Anyone been to see U2?

[Mosschops30]

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my cousin saw them in brussels and she said the exact same thing!

I went to Twickenham. Very very disappointed. From the moment we went through the gate we had charity stuffed down our throats but no mention anywhere of whether they planned to donate a proportion of the exorbitant ticket price to charity. The first half of the show was fine, but the second half was as you say, a political rant. They're entitled to their opinion, but not on my time that I've paid for to hear songs I like. Vast number of hit songs not played which really disappointed me. And the show ended too late, had to hike a mile to the station to get the last train packed like sardines and soles of my feet covered in blisters - bad bad planning on their part.

I went home saying, never again. And dh bought me a T shirt before we went in, well I don't want it any more

Went 2c u2 last night in Cardiff too. Absolutely fab! Saw them in '93, the last time they were in Cardiff too.

Ref: the political stance. Thats what U2 are about. Always have and always will. Like Geldof.

Anorak, it wasn't a greatest hits tour. I thought they played a good mix of their old and new stuff.

I saw them @ WEMBLEY STADIUM in 86 or 87

They were DEFFO BRILL then not political speeches just played the music

I don't like them any more though

i went to see them at wembley when they did the joshua tree tour, they were brill, bono was still pretty grounded then, im afraid these days hes dissapeared up his own rear end, i liked them in the early days, "war" "october"

mum2ela, thank you I do realise it wasn't a greatest hits tour. However they failed to play most of their most successful songs and to me that is a failure to supply what most people want.

As for their political stance - they're entitled to hold any political stance they like, and voice it too. But not on my time. I paid for a concert, not a lecture.

Plus I object to being told to give money to charity by some of the richest people on the planet who make no mention of their own giving. Hypocrisy.

We went last night too mosschops and yes there was a very political feel about the show.
Especially where he was blindfolded, I was quite uncomfortable with that.
But perhaps that was the desired effect.

And if he gave the money to the cause then the government wouldn't need to act on the debt. Which he feels that the goverment should be responsible for and not the likes of U2 and the such.

we went to twickenham a week ago on Sunday. i loved it! absolutely loved it apart from the hottest day so far i couldn't believe that it were only 4 blokes on stage to perform so great!!!! i do agree it was political but it everywhere now, they do have their own opinion which is fine with me wanna go again

imation, I was the grumpy woman standing next to you

I am a huge huge U2 fan, always have been. Saw them 18th June at Twickenham and really really want to go again - anywhere, I don't care, but unless I win the lottery it ain't gonna happen

I got seats via the presale for fan club members but was still right at the back, though low down and dead on looking at the stage. Wish I had been able to get standing, and better still, got into the elipse .... though with it being so hot that day don't know if i wouldn't have fainted. Not to mention fainting all over again if edge had so much as glimpsed in my direction!

I thought the setlist, the visuals and even the sound was great (considering it was a sports stadium). Got very blistered feet walking miles from Hounslow East tube in stupid flip floppy sandals but luckily got on a laid on bus almost straight away on way home. Personally, I thought the political aspect of the show could have been worse & don't have a lot of truck with people complaining about it ... at most Bono "preached" for about 5 mins, compared to over 2 hours of brilliant music. U2 have always been a band with a conscience and the way I look at it is, if you or I had, for whatever reason, the opportunity to address 10s of 1000s of people and/or world leaders, wouldn't you take the chance to mention something close to your heart too in the hope that chords would be struck with just a few of them and some good would result ? You know that a U2 show without that sort of thing happening wouldn't be a U2 show at all. Their spirituality, political conscience and strongly held views are all part of the package along with the music and the light show.

U2 do contribute substantially to charities, though they don't shout about it. I know that Bono and his wife Ali have visited Africa without any surrounding publicity and have various connections to different charities there. I have no objection to anyone asking me to consider how I might make a difference irrespective of what they earn .... my contribution will just be a lot smaller than theirs that's all - it'd only be hypocritical if they did nothing at all, and that's certainly not the impression i have from years of reading, and subscribing to the official fan club.

Unfortunately, I believe the size of debt at issue here amounts to $billions, not millions, and even U2 ain't so well off they could strike out 3rd world debt on their own. On the other hand, maybe if Sir Elton went without flowers for a few months ...........

Oh dear

So now you have possibly the UK's biggest U2 nut on the thread.

Bono does plenty for charity, especially Africa. Read his new book "Bono on Bono" and then tell me you don't appreciate being told to give to charity by rich people. He is an outstanding humanitarian who seems genuinely compelled to do what he can. I've loved U2's music sice I was a kid but think I admire him more for his convictions than his music.

However, I agree, there was a bit too much drum beating on this tour. There are plenty of people who don't want to hear that sort of stuff at a concert. I agree there should be less. Problem is, at the moment, the whole "Make Poverty History" seems to be gaining momentum. You can't blame him for seizing his moment.

With regard to the setlist - I think he played plenty of "greatest hits" for the people who are loosely termed as fans. We went with two friends who aren't particularly huge fans, they had a great time and knew a lot of the stuff. Personally I'd have liked much more of their less common stuff, but I accept you have to please the majority.

On a more important note, Bono is quite simply sex on legs, I've never seen anything so gorgeous in my life. My husband is quite aware that my mantra is "If I see him, he's getting it". He feels the same about Angelina Jolie

hey catsmother, crossed posts!

Am also member of the fan club. Let's stick up for the boys

and we still can't talk about the presale cock up.....

I see them in the US long time ago, the show was great but I was a bit shocked to hear a rather derogatory comment of a local minority culture when the stadium was full of people belonging to the group. I liked the music but I don't like them IFYWIM

saw them, I meant... not that I have not clarivoyance powers though

ooh no cant do that

Don't get me started on the presale Mogwai ..... I feel my blood pressure going up as I type !

Nice to "meet" another U2 "nut" though !

I saw U2 in 1981 at a tiny leisurecentre. it was so fantastic I was fainted and had to be revived by Paramedics. Also saw them in 1999 and it was the best concert i have ever been to. there was even a fly past by 3 jets over head. There were 40,000 people at it and i was able to see by sitting on sisters boyfriends( Now BIL) shoulders. I had imagined that from where we were Bono would be( in the distance) about the size of a football . when i actually got up on bil shoulders he was about the size of a pin, as we were so far back!!!

Not a U2 fan myself. builders daughter went to Cardiff the other night and she said she thought killer were better! Who are Killer????

The Killers jayzmummy !

Never heard of them but they were well received!

Only just caught up with this but I too went to Cardiff last week. Am still reeling - it was fantastic as I was about 10 people from the front (was on left of stage in front of Edge). I still ache all over as its not often that I jump and dance that much. I too got tix as I'm a fan club member.
Have seen them 4 times since 1987 and still regret not going to Earls Court in 2001 as we only lived down the road, but the relatively recent birth of ds1 prevented it. Best time I saw them was in Leeds in 1992 when Bono not only rang John Gummer (then Minister for Agriculture) from the stage, but also read out his phone number. I still wish I'd had a biro with me that night.
I actually didn't think the Cardiff show was as political as I was expecting it to be. At the end of the day U2 are both a rock n roll band and a political band and always have been. Bit of a contradiction but I can live with that.
And for anyone wanting to go again, there are rumours that the tour is going to be extended into 2006! So you never know, they might be back!

Another one here who was at Wembley in 1987, my first ever stadium concert, it was brilliant.

(Can I just say happy anniversary to DH, 4th July 1995!)