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U2
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with special guests:
Kings of Leon
Venue:
Continental Airlines Arena
May 17, 2005
Sold Out! |
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U2 could easily go the path of the Rolling Stones. They could just put out CD’s as an excuse to tour and still sell out arenas and stadiums while coasting on their back catalogue. Instead, U2 does what a Grammy award winning, Hall of Fame band should do, which is embrace their new music. Eight songs (nine if you count Vertigo twice) off their CD, “How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb” were well received by the crowd who knew every word and every note.
Besides, embracing the new songs, U2 chose to go back to their first album “Boy” with a trio of songs that probably haven’t been played since the War tour. The songs were played not to show how the band has grown, but how they still stick to their roots, which is a belief in God, a belief in hope and a belief in making a difference. Those are the things that have stayed with the band throughout their career.
The other thing that hasn’t changed much was the stage setup. The stage was very similar to the one used during the Elevation tour with a slight tweaking so that instead of a heart you have an oval. The one major change I saw was the tour shirts from their 1981, 82 and 83 tours. I’m sure they didn’t cost $90 back then.
Depending on how you look at it, Kings of Leon are either the luckiest band for getting to open for U2 or the unluckiest band for having to open for U2. They performed a very uninspired and unenergetic set which is too bad because their songs certainly deserved better. They had the use of the screens and the run of the stage and should have taken advantage. Instead, not only did they play it safe, they took it down several notches. I was hoping that they would cut loose and play their own songs the way they were meant to be played. |
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Set List: |
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(Kings of Leon) King of the Rodeo-Taper Jean Girl-Pistol of Fire-Wasted Time-The Bucket-Soft-Milk-Re Memo-Four Kicks-Razz-Molly’s Chambers-California Waiting-Slow Night, So Long-Spiral Staircase |
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Band Members: |
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Calib Follohill-Matthew Follohill-Nathan Follohill-Jared Follohill |
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Set List: |
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(U2) City of Blinding Lights-Vertigo-Elevation-The Electric Co (I Can See For Miles tag)-An Cat Dubh-Into the Heart-Beautiful Day-Miracle Drug-Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own-Love and Peace or Else-Sunday Bloody Sunday-Bullet the Blue Sky (Hands That Built America, When Johnny Comes Marching Home tag)-Running to Stand Still-Pride (In the Name of Love)-Where the Streets Have No Name-One-Zoo Station-The Fly-Mysterious Ways-Original of the Species-All Because of You-Yahweh-40-Vertigo |
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Band Members: |
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Bono-the Edge-Adam Clayton-Larry Mullen Jr. |
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