Saturday, 16 October 2004
If you told me, when I first start listening to U2 in the early 80s, that some twenty years later, I'd be watching them play the BBC carpark in London, I'd have told you not to be so silly. 
Of course, I wouldn't have believed you if you told me that. I would've probably said "My dad's bigger then your Dad". Though with U2, my band is bigger than your band. U2 are the biggest band in the world today. (Sure, maybe The Beatles, and Pink Floyd, and The Stones were bigger, but what have they done for you lately?).
So what the hell are they doing, playing a carpark, for Top Of The Pops? Christ only know and Bono - depending upon your opinion - is either Christ, or knows him - so I'm sure all will become clear shortly. But less of that.
For tonight sees U2's first public performance on European soil for three years, and anticipation is high : for some. Despite the relaxed queues from competition winners and ticketholders (aged between 16-21, in an attempt to appear 'hip' and 'with it'), and a sense of almost-apathy from some fans, several hundred fans still attend the show : the ticketless few crowd around locked security gates, whilst most fans stay away, largely deterred by the driving rain and a desire to avoid the crush and chaos of previous such shows. The last time U2 did this - performing on the roof of their Dublin hotel - traffic ground to a halt. Tonight, in the pouring rain and with lashings of British reserve, such hysteria is muted by the fact that most of the fans are 20 yards from the stage and peering through the gates.
Inside, the young, the curious, and the employees of the BBC peer intently through their office windows and wonder. Frankly, its not really a U2 show, despite the band's efforts. It's more of a freakshow.
But less of that. More of this : the band appear after a brief roadie soundcheck (that sees the guitar tech playing parts from "Zoo Station"), to perform the three leadoff songs from their upcoming album "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb", to general disbelief. Being the live premier of these songs (and the world premiere of both "All Because Of You" and "City Of Blinding Light"), the crowd isn't always animated, more awed, but the material shone through.
"Vertigo" (though mimed with live vocals) went down a storm : it has Big Hit written through like a stick of rock. Though it is a great song, "Vertigo" is almost U2-by-numbers, a checklist of ingredients that when combined, become U2. Whereas other lead singles have been brave pointers of U2's future direction, "Vertigo" is just more of the same.
Shame. Because the performance they pull off tonight is cracking.
Of the other two songs "All Because Of You" is a slinky, sexy thing : imagine "Elevation" and "The Fly" snogging in a dark corner of a nightclub and you're almost there. "City Of Blinding Light" meanwhile is a determined leftfield step, a shimmering, unreal thing, that could have come off "Zooropa", a love song to a city, a hymn to civilisation and technology. I don't remember anything else about it, but it bodes well for the future. My God, does it bode well.
A short break later, and the band return : Bono is in a playful mood, he flirts with the crowd, tells long indeterminate stories about the songs, and - upon spying the Tardis, Dr.Who's home, parked in the corner of the carpark - leads us in a chorus of "Ex-ter-Min-Ate!". Both "Vertigo" and "All Because Of You" are reprised, sounding better and better with each listen. As "Vertigo" reaches its end, we are serenaded with a brief snippet of Oasis' "Hello. Hello. It's good to be back."
The band then convene, before giving us a semi-acoustic version of "Desire", and - in only it's third performance in eleven years - their version of Roy Orbison's "She's A Mystery To Me". Bono stops, stutters, and wonders aloud; "Should I try the second verse?"
A second version of the wonderful "City Of Blinding Light" later and it's all later. And for a brief second, I get a view inside the bubble of a megastar. Of two inconsiderate Papparazi scum who crowd the barriers with armfuls of camera equipment, and climbing barriers so that fans who actually, you know, LIKE the music can't see the band, and end up forcibly restraining them. Some of us didn't come this far to see the back of your stupid, snaphappy backpack. And of professional autograph hunters, clutching their books of celebrity autographs, waiting to add Bono, The Edge, and The Other Two, to their starfucking list of scrawls.
And I'm so glad I'm merely infamous, and not famous. Because the kind of life I glimpsed in these odious examples is not the kind of life I want to live. But let us not muck about. U2 performed live for the first time in three years a few minutes ago to 200 people in a carpark in London. And that's an experience no money can buy.
Hell, if you'd have told me this morning I'd would be watching U2 perform live in the BBC car park, I'd have told you where to go. Vertigo? Oh no. In a city of blinding light, U2 are still fabulous. No doubt next year will see them conquering the universe and curing cancer, but this will have to do for now.
Setlist:- Vertigo/All Because Of You/City of Blinding Light/ Vertigo / All Because Of You / Desire / She's A Mystery / City Of Blinding Light
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THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS
Written by Guest on 2004-10-15 21:35:21
This is absolutely BRILLIANT coverage of something I would have LOVED to have witnessed myself. But within mere hours, halfway across the world, you have shared this experience and your review with me here in San Diego California! Thanks sooooooo much!!! U2 ROCKS!!!!!!! I love them!!
Karen  | the edj
Written by Guest on 2004-10-15 22:21:14
ya lucky so & so...rock -on. | Good review
Written by Guest on 2004-10-15 23:25:06
Despite the horrid quality of the MP3, I'm in love with City Of Blinding Lights. Yep, bodes well... very well. | great review
Written by Guest on 2004-10-16 06:51:01
you should start write to nme.cheers!  | thanks, but...
Written by Guest on 2004-10-16 10:13:22
Thanks for sharing the story.
But you wrtote that U2 performed live for the first time in three years...
And I say that it's not true. They performed in June 2003 in Dublin at Special Olympics. The played 2 songs: Pride and One. And it was live. | MP3's of the 2 new songs
Written by Guest on 2004-10-16 12:57:35
Are there any on the internet? Where can I find them? | Vertigo & COBL live
Written by Guest on 2004-10-16 13:03:35
You can download an audio/video of Vertigo from U2exit.com. also, City of Blinding Lights from U2log.com. | Written by markreed on 2004-10-16 13:46:09
Oh yeah, they did! I forgot.
MP3's from www.please1997.com as well. | What A Great Review!
Written by Guest on 2004-10-16 13:58:50
I really enjoyed this account of the BBC appearance. U2 rules! And City of Blinding Lights is gorgeous! | Few comments
Written by Guest on 2004-10-16 14:14:32
I was there, and I've recently become a huge U2 fan over the last 18 months, and I was nothing but 'relaxed' in that queue! I was hysterical! A band I've fallen in love with, I've never seen before, and also a band that I dropped half a day at work almost immediately for (after finding an email at 13:30 that day saying I had won tickets, I dropped my day at work, said to my boss, 'I'm off to see U2 this afternoon see you monday' and left my work in Derby(!) to get to London! For once money was not an issue, although I'm nothing but financially sound, I just didn't care - I HAD to be there!) I was indeed hysterical!
I loved it, a truely fantastic evening.
Thank you for the photos and comments, they brought back some great moments!
Rich
Btw - 'hello it's good to be back' is not Oasis, it's Gary Glitter! | thanks for your thoughts
Written by Guest on 2004-10-16 14:48:22
I wasn't lucky enough to get a ticket but I stood by the gates for hours in the rain and it was more than worth it. Not sure which part of the crowd you thought weren't too excited by it all - I've completely lost my voice from screaming! I also agree about City of Blinding Lights - it had me in tears - I'm so glad it was played twice! A fantastic, unique experience & I still haven't come down from the high | Excited girl near front of the gates beh
Written by Guest on 2004-10-16 17:35:59
Me and Christine decided at 11am that wed just get out of school, jump on a coach to London and see if we cud see anything!
I was hysterical by the time they came on. and i kicked the camera guy who blocked most peoples view for most of it. Was fecking amazing and i cannot believe we actually went :D:D:D | tickeets
Written by Guest on 2004-10-17 04:52:55
how did those that got in get tickets?? | amazing
Written by Guest on 2004-10-17 09:43:18
I live in North London - just had to be there, ticket or not and ended up being offered a ticket by someone whose friend did not turn up. Don't know how he got the tickets but I was exited like a little child (of 35 years) - seeing U2 for the first time. Yes, the crowd was well behaved ;-) but some of us were really thrilled to be there. Thanks for your review. It helps me to realise that this was real!!!  | u2rock
Written by Guest on 2004-10-17 11:02:36
brian.kitching@ntlworld.com I was at the gates and managed to video the whole thing,set was very good,city of blinding lights is going to be a huge live favourite. | U2 is dead
Written by Guest on 2004-10-17 11:40:29
   This is shameful, U2 canīt perform well again, thatīs the truth. I know many fans can easily say every U2 concert is great, but thatīs far from the truth. Bonoīs voice is gone, forever gone.
Stop playing U2, youīre just a joke now | in reply
Written by Guest on 2004-10-17 14:20:20
I wish I could write something as elegant or graceful as our reviewer here or something as profound that it could change your mind to the fact that U2 are the biggest band around, to the fact that they are the greatest live act ever except maybe the stones, or simply that they make beautiful music which touches different chords in different people. but how wonderful is that noise that emerges from those people when they fill up the arenas and the stadiums. But I believe you just wanted some attention with your reply and maybe you have been successful at it. | atsoccercamps@hotmail.com
Written by Guest on 2004-10-17 16:11:22
anyone know of any mp3's of the cd-uk performances? be good to hear sometimes you can't make it and miracle drug! mail me if anyone knows! | Fotos
Written by Guest on 2004-10-17 16:18:56
Jo, vaya caca de fotos. | Brilliant!
Written by Guest on 2004-10-17 18:45:51
Brilliant! But were some of those songs really in mime?! That's what I read somewhere.
And also, why did the website specify that you had to be between the age of 16 and 21 to enter?! Everybody seemed to be over 21  I thought that was pretty funny, not many of us were fooled! | Cd-uk performances
Written by Guest on 2004-10-18 07:05:49
Does anybody know of link to the cd-uk performances? | what a shambles!
Written by Guest on 2004-10-18 13:35:49
It's been confirmed, Bono was the only one singing live during Vertigo on TOTP, the actual song was pre-recorded. I must say i'm disappointed by them. Who are they trying to fool? | You Seriously Didn't Think....
Written by Guest on 2004-10-19 04:04:56
.. That the BBC were going to let them perform TOTALLY live did you? Why would they break a habit of a lifetime? Beautiful Day from the roof of The Clarence was mimed a few years back, with Bono being the only one to sing live! Now, I don't know about the rest of you people, but the very fact that this guy is willing to go on stage in front of a potential audience of millions and sing live whilst trying to work his way through a bout of flu speaks volumes!!
For those of us who were there on Friday, it had literally p*ssed down all day! The stage was completely uncovered, and they had NUMEROUS soundchecks over the course of the afternoon (Joe O'Herlihy practically spent the whole afternoon under a canvas tent trying to sort the sound out. and after every bout of rain, he would start all over again!) We had torrential rain, we had wind, we had thunder and we had lightening at one point.. Do you REALLY think it practical for them to have gone out completely live in those circumstances?
The day was fantastic, even though I and my partner (U2 fans for over 20 years who have probably spent the equivalent of a small 3 rd worlds countrys debt following them) were stuck outside the gates with a bunch of other brilliant fans! The carpark could quite easily have fitted at LEAST 1000 people in to it, but oh no, the BBC had to pull rank and leave us standing! It was noticed by Bono, who made reference to the amount of people in the carpark in work suits and perfect hair, whilst we stood outside doing a pretty wicked impression of drowned rats!
For those who weren't there... Every other song they performed was completely live! 'All Because of You' was a great song that will probably appeal to the masses. 'City of Blinding Lights' WILL become a U2 anthem that will be remembered long after the band are retired in their Villas in the South of France. They played a semi-acoustic version of 'Desire' which was as good as any I have ever heard on tour. The icing on the cake though was Bono launching in to a rendition of 'Shes A Mystery'. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe Friday night was only the 4th time this has ever been played live by the band (yep, I'm a U2 geek!) resulting in floods of tears from me, and Bono launching into one of his famous stories of how Roy Orbison came to record it!
Huge thanks to everyone who made it a great day! Cheers Martin, Paul and the rest of you guys who made 8 hours standing with your face pressed up against bars pass so much more quickly! Just incase you're reading this... I'm Christina (the shorta*se in the POP t-shirt with the lanky sod who got a wee bit vocal!) I really did try my best at turning on the tears with the BBC security to get us in, but they were having none of it! Heartless gits!! *winx* | i feel stupid now
Written by Guest on 2004-10-19 21:01:56
i love u2. however i resisted going in the rain and preferred to stay indoors to see if i could get on telly. i didn't. luckily u2 came inside the totp studio and played a great vertigo and 'sometimes you can't make it on your own' - GREAT song! had a few people in tears. not me though, only because i was too awed to cry. i mean, U2 man! bono two metres from me! it's a shame i didn't see the outdoor. i got to see 'blue' though.... great. u2 album will be great! have they ever made a bad album? | Written by Guest on 2004-10-20 23:24:48
   | MARK THAT WAS OUT OF SIGHT!
Written by yjmarigold on 2004-10-20 23:25:14
That was the most amazing review of TOTP! It had me all jazzed up just reading it. (I also laughed when you wrote about the photographers getting in the way! Like maybe SOME people want to really SEE the band too!)
I can't wait till they get here next month and play on Saturday Night Live. Getting tickets will be impossible, but I HAVE to go and hope to see them before or after. I'll tape the show. BTW, I believe Bono said that City of Blinding Lights refers to a concert at Madison Square Garden after 9/11. Something along that line.
Anyway, thanks for brightening a very tough day. | wow
Written by Guest on 2004-11-09 14:13:00
Great pics, man! | jason (the cheeky guy who borrowed every
Written by Guest on 2005-05-18 12:55:55
A big shout to all the wicked people l met while being behind the gates for hours. Big shout to Paul and martin. Wat a treat being the first people in the world to get the exclusive premier of the new songs. Know its of to twickenham. But this was just different and to me personnelly find the spontanious of the gig more of a buzz than knowing youve got a ticket. And your counting the days. l cant fecking wait . Picture this l was chilling out on the sofa and a mate of mine came round and had the sun news paper which is lucky as i dont read the sun .I just stick to Mayfair and hustler. he he. and there it was u2 at bbc. You have never seen anyone so made up as i was . so the next thing i,m on the train within 20 mins . And my that stella tasted good. so when i got there i thought shall i stand on the wall opposite but decdided to be at the gate. l have never felt so calm and relaxed with strangers the waiting was just as fun as the gig. But they could have moved that fecking tardise. And for bono to recognise us out side THE REAL FANS was cool. And when they played i was just so numb and gob smacked. the train journy back was mad l just had this massive grin . I,ve been a fan from the start mates used to laugh when l was a kid . they would buy bestie boys were i would by october. his lyrics i can recognise and relate to .any way that enough rambling. take you orrible lot. jason
www.alxalan7@aol.com | Good Story
Written by Guest on 2005-06-06 16:44:09
Good story |
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