Happy Anniversary Boys, Thanks for a great 30 years !

It all started in September back in 79. The debut EP was titled "Three" Since then like many bands Bono and the boys have matured, for the better or worse.

As we look back some may say that U2's creative peak has been proven to be far behind them:

Remember Joshua Tree (87) or Achtung Baby(91) those are the albums that have stood the test of time, ground breaking, hall of fame type work.

93 proved to be a testing year for the true fans. Zooropa considered by most as a misunderstood, misguided selection of songs. Later proving to be the final bowing achievement, some will argue that Pop(97) was a misfire.

 

U2 may seem to be poised to spend the last decade seemingly content to coast on their past triumphs. Generations of younger fans still flock to "Joshua" and "Achtung" in hordes and buy lots of concert tickets, while new offerings such as 2000's "All That You Can't Leave Behind" and 2004's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" offered hits, albeit all too close to the sonic DNA strand of past ones.

 

2009 along comes  "No Line on the Horizon," U2 set out to leave behind "Leave" and "Dismantle" bring back Eno who is known for some great production work and Lanois as well as a dozen collaborators. Masterfull Will I am as a co-producer for the single "I'11 Go Crazy if I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" now known as the Blackberry song.

 The result was a more fulfilling set, however could it be more then "Joshua," "Achtung" or even "Zooropa" time will tell. The tour kicks off in America next week. Giving spark to lack luster CD sales, and whole new set of fans that just may think this last one was the "One" for them.

Before we get all teary eyed lets think about this could it be possible for another "Joshua" or "Achtung" could it be possible ? Remember lots of bands have gone back to their roots. Its the true creative process that brings out the best and worst in music, sometimes you have to take the good with the bad, its like a well defined marriage that celebrates 30 years.

 Happy Anniversary Boys, Thanks for a great 30 years and to the next 30

 

Video Original posted by U2LOG -

UK Second Show, Better, Set List , Videos


U2 payed a special tribute to convicted Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi last night (August 15) after her prison sentence was recently extended.

The Dublin four-piece have heavily campaigned for her release for the last nine years and even penned the Grammy award winning single 'Walk On', taken from their 2000 album 'All That You Can't Leave Behind', in her name.

Ms Suu Kyi won the Burmese elections in 1990 with the National League for Democracy but was never allowed to take power and has been under house arrest ever since.

She was due to be freed but her sentence was extended for a further 18 months last week when she let a US national, John Yettaw, into her lakeside home after he swam there uninvited, preventing her from taking part in elections scheduled for 2010.

U2 singer Bono told a crowd of 88,000 at Wembley Stadium during the second night of their 360° Tour of the UK: "An extradordinary woman has spent 20 years under house arrest. Her only crime is if she had run for election she would won have that election.

"Her name is Aung San Suu Kyi. I send a prayer from London to Burma for her safety."

The frontman then urged the crowd to don masks of the pro-democracy leader, which were handed out during the gig, as the band launched into 'Walk On' while volunteers marched onstage with her face on.

The band played a mammoth two hour set under their giant 'claw' stage as they blasted through a host of their greatest hits plus seven tracks from their recent album 'No Line On The Horizon' including an elecro version of 'I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight'.

U2 also revisited some old classics including 'The Unforgettable Fire', which has only recently been showcased on their world tour for the first time in over 20 years, and 'Ultraviolet (Light My Way)' which saw Bono firing off red laser beams from his jacket while he swang across the stage on a circular microphone.

Later the whole stadium also belted out the words to fan favourites 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' and 'Pride (In The Name Of Love)' while the likes of Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey and Mel C watched the show from the sidelines.

Bono was on jovial form throughout the show often throwing in snatches of tracks by The Rolling Stones, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Black Grape mid-song.

He also paid tribute to the city of London on numerous occasions and joked: "If you want our claw for the Olympic Games we'll give you a good deal when the tour finishes."

The band rounded off the show with a poignant rendition of 'One' before Bono urged the crowd to lift up their mobile phones and light up the stadium for closing track 'Moment Of Surrender.

Set List

'Breathe'
'No Line On The Horizon'
'Get On Your Boots'
'Magnificent'
'Beautiful Day'
'Until The End Of The World'
'New Year's Day'
'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'
'Stay'
'Unknown Caller'
'The Unforgettable Fire'
'City Of Blinding Lights'
'Vertigo'
'I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight (Remix)'
'Sunday Bloody Sunday'
'Pride (In The Name of Love)'
'MLK'
'Walk On'
'Where The Streets Have No Name'
'One'
'Bad'
'Ultraviolet (Light My Way)'
'With Or Without You'
'Moment of Surrender'




88K Fans, Wembley Bad Review ! We got the Videos

This is a strange time for U2. Their latest album, No Line on the Horizon, has by their standards sold weakly; yet on Friday they played to 88,000 people, the greatest number a band has crammed into Wembley.
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Now back to the London Day 1 Show Review
A whopping 88,000 fans lapped up the band's performance on what critics have described as their "mindblowing" Claw stage, which graced Croke Park three weeks ago. The record was previously held by Foo Fighters, who drew crowds of 83,000 last year.

Live Nation said in a statement before last night's show: "The U2 360 shows at Wembley Stadium on August 14 and 15 will see an expected attendance of between 165,000 to 170,000 over the two days with an expected attendance of 88,000 on Friday breaking the previous attendance record at Wembley." Old favourites, including Beautiful Day, Mysterious Ways and With or Without You, were lapped up the crowd.
BAD REVIEWS POURING IN - telegraph.co.uk
After about 25 minutes, though, either the sound improved or my ears got used to it, and the band unfurled two lovely ballads: a huge and hymnal I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For and a gentle acoustic version of Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of. They decently kept to a minimum the songs from the dreary No Line on the Horizon: six, from a setlist of 22.
The older hits (Sunday Bloody Sunday, Pride, a glittering Where the Streets Have No Name) were best, except for One, ruined by Bono, who sang much of it lackadaisically off the beat.
Perhaps he’s performed it so many times it bores him. Well, it doesn’t bore the fans and they’d paid through the nose to hear it. Still, he didn’t overburden us with his politics; just a tribute to Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese pro-democracy campaigner, and a cheery video message from Desmond Tutu.
There was a striking scene at the end. Before the final song, Moment of Surrender, Bono ordered the stage lights to be turned off. Suddenly all was a galaxy of mobile phone screens, winking in the dark. U2 can spend what they like on their swanky stage but the most beautiful sight came when we couldn’t see it.


Photo image copyright @2009 AFP/Getty

80,000 U2 Fans come to Dublin

U2.com

240,000 revellers from as far as Japan, Canada and America will descend on the north Dublin stadium - the equivalent to three All Ireland's finals back to back.

'One of the band's strongest ever live outings,' reports The Irish Times.

"A simply blistering set...' concludes The Irish Independent The Irish Independent.

'Safe to say that there was something magical about last night's triumphant return to home turf.' says The Herald.

Fans poured in from all around the world to see them play at home for one last time ? Ask Bono that's not the case at all. They came to be a part of something greater then their self. To see beyond what could not be possible before.

"In the words of our good friends the Corrs, we are so young," lead singer Bono, who turns 50 next year, shouted, at the start of Beautiful Day.

"As a nation I mean," he added pointing to the crowd.

U2 had been talking all week about Dublin being the shows to remember we can only hope that a DVD comes out of these few days. As expected the boys did not fail so far. Two of the three shows in "the can" they rocked them to the core.

Once they performed tracks from their latest album, the band launched into their greatest hits.

Bono also paid tribute to Ronnie Drew of the Dubliners, who died last year, by playing one of their tracks the Auld Triangle.

U2 dazzled fans from inside a giant steel claw that rose to 60 metres high above the crown - almost as tall as the stands surrounding it.

It took a week to construct the impressive setting, that included 550 tonnes of steel, 56 tonnes of video screens and spanned across a third of the pitch.

Music aside, the band's political allegiance was clear - with a dedication to jailed Burmese politician Aung San Suu Kyi, currently on trial charged with breaking a security law.

Thousands of concert-goers wore a mask bearing her image when the band played Walk On.

Ahead of the gig Bono told fans via a website link-up: "The 'rehearsals' have been going really well. We've been rehearsing in Barcelona, Milan, Nice, Berlin and Amsterdam, but we expect that the main event in Dublin will be better than any of them."

The Edge added: "It's not just another show, for us or for the fans. They travel from all over the world to see us perform in Dublin. Most of them believe it's the best gig for them to attend."

Before the steal packs up and the crew takes on the next city there is one more night in Dublin. Remember folks stage is already being set for another great show. What a wonderful way to end the week or start it.

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U2 360 Tour Amsterdam Second Show Videos

Amsterdam second show was the one that will have fans talking for a long time. The boys sounded great. The mix was tight, they looked like they where having fun and the crowd was right in with them. Live updates from around the world about U2's up coming concert event. Real time chats, news from the tour, and much more. U2 Music, Tour and Events. Follow twitter.com/u2tourfans

Now the show, enjoy - Thanks to our sponsor Headphones4less.com

Bad

Unknown Caller

Elevation

One

Desire

Until the end of the world

Passing Notes

July 21, 2009 Amsterdam, Major Set Change

Nothing like shaking things up a bit. The boys have had some major set changes for this second show. We have yet to clear the videos. Once we do you know we will post them. Sign up below and follow. Cheers

Main Set:

Breathe

No Line On The Horizon

Get On Your Boots

Magnificent

Beautiful Day

Elevation

Desire

Stuck In A Moment

One

Until the End of the World

City of Blinding Lights

Vertigo

I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Pride

MLK

Walk On - You'll Never Walk Alone

Where the Streets Have No Name

Bad

Encore(s): Ultraviolet, With or Without You, Moment of Surrender

Elevation, Until the End of the World, and Bad are played for the first time this tour

Reviews and Videos are in from Berlin

U2 moved on to Berlin, Germany. The setlist did have one big surprise - the tour debut of Stay. It is the first Zooropa song to appear on the current tour, and with the exception of the 23 November 2007 surprise appearance by Bono and Edge at Islington Chapel, it is the first time U2 have played the song since 25 October 2001 on the Elevation Tour.

In the encore, Bono led the crowd in singing Happy Birthday for Nelson Mandela. The full set was posted earlier tonight - Thank you headphones4less

Stay Faraway So Close

Beautiful Day

Angel Of Harlem

I still have not found what I am looking for