U2 360: A pre-show primer.

Hello Edmonton, and points beyond.  The U2 360 show is heading your way, get on your boots and hold on to your hats.  It’s going to get loud!

My seat before the May 29th show

I was at the Winnipeg show this last weekend and I am just starting to recover in any serious way.  Maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s the extreme number of concerts I have under my belt.  But honestly I think it’s all just good fun and excitement.

My seatmates LB and D

My friends and family in Edmonton are going to have an excellent time tonight and here is what they can expect.

U2 Claw in Blue

Firstly, be ready to be totally overwhelmed.  This stage set up is unlike anything you have ever seen before.  Trust me it’s the biggest stage currently on the planet,  over 150′ tall and over 40 yards square on a Canadian football field. This stage takes almost a week to set up and a week to take down.

U2 Claw in Red

Secondly, U2 is all that and a bag of chips.  Since getting poor reviews in the early years, Bono and group have tossed all care to the wind becoming the biggest nastiest band on the planet.  Yes KISS you can put your dragon boots away you officially are once were’s.  I have been to both shows multiple times and sorry Gene that make-up is just tired and your stage show is so 70’s.

So about social conscience, yes U2 we get that you are a political band and that you speak to world issues but playing to the heartland of North America and showing Islāmic script and images of Intifada during Sunday Bloody Sunday I think confuses mainstream Canada. Yes we get the fact there is a struggle but given the facts of our soldiers fighting and dying now it’s not a good choice.  I know you pick your battles Bono, but if you want to get people with cash and resources behind you I suggest you pick them better.

However I totally agree with the U2’s support of Amnesty International.  A peace loving and totally worthy organization.  The candle lit procession in support was beautiful and appropriate.

In short, Edmonton and points beyond.  Get on your boots and hold on to your hats.  Cause these boys are going to try to blow them off!!  No kidding, it’s been 4 days and my ears are still ringing and my legs are still aching.

U2 rocked Winnipeg and they continue to rock the globe!

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Get on your boots! Only one more sleep till U2 in Winnipeg.

The claw has finally touched down at Winnipeg’s Canadinns Stadium and the band followed close behind. It seems that this weekend before the massive U2 360 Degree concert the Dublin quartet are filming a documentary at the Burton Cummings theatre.

Arriving Friday evening to a Irish drizzle of rain Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr. and Adam Clayton greeted fans who had staked out ” The Burt” theatre in hopes of meeting the band.

Adam Clayton Meets fans at the Burt (Winnipeg Free Press)

Lead Guitar, The Edge presses the flesh with wet but excited fans Friday afternoon. (Winnipeg Free Press)

Bono signs an autograph for an eager fan. (Winnipeg Free Press)

My own reconnaissance took my camera to the stadium where the massive stage nicknamed The Claw is taking shape. Let me tell any of you who have only seen video or pictures of this monstrosity that it is easily the largest stage set up that has ever seen fit to land in Manitoba. With a footprint of approximately 40 yards square on the football field and reaching a height that matches the top rows of the stadium upper deck seating there will not be a single poor seat in the house when the show begins.

The Claw takes form behind a tight band of security.

Look, No guards here!

My seat for the concert of the year!

Apparently Bono is also very interested in a little project that rivals his own stage set up for sheer scale. The rising Canadian Museum for Human Rights at the forks, has been put on his agenda as a must see item. No doubt the spearhead of the museum project Gail Asper is dying to have a chat with the U2 front man about the project and it’s fund-raising arm.

Construction continues on the Canadian Museum for Human Rights

The Museum that is being constructed at The Forks complex will highlight the successes and failures of humanity in its ongoing struggle to find a noble path through the struggles of life. Genocides and conflict, rights movements and hero’s will be featured inside the massive “Glass Mountain” structure on the banks of the Assiniboine and Red Rivers.

With a limited time in Winnipeg before they move on to the next stop on their world tour I would like to personally wish the boys a hearty welcome and hope they enjoy Winnipeg as much as Winnipeg is going to enjoy them.

Sláinte!

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U2 is driving me crazy tonight!

Oct 20, 2010 – 10:00 pm

I guess most of you can gather from my latest posts that I am an experience oriented kind of guy.  Good food, good music and good friends make up the core of who I am as a person.  I am not one to buy the latest or the best of anything to keep up with the neighbours.

But when I am tempted to spend money I like to go and get the best that I can, consequences be damned.  That was all fine and dandy when was a single man, I could easily starve for a couple of weeks to afford my latest adventure, not so easy when me became us.

U2 360 Stage (photo - iamsteph)

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame…Finale

Looking at the playbill after Jeff Beck had left the stage I noticed that we only had two more headliners to go,  Metallica and U2.

With appropriate heavy metal bluster Metallica took the stage with ear-splitting prowess.  Originally the organizers of the event wanted Led Zeppelin to carry the hard rock part of the show and were pretty much turned down flat by the remaining members of the group.  Thus it came to be that metal’s chosen heirs came to New York representing  every thing that embodies teenage angst and rebellion.

Opening with For Whom the Bell Tolls, the heavy drumbeat thumping into my chest with some force. Then into One and Turn the Page, before bringing out New York Native Lou Reed.

By their own admission Metallica does not play well with others, and did not automatically grasp the “Jam” concept for the show.  However when they learned whom they were to be teamed up with it all made sense, claimed lead singer Lars Ulrich.  It was their job to become the backing band for their Rock and Roll Elders.

Lou Reed emerged onto the stage in a Deja Vu invoking cheer of “LOOOOO”, thinking back to the “BOOOO’s” that greeted Bruce Springsteen the night before.  He appeared totally at ease with Metallica and the crowd as he lead  off with Sweet Jane.  White Heat/White Light followed in a similar rocked up fashion.

Lou Reed leads Metallica