'See the shrines and the temples of Kyoto...'

Nov

2006

'See the shrines and the temples of Kyoto...'

Beautiful Day got the local lyrical makeover tonight, for the second of the two Tokyo shows. Went down pretty well...

'See the world in red and white
See Sigh-tama in front of you tonight
See the shrines and the temples of Kyoto
From Nagasaki to Sapporo
See Japan in its Christmas hour
See us waiting for the Sakura to flower
See the bird with the leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colours came out....'

It was, not surprisingly, a beautiful night again in the Saitama Super Arena with lots of surprises in the set. Angel of Harlem turned up early, just when you weren't expecting it, followed by The First Time - finishing beautifully with Edge and Bono on the b-stage - and, after a rapturous reading of Sometimes, One Tree Hill, keeping its place in the set for the fourth consecutive night.

Later on, Window in the Skies got its second live performance and after a fiercely enthusiastic Desire, another bolt from the blue with All I Want is You .. what a way to finish the show.

Adam, Larry and Edge got a Japanese introduction from Bono as the familar piano chords signalled the arrival of New Year's Day and there was special mention for Gavin and Guggi, who had both flown in for tonight's show.

As for this audience, well, they also deserve special mention: as one of our U2.Com reviewers put it of last night's show: 'The show of tonight was best in the U2 Japan concerts which I have ever seen. U2 and fan really became one tonight ! By power of songs? power of band? power of fan...'

Couldn't have put it better.