U2 Live in Arizona Rocktober 2009

Between the swinging Trabants and a four-armed spaceship, U2 took a back-to-basics approach to the All That You Can't Leave Behind tour. Not a single mirrorball lemon in sight. They took the stage with the houselights on. Other small touches helped the band reconnect to fans put off by Pop. The tour was cathartic and emotional. As a U2 fan at my first show in 2001, the experience was overwhelming and impassioned. My love of Achtung Baby left me disappointed that I may never see U2 on over sized spectacle. It seems they were to run out their career playing it straight from the heart.

With the U2 360 Tour, U2 pulls all of its personalities together for one show. This will go down as the tour of 2009 - and likely 2010 as well, there seems to be no end in sight. The promise of new music waiting in the wings could have U2 on the road for a solid three years. Nobody else is touring this big, and doing it so well.

By the time the tour rolled into Phoenix, October 20, 2009, the crew had worked out any technical difficulties, and the band was rolling on all cylinders. While U2 has to prove its mettle in cities like New York, Chicago and Boston, a little "second-market city" like Phoenix can expect a good show, but not many surprises. Sure enough, the set list offered nothing new - however, a few song omissions were most welcome and not missed. The band made up for a safe set list with a playful mood and sticking to the rock.

Show opener Black Eyed Peas set the tone with an unrelenting blast through their hits. They only slowed down for one snoozy ballad; otherwise, it was one crazy Technicolor dance party. The upper deck seats may have still been filing in, but the Black Eyed Peas had everyone on the floor in the palm of their bejeweled, leather-gloved hand. U2 may earn more indie cred for taking Muse on the road, but few acts would be able to "fit" under the claw so easy.

U2 arrive to the strains of Bowie's "Space Oddity" and rumble right in to three the three loudest songs from the new album - "Breathe", "Get on Your Boots" and "Magnificent". The band is loose, loud and enjoys playing the new songs. Bono notes Phoenix-native and boxing legend Muhammad Ali is in attendance, as is crazy Irishman and Pogues leader, Shane MacGowan. Bono introduces the band as a ring announcer, getting a laugh out of Larry Mullen Jr. It would seem Bono's goal of the night was to make the stoic Mullen laugh as often as possible. He did a good job.

"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" segues into a verse of "Dirty Old Town" in honor of MacGowan. As usual, Bono muffed the lyrics.

One song on No Line on the Horizon that is prime for a brutal live performance is the title track. Brutal in its emotional delivery, not in that Edge's guitar sounds like a broken chainsaw. The guitar issues continued into a bland "In a Little While."

"Unknown Caller" brimmed with a classic U2 arena-swelling sound. "Unforgettable Fire" was a surprise, but suffered from 'one of these things is not like the other'. The song felt out of place, unlike on the last tour when they seamed Boy with the new tracks from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.

"City of Blinding Lights" is a gorgeous song amplified by the expandable video wall and sea of lights. Prime example of U2 in full stadium flight. "Vertigo" morphed into a remix of "I'll Go Crazy (If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight)" The remix was misleading, hinting at the sounds of songs from Pop. Like "Unforgettable Fire, it didn't fit, but it did feel good. A special note to the video of each band member doing the white guy head bob. As usual, Bono is 100 percent committed, Edge is right there, Adam is somewhere else and Larry wants to be anywhere else.

The main show ended with "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "MLK" and "Walk On." Well known for pounding the concert pulpit for causes, Bono kept it simple and graceful. He probably reaches more ears that way. Instead of running for the doors, people listened.

They save the most visually arresting moment for the end. The swinging microphone and LED jacket is a striking image. Both on the ground and in the screens above. When U2 is on target, they offer some outstanding visuals to accompany the music. "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)" is an incredible song, but it is amazing it is getting such a prominent place in the show.

The evening ended with "Moment of Surrender." A beautiful No Line on the Horizon song, but an odd way to end the night. Not what you would expect. U2 is playing this tour very well. Rather than unloading a brand new direction (Achtung Baby/ZooTV) they are taking small risks. Little changes that keep the show fresh. They are playing a difficult balancing act; the danger of the monster above swallowing them is very real. Lesser bands would not survive.

U2 Live in Arizona Rocktober 2009

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