U2 larger than life at Giants Stadium
By Jay Lustig/The Star-Ledger
September 24, 2009, 1:57AM
Giants Stadium opened in 1976, the same year that four Dublin teenagers named Paul Hewson, Dave Evans, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. began playing music together. Hewson became Bono, Evans became the Edge, and the band became U2. On Wednesday night, they presented the biggest concert — as well as one of the last ones — in Giants Stadium history.

More than 82,000 tickets were sold for the show, which benefited from unseasonably warm weather. The attendance figure was not available at press time, but it didn’t look like there were many empty seat


U2 lead singer Bono at Giants Stadium Wednesday

U2’s career has been all about larger-than-life gestures, and its current tour, which includes a second Giants Stadium stop tonight, is no exception. The band is using a stage set unlike any other: a 150-foot, futuristic-looking tower with lights on its four legs, and a shape-shifting video screen suspended over the band.









Spotlights above the tower pointed straight up, reaching toward the sky, during "I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight," and Bono wore a jacket with built-in lasers during "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)." But as dazzling as the special effects and the stage were, musically it was a no-nonsense show. The Edge (guitar), Clayton (bass) and Mullen (drums) played their parts with power and precision, and no wasted notes, and Bono, at 49, still came across like an rambunctious kid, ready to change the world.

The setlist mixed classics like "New Year’s Day," "Sunday Bloody Sunday," "With Or Without You" and "One" with newer hits, tracks from the band’s March album "No Line On the Horizon," and occasional surprises.

In honor of Bruce Springsteen’s 60th birthday, which the Boss celebrated on Wednesday, the band performed his "She’s the One" — with frontman Bono changing the title phrase to "he’s the one" — and segued from it to "Desire," which has the same Bo Diddley beat.

"Excuse us, Bruce," Bono said at the end of this sloppy but spirited medley.\

Bono also urged the crowd to sing along, during "I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For," by saying, "Sing it for the Boss."

In honor of Quincy Jones, who was in attendance, Bono sang a portion of the Michael Jackson hit "Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough" (which Jones produced) during "Beautiful Day."

The band started with three "Horizon" songs, including two ("Breathe" and "Get On Your Boots") where Bono spat out lyrics in staccato, almost rap-like cadences. The first older song they did, a funky take on "Mysterious Ways," generated a huge crowd response.

The show’s most intimate number was a sweet, gentle "Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of," performed as a duet by Bono and the Edge (playing an acoustic guitar and singing falsetto).

Mullen ventured out from behind his drum kit to stroll around the walkway, playing an African djembe drum, during "Vertigo." And Bono pulled a boy out of the audience and ran a lap with him during "City of Blinding Lights." For the line, "Can you see the beauty inside of me?," he dropped to one knee and looked into the boy’s eyes as he sang.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu gave an inspirational speech, via video, at the start of the encores, and the always outspoken Bono spoke about several political issues. "Walk On" became a tribute to Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma, who was elected prime minister in 1990, but was prevented from taking power by a military junta, and is currently living under house arrest.

At the end of the song, approximately 70 volunteers walked onto the stage, holding photos of her over their faces.

U2 has played at Giants Stadium before, but will never appear there again. The stadium will be replaced by a new stadium that is being built next to it, and will open next year. The stadium’s last series of concerts — five by Springsteen and his E Street Band — begins on Wednesday.

Here is Wednesday’s setlist:

"Breathe"

"Magnificent"

"Get On Your Boots"

"Mysterious Ways"

"I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For"

"She’s The One"/"Desire"

"Elevation"

"Your Blue Room"

"Beautiful Day"

"No Line on the Horizon"

"New Year’s Day"

"Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of"

"The Unforgettable Fire"

"City Of Blinding Lights"

"Vertigo"

"I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight"

"Sunday Bloody Sunday"

"MLK"


"Walk On"

Encores:

"One"

"Amazing Grace"/"Where the Streets Have No Name"

"Ultraviolet (Light My Way)"

"With Or Without You"

"Moment of Surrender"


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