Eager fans of the Irish rock band U2 tried to earn themselves a close-up view of the band by lining up outside Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium a full day before Wednesday’s show.
Joe Ahorro of Edmonton was the first person in line. Ahorro has seen the band at least 47 times on four different continents and believes the wait is worth it. You get to see a lot of the interaction between the band members. You see them talk to each other, make jokes with each other. You see them make their little mistakes and there’s just a lot more energy with the fans at the front, I find.”
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Fans have already begun to stand in line. The wait is half the fun. Soon the boys from Ireland will be upon us said one local fan, its been a long time coming. Fans are on high alert for U2 staking out the Fairmont Hotel, watching the weather, planning the day before the be show that everything is in order.
The Concert of the Decade !
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Some 50,000 people packed Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg on Sunday for the much-anticipated concert by Irish rock band U2. Check out the updated setlist.
Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. stopped in the city as part of their 360-degree world tour.
The unseasonably chilly May evening didn’t deter fans, who cheered, danced and sang along.
Bono certainly earned his share of that accolade. Sauntering and bounding around his $35 million playground, the black leather-clad singer was the consummate frontman, energizing the crowd with every rock-star gesture, coaxing them to sing along with every soaring chorus — and winning them over by dismissing the unseasonably cool and breezy conditions.
“We don’t feel the cold in Winnipeg,” he assured us. “You’re Canadian; we’re Irish.”
While Bono was the obvious focal point of the night, the rest of the band weren’t playing second fiddle. White-haired (and white-suited) Adam Clayton, like all great bassists, was a study in understated cool, casually strolling and posing while unspooling thick, propulsive lines.
Guitarist The Edge — sporting his trademark skullcap and goatee — was only slightly more animated, focusing his concentration on picking his chiming guitar lines, manipulating them with his vast array of effects and handling backup vocal chores through his headset mic.
And drummer Larry Mullen Jr. — bundled up in a scarf and sweater as he thwacked away on his rotating drum riser — was more Ringo or Charlie than Neil Peart, but efficiently effective at his role: Holding down the centre of the sound (and the centre of the stage) so Bono and Edge can roam where they want and still find their way back.
Winnipegger Paul Martens, who lined up for nearly two days to grab a prime spot on the floor, counted Sunday’s show as his fifth U2 concert.
“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a band that is able to connect with their audience quite like U2 does, and in such a massive setting as this as well. Yet they seem to somehow bring it down to an intimate level,” he said.
The last time U2 played in Winnipeg was in 1997, at the stadium as part of its PopMart tour.
For the second encore, Bono came out swinging on a microphone that was set inside a glowing red ring and suspended from the rigging. At any other show, it would have been a highlight; here it was only the third or fourth-coolest moment of the night.
Not that anybody complained about it — nor about the fact they skipped their usual closer Moment of Surrender (maybe the group weren’t quite as immune to the cold as they maintained; it was pretty nippy by that point).
By the time they wrapped with With or Without You, they’d supplied 130 minutes of the most powerful, passionate and stylishly presented rock this city has seen for some time. Or is likely to see for some time.
It turned into a “beautiful day” for dozens of star struck U2 fans in Winnipeg Friday. Crowds of fans and onlookers gathered outside the Burton Cummings Theatre for a chance to meet the famous rockers, who said they’re happy to be back in Manitoba for the first time in 15 years.
“You know Winnipeg, we need to spend more time to get to know the place,” said legendary U2 rock star Bono. “We get to know the people, but we don’t get to know the place, it’s funny.”
“I got to hug him and take a picture with bono and he shook my hand,” said Jadeen Sinclair, who was shaking with excitement. “All I had was my beginner’s license,” said Liam Gillen. “So I had him sign it.”
The band showed up to shoot part of a documentary inside the legendary venue. But they took several minutes to mingle with fans and sign autographs.
“What a sweet man to stop,” said Tara Gouzecky. “He could have gone right in there but he stopped and I’m glad he did.”
Meanwhile, the tour released 1,000 more tickets for todays show at the Canad Inns Stadium Saturday afternoon and offered the media a sneak peak of their set. A huge 360-degree stage is set up close to the centre of the Canad Inns Stadium, and a four-legged steel structure holds a massive speaker system and cylindrical video screen that hovers above the performance area. ( Click the link belong to get to the tickets)
Bono and crew will perform in front of tens of thousands of fans at Canad Inns Stadium Sunday as part of their 360 Degree Tour. The band hasn’t played in Winnipeg since 1997.
Sleeping on sidewalks awaiting the arrival of today. It does not matter what country or time zone die-hard U2 fans sleep out (camp out) In Winnipeg they have been lining up for 2 days, sleeping on sidewalks just to have that premium spot for today’ show.
Canada’s GA line team walks the line with a sharpie and marks the fans as they await today. The first person in line is Tri Cao “I’m all excited” screams Tri ! l
It does not matter if its your first time or your 25th time, every show is an experience that is worth the wait. Winnipeg was not on the tour stop last year, however they made the cut this year simply because of the need to fill in more dates to recover from last years hold pattern. 150 trucks and 200 people arrived 6 days ago and will be gone in 3 days.
“One of the original ideas of this show was make the stage so big the stadium actually feels small,” said Tour Director Craig Evans.
Evans says every one of the 50 thousand ticketholders will have the best seat in the house, including the crew who was hired to work the show.
“It’s neat. This doesn’t happen all the time, once in a life time,” said local crew member Kelly Morris. “The biggest stage in the world, yeah, it’s awesome.
U2 arrived yesterday in Winnipeg heading straight for the Burton Cummings Theatre. The bands gear arrived on Thursday so the location was exposed to many locals. A rehearsal for Davis Guggenhiem doucmentary.
Fans arrived to the airport as well as the theatre to great the boys. After arrivng about 17:30 a unoffical meet and great with the fans they headed in the threatre. Bono of course spent most of the time wiht the fans as well as Adam.
Fans listening out side reported this set list.
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
Love Is Blindness
The Fly (for the 5th time)
Even Better Than The Real Thing
The Fly
One
Blowin’ In The Wind - Where The Streets Have No Name
Tim Heufeld wrote an article earlier this week that we did not have a chance to share our thoughts on. “God is in the house” in deed HE is. For the last three decades U2 has written songs of faith, hope and love going thru phases as most Christians do. Tim pointed out that on two albums “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb” and “No Line on the Horizon” could be considered as U2’s grounded works.
Denver’s show had a couple of interesting dynamics going on; of course it was the first show back in the USA after a long winter break. Fans with bend up emotions seemed a bit flat or were it the idea that the Rapture was to happen during the show period; secretly I have over heard some fans longing for it to be true. The ultimate U2, with faith and an MP3 player on her side, she waits the coming of the LORD (hum new lyric)
Bono and the Boys never claimed to have lock on faith, love and God, only that one should find peace and why not in God, true that Christians look at U2 and wonder how they can be Christian with drinking, and partying and well frankly enjoying life. Clearly how can they be? Simply put God is in everyone and how you choose to live your life is really a choice you make, it’s not mine or yours to say this person is more God like we are all in God’s image. U2 only provides the tools for you to make your own choice. We looked over Tim’s U2 Rapture Playlist and believe its worth a listen. Try it -
Just one last thought the Denver show take a look at this video, is Bono suggesting that this is the end of time, or was it just part of the song. Ether way it was very interesting to see for the first time on this stage Bono reaching his hand across the bridge to The Edge. The trusses never touch and Bono drops a flower, what symbolism; what poetic faith.
Bono: My understanding of the Scriptures has been made simple by the person of Christ. Christ teaches that God is love.
TOP TEN RAPTURE PLAYLIST
10. “Tomorrow,” October (1981)
Won’t you come back tomorrow / Won’t you be back tomorrow Will you be back tomorrow / Can I sleep tonight
Open up, open up to the love of God / To the love of He who made the blind to see He’s coming back / He’s coming back I believe Him / Jesus is coming / I’m gonna be there
9. “Stateless,” The Million Dollar Hotel (2000)
I’ve got no home in this world / Just gravity, luck, and time I’ve got no home in this world / Just you and you are not mine
Stateless / Weightless / Stateless
8. “A Sort of Homecoming,” The Unforgettable Fire (1984)
And you know it’s time to go / Through the sleet and driving snow Across the fields of mourning / To a light that’s in the distance
And you hunger for the time / Time to heal, desire, time And your earth moves beneath / Your own dream landscape
7. “Last Night on Earth,” POP (1997)
She feels the ground is giving way / But she thinks we’re better off that way The more you take the less you feel / The less you know the more you believe The more you have, the more it takes today
You got to give it away / You got to give it away Well, she don’t care what it’s worth She’s living like it’s the last night on earth
6. “Gone,” POP (1997)
You get to feel so guilty got so much for so little Then you find that feeling just won’t go away You’re holding on to every little thing so tightly Till there’s nothing left for you anyay
Goodbye, you can keep this suit of lights I’m be up with the sun / I’m not coming down
5. “I’ll Go Crazy if I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight,” No Line on the Horizon (2009) (Live U2360 Remix of course!)
It’s not a hill, it’s a mountain / As you start out the climb Listen for me, I’ll be shouting / We’re gonna make it all the way to the light But you now I’ll go crazy if I don’t go crazy tonight
4. “Where the Streets Have No Name,” Joshua Tree (1987)
Where the streets have no name / Where the streets have no name We’re still building, then burning down love / Burning down love And when I go there I go there with you / It’s all I can do
3. “Walk On,” All That You Can’t Leave Behind (2000)
You’re packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been A place that has to be believed to be seen
Leave it behind
2. “Until the End of the World,” Achtung Baby (1991)
Waves of regret and waves of joy / I reached out for the one I tried to destroy You, you said you’d wait / ‘Til the end of the world
1. “Elevation,” All That You Can’t Leave Behind (2000)
You elevate my soul / I’ve lost all self-control Been living like a mole / Now, going down, excavation I and I into the sky / You make me feel like I can fly so high Elevation
