Just when you thought U2 couldn't become any bigger, they defy everyone's expectations by giving the world the biggest and most ambitious stadium tour in the history of mankind. Their latest live release was taken from the Rose Bowl show in October '09, which also made history by being the first to be broadcast live through youtube for the whole world to watch.
The show itself is a real spectacle. The claw looks amazing from the sky at night, and that giant rotating LED screen above the stage is just so astonishing. The whole point of the 360 tour is to place the band right in the middle of the crowd, and through that, even the people in the nosebleeds would be able to have the same experience as those right in front of the stage. But during the show, I somehow got the feeling that the audience was rather distant from the band in terms of connection and intimacy. Could be because there weren't a lot of shots of the audience. But again, I guess you have to be there to really know what it feels like.
The setlist contains the same old hits mixed in with the newer stuff, somewhat predictable. Though I like that they brought back songs like Ulraviolet (Light My Way) and The Unforgettable Fire. I also prefer the current version of Where The Streets Have No Name to those from the previous two tours. It's a pity with a show of this magnitude, they can't really change the setlists much. On the other hand, there's a great feature on the second disc about the making of the tour and the setting up for the first show at Barcelona. Apparently this was something the band had been wanting to do for a very long time. The whole stage plus claw looks fucking immense, even on screen. The whole thing could easily pass off as another man-made wonder.
Like every U2 tour since the early 90's, the show is indeed a visual treat, and I ain't gonna miss it for the world next year. Right now I wish Bono a speedy recovery. Australia 2011.
