U2, Live in Sydney (The Joshua Tree Tour)
On Saturday afternoon we headed to the SCG to watch U2 live, on their Joshua Tree Tour. Friday’s performance had received less than stellar reviews, predominantly due to kilometre long queues (in the rain), sound issues, and the lack of a big screen, so I was a nervous to say the least. That said, seeing U2 (live) had been a life long dream, and with Noel Gallagher (almost Oasis) opening, it was a double whammy for my bands bucket list.
Thankfully, our experience was completely different. After a late lunch and a few drinks at Squire’s Landing, we arrived an hour before Noel Gallagher was due to go on. There was absolutely no queue, and within 15 minutes we were in the stadium, 20 meters from the stage, with an ice cold beer in hand.
Noel Gallagher played a great set featuring a few of his solo numbers, followed by some top Oasis hits including “Little By Little”, “Wonderwall”, and “Don’t Look Back in Anger.” And just for good measure, he also threw in a good rendition of the Beetles classic, “Love Is All You Need”.
After a quick toilet break and a refresher of our beers, it was time for U2!
They broke onto the stage playing “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, and then followed it up with hits like “New Year’s Day”, “Pride (In the Name of Love)”, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”, “With or Without You”, “One”, and “Beautiful Day”. They also impressed the Sydney crowd with a rendition of “Waltzing Matilda” and a tribute to Michael Hutchence (the lead singer of INXS).
I’m pleased to say that the sound was great, and the screen was epic. That said, I can see why the people at the back may not have enjoyed it. Rather than permanently projecting the band onto the screen (as is the norm with many concerts), they chose instead to use it as a prop in the show, flipping between effects, visuals, videos, and the band themselves. For those of us close to the stage, it added to the show, while for those in the back, a few more closeups of the band may well have been appreciated.
The show went on for longer than expected which, other than my sore back, was highly appreciated. After the show we grabbed a few beers in a local pub while we waited for the crowds to die down, and then Ubered home, more than satisfied. What a night! EPIC!
