U2 @ Anaheim Pond

April 25, 2001

At the last minute, I ended up going to the U2 concert tonight. I saw them play Dodger Stadium many years ago, and was convinced then that U2 was probably the best arena rock band I would ever see. There would probably be better bands and better shows, but I was pretty sure no one else would be that effective at that kind of scale.

U2′s been horribly disappointing to me of late, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see them live again, especially with PJ Harvey opening. So I ended up at the Anaheim pond and after a long drive, settled in for the show.

PJ Harvey didn’t disappoint. I’ve seen her absolutely tear the house down at smaller venues before, so it was a bit unfamiliar to see her like this. Still, there’s something so brilliantly unholy about her voice that I couldn’t help but enjoy it. I’d definitely go see her if she headlined a little tour of her own again.

Once U2 took stage, it was a bit strange. Clearly, they’re tighter than they’ve ever been, but they also seem ultra-rehearsed and a bit stiff. Their newer material plays much better live than it does on the record though. Once U2 got cutting into their classics though, it really got going. Instead of feeling like some kind of overpriced nostalgia trip (which, honestly, it kind of is), there was a remarkable sense of urgency. The rhythm section dropped into a military march, Edge’s guitar was a reverb/echo/flange filled sonic wall and Bono started wailing like it mattered again.

A really good show, including “In a Little While” dedicated to Joey Ramone and a good take on “Bad,” probably my favorite U2 song. I was a bit disappointed that “Stay” and “Please” were both skipped (like most of Pop), but overall the setlist included pretty much everything you’d want.

I’m not big into the idea that music can topple governments. But listening to U2 rip through “New Years Day,” “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “I Will Follow” made me think for a little bit that it could. And that’s really all I could ask for.

Please note: these are not my photos.

Posted in From Blown Speakers