U2360° TOUR

Sep 12 2009
Chicago, IL, US / Soldier Field
with Snow Patrol
111
'Where are we going? South Side...Grant Park...Lake Shore Drive...' Bono introducing Magnificent in Chicago tonight and what a show it was, with the skyline of the windy city providing a dazzling backdrop to the 360 space station. for the opening of the North American tour. Here's what they played.

When the lights went down, the green clocks popped up on the screen and we were counting down to U2's first appearance in Chicago since the recording of the live DVD on the Vertigo Tour. In fact the last time they played here outdoors was on PopMart and Soldier Field has been completely redeveloped since then.
Opening up with Breathe, it felt like the final European show in Cardiff was last night, not last month, like the band had never put down their instruments for a break. And when Bono talked about being 'an Irish boy in Chicago' during the opening of Beautiful Day, the reception matched any on the tour to date. (Don't suppose there was any Irish in Chicago tonight ?)

'We Irish like to think we played a part in building this majestic skyline,' mused Bono before 'Still Haven't Found'.'We were the clouds.. the rain... in fact we are the wind in this windy city...'
'Let me introduce my colleagues, on sky scraping guitar, the man who makes Dr Spock look like Dr Ruth, The Edge. On bass guitar, the man who from an early age knew four strings are better than six, the elegant Adam Clayton. On drums, the thunder and lighting of the band, Larry Mullen Jnr - and when he smiles the sun comes out..'

Were you at the show tonight? What was the moment you will never surrender? Add your own reviews below. (More coming from us when we've got our breath back)

Beautiful Day In The Space Station - Seattle
Comments
111
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juliekingery
What a moving night!
Loved the show- of course, but this time around felt more moved than ever! It was a very uplifting and spiritual show- but don't get me wrong- it was rocking all at the same time. THANKS FOR A GREAT NIGHT! I felt privelidged to be there on the opening night of the North American tour! U2 fan forever!
cheese0734
from detroit.
I was at the Chicago show. I thought everything was great except the part about the Burma president. I would of rather of seen them do something for the 9/11 victims. for the money i spent,, i would rather the band keep its politcal views to the website and just come out and do their show which was awesome..to me that was the only downpoint..2 1/2 songs dedicated to her was a little much..
u2fanmike
The best of all time, at their very best
To put it simply, this show was nothing short of amazing! The band have never sounded better, it's as if their entire career has been made up of practice sessions, leading up to this point. The set list was great, very nice to hear Ultraviolet, Unforgettable Fire and most of all Bad, along with the mainstays like With or Without You, Where the Streets have no Name, Beautiful Day, Sunday Bloody Sunday, and of course the new songs! I loved every minute of this show, the stage was too cool, and really puts you in the middle of the action. Thank you guys, I had the time of my life!
spartanmace
What A Night
Everything was great, the weather, the stage, the music. I thought this tour had more energy than Vertigo as I saw them at the Palace in Detroit. It was much more fun to be outside. I was in section 243 and the seats were great. With the 360 degree screen I felt like I was inside a music video. Another person also pointed out and my only issue is that we could not see the top of the ship from our seats, but the music was too good to move just to view the top of the stage. Loved the show and I took a friend with me who had never seen U2 in concert and he had a great time.
willjam1771
Magnificent Indeed!
I have missed out on seeing the band live a few times over the years, and finally made a point to see them this time around. What a fantastic show! I have virtually all of their concernt DVD that I have watched repeatedly over the years...to the point where my wife was getting tired of hearing their music. I never do...and now neither does she! I need to see them again! That is all I can say...it is a must see...thank you, U2, thank you!!!!
Diane_G
WOW!! AMAZING!
The show was absolutely incredible! It was my 12 yr old's first U2 show - I tried not to over-hype how great the boys are live - when I asked what she thought, her reply was that if anything I "under" rated it. We both truly LOVED the concert - the light show during City of Blinding Lights blew my daughter away! A great Mom and Daughter weekend - wish it could have lasted forever!
phil_727
Magnificent.
I was getting worried they wouldn't play "Bad", but with the setlist they chose, it was worth the wait. Ending "Beautiful Day" with the lyrics to "Blackbird" (the Beatles) was personally jarring, as I used to pick up my guitar and put my son to sleep singing it to him. Sunday Bloody Sunday with the stage lit in patriotic Irish green was amazing. Too many other Bono articulations, Live version easter eggs, and stage design exclamations to list. One of my favorite moments of the night, though, was that the (massive) crowd I exited the stadium with sang "40" on the long walk out, letting it echo into the night and through the tunnels. It was a great tribute to the overall atmosphere of the night and to the former/popular final tune which has been replaced by 8 minutes of "Moment of Surrender" (not a complaint!) for this tour, as well as a closing prayer for religious and non-religious alike at the end of the night.
wakeboarderjim
I'm Stuck in That Moment
Can't stop thinking about that show. Greatest Night of my life. I'm going to try to get more tickets.
dmill
Amazing Show
I just wish I could have seen "all" of it. Flew to Chicago especially for the show only to discover that our seats in section 335 were obstructed by a stage leg. No view of Larry or his drum kit and edge often disappeared behind it. The music was fantastic and like Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol said, "a night you'll never forget." I just think they could have blacked out certain sections so we could see.
lraeder
Magnificent!!
Truly magnificent. After waiting in line since 7:30am we watched the concert in the inner circle. It was totally worth the wait. I need to go to another concert on this tour! It was such a memorable experience! I would love to experience it from a different angle. I thought the line up was great, song choice was perfect (there's so many to choose from)! The stage is unexplainable, even after seeing all of the pictures of the stage, it is so amazing to see what it is capable of. There is no way that any other band can top this! Please continue to tour, announce more dates, and continue to make great music, because we love you!!!
cmeredith22
Just got home...
Last night's show was amazing. It's the fifth time I've seen them and this was by far one of the best...I loved when they played "Bad". It was my husband's first show and it won't be his last.
drivermike
drivermike
My wife and i were there and it was unbelievable!This was the 4th time we have seen them but the first in an outdoor setting.They never disappoint when they perform and are still a true class act.
cindyrella
spectacular
I have been a U2 fan for over 20 years and I have never been able to see them play live until now. I absolutely loved it. I was behind the stage, but I felt very much a part of the show. The whole atmosphere was magical. It is a night I will never forget!
rachelmarie_wi
Wow!
This was my first U2 concert! That was amazing! U2 really knows how to put on a show! Still trying to digest it all. Snow Patrol as the opener was great and entertaining. I loved every minute of it, but the absolute highlight for me was the acoustic version of "Stuck in a Moment and Can't Get Out of It" and the encore set, especially "Moment of Surrender". And the cinematography, if you want to call it that, on the 360 jumbo-tron was fabulous as well!
philwilson
Chicago
I have seen every tour since 92 and this was one of my favorites. My wife and I took our son for his first concert experiance. I think he is spoiled for life. I seen a few songs that I have not seen live before. MLk, The Unforgetable Fire and Ultra Violet could have been the best of the night. The massive size of the stage made Soldier Feild seem small. I had'nt looked at the web sight since the tour started. Not noing what was coming made it that much better.
staciky
Perfection
What a show-Unbelievable, Perfection, a truly magical night I will never forget! Second U2 show and while Cleveland 05 was fantastic, this show was above and beyond anything I have seen! Loved every minute of it-Each song got better and the effects more spectacular! LOVED "BAD" and "Ultraviolet" espeically and when the crowd sang the first part of "I still haven't found what I am looking for"-Thank you so much U2 and other fans! Cannot wait til the next time!!
sue
Chicaog opening, sound issue
Saturday was opening day for U2 in N.A.. The weather was picture perfect and the band/show was, as always awesome. One issue I'm hoping someone on the U2 team can address for others. We sat in section 241 under the upper stands and the sound was very muffled at times. Hoping this can be corrected for others attending Sunday evening. Excellent job! See you next year.
thehoon
Inner Circle
Fantastic show. Good to hear a good set of UF songs. My wife and I strolled into the stadium about thirty minutes before showtime and, after getting a rainbow of wristbands, we walked right into the inner circle. I thought this would be tougher to do, involving long waits and dumb luck when the ticket is scanned.
cubfan
Absolutely Amazing
I have been to many, many U2 concerts and am very happy to say you NEVER disappoint! I am so thrilled that you played Bad-my favorite song! The set was amazing, the sound was perfect. We had an awesome time-any chance you are coming back after the first leg of the North America tour is over?! Love you guys!:)
dove
Disappointed (Unfortunately)
I'm glad everyone loved it. I've lost count of how many times I've seen U2, but this was the most disappointing show I've seen. I think (hope) it was because of the horrible seats we had. The second level came out over our seats, blocking the view of the screens and everything above them, so the "show" part was completely lost to us. The sound didn't carry well there, either. We could her the songs fine, but not really anything that was said as it was drowned out by people buying beer and hot dogs behind us, in the extremely bright concourse area. I spent the show feeling like a kid stuck inside watching all the other kids have fun out in the yard. The songs sounded great, but a very "safe" set list. I did get some great pictures, though.... We'll be there tonight, out in the open, hoping for a much better experience.
kplassch
kplassch
awesome night lads. Great show. had the best seats ever and got to see y'all walk out of the tunnel. Mind blowing as usual-so glad to be at opening night. What a beautfuk night-truly magnificent.
winemonkey
Beyond Largest Expectations!
My husband and I attended last nights kick off in Chicago and the show took our breath away on more than one occasion! The entire experience - sound, performance, effects - were over the top. What truly blew us away was the intimate connection U2 made possible in a stadium filled with 65,000 people! "Bad" & "Ultraviolet" stood out as my husband's favorites. Mine were the acoustic "Stuck In a Moment" (such an artistic and emotional connection) and the club mix of "I'll Go Crazy..." Also, the moment where Bono backed away from the mike and allowed the audience to sing a complete verse of "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" in one voice was HAUNTING! Thank you, U2, for the leaving the amazing experience etched in our memories!
The Boy In The Well
Spaceship within a Spaceship!!
Flew in from London on Friday (11th) & felt a little tired before the Concert, but as soon as I saw the Bear's Mother Ship & heard Snow Patrol warming up inside with 'Run' & 'Chasing Cars', the hairs stood up & adrenaline took over!! Incredible life afirming stuff (Gary Lightbody was right in his post last month!!) U2 are just getting better & better & better with age & last night's concert has to be one of the greatest gigs I've ever seen. Found myself in the heart of their space ship & to turn 360 witnessing the entire stadium singing as one; It's a moment I'll never forget....Bono's voice on tracks like 'Ultraviolet', 'Bad' & 'City of Blinding Lights' is just SO heartfelt, it makes you want to cry. Watching Edge play keyboard & guitar simultaneously on 'Walk On', Larry on Bongo to the back of the crowd & Adams graceful meanderings....beautiful stuff!! Thanks so much U2, Snow Patrol & Chicago for a truly cathartic experience & a moment I'll never surrender. See you in Foxborough & NYC. xxxx
standup75
Brilliant! Had the Best time!
This was my First ever U2 show, and I am still trying to process it all...I had been wondering all Summer how the setlist would flow together and it all made perfect sense!! The boys rocked. I would have liked to have heard "Stand Up Comedy" live, but am still very satisfied!
brittandsyler
Just phenomenal
Saw them twice in London. Then last night with my 11 year old daughter. Since I had already seen it twice, I wan't expecting to be totally wowed. But I was. It's amazing how a place with 70,000 people can feel intimate. And they gave his steering wheel microphone LIGHTS! It's an absolutely amazing tour. Vertigo Tour was just Elevation Tour: The Sequel. This is quite new and fresh. Keep touring so I can bring my younger kids to the next one.
julez728
Awesome show!
It was a great show. The new songs sounded great and the older ones sounded as good as I ever heard them. The stage setup was amazing. This show reminded my of why I like U2 so much. Wish I was going again tonight.
gtprevatt
gtprevatt
The best sounding show i have ever been to, thanks for playing Bad, my favorite song, Took my 16 year old to show her what a real band sounds like
bbellinger4
Breathtakingly awesome
Most amazing looking comcert I've ever seen in my life! Awesome remix of I'll go crazy, I danced my butt off! I was in nosebleed and I felt closer than ever. Great sound, great feeling, beautiful performances! I loved stuck in a moment as well, I like it when they mix up the tracks with a new spin! Everything overall, was awesome, I could go on and on! P.S. Unforgettable Fire was great too, they kept a great mix of all their music!
jnc38
Incredible time.
This was my first live U2 show. I've been a fan for years and hopped on the chance to get seats in Chicago. The band didn't disappoint or miss a step. It was terrific. Thank you! If you can get yourself to a show anywhere in the States or Canada, anywhere that still has tickets, do it. You will not be sorry.
cristinem
Truly magnificent
Thank you, thank you for playing Ultra Violet--I never got to hear it played live before. It's such a wonderful song. Overall a fantastic show and production (I'll Go Crazy and City of Blinding Lights were awesome). Thank you U2 for the gift of your words and music--you make such a difference in my life.
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