U2 favors “Experience” over the expected with astonishing screens as co-stars

Photos provided by Danny North

Technical difficulties may have delayed U2’s start for round one of a double header at the United Center, but at least one lucky section was kept occupied by the arrival of George Lucas and his entourage. In addition to the rest of the crowded house, even the man who made Star Wars from scratch wanted to catch a glimpse of “the biggest band in the world” and he was in the right place because the “Experience + Innocence” Tour could’ve easily be mistaken for a movie set.

Upon its return, U2 swung for the rafters with “Elevation,” “Vertigo” and “Desire,” reminding everyone the types of anthems this band is capable of crafting, in spite of coming up so uncharacteristically thin in that department on this given night.

Much like its “Innocence + Experience” predecessor, that meant a traditional stage, airport-styled runway and smaller “E” platform, but the multi-story screen that stretched horizontally above the entire floor was by far the most impressive aspect. These days, the visuals are clearly co-stars of the show, but that didn’t mean the older but always airtight Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. weren’t firing on all cylinders.

It’s just that there was so much to look at during “Love Is All We Have Left” and “The Blackout” that the quartet seemed dwarfed (at least temporarily) by all the gradual reveals ensuring there were barely any bad seats in the house (except for maybe folks who sat directly across from the main stage, though they were rewarded with the best view when U2 came to their corner). Those two of a whopping ten from the carefully-linked new collections of exploration and reflection were soon trailed by “I Will Follow” and “Gloria,” where for a few moments, the raw, primal nature of the group’s earliest seasons resonated with the wide-ranging crowd.

The emphasis on visuals returned during Bono’s gorgeously presented maternal tribute “Iris (Hold Me Close)” and a virtual recollection of his childhood throughout “Cedarwood Road,” though unfortunately, neither song really stuck the same kind of memorable chord as say a stripped down “Sunday Bloody Sunday” or the magnetic “Until The End Of The World.” Then instead of taking a traditional intermission, fans were given a comic book-styled sketch of each member in action for “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me,” likely gleaned from its original home on the “Batman Forever” soundtrack.

Upon its return, U2 swung for the rafters with “Elevation,” “Vertigo” and “Desire,” reminding everyone the types of anthems this band is capable of crafting, in spite of coming up so uncharacteristically thin in that department on this given night. Sure, there was “Pride (In The Name Of Love)” and “One” to send some genuine chills through the room, but without at least a few of either “With Or Without You,” “Where The Streets Have No Name,” “Mysterious Ways,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” “New Year’s Day,” “Even Better Than The Real Thing,” “Bad” or “40,” the set list was lacking to say the least.

U2 also recycled itself in disappointing ways, such as “Get Out Of Your Own Way” coming across like a rough draft version of “Beautiful Day” and Bono using a megaphone for the flag-adorned “American Soul” when all that was missing were cries of “outside it’s America” from “Bullet The Blue Sky.” Though the second one packed considerable punch, it’s probably a safe bet that very few, if any, tracks from the current collections will ever resurface again in the future, much like material from “Zooropa,” “No Line On The Horizon” and “Pop” are virtually forgotten (except for an acoustic remembrance of the latter’s “Staring At The Sun” in this unexpected instance).

But for all its mistakes (and there have been many since the fiasco of forcing a free album onto every single iPhone in existence), U2 continues to possess a social conscious that’s urgently needed in divisive times. Whether it was standing up against poverty, calling for equality or spreading seeds of unity, that portion of the mission was accomplished, which alongside the astounding sights, at least helped soften the blow of missing out on so much of its major league material.

For additional information on U2, visit U2.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at the United Center include U2 (May 23); Depeche Mode (Jun. 1); Paul Simon (Jun. 6); Harry Styles (Jun. 30); Radiohead (Jul. 6-7); Panic! At The Disco (Jul. 17); Shakira (Aug. 3); Smashing Pumpkins (Aug. 13-14); Sam Smith (Aug. 15); Drake and Migos (Aug. 17-18); Childish Gambino (Sept. 8); Maroon 5 (Sept. 14); BTS (Oct. 2-3); Justin Timberlake (Oct. 5); Fleetwood Mac (Oct. 6); Eagles (Oct. 15); Phil Collins (Oct. 22); Elton John (Oct. 26-27) and Josh Groban with Idina Menzel (Nov. 6). For additional details, visit UnitedCenter.com.

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U2 favors “Experience” over the expected with astonishing screens as co-stars

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