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U2 put on epic weekend 

 

THE near full moon became part of the stunning light show as it rose in a clear sky above the 58m central spire of the 360 musical spaceship that landed at Patersons Stadium for Perth's U2 concerts on the weekend.

Bowie's Space Oddity countdown began the 55,000-strong crowd's open worship of the awesome ship's commander and crew who came in peace with messages of love and wisdom gathered over more than three decades, and performed as a solid but always atmospheric blend of old and new tracks to please even the most dedicated fan.

Compared favourably by one die-hard as better than the band's 2006 Sydney shows, U2's Saturday night performance was masterful, moving, enlightening and even romantic as the crowd serenaded a proud leather-clad Bono, hands clasped over his heart, with the 1988 anthem I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.

But not before the band got things rocking with the inspirational Beautiful Day, the guitar driven I Will Follow, Get On Your Boots and Magnificent as Bono, The Edge and Adam Clayton walked over steel bridges that moved Hogwarts-like above the inner circle of standing room only fans.

The massive structure's four shade sails were lit orange as Bono addressed his fans for the first time, bidding g'day to all before launching into another set, starting with the phat raga sounds of Mysterious Ways.

Elevation had the crowd hooting along with Bono who, after snapping a picture of himself on a fan's mobile phone, brandished it before one of his crew's many video cams while appearing to sing “eating up my soul” - an oblique reference to society's lusty reliance on the mobile?

In a second address, Bono drew a comical analogy between rock and roll and cricket, referencing the day's Ashes showdown at the WACA between the Aussies and the Poms. While he likened bassist Clayton to Warnie, drummer Larry Mullen to Adam Gilchrist (who was in the audience along with an aforementioned Dennis Lillee), The Edge to Michael Hussey and himself to Boony (admitting he couldn't hope to imitate Alan Border), he finally got to the point.

His observation that the Aussies and the Irish shared an “overwhelming desire to stick it to the Brits” was met with whoops of approval from a crowd that included some draped in the orange, white and green Irish flag.

The 50-year-old rocker launched into the 1988 anthem I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For before regaling the hordes with the unrecorded love song to the universe, North Star, and the much loved Pride (In The Name of Love), another mutual serenade.

His later next move was captivating as he drew a young woman named Emily from the front row. She sat suitably star-struck, while Bono laid his head in her lap as they sang In A Little While. Later they shared a short waltz on the moving bridge before he bid her farewell with an embrace and a charismatic kiss on the hand.

From there the mood inevitably turned to the band's enduring global conscience with Miss Sarajevo, City of Blinding Lights, Vertigo, the Frankie Goes to Hollywood remix of 'Crazy' and Sunday Bloody Sunday.

This eternally powerful 27-year-old track was accompanied by footage of the ongoing bloodshed in the Middle East on a huge and integral part of the spectacle, an expanding cylindrical honeycomb framework of hundreds of hexagonal television screens that pulsed as Bono asked “how long must we sing this song, how long”.

Like a fairground ride, spinning footage accompanied Scarlet and Walk On then some good news as Bono shared his joy at the release of Burmese political leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi from 15 years house arrest, sobered by the knowledge that 2203 political prisoners remain in Burmese jails for the “crime of believing in democracy”.

People clad in black descended on the circular catwalk to place large torches featuring the familiar barbed wire-clad candles, the logo of Amnesty International followed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu's upbeat recommendation of the band's ONE campaign to stop world poverty and preventable disease in Africa.

Signalling the beginning of the band's first encore, Bono returned to the stage guitar in hand where he sung One followed by the first verse of Amazing Grace before the band delivered a rousing Where the Streets Have No Name.

Again the band disappeared and the huge screen displayed an alien animation that asked “what time is it in the world” before Bono returned in a red laser light studded jacket, singing Ultraviolet (Light My Way) into a huge red-lit retro mic suspended by a cable that later held his swinging weight.

With or Without You was the final anthem before the band bowed respectfully to the crowd after the quiet finale of Moment of Surrender and Bono's parting remark that 12 years was too long, referencing the last time the band performed in Perth.

In keeping with the space theme, Elton John's Rocketman farewelled the punters who were quickly whisked away on trains and buses in a Transperth operation that did the utility proud. 

Reviewed by: Michele NugentPhotographed by: Jon Hewson

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