Live Review

U2 – Wembley Stadium, London

• 17th Aug 2009

The 360 tour reached the big smoke and took up house for two evenings at Wembley Stadium, just one of many very deception buildings in the city that boggles the mind on just how it was all conceived. Even when inside ext to the stage in the centre a mere glance around does not seem to make the place look any bigger, but upon inspection of the higher up seating areas and architecture over your head you really start to appreciate how large a space it is you are in. They are really going to have to turn the volume up to 11 if they are going to make this sound good for the people all the way up in the cheap seats.

Although before the main act are on, they have background music playing, it is the seated crowd that are providing the main fill in attraction with an impressive display of Mexican waves; something that the folks on the crowd cheer out loud to in approval.

But of course this is U2 and they have been doing this sort of thing for a very long time and are arguable the band that put on the biggest live shows in the world. So expectations have to be met, and with the new design they have here in this centre stage it is quite the attraction.
Drummer Larry Mullen takes to the stage first and gets the ball rolling. He is soon enough joined by the remainder of the band. The Edge looked all dressed down like he has just been painting the fence, and Adam Clayton dressed for a gap commercial. Bono himself seems to be in great shape, and by the way he is always throwing his arms and fists triumphantly into the air he is acting it too.

Their opening numbers consist of newer material, and the crowd quite simply goes completely manic. To comment further on audience participation from here is pointless as they do not ever seem to let up until the end. You can also rest assured that on all the important classics they are chanting along.

The band much manage to cover a lot of the important material too long to list here. But there is obviously going to be a few disappointments as they are only on 2 hours and would have trouble fitting them all in.
This is the magic of a stadium convert. It is big, loud and deserving of the band that are playing it. It is almost a shame that they are also that much more expensive as it is something that any music lover should get the chance to experience.