Sayonara Japan

U2’s final Vertigo show in Japan on Monday (Dec. 4) focused on paying respect to the country and its people. Early in the show, Bono expressed the band’s genuine love for the country, noting they had a wonderful stay in Tokyo. Bono spoke of his visit to Kyoto, where he toured the Church of Light, designed by Tadao Ando.

Bono was so charmed by Kyoto that he brought back three of its residents to Tokyo with him for the final show. During “Mysterious Ways,” Bono invited the three to dance with him on stage. Mouths dropped open when they saw Bono’s guests were geishas (perhaps actually maikos [geishas in training]) in full traditional wardrobe and makeup. Morleigh Steinberg ran alongside the women in the pit, directing them to dance with their fans, to the delight of the audience and Bono, who grinned from ear to ear. At the song’s conclusion, he bowed to them sweetly.

Another highlight of the show was a particularly moving performance of “Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own,” which Bono dedicated to his father and the fathers of his friends Gavin and Guggi, who watched the show from the mix desk.

Setlist
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo – She Loves You (snippet)
Elevation
Out of Control
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – In a Little While (snippet)
Beautiful Day
Angel of Harlem
The First Time
Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own
Bad – Ruby Tuesday (snippet)
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bullet the Blue Sky – When Johnny Comes Marching Home & Hands That Built America (snippets)
Miss Sarajevo
Pride (In the Name of Love)
Where the Streets Have No Name
One

The Fly
Mysterious Ways
With or Without You

The Saints Are Coming
Window in the Skies
Vertigo (“For us!”)

Goodbye Brazil

Last night Morumbi Stadium was filled with 70,000 Brazilians, but 20,000 more without tickets listened to the show outside the stadium in the rain. They just wanted to be there to say goodbye to the biggest band on the planet.

Bono brought two girls to the stage, one during “Desire” (she stole a kiss from Bono and The Edge) and one during “Mysterious Ways.” The highlights of the show were during “Pride” and “Where the Streets Have No Name,” when the audience sang louder than Bono. The setlist was full of surprises. Take a look:

City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
Elevation
Until the End of the World
New Year’s Day
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
Beautiful Day / Blackbird
The First Time
Desire
Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own
Love and Peace or Else
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bullet the Blue Sky / When Johnny Comes Marching Home / The Hands That Built America
Miss Sarajevo
Pride (In the Name of Love)
Where the Streets Have No Name
One
Zoo Station
The Fly
Mysterious Ways
With or Without You
Yahweh
All I Want Is You / Love Rescue Me

Photo slideshow

Last Night in Mexico

U2’s third and final Vertigo tour date in Mexico last night was filmed but will not be broadcasted like the rest of the Latin shows. The shows in Brazil, Chile, and Argentina will be aired on national television.

Last night’s audience was really loud and participative, again bringing thousands of balloons to delight the band. Bono sported a new jacket, similar to the one he wore during the Elevation tour with the American flag lining, but with the Mexican flag instead. The band offered a great performance, but Bono did not speak to the audience as much as the night before. He chose to dance with the same girl for both “Mysterious Ways” and “With or Without You.”

During “Beautiful Day,” Bono changed the lyrics to:

See the world in red and green
Mexico City in a waking dream
From Guadalajara to Monterrey,
Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco Bay
A new world is in motion

An after-show party was organized for the band, but they did not attend. Immediately after the show, U2 retired to their hotel.

Setlist:

City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
Elevation
Until the End of the World
New Year’s Day
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
Beautiful Day / Cielito Lindo
Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of (semi-acoustic)
Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own
Love and Peace or Else
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bullet the Blue Sky / Johnny Comes Marching Home / The Hands That Built America
Miss Sarajevo
Pride
Where the Streets Have No Name
One
Zoo Station
The Fly
Mysterious Ways
With or Without You
Fast Cars
Original of the Species
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