I really don't see the practical purpose of owning a pet anyway, and this coming from a guy who grew up with a cat and a cockateil. Maybe I shouldn't try to analyse all human behaviour with practical logic. It seems to just get me in trouble. And while I really see no use in owning a cat that will spend little of the day with me and eat a lot of
Anyway. Booked the hotel in Boston this evening, so there's one May concern off my mind. Now I just need to book the flights and get myself to Boston for the shows. (Highlight the following to read.) The tour is coming along absolutely fantastically. Four shows in, and we've had two different openers, radically different setlists by U2 standards, the return of 40 (aka best closing song ever played), and stunning performances by the band as a whole, particularly Mr The Edge. Edge owns this tour. He's tearing the place apart with The Fly, he's trying new things with Bullet The Blue Sky, and he's rocking out on The Electric Co. like he's been playing it for the last seventeen years. I just can't believe how incredible The Electric Co. is! It's definitely the best song of the tour for me so far and I cannot wait to hear it live. The snippet of I Can See For Miles really does it make it so complete, and I'm glad Bono hasn't forgotten his snippet of Send In The Clowns either. I honestly think these are the best performances of The Electric Co. ever. It's so awesome to see An Cat Dubh and Into The Heart back in the set, and I'm hoping Gloria shows itself at the next concert. There were no new songs at the second Anaheim show - the first of four shows where nothing new has been introduced - but the running order is probably the best of any set they have played. I particularly like the opening:
1. Love And Peace Or Else
2. Vertigo (with Stories For Boys)
3. Elevation
4. The Cry/The Electric Co. (with Send In The Clowns and I Can See For Miles)
5. An Cat Dubh/Into The Heart
6. City Of Blinding Lights
7. Beautiful Day
Edge rocks. Adam and Larry are as tight as ever, and Larry not only seems to be enjoying himself, but he's also getting out and about - playing at the tip of the ellipse for LAPOE, keyboarding on Yahweh, singing on Elevation. Bono's voice hasn't sounded this good since ZooTV and he's nailing The Electric Co. Running To Stand Still is simply gorgeous with Edge's "halle, hallelujah" and One's outro, although not as good as the "do you hear us coming Lord?" verse, is beautiful with Edge and Bono trading notes. If this keeps up, this will be my second favourite U2 tour.
Of course, no tour anyone could ever play will ever equal the brilliant majesty of Lovetown. The setlists were incredible in both their variation and quality: Where The Streets Have No Name, Hawkmoon 269, God Part II, and Bullet The Blue Sky are four of my six favourite openers ever (at #2 is 11 O'clock Tick Tock and #4 City Of Blinding Lights), and Edge was on fire. One Tree Hill, 26 December 1989, is simply brilliant. Bono's voice was untouchable; rich, powerful, and passionate. I will never hear a singer as good as Lovetown Bono again. Stuff technicalities. Lovetown Bono owned all. Yeah, sure, he was technically better on ZooTV with his falsetto, but ZooTV Bono - or anyone, for that matter - sure as hell could never pull off Hawkmoon 269 with the emotional force of Lovetown Bono.
But I'll cut my Lovetown gushing short, for I feel tired and shall depart for bed. Goodnight, all.