Elevation Leg 1: 2001, North America

Apr
13
2001
Vancouver, BC, CA (General Motors Place)
3
with PJ Harvey
Show Report
Elevation 2001, General Motors Arena, Vancouver, BC

April 13, Show Eleven

It might be Friday the 13th but there was nothing unlucky about tonight's show.

'Thank you for the gifts that you bring to us' reads the sign of one fan, while another -  let's face it, pretty optimistic fan - has a t-shirt with the request, 'Bono, Take Me With You.'

 'We played our first gig here 20 years ago this week in a place called The Commodore Club,' says Bono at the opening chords of Stuck In A Moment. 'Is it still here?'
 
'Thanks for hanging around so long, for all the people who didn't exist then, you didn't have to hang  around so long, this is for Michael Hutchence, a great singer, who never  used to hang around....'

Gillian Anderson from the X-files is here tonight, so is  Charlize Theron (Ciderhouse Rules), Stuart Townshend (Shooting Fish, About Adam)  and the writer William Gibson.

Edge is wearing his '55' t-shirt tonight - how many numbers has he got in his wardrobe ?  Even if it gets to '55,000' the singer will still be kissing photographers and dancing with fans on the heart walkway round the elevation stage.

This is what happens during The End of the World, before Bono, bull-like, duels with the matador Edge and declines the first of several cowboys hats to be offered. He is wearing one by New York, which is followed by the deafening appreciation which greets the arrival of Sunday Bloody Sunday.
And after The Sweetest Thing come the introductions - and a revelation.
 
'I'd like to do something that's new for us,' explains Bono. 'It's almost impossible for singers to do, I'd like to introduce the band.
'The man that gave me my first and perhaps even only job, Larry Mullen Jnr - get up and take some credit.'
 
'U2,' he explains,'For the first day of our life it was The Larry Mullen Band.'

At this point Larry whispers something in Bono's ear - no prizes for lip-reading. 

'He just said it still is,' laughs Bono, 'But God is fair in his wisdom and Larry can't sing...thank God.'

And so to 'our first manager, the jazzman and musical conscience with the biggest instrument, Lord Adam Clayton, the poshest member of U2.'

And of course, 'The scientist of the band, even his mother calls him The Edge, our very own card carrying genius, come on down  The Edge!'

In A Little leads into Desire, with Bono on mouth organ and an explanation at the start of The Ground Beneath Her Feet.

'When you come from the northside of Dublin, you're allowed to sing a love song, this is a good one...it'll have to be good, we had help on this one, it's written by Salman Rushdie.'

For Mysterious Ways he is lying atop the video screens again while Edge grooves at the front of the stage. So he is on his knees, dancing with his image on the screen and then, when a girl in the heart holds out flowers to him, he tries to bite a stem.

It's just out of reach and Bono gets petals in his mouth, grins and spits them out. It's Friday the 13th, but it's not unlucky in Vancouver.

3  Fan Reviews
popfart - 06 June, 2010
Holy grail
I attended 14 Elevation concerts and Vancouver was by far the best. Not only was the band in fine form but the enthusiasm of the predominately Canadian crowd was amazing. The special moment happened when I was able to hand Bono a beer in a plastic cup. (Shout out to Frasier!) Once retrieved back from Bono, it became the holy grail and everyone around me wanted a sip. Not the most hygienic but certainly a bonding moment.
neilvana - 08 April, 2010
Best band ever
The Vancouver venue in 2001 was the best concert I have ever seen!!
bono_79 - 19 September, 2009
Just as great as the first time!
Taking my wife for her first U2 experience had a small drawback but a lot of pleasant experiences to make up for it. We were seated nearly directed behind the stage so our view was 80% obstructed (and later had to watch the Elevation Tour DVD from Boston to see what happened the rest of the time.) PJ Harvey opened up with herself and a guitar for a few songs until her band joined her on stage. She wore a dress that was nearly translucent due to the lighting. (Bono even thanked her later in the show for wearing that dress!) The crowd was very into the show once the boys came on the stage and opened with "Elevation." The crowd remained into the show until "Gone" was played which most of the crowd remained silent in disbelief that they would play it or just didn't know the song. "Gone" is my favorite song on POP so I was one of the few singing along to it while most of those around me wondered how I knew this song. Bono had more interplay with the crowd than the previous show I saw on the POPMART tour which was nice. He even shared his experience playing in Vancouver the first time at the Commodore Ballroom which my wife and I saw a concert only a few months before. He asked if it was still here and a loud cheer came from the crowd. Being behind the stage did hamper the overall experience but U2 is still the best band in the world in the studio and live in person!!!!
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