U2 returned to Buffalo for the first time since December 2005, and performed in front of more people than all their earlier Buffalo shows combined. That’s impressive for a band that has only released four albums since the turn of the century. The New Era
Field crowd was scattered on the football field and packed in the stadium seats. It was an impressive and enthusiastic crowd, especially considering it was a Tuesday night. After a well-received set by Beck, which started when most fans were still shuffling in or getting settled, U2 appeared shortly after the sun had gone down. They opened with “Sunday Bloody Sunday” while stationed in an area in front of the stage and with few production elements. The version captured the magic of the song as it appeared on the “Under a Blood Red Sky” EP that pre-dated “The Joshua Tree.” The first four songs were drawn from “War” and “The Unforgettable Fire,” the band’s third and fourth albums, both of which showed how the band evolved from a punk band
to a major headliner. It was the perfect setup for the performance of the album.“The Joshua Tree’ is an extraordinary album, and U2 gave it the musical and visual experience it deserved. While album shows take out much of the spontaneity of a live concert experience, the reality of the modern era is that music fans don’t consume music in the way they used to. Perhaps performing an album live is the best way for younger fans to understand what it was to experience a full album back then. Also for older fans to relive the days when “The Joshua Tree” was on turntables and in cassette and CD players.
The band continues to work with longtime creative director Willie Williams, who has worked with the band since 1983. The show is well choreographed, and the giant video screen’s clarity was remarkable. In spite of its massiveness, it did not distract from the musical performance, which still felt like four guys who simply enjoy playing together. While Bono is not Mick Jagger, he is a larger than life presence and a true rock frontman. He sings with authority, he struts and moves and is always in command of the show. Vocally he sounded near perfect all evening, with only slight wear appearing on some of the encores. Just as the opening four songs pre-dated “The Joshua Tree,” the closing songs were all post- Joshua Tree numbers, and the band utilized the full capability of the video screen on all of them, through the closing number “One.”
Early on in the evening Bono mentioned the first time U2 performed in Buffalo was December 8, 1980, and it was one of their first shows in North America (They opened for the legendary Buffalo band Talas). It’s hard to imagine they ever were a bar band, and the reality is that period in their history was short-lived. They definitely have earned the ability to headline stadium shows, and somehow they manage to do what so many acts cannot do in massive venue, they still can connect with their fans. If they are in your town, you should take in their one-of-kind live experience.
Setlist:
Sunday Bloody Sunday
New Years Day
Bad (Give Peace a Chance -John Lennon cover snippet and America-Simon & Garfunkel cover snippet)
Pride (In the Name of Love)
Where the Streets Have No Name (California (There is No End to Love) snippet)
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For (Come Together – The Beatles cover snippet)
With or Without You
Bullet the Blue Sky (War-Edwin Starr snippet and America from The West Side Story cover snippet)
Running to Stand Still
Red Hill Mining Town
In God’s Country
Trip Through the Wires
One Tree Hill
Exit (Wise Blood snippet and Eeny Meeny Miny Moe)
Mothers of the Disappeared
Encore:
Beautiful Day (Starman – David Bowie cover snippet)
Elevation
Vertigo (Helter Skelter – The Beatles cover snippet)
Mysterious Ways (Miss You -The Rolling Stones cover snippet)
Ultraviolet (Light my Way)
One (Drowning Man snippet)
Photos by Gus Griesinger. We would like to thank Olivia Muenz, Jacob Mears and Laura Burrus from Nasty Little Man for the credentials to review the show.
