So it seems that I have been seriously underestimating stadium gigs as ways of enjoying the experience of music. Having pretty much exclusively gone to sub 1k capacity venues for the last 15 years it seems that stadiums are not just less personal, less intimate, but some different, something more than the parts. Apparently my only previous stadium gig, with matchbox 20 of all bands, was a bad example.
For here we find the mass markets music religion. A place of community, a temple in which we can worship a few individuals en mass. The resonating chorus of singing; the ripples of waving arms undulating across the sea of tiny people; the cheering, hollering and applause.
U2 were pretty darn good tonight. I don’t intend for this to be a long post, so here were a couple of my highlights.
Production wise, the curved screen in the centre was amazing and creatively used. Particularly the way it expanded out in honeycomb like hexagonal pieces was stunning. And Bono’s suit with fricking laser beams was pretty cool too. I want one.
In terms of music, it was all good. Top moments for me was the whole of Wembley stadium (88 thousand I hear) singing the first part of “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for” with very little backing or help. The whole stadium singing that was emotional, possibly even prophetic about our lives in London. The song then segued into “Stuck in a moment…” to continue the theme. I felt like I was discovering another side to the music of U2. A little later “Moment of surrender” off their new album was played. I find it hard to find more challenging lyrics in their new album than these:
At the moment of surrender.
Of vision over visibility.
I did not notice the passers-by.
And they did not notice me.
Finally, the karaoke screens kicked in for “Unknown Caller”; with the wonderfully loud line “Hear me, cease to speak, that I may speak”.
Great evening; very glad I went along on the spur of the moment.