80,000 U2 Fans come to Dublin

U2.com

240,000 revellers from as far as Japan, Canada and America will descend on the north Dublin stadium - the equivalent to three All Ireland's finals back to back.

'One of the band's strongest ever live outings,' reports The Irish Times.

"A simply blistering set...' concludes The Irish Independent The Irish Independent.

'Safe to say that there was something magical about last night's triumphant return to home turf.' says The Herald.

Fans poured in from all around the world to see them play at home for one last time ? Ask Bono that's not the case at all. They came to be a part of something greater then their self. To see beyond what could not be possible before.

"In the words of our good friends the Corrs, we are so young," lead singer Bono, who turns 50 next year, shouted, at the start of Beautiful Day.

"As a nation I mean," he added pointing to the crowd.

U2 had been talking all week about Dublin being the shows to remember we can only hope that a DVD comes out of these few days. As expected the boys did not fail so far. Two of the three shows in "the can" they rocked them to the core.

Once they performed tracks from their latest album, the band launched into their greatest hits.

Bono also paid tribute to Ronnie Drew of the Dubliners, who died last year, by playing one of their tracks the Auld Triangle.

U2 dazzled fans from inside a giant steel claw that rose to 60 metres high above the crown - almost as tall as the stands surrounding it.

It took a week to construct the impressive setting, that included 550 tonnes of steel, 56 tonnes of video screens and spanned across a third of the pitch.

Music aside, the band's political allegiance was clear - with a dedication to jailed Burmese politician Aung San Suu Kyi, currently on trial charged with breaking a security law.

Thousands of concert-goers wore a mask bearing her image when the band played Walk On.

Ahead of the gig Bono told fans via a website link-up: "The 'rehearsals' have been going really well. We've been rehearsing in Barcelona, Milan, Nice, Berlin and Amsterdam, but we expect that the main event in Dublin will be better than any of them."

The Edge added: "It's not just another show, for us or for the fans. They travel from all over the world to see us perform in Dublin. Most of them believe it's the best gig for them to attend."

Before the steal packs up and the crew takes on the next city there is one more night in Dublin. Remember folks stage is already being set for another great show. What a wonderful way to end the week or start it.

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