Opening Act(s): Institute
Setlist:
City Of Blinding Lights, Vertigo, Elevation, Gloria, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Beautiful Day-Happy Christmas (War Is Over), Original Of The Species-Norwegian Wood, Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, Love And Peace Or Else, Sunday Bloody Sunday-Rock The Casbah, Bullet The Blue Sky, Miss Sarajevo, Pride (In The Name Of Love), Where The Streets Have No Name, One, Help. Encore(s): Until The End Of The World, Mysterious Ways, With Or Without You, Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of, Instant Karma!, Yahweh, 40.
Remarks:
On the eve of the 25th anniversary of John Lennon's murder, Bono tells the crowd 'everything we do tonight is in his memory,' and says 'Here's a song we stole from him' as the band begins Original Of The Species. Lennon is mentioned several times during the show. The main set ends with Bono and The Edge performing 'Help.'
Media Review:
Hartford Courant
Lennon Recalled As Bono Powers U2
By ERIC R. DANTON, Courant Rock Critic
It was a raspy-sounding Bono who took the stage Wednesday night when U2 played to a packed house at the Hartford Civic Center.
A solid year of touring will do that to a person.
But the iconic singer powered through a few hoarse moments as he and his mates delivered 20 songs spanning U2's 25-year career and some of the Irish band's influences.
John Lennon was chief among the latter. Bono dedicated the show to the late singer, who was murdered 25 years ago Thursday, and sneaked in Beatles and Lennon lyrics to several of U2's songs. The crowd roared each time, but U2's own songs were the main attraction.
The band performed on a sleek, modern stage, augmented by a horseshoe-shaped runway that curved through the crowd, and various lighting configurations, including a series of lighted beaded curtains that were among the coolest stage effects of any act touring this year. They shimmered in the dark on the opening number, "City of Blinding Lights," and produced images of crosses, crescents and Stars of David on "Sunday Bloody Sunday." As Larry Mullen Jr. tattooed a martial beat on the drums, Bono called on the crowd to embrace the idea of co-existence with those who are different.
It was one of several political statements the singer made, and not all of them were verbal. Wearing a white headband over his eyes like a blindfold, Bono kneeled during "Bullet the Blue Sky" and crossed his hands over his head at the wrists, mimicking a pose used during interrogations. The band also projected the Universal Declaration of Human Rights onto its video screens as a female voice read aloud the various tenets (after the crew worked out a technical glitch).
Most of the time, though, Bono simply sang. He and guitarist the Edge work together like they're extensions of the same brain. As Bono played up the seductive lyrical rhythm of "Elevation," the Edge dialed in a dirty buzzing sound on his guitar. The two built the chorus of "Beautiful Day" into a joyous explosion of reverberating guitar and soaring vocals, and the Edge nailed the staccato dikka-dikka-dikka riff on "Pride (In the Name of Love)" as Bono reached up for the high notes.
The rasp in Bono's voice enhanced the emotion of "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own," and conveyed the deep-seated sense of yearning that drives "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For."
U2's main set lasted 17 songs (including a brief bit of the Beatles' "Help!") and about 90 minutes, and then the band returned for a three-song encore. "Until the End of the World" led to the swampy riff of "Mysterious Ways," and then the quiet opening strains of "With or Without You" began filling the arena. The Edge's clanging guitar riff unfurled midway through like a sail catching the wind, and the song glided to a breathtaking finale. The band returned for a second four-song encore that opened with "Stuck in a Moment" and finished with "40," from 1983's "War."
Contact Eric R. Danton at [email protected].
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The band U2 has always been special to Hartford, and it seems that we are also to U2, because they always stop here in our little metropolis and they always give a kick ass show. Last night was no exception as the boys once more proved why they are the number one band in the world. U2 once played at the infamous Toad's Place in New Haven, a little bar shortly after John Lennon's death in 1980. For myself, the second time I saw the band was when they played a outdoor concert for the graduating seniors at Trinity College in Hartford. I snuck in and I remember more than half the kids there didnt even know who they were. After they played a bunch of tunes from the War album though...I dont think they have ever forgotten since.
But first a word about the opening band Institute... Gaven Rossdale's new band (sorry if I spelled name wrong!) The lead singer for Bush and his new mates sounded great as they were tight and loud but unfortunatly played to a half empty arena. New songs sounded great as well as a few Bush tunes...Chemical between us... Machine Head.... Gaven strikingly handsome even used the runway around the stage and played with the audience. He even partied with the people at Pigs Eye Pub before the show and gave a live radio interview for WCCC...Hartfords rock station. I heard Karolly today on the radio saying he was one of the nicest rock stars he has ever talked with! Hats off to Gaven...
Now on to U2... there was a really nice picture of Bono in the Hartford Courant this morning, with the crowd behind him and a review of course, right on the front of the Connecticut section... go to HartfordCourant.com... they got a good review from the critic who appparently didnt see the second encore.
Decades-old anthems and new songs were the power of this show. The critic said Bonos voice was raspy and had a few hoarse moments, but I thought his sound was in great form, strong and clear as ever, with the packed croud psyched, loud and pumped, gave the concert power. I was proud of my homies as sometimes they piss me off, just sitting there,you know, but not at this show!
We were all one on this night!
Not alot of banter from Bono tonight, he didnt even bring a lovely woman on stage with him, but during Sunday Bloody Sunday after he talked of Abraham, he pulled a little boy of 7 or 8 years old out of the audience, had him say "No More" sing "No More" he was a little shy but he screams "No More" and the croud goes wild...again he screams "No More" and we all join him!! Great moment... Bono asks him his name and he tells him Jacob... and Bono looks at Larry and the Edge and says "WOW"!!!
Another highlight of course was Miss Sarajevo, which Bono nailed...and a very stirring version of Where the Streets Have No Name... again, the crowd here was a joyous explosion.
I should have mentioned at the beginning that the whole show was dedicated to John Lennon...Bono spoke beautifuly of John...someone they had never met,but know everything about. They sang alot of Beatle songs inside thier own, they even sang HELP..tried to anyway!! All in all Jonathan, a great show by a great band of lads who still clearly love what they do! And thanks to you, Jonathan for all that you do! Love and Peace or Else....Cynthia
wow.......was that kid's name really jacob?
great show...good crowd for hartford.....wow....any bootlegs from vertigo tour around....will trade or b&p