Posted on 05/09/2005 10:15:56 AM PDT by Chi-townChief
Wearing a mock fascist uniform and goose-stepping around the oval catwalk jutting from the stage at the United Center on Saturday, the first of U2's four sold-out shows here, Bono repeated an odd little chant during an encore of "Zoo Station": "We put on a show / We do the business / But this is not / Show business."
Yes, it most certainly was, and it was every bit as phony, bombastic and manipulative as a Britney Spears concert, the Republican National Convention or a televangelist's miracle-working dog and pony show.
As a fan who's seen the group a dozen times and who ranks 1992's Zoo TV tour on the short list of the best concerts I've ever experienced, U2 has never seemed as pointlessly pretentious and preachy.
The group scrolled the text of the first few articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations in 1948, over its giant video screens and encouraged concertgoers not to flick their lighters but to hold up their cell phones, then text-message their contact info to the band's hunger-relief charity program. This assumed, of course, that people had money left to donate after spending as much as $168 plus service fees for U2 concert tickets.
Bono did his famous crucifixion moves, as well as dropping to his knees and striking his familiar "hands bound above my head" pose. This time, he gave the latter a new twist, sporting a blindfold to evoke images of the prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison.
The 45-year-old front man's hubristic sins went on and on -- there was a facile routine about how Christianity, Judaism and Islam are all "true" (with Buddhism and other religions conspicuously absent from the list), speeches about how "we" can end poverty in Africa, and boasts about how world leaders take his calls. Still, while he was the most obnoxious presence, it would be wrong to single him out as the only offender.
Guitarist The Edge, bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. gave their silent approval while providing the music that served as background and afterthought for all of this speechifying, and they did so in a rote, autopilot fashion that created a disturbing contrast between the impassioned windbaggery and the passionless rock 'n' roll.
The songs from last year's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" gained nothing and only seemed more contrived in concert. "Love and Peace or Else," which opened the show; "Yahweh," the penultimate track before the encore; "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own," the song that pays homage to Bono's departed dad, and "Vertigo," the hit brought to you by Apple's iPod -- all were rote, leaden, formulaic imitations of sounds that U2 has done much, much better in the past.
This especially was evident as the new material was juxtaposed with undeniable classics such as "An Cat Dubh," "New Year's Day" and "One," which retained their inspired brilliance no matter how much pomposity surrounded them, providing the evening's few highlights. As for the nadir, it came midway through the two-hour set with an especially soggy four-song montage of "Sunday Bloody Sunday," "Bullet the Blue Sky," "The Hands That Built America" and "When Johnny Comes Marching Home."
If you missed the point, it was this: AMERICA'S WAR IN IRAQ IS BAD. But ever the politician averse to alienating any demographic, Bono, sporting a stars-and-stripes leather jacket as one of several costume changes, followed that none-too-subtle declaration by reminding us to "support the troops."
With the exception of its startlingly innovative Zoo TV tour and its "Achtung Baby"-era shift toward postmodern irony and fearless reinvention, this band always has had a problem with grandiose flag-waving -- literally. During my first U2 concert in 1981, I rolled my eyes when Bono hoisted a giant white banner. And as documented by the concert films "Live at Red Rocks" (1983) and "Rattle and Hum" (1989), speeches and chest-thumping theatrics always have been part of the show.
The difference is that the music was once fresh and powerful enough to make even the most over-the-top gestures seem justified. "We're greedy, and we want to push boundaries," Mullen told me in an interview two weeks ago, as if one justified the other. At this phase in U2's career, minus the boundary-pushing, it's hard to see past the greed.
The majority of people at the United Center, it should be noted, seemed thrilled with Saturday's performance. I'm not attempting to change their minds or invalidate their experience, but to pose the question of whether U2 lived up to its own potential. In the end, this is just one disappointed fan's review, and as stated in Article 19 of the U.N.'s Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression."
U2 performs at the United Center again tonight, Tuesday and Thursday. On Saturday, its set began at 9 p.m., following a mediocre opening performance by the Kings of Leon, New Wave Southern rockers who simply aren't ready for the arenas.
Bono, ever the politician averse to alienating any demographic, criticized America's war in Iraq, then urged fans to "support the troops."
U2'S SATURDAY SET LIST
"Love and Peace or Else," "Vertigo," "Elevation," "An Cat Dubh," "Into the Heart," "City of Blinding Lights," "Beautiful Day," "Miracle Drug," "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own," "New Year's Day," "Sunday Bloody Sunday" / "Bullet the Blue Sky" / "The Hands That Built America" / "When Johnny Comes Marching Home," "Running to Stand Still," "Bad," "Pride," "Where the Streets Have No Name," "One." Encores: "Zoo Station," "The Fly," "Mysterious Ways," "All Because of You," "Yahweh," "40."
mailto:jderogatis@suntimes.com
U2 is fully sold out to the Man. And Bono is incredibly impressed with himself.
Great music but we aren't talking about deep thinkers here.
Stopped reading right there.
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Yes they have. For years now. The fact that it's not mentioned is a matter of bias, nothing more.
Never liked U2, not about to start.
That's too bad. You missed the good part.
U2 has been lame since day one.
I thought they were pretty decent about 20 years ago but they went downhill pretty quickly (kind of the same as REM.)
At least Pearl Jam is still going strong
Sent the guy an email. I never seen a better "miracle-working dog and pony show" when a democrat is at a black Church during election time talking about robbing the tax payer.
Too bad, they just can't entertain which is what the people paid for. Not some bs.
Remember, Bono, what goes around comes around and your stupidity is showing.
U2, and especially Bono, has always been too preachy. They could get away with that in the days of Achtung Baby! but the music isn't up to that standard anymore, so the politicking is just too off-putting. Guess I'll save a couple hundred bucks and not see them this tour.
Classic - LOL!!!!
I saw U2 in 1981 at the Hollywood Palladium. There were young up and comers at that point. Who knew they would become bloated dinosaurs?
You and I are on the same wavelength. I emailed the columnist and told him I stopped reading after his snide remark about the RNC, and rhetorically asked if he thought "Reporting for duty!" was the height of sincerity.
How utterly ridiculous. I saw them in 85 for 13 bucks and my dad thought that was outrageous. :) Anyone remember when Eagles tickets for $60 were an absolute scandal? How times have changed.
No surprises, Boner always had a messianic complex. He freely admits his on-again/off-again complex on Vh-1 Behind the Music. But with therapy and a good prescription, he can actually become a useful person in society.
Boner also admits on Retro-Pop Reunion with Joe Cortez that he didn't really learn to sing until just a few years ago. I'm as shocked as you are.
Boner is good for a laugh. How can you take a front man seriously when he wears the most asinine sunglasses ever to grace a face? Not since River Dance have I been embarrassed to call my self Irish.
BTW, Edge, there are some fantastic "Guitar For Beginners" books that you can practice from on your tour bus. One ditty is called "Kum Ba Yah."
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U2 has ALWAYS been pointless, pretenious and preachy. While I have liked some of their songs, I have never felt compelled to buy an album because of their excessive self importance.
I am also getting sick of "The War is wrong...Support the troops!" crap. The best way to support the troops is to support what they are bleeding and dying for.
Bono has always been a dumba$$!
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