Actu Stars People

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..’