U2: An Exquisite Team

This past Saturday, my wife Karen, and I had the opportunity to once again take in a U2 show. This one was at Soldier Field in Chicago and kicked off the U.S. leg of the 360 Tour. The tour gets its name from the round stage — which allowed for more seating. We had been to several U2 shows in the past, but never a stadium concert. Every one of those extra seats was filled and the energy was tremendous.

What I am struck by is the amazing solidarity U2 has had over the years. Make no mistake, they are an exquisite team. Many people know of my relationship with Bono. He is a man of faith who has used his celebrity to save countless lives in Africa. He’s the front man with haunting vocals. The Edge has that unique sound which keeps the band moving forward. Larry Mullen’s drums keeps them in the now. Finally, Adam Clayton’s bass allows the band to maintain that seemingly raw quality. It’s no wonder they have been one of the world’s greatest rock bands all these years.

Karen and I had the chance to visit with Bono prior to show. We talked a bit about politics, reminiscing about the days when he first came to Capitol Hill and how we could use the same bipartisan approach to fixing Ohio. We caught up on family affairs and Karen had the opportunity to thank Bono for including us on a life changing trip to Rwanda last year, where we witnessed first hand the positive impact of debt relief and President Bush’s malaria initiative.

But back to the show. The concert was a mix of new songs and old favorites. As stated before, there was a tremendous energy even before the band stepped foot on stage. U2 reciprocated by delivering an electric performance. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” was the crowd favorite on this night. My wife and I always appreciate the thoughtful lyrics of “One” and hope they add “Kite” to their set list. The band used the entire stage well and the “stadium experience” was noticeable.

The only thing that kept it from being a perfect night was missing the opening act Snow Patrol. Even the fact that we could not get a cab and were forced to walk back to our hotel could not dampen our spirits.