NYC 2: ‘Hi Mom, I’m at the concert…’

‘… and it’s really going off,’ says Bono in his faux-American accent, having angrily scolded a fan in front row for being on the phone during this tour’s ‘Heart of Darkness’ part of the set.

He’s ‘in the moment’, at least he says he is, and it’s a dangerous moment in a mostly joyous show. Danger, by the way, an important element of rock and roll that support band Keane seem to be lacking. They get everything else just about right, but seriously need to go over to the dark side for a bit.

U2 can still surprise me after all these years as they did tonight, with a setlist that kept me guessing and various impromptu stunts.

Like the two of three sisters who came on stage for With or Without You. None of whom were ‘right’ for Bono, since their focus was on each other, not on him. He sparred with one, pointing at his eyes, ‘watch ME, look at ME’, but she wouldn’t. Bono then pulled on stage the only Sikh male in full regalia I’ve ever seen at a U2 show, giving the song a whole new meaning.

Or a special guest, for example. The funky-hatted Mary J. Blige joined U2 on stage for One, her input a blessing for the song which has sounded a bit stale on this tour.

But most of all for ringing up Gavin Friday very early on in the set to have the audience sing Happy birthday to him on his voicemail. Bono paid tribute to his friend (though he didn’t really mention his name) for playing a big part in the creation of the Vertigo tour, and being its ‘midwife’.

Friday, currently holed up in a studio in Santa Monica with Quincy Jones to create the score for Jim Sheridan’s film Get Rich or Die Tryin’, told us earlier in the day that he declared his birthday ‘cancelled’ this year, due to his work commitment. Consider it un-cancelled, mate, the Garden sang for you.

12 thoughts on “NYC 2: ‘Hi Mom, I’m at the concert…’

  1. He did name Gavin at the end of that. Fabulous show! Saw you on the GA line Friday but didn’t say hello as you were about to go in and did not see you today. Are you here for Monday’s show, would like to say hello then…

  2. He did name Gavin at the end of that. Fabulous show! Saw you on the GA line Friday but didn’t say hello as you were about to go in and did not see you today. Are you here for Monday’s show, would like to say hello then…

  3. RE: “But most of all for ringing up Gavin Friday very early on in the set to have the audience sing Happy birthday to him on his voicemail. Bono paid tribute to his friend (though he didn’t really mention his name) for playing a big part in the creation of the Vertigo tour, and being its ‘midwife’.”

    That must’ve been an absolute thrill for you VonB…so happy you were there to witness it!

  4. RE: “But most of all for ringing up Gavin Friday very early on in the set to have the audience sing Happy birthday to him on his voicemail. Bono paid tribute to his friend (though he didn’t really mention his name) for playing a big part in the creation of the Vertigo tour, and being its ‘midwife’.”

    That must’ve been an absolute thrill for you VonB…so happy you were there to witness it!

  5. PopArtist, I will be at Monday’s show.

    thaDude, the movie is directed by Jim Sheridan, and Gavin and Maurice have scored his last couple of movies.

  6. PopArtist, I will be at Monday’s show.

    thaDude, the movie is directed by Jim Sheridan, and Gavin and Maurice have scored his last couple of movies.

  7. Oh yes, about the Sikh guy, I forget his name, but I have seen him at every NYC show the last two tours, and he does usually stand in approx. the same spot on the outside rail every show. Funny that he got pulled up during WOWY though.

  8. Oh yes, about the Sikh guy, I forget his name, but I have seen him at every NYC show the last two tours, and he does usually stand in approx. the same spot on the outside rail every show. Funny that he got pulled up during WOWY though.

  9. This was my 7th U2 show, and I think, perhaps, the best. We sat very low behind the stage where I could see Bono’s teleprompter (!) (complete with speeches) and Larry’s extra drumsticks. It was a magnificent view of the audience, too; I was surprised how clearly you could see into the audience, see everyone’s faces. It made me think that the one time I was on the floor, I wasn’t just imagining it – Bono DID see me, I swear!

    This show was so remarkable (only my second on this tour, the first being Philly; ticket/money problems, you know it) was the setlist, the setlist, the setlist! And the passion: I become very emotional at several moments in the show. I have been staying away from setlist and show news since Philly because I wanted to be surprised, so forgive me if all this is the usual rehearsed stuff, but I was deeply touched when Edge sang the bridge of Miracle Drug after Bono had dedicated it to a doctor. Now, I don’t know anything for sure, but with the illness in Edge’s family, it made the song and the moment really, really hit home for me and I wondered exactly what role that doctor played in his life.

    Mary J. Blige, amazing. They should take her out all the time. Original of the Species: as Bono said, the best song on the new album. The Sikh guy during With or Without You: took me out of the song for a moment, but freshened it up. I don’t love the dance-with-the-girl gimmick. The girls cooperate only a small percent of the time, you know? (Bono accidentally pulled up a tall one tonight – whoops!)

    Bono forgetting to put on his rosary before the encore? Shouting several times at crew to fix his earpieces? The small of Bono’s back? The girls with the “ADAM YOUR BOOM GIRLS ARE HERE” sign on stage left? These are things I NEVER would have seen from the front. And we had the cheapo seats too!

    My last Vertigo show. 🙁 A great one. Come back, boys, and not a moment too soon!

  10. This was my 7th U2 show, and I think, perhaps, the best. We sat very low behind the stage where I could see Bono’s teleprompter (!) (complete with speeches) and Larry’s extra drumsticks. It was a magnificent view of the audience, too; I was surprised how clearly you could see into the audience, see everyone’s faces. It made me think that the one time I was on the floor, I wasn’t just imagining it – Bono DID see me, I swear!

    This show was so remarkable (only my second on this tour, the first being Philly; ticket/money problems, you know it) was the setlist, the setlist, the setlist! And the passion: I become very emotional at several moments in the show. I have been staying away from setlist and show news since Philly because I wanted to be surprised, so forgive me if all this is the usual rehearsed stuff, but I was deeply touched when Edge sang the bridge of Miracle Drug after Bono had dedicated it to a doctor. Now, I don’t know anything for sure, but with the illness in Edge’s family, it made the song and the moment really, really hit home for me and I wondered exactly what role that doctor played in his life.

    Mary J. Blige, amazing. They should take her out all the time. Original of the Species: as Bono said, the best song on the new album. The Sikh guy during With or Without You: took me out of the song for a moment, but freshened it up. I don’t love the dance-with-the-girl gimmick. The girls cooperate only a small percent of the time, you know? (Bono accidentally pulled up a tall one tonight – whoops!)

    Bono forgetting to put on his rosary before the encore? Shouting several times at crew to fix his earpieces? The small of Bono’s back? The girls with the “ADAM YOUR BOOM GIRLS ARE HERE” sign on stage left? These are things I NEVER would have seen from the front. And we had the cheapo seats too!

    My last Vertigo show. 🙁 A great one. Come back, boys, and not a moment too soon!

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