dsmith2904

Please post all reviews of the September 17th show here.

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Don't you know it's gonna be alright?

chyland

Fantastic show...best one in T.O. There was the magic energy from the start to set it off....Popmusik into Discotheque...that's what people have been waiting for....Fast Cars should stay in the line up...it's getting better each night.

TheEdge1967

A very special night! Huge energy. Crowd everywhere was into it, even in the upper deck. Highlights were, in my opinion, Electric Co, Love and Peace, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Streets, Popmusik followed by Discoteque, fastcars... Steets was amazing. really the whole show was full of energy.. Crazy crazy time!

Klink

(Just submitted to U2tours.com)

After London and San Diego, this was my third show of the tour and by far the best. Reasons:

1) Discotheque! First Pop song on the tour and it blew me away.

2) The Ocean. This song about the powerlessness of the individual - even a rock star - has always hit me hard. I'd never heard it live before so a real treat.

3) Streets was delirium, my favourite song and so always a highlight.

4) Miss Sarajevo.

5) The crowd. Ok, this requires an explanation. Toronto is not exactly known for the wildest crowds. A thorough review of the tour reports on this web site will confirm this, e.g. "the crowd only got into it halfway through" etc etc. However, reading the reports from the other shows, this had to have been the best one. The crowd was great from City of Blinding Lights all the way through. You could feel the band feeding off the energy. I was on the floor, about two meters from the ellipse, which I'm sure made a difference in the crowd intensity when compared with the distant seating we had in London and San Diego. It's really hard to compare seating vs. GA in terms of intensity for obvious reasons. Never-the-less, credit is due to that crowd. I just can't wait for another 106 decibel Montreal crowd in November!

6) City of Blinding Lights is a sensational opening song.


Downside:
The one downside, and it's the same one as I wrote in my San Diego review (although it didn't apply to me in SD), is the GA random lottery system for deciding which fans get to go into the ellipse. This has got to be the worst GA policy I've ever heard of. I would like to begin this criticism by saying that I understand the arguments regarding people who "have to work" and "can't afford to line up all day" and how there is a need to make it more fair for these people. Those are fair points. However, that does not make the lottery system "more fair". More fair for them? Yes. But what about the fans that DO stand/sit/sleep outside all day and night? Not more fair to them. In fact, much less fair. Considering these inevitable and opposing feelings, it's my very strong opinion that although there is an argument to be made for those who can't sit out all night and/or day, the system should not be one that screws the fans who did make the sacrifice and who could make it.

Some will inevitably ask why you need to line up at all if it's a random lottery. The answer is that whether you do get in or not doesn't change the fact that you need to get there early if you want a good spot. All it tells you is whether you get a good spot inside or outside the ellipse. You still need to line up early if you want a good spot, even outside the ellipse.

Every non-reservation system in the world works on a first come, first served basis. Lines to get on your local city bus, busy restaurants (if they don't take reservations) , movie theatres, even your local McDonalds. These all understand that those who have been waiting the longest or who get there first should be served first. Many have argued that these are not the same as a U2 show due to high demand. How exactly does the level of demand change what is fair? U2 even sells their tickets on a first come-first served basis! Sorry, but there is no argument to be made there. It's out of complete self interest that arguments like that are made and frankly, I object to someone getting there 12 hours later than me only to end up getting a better spot. It's ridiculous and contemptible. We all pay the same for a GA ticket. What makes the difference in the quality of your spot should be whether you sacrificed to be there (U2.com members who paid US $40 - getting nothing - and/or spent 'X' hours waiting), not a machine telling you 'too bad, so sad'. The lottery system discriminates disproportionately against those who are willing to sacrifice the most and as such, it's a shameful system and I'm stunned that U2 and their management have allowed it to continue.

Anyway, that aside, great show!

Marmoset

Excellent show!!! It was my first time ever on the floor for U2, so I was looking forward to this for a VERY long time, and it's certainly didn't disappoint!

First of all, a couple comments on Klink's review - I wasn't at the other 3 shows so I can't comment on the crowd there, but the crowd at this one was definitely into from the start and right through. I was just a few feet from the ellipse a bit right of center, and the amount of noise was stunning! A very different experience from the seats. Even though it was a bit cramped and there were one or two bozos, I was very surprised by the overall lack of pushing and the good behaviour of people.

I totally disagree with the comments on the lottery, but this isn't really the place for that - someone did a poll recently and it was nearly a 50-50 split on what poeple thought should be done, so either way, half of us aren't going to be happy.

Anyway, back to the actual music, I thought it was as great as I could have hoped for! COBL is a great opening song, and the first 6 or 7 songs were all high energy types. A great way to get things going. I have to admit, being not quite the 'fanatic' that some people here are , a couple songs threw me when I heard them - I knew I'd heard the ones from 'Boy' but couldn't place it right away, and then when 'Fast Cars' came on, I had no idea what it was - but I loved it!

Overall, one great, great night - I only hope it's not another 4 years until they drop by T.O. again!

Tintin

I make my way into the arena and notice that many of the people there are old enough to be my parents. Sure, so are all members of U2, but for some reason I feel really out of place. I had only just managed to buy one ticket, and will be forever thankful for the addition of a fourth show, but here surrounded by people who love the same band as I do, I feel alone. (And, I started wondering, did they really like the U2 I like? Are they just casual fans here for Pride and Streets? Next time, I'm getting two seats.) Dashboard Confessional start to play a set of songs that did little to distinguished themselves from each other. And then we wait for Arcade Fire to come onto the PA. It does, the lights dim, the men on the lighting rigs get comfortable and then...

I see the Edge! I see the Edge! I'm amazed at how visceral my reaction to the mere sight of him is. Wow that's weird I think and I scream all the louder. City of Blinding Lights places a smile on the whole arena. So beautiful tonight. Then U2 work a miracle and make me love Vertigo, a song that I have always disliked. It's strange, having listened to their bootlegs forever to see them live. Bono's voice in concert songs much higher and lighter than it does in the live recordings. At times his tone sounded like it did on MLK. Incredible.

Popmusik before a popmartastic Discotheque made my night as did the ZooTV presentation of The Fly. A chance for first timer like myself to catch a live glimpse of past tours. It could've come across as the worst type of nostaliga, but it didn't. Also vastly entertaining was Bono's protracted speech on how the Edge came from the future (and other planet!) and how he landed in Dublin in a UFO that was playing the intro riff to Miracle Drug. It was endearingly clusmy. (By the way, Edge says the future is better.)

One magical moment occured after One, when Eddie Vedder came and sang Old Man River, all while Edge was teaching Daniel Lanois the chords on the spot.

Near the end of the show, I wondered how Bono could turn the cold arena that had made me feel so alone into something so alive, so... cozy? But with every song they propelled warmth and humanity into the corners of the arena. This is the paradox of U2: comfort without apathy and optimism without denial.

I had so much riding on this show, but it didn't dissapoint. It was joyful, entertaining, euphoric, life-affirming. Everything, then, that I had heard a U2 show was.

Val

I loved this review! Awwwwwwww!

oceane

Here is my review of Saturday's concert. I would rank it significantly above Wednesday, and *slightly* under Friday (all GAs). I wasn't there Monday. I was on the outside rail on Adam's side with Miroslava, pretty far on the side. I apologize in advance for my incapabilty at writing short reviews.

It was an awesome show. Bono was on fire, although less goofy than Friday (but that was hard to beat), in a really good mood and once again in great shape vocally. He was really trying to get all the crowd going, and spent more time on the ellipse than usual (even during Elevation and The Ocean). I also thought the crowd was the best of the three shows I saw in Toronto.

Here is the set-list with some highlights and details (for all you U2 geeks ). It was almost the same as Friday, which was a bit dissapointing given it was a fourth night, but honestly the show had a different feel to it.

INTRO
Once again, the lights went out during Wake Up (as opposed to after in the first leg), but the "Everyones" were back, which was great.

COBL
VERTIGO
ELEVATION

ELECTRIC CO.
This song just keeps getting better and better. I liked it during the first leg, but I feel now it's just mind-blowing. It is helped by the fact that Bono an Edge both come out on the ellipse now and sort of play with each other. Also, the "See Me, Feel Me" snippet at the end is SO intense. Bono stands at the tip of the ellipse and reaches to the far away seats, asking the whole crowd to feel him and heal him.

THE OCEAN
BEAUTIFUL DAY

MIRACLE DRUG
Again the story about Edge coming from the future and an different planet and arriving in a spaceship in Dublin when they were in High School (!), but it flew much better than Wednesday, and the crowd was laughing. I like it better than the doctors and nurses thing, because it's funny and touching at the same time (still about hope in the future)

SOMETIMES
LOVE AND PEACE

SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY
Again the three claps in the bridge, mixed with the Coexist part.

BULLET

MISS SARAJEVO
Mind-blowing, just mind-blowing. I swear I never thought I would live to hear Bono sign like that live in front of me.

PRIDE
STREETS
Here comes the best moment of the show for me. During the day some fans were walking around the GA line giving away Make Poverty History/Abolissons la Pauverté plastic signs, to be taken out during One. Miroslava decided to write the slogan in Spanish as well on the other side of her sign. When Streets started, some people took their signs out, because Bono now includes a reference to te MPH campaign in his pre-Streets speech. When him and Adam came out on the ellipse, tons of people on the floor were holding their signs up high, and Bono looked really touched and proud. He took a sign from someone at the front. At the end of the song, he came over to our side, and stopped right smack in front of us, holding his sign up high while we were doing the same, looking really moved. It was AWESOME. Then he looked down at us, and saw that Miroslava had written the slogan in Spanish. He kneeled down in front of us, gave his microphone to her and said "Speak It!" So she did, twice because the first time we couldn't hear her. WOW! She was on Cloud 9 after that of course, and so was I. It was such a beautiful moment.

ONE/OLD MAN RIVER
Daniel Lanois came on stage to play once again, but this time it was much better because Edge waited before playing his solo, so finally we could hear Lanois play (which we couldn't really the other two nights), and the song lasted longer. Then out came Eddie Vedder! He sang Old Man River with Bono (and Edge and Lanois), which also lasted longer, so to me it was more than just a snippet.
*****

POP MUSIK INTRO
When we saw that the screens were different than usual, we all became hysterical on the floor. Instead of the Zoo babies, it's a radio which changes stations, then some Pop Mart logos (shopping cart, etc.), and the four faces from the Pop cover. Then the Pop Musik intro started! OMG was I hysterical. Bono walked around the ellipse and danced and jumped to Pop Musik, and then went back to the main stage.

DISCOTHEQUE
WOW. Well worth the wait. This was not just a new song, it was a whole new Discotheque altogether! Completely different from any studio or live versions we have heard before. It sounded like a remix, with all sorts of different parts put together. Really hard to describe. It started with the usual guitar riff straight away, but then moved into a drum and bass beat, with some minimal guitar, up until Lovey-dovey stuff when the riff kicked in again. Then for the part where it's just guitar and whooos, the beat would slow down completely. Generally speaking, I felt like the song was really led by Adam and Larry, and that Edge would only come in full force just at the right time. There was also a big build up towards the end, and the place felt like a dance club.

By far the best version I have heard of this song, and it took the encore to a whole different place. Can't wait to get a recording of this!

THE FLY
WOWY
****
ABOY
FAST CARS
Once again this song is really, really good live. It might just become an obscure song turned into a live classic IMO. And it fits perfectly well after ABOY. There were people filming on stage during that song like on Friday

YAHWEH
Dedicated to Willie, who as you know is leaving the tour (and possibly U2 for good, that part wasn't clear). Edge had a badly tuned guitar at the beginning, and looked really stressed out. Bono was telling jokes, trying to make things easier. It eventually worked, but because of that the techies brought back the mini-keyboards to the main stage, so Larry and Adam never came out on the ellipse.

40
Best way to end a show, as always.

It was my last show of the Vertigo tour , and an absolutely stellar performance.

Miroslava

Oceane summed everything up perfectly... She's one cool chick!

DISCLAIMER TO ABOVE REVIEW
I was in Cloud 9 for only about 5 minutes until all of a sudden, what I had said on microphone echoed in my head and the echo I was getting was not what I was supposed to day....

Apparently my brain seized while having Bono kneeling in front of me and having a microphone shoved in my face and I actually did not say the right thing... So yes, let's "make poverty sadness"

I am going back to my hole to continue slowly dying of embarrasement...

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m u s i c i d e

corianderstem

Oh my. Miroslava, that's hilarious!

I feel your pain of embarrassment.

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"I'm so mad right now, all I can do is dance!"

oceane

Stop that! The reason I didn't include this in my review is that it didn't matter, the moment was awesome and that's what is important. And poverty IS sadness after all

Please just enjoy this wonderful moment you had with Bono.

Miroslava

Actually, I am almost ready to take the paperbag off my head. I think I should be over it in a couple of days once I am at the first Chicago show!

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m u s i c i d e

FlyYourKite

I didn't know that was you Miroslava!!! Wow, that is too awesome.

greety

Congrats Miroslava, and don't worry, you did get the message across

so, you were in the right spot once again!!

U2Fanatic4ever

awwwwwww Miroslava!!

don't even worry about it.! Yes, the message was felt by everyone I am sure! I know how you feel though.. And you had another Bono moment! How many people can say that. I won't even go into my duh moment that I had with Bono. I plan to make for it though! And redeem myself.

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