and redemption, ironically written to sound like the tale of the broken and remade hearts of lovers, but actually somewhat cryptically written (mostly) from the vantage point of Judas Iscariot during the events surrounding the crucifixion. The Edge's guitar work could not be better, and Bono delivered with passion and drama, running a lap around the massive stage before collapsing in a heap at the Edge's feet, with the spotlight on him. This was definitely one of the best performances of the night.
U2 followed it with a song which is best performed live - "Stay (Faraway, So Close)". It was simply electrifying in its soaring beauty. U2 also played a stirring, sing-a-long version of "Stand by Me". It was simply one of those perfect moments.
"The Unforgettable Fire", a way-back-playback from its eponymous album, surprised me by how much I enjoyed it, as it usually is not a song I'm partial to. And in the first track from "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb", the pulled out "City of Blinding Lights", a song I was hoping they'd play. It was sweet to belt out the chorus to the band, "Oh, you look so beautiful tonight, in this city of blinding lights", underneath the lights of condos, Toronto's Bay Street Banking Core, and the CN tower. It seemed fitting.
Part 3 is yet to come...
Friday, September 25, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The Concert Of a Lifetime -- Part 1
If you have been in any sort of contact with me in the past month, you will know that I had been looking forward with what could understatedly be called rabid enthusiasm to a concert on September 16. Those of you who have known me for a long time know that I am a massive fan of U2, and I secured tickets to their 360 tour on September 16, in the Skydome. I have been looking forward to blogging about this for some time, but I have been fairly busy. Prepare yourself to read about this concert in detail which will either be excruciatingly drawn out or deliciously detailed, depending on your point of view.
Simply put, seeing U2 live was something I wanted to do before I died. I'm almost ashamed to say how important this was for me... a dream for years.
I was delighted to hear that U2 was going to be playing in the Skydome (which sold out for a rock concert in only the second time in its history) and that, as the weather was good, they were going to be playing with the top open (also for only the second time in its history). After working at York that day (it was a delightful day) I scooted downtown on the reliable TTC, rendezvoused with my friend, and headed over to the 'Dome. My seats were not amazingly close, being seated in the 500 level, but they were directly across from the front of the stage, if you could call it that. True to its name, the 360 tour features a massive stage -- the biggest in rock history -- which features no bad views. The stage is quite literally monstrous, a colossal green and yellow set of tentacles which look like they were ripped out of a 1950s Japanese sci-fi.
Adding to the delight of the evening was the fact that so many of my friends were at the concert. After excitedly talking on the phone with as many of them as I could, we sat down and watched the opening band, Snow Patrol. I hadn't had a huge exposure to the band before the concert, although I tried to do my homework before the show, and my friend was fairly knowledgeable and had a good appreciation for them. The crowd was understandably smaller, but the boys from North Ireland (Dundee, Scotland? Glasgow?) did not disappoint. The band was tight, and the lead singer had a certain self-deprecating charm, tinged with awe-filled humility to be opening for the greatest rock act of our time. I can't quite find Snow Patrol's setlist, but they seemed to play a lot of stuff from their "Eyes Open" album. Their rendition of "Shut Your Eyes" in which they got the audience to sing along (I'm a sucker for band sing-a-longs) drew me in to the band's performance; it's just a hauntingly melodic, yet rocking song as it is. Not surprisingly, "Chasing Cars" was a run away success, performed flawlessly live, with the dramatic, throbbing crescendo of guitar and beautiful, passionate vocals which made it such a hit song. One of their last songs was "Open Your Eyes", a tune I was not that familiar with but which was my friend's favourite Snow Patrol song. It was a winner, combining rock-out rattle and hum with a flirtatious taste of what the 360 screen was capable of, flashing unrelentingly and rapidly between shots of the individual band members and a couple who made out for the camera with a love for exhibition. Snow Patrol gained my unqualified respect by the end of their set. Overall, the band was solid and Gary Lightbody was impressive as a humerous, Celtic frontman and as a passionate singer with a unique voice. As we went to get our Skydome burgers, I couldn't help but reflect, like a true English lit major, on the band's insistent imagery focused on eyes and hands, coupled with imperatives to the audience as the second person, combining for a sense of immediacy in the moment which lent themselves to a sort of intense, earnest passion.
And, as their set went on, the Toronto sky, framed behind the CN Tower and the newly mushrooming glass condos, shifted from daylight to a beautiful dusk. Night was approaching, and with it, U2. My excitement was rising, even as the temperature dropped to the point where it necessitated sweaters. I was stoked.
Part 2 is coming...
Simply put, seeing U2 live was something I wanted to do before I died. I'm almost ashamed to say how important this was for me... a dream for years.
I was delighted to hear that U2 was going to be playing in the Skydome (which sold out for a rock concert in only the second time in its history) and that, as the weather was good, they were going to be playing with the top open (also for only the second time in its history). After working at York that day (it was a delightful day) I scooted downtown on the reliable TTC, rendezvoused with my friend, and headed over to the 'Dome. My seats were not amazingly close, being seated in the 500 level, but they were directly across from the front of the stage, if you could call it that. True to its name, the 360 tour features a massive stage -- the biggest in rock history -- which features no bad views. The stage is quite literally monstrous, a colossal green and yellow set of tentacles which look like they were ripped out of a 1950s Japanese sci-fi.
Adding to the delight of the evening was the fact that so many of my friends were at the concert. After excitedly talking on the phone with as many of them as I could, we sat down and watched the opening band, Snow Patrol. I hadn't had a huge exposure to the band before the concert, although I tried to do my homework before the show, and my friend was fairly knowledgeable and had a good appreciation for them. The crowd was understandably smaller, but the boys from North Ireland (Dundee, Scotland? Glasgow?) did not disappoint. The band was tight, and the lead singer had a certain self-deprecating charm, tinged with awe-filled humility to be opening for the greatest rock act of our time. I can't quite find Snow Patrol's setlist, but they seemed to play a lot of stuff from their "Eyes Open" album. Their rendition of "Shut Your Eyes" in which they got the audience to sing along (I'm a sucker for band sing-a-longs) drew me in to the band's performance; it's just a hauntingly melodic, yet rocking song as it is. Not surprisingly, "Chasing Cars" was a run away success, performed flawlessly live, with the dramatic, throbbing crescendo of guitar and beautiful, passionate vocals which made it such a hit song. One of their last songs was "Open Your Eyes", a tune I was not that familiar with but which was my friend's favourite Snow Patrol song. It was a winner, combining rock-out rattle and hum with a flirtatious taste of what the 360 screen was capable of, flashing unrelentingly and rapidly between shots of the individual band members and a couple who made out for the camera with a love for exhibition. Snow Patrol gained my unqualified respect by the end of their set. Overall, the band was solid and Gary Lightbody was impressive as a humerous, Celtic frontman and as a passionate singer with a unique voice. As we went to get our Skydome burgers, I couldn't help but reflect, like a true English lit major, on the band's insistent imagery focused on eyes and hands, coupled with imperatives to the audience as the second person, combining for a sense of immediacy in the moment which lent themselves to a sort of intense, earnest passion.
And, as their set went on, the Toronto sky, framed behind the CN Tower and the newly mushrooming glass condos, shifted from daylight to a beautiful dusk. Night was approaching, and with it, U2. My excitement was rising, even as the temperature dropped to the point where it necessitated sweaters. I was stoked.
Part 2 is coming...
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Weekend Pleasures.
Good conversation. The challenges of friends.
Meat.
The feel of working up a sweat moving boxes.
Meat again.
Finis.
Meat.
The feel of working up a sweat moving boxes.
Meat again.
Finis.
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