U2 return to rock the 3 Arena

Mon, 23 Nov, 2015 - 22:00

By Noel Baker at the 3 Arena

At a jammed 3 Arena last night U2 opened a four night run in their old dogtown of Dublin, just a hop, skip and a jump from their old northside haunts, a memory lane that many of us have strolled down one way or the other.

The tour is called 'iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE', and there was plenty of both. There's always something special about a homecoming, more so when 40,000 tickets are sold and 10,000 fans hang on every note.

The anticipation levels had been rising nicely beforehand, powered by the Patti Smith song 'People have the Power' playing over the sound system. Suddenly, Bono appeared at one end of the gantry and crossed the gangplank, sauntering over to the stage like a proud farmer inspecting a particularly fine harvest.

The band converged and launched into 'The Miracle of Joey Ramone'. For the adoring crowd, its lyrics "The most beautiful sound I ever heard" rang especially true.

Throughout the two-plus hours the rhythm section of Larry Mullen Jnr and Adam Clayton were sound, while the Edge, proved he can still throw shapes, both physical and musical. During 'I Will Follow' his Thunderbird guitar rang clear and true, while Clayton's trebly bass took it right back to their post-punk beginnings - time travel.

"We have spent the last 9 months travelling the world trying to explain what the northside of Dublin is like," Bono explained. "This is truly a family get together, as dysfunctional as we may be.

"This is a truly great feeling for us, to be home. Home."

@U2 #u2 incredible live In Dublin pic.twitter.com/eERZBLQ0Cj
— Compagnons de cordée (@LaCordeeRH) November 23, 2015

The sense of nostalgia was at times overwhelming. Opening 'Hold Me Close', Bono paid emotional tribute to Iris, his mum, as video footage rolled on the screen which split the venue.

Not long afterwards an image of a youthful Paul Hewson was thrown up, back in 10 Cedarwood Road, painstakingly holding a guitar, the pose of the learner, posters of Kraftwerk and the Clash behind him.

It carried on in this vein, the unmistakeable sound of a group indulging in memory without, for the most part, sounding self-indulgent. For 'Sunday, Bloody Sunday', the overt political symbolism was still evident, the song slowing to a coda of radio reports from the era of the Troubles, and diaphragm-shaking bomb blasts. Subtlety is overrated, as if we needed telling.

@U2 yeah, go Bono, Edge, Larry, Adam, ye are rocking Dublin tonight!! pic.twitter.com/FjaC4tMPOj
— Nicki Lynch (@NickiLync) November 23, 2015

By the time 'Mysterious Ways' was cued up Bono had pulled a woman from the crowd. It turns out she was Josie from California, and she certainly had some moves.

By the next song she was using a smartphone to capture the band Mojo style as they blasted through 'Elevation'. By the time you read this she may well have her own record deal.

No need for Ali Hewson to worry though - "the missus is in the house," Bono emphasised.

Then it was into 'The Sweetest Thing' and Bono on the piano before another shift in tone, images of devastated Syrian cities on the big screens, and then Bono on a loudspeaker for ‘Bullet The Blue Sky’, the visuals echoing the Zoo TV era, shots of refugees climbing over fences and the band's frontman in full preacher mode.

"What do you want?" he asked. "A Europe that is closed to mercy?"

And then the place lit up for the chords of 'Where the Streets Have No Name', euphoria in the crowd, and a sense of pure theatre.

Arms in the air all over the place, vocalist supplanted for almost three whole songs by the crowd carrying ever note. 'Pride', 'With or Without You', 'City of Blinding Lights' and ultimately, for the encore, 'One', the words bellowed out by the crowd, ricocheting off the roof, the hometown love-in consummated, couples collapsing into each other.

U2 [#Dublin - 23/11/2015]
VIA: @johnnycampbell #U2ieTourItaliaNews #U2ieTour #U2 #3Arena pic.twitter.com/oc34VplTnR
— U2 Breathe (@U2_Breathe) November 23, 2015

In recent times Bono fell off a bike in Central Park, smashing bones and eternally rupturing the tendons in his arm.

It's been reported he can no longer hold a chord on the guitar, but by Christ, he can still hold a crowd in the palm of his hand. "The Edge wants to thank Fr Crosbie for the hall," he said at one point, following a brief chat with his old mate.

Northside still beats southside.

Tonight’s U2 set list.

People Have the Power

Joey Ramone

Electric Co.

Vertigo

I Will Follow

Iris

Cedarwood Road

Song for Someone

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Raised by Wolves