During the beginning of their Vertigo Tour, U2 showed New York City that they can still “scale these city walls” as one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands of all time.
As I walked into Madison Square Garden on Oct. 7 to the most long-awaited concert of my life, I had no idea whether or not it would live up to my expectations. I had been dreaming of going to this concert since I heard they were touring in the U.S. close to a year ago.
If there is anything I can say, it is that I was not disappointed.
After what seemed like a lifetime of people yelling “Bono,” the lights went down, and I heard the first chords of their opening song “City of Blinding Lights.”
As the song picked up, the colorful lights surrounding the backdrop and stage grew brighter. Bono and the band were visible for the first time. A chill ran down my spine at that moment and never left.
The entire band included Adam Clayton, on the bass; Larry Mullen Jr., on the drums; The Edge, on the guitar; and lead singer Bono, and they all seemed flawless. When they combined their unparalleled talents, the result was absolutely mind-
blowing.
The best part of the concert was the energy of the band coupled with the energy of the sold-out crowd. I do not think I ever sat down once throughout the entire show. The whole audience sang along and danced to their U2 favorites, such as “Where the Streets Have No Name” and “Sunday Bloody Sunday.” I personally sang so much that I did not have a voice for three days afterward.
You did not have to be a die-hard U2 fan to pick up on some of Bono’s lyrical changes.
He altered the words of some of his songs to reference New York (namely 9/11) and the hurricanes. Remembering 9/11 in the midst of U2’s song, “Yahweh,” was one of the most moving experiences of that entire night. Everywhere I looked, I saw glassy eyes and people hugging. I was one of them.
The adrenaline rush never ended, and the goose bumps never left my arms from the opening song to the last song of the encore, “With or Without You.” Not one person seemed ready to leave.
U2 will return to the Garden Nov. 21 and 22, so if you have missed out on the first leg of the tour, try to catch the second.
Leave a Reply