ALL BECAUSE OF U2 LEGENDARY ROCKERS TAKE OVER POND.Byline: Jennifer Cho Salaff Staff Writer It was more than just a night of music. Destination No. 2 of U2's ``Vertigo 2005'' American tour was an all-out celebration that rocked the heart, mind, body and soul. Friday's sold-out concert at Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim proved the 17-time Grammy Award-winning Irish quartet is indeed the World's Most Important Band. Things got off to an unconventional start as frontman front·man n. 1. also front man A man who serves as a nominal leader but who lacks real authority. 2. Music A leading singer with a group. Bono, guitarist The Edge, bass player Adam Clayton Adam Charles Clayton (born 13 March 1960 in Chinnor, Oxfordshire, England), is the bass player of the rock band U2.[1] A British citizen, Clayton has resided in Dublin county since the time his family moved to Malahide when he was five years old. and drummer Larry Mullen, Jr. paced, one by one, around the stage's ellipse-shaped catwalk. The screaming voices of 17,000 fans grew into a deafening swell as the foursome, each carrying a torchlight, flashed powerful beams into the audience. ``Lay down, lay down,'' Bono wailed as the band launched into ``Love and Peace Or Else'' from their current album, ``How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb atomic bomb or A-bomb, weapon deriving its explosive force from the release of atomic energy through the fission (splitting) of heavy nuclei (see nuclear energy). The first atomic bomb was produced at the Los Alamos, N.Mex. .'' Clad in black leather and donning his signature wrap-around sunglasses sunglasses A tinted pair of glasses used to ↓ light arriving at the eye, which are labeled according to the amount of UV light blocked; nonprescription glasses are classified according to use and amount of UV radiation blocked Sunglasses , Bono danced across the runway, gently gyrating his hips and beckoning to the audience. In a more cryptic move, he then tied a white headband depicting a Star of David, a cross and a Muslim symbol around his head. ``We need love and peace,'' he sang-shouted. ``And I wonder where is the love?'' By the looks of tens of thousands of fans pumping their fists, jumping up and down and swaying back and forth, there seemed to be plenty of love going around. Nostalgia quickly took hold as U2 performed five ``classics''back-to-back: ``Sunday Bloody Sunday Bloody Sunday (1905) Massacre of peaceful demonstrators in Saint Petersburg, marking the beginning of the Russian Revolution of 1905. The priest Georgy Gapon (1870–1906), hoping to present workers' request for reforms directly to Nicholas II, arranged a peaceful march ,'' ``Bullet the Blue Sky,'' ``Running to Stand Still,'' ``I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'' and ``New Year's Day New Year's Day, among ancient peoples the first day of the year frequently corresponded to the vernal or autumnal equinox, or to the summer or winter solstice. In the Middle Ages it was celebrated among Christians usually on Mar. 25. .'' During ``Bullet the Blue Sky,'' an anti-war, human rights shout-out from 1987's ``The Joshua Tree Joshua tree: see yucca. ,'' Bono pulled the headband over his eyes, fell to his knees and crossed his wrists over his head. Mullen's marching beats, Clayton's steady bass lines and The Edge's cascading, dissonant dis·so·nant adj. 1. Harsh and inharmonious in sound; discordant. 2. Being at variance; disagreeing. 3. Music Constituting or producing a dissonance. chords rang throughout the stadium as an image of a fighter jet was displayed on a ``beaded'' curtain of lights. A Nobel Peace Prize-nominated humanitarian as well as the consummate rock star, Bono's lyrics have always pushed U2's listeners to ponder God, love, war, peace and good versus evil. As he lullabied ``Ha la la la de day'' from ``Running to Stand Still'' a huge screen scrolled the text of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights Universal Declaration of Human Rights Declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. Drafted by a committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, it was adopted without dissent but with eight abstentions. . The audience cheered. The group's ``Africa moment'' came during ``Pride (In the Name of Love)'' and ``Where the Streets Have No Name.'' Comparing the journey of equality during the Civil Rights Movement to the struggles of modern day Africa, Bono urged his rapt audience to change the world. ``Like Martin Luther King said, `I have a dream.' He wasn't just talking about the American dream American dream also American Dream n. An American ideal of a happy and successful life to which all may aspire: , no?'' he asked. ``He was talking about a dream even bigger than that...It was a dream where everybody was created equal in the eyes of God. Because everyone is created equal in the eyes of God. Sing for Dr. King'' Without sounding preachy preach·y adj. preach·i·er, preach·i·est Inclined or given to tedious and excessive moralizing; didactic. preach or over-the-top, Bono had struck a chord. It was a powerful moment. People in the audience started to sing, cheer and embrace one another. It was as if hope had physically materialized and filled the air. Then Bono told everyone to take out their cell phones. ``During Zoo TV, I used to call the White House,'' he recalled. ``They didn't take my calls then. Now they take my calls. They're getting used to me. That's why we want you to call. We want one million Americans to prove that Africa is also equal in the eyes of God.'' Above the stage, a screen displayed instructions to send a text message in support of the ONE campaign, an American-based non-profit organization A non-profit organization (abbreviated "NPO", also "non-profit" or "not-for-profit") is a legally constituted organization whose primary objective is to support or to actively engage in activities of public or private interest without any commercial or monetary profit purposes. aimed at fighting global AIDS and extreme poverty. The evening took a lighter tone with twang-y, rock-infused``Mysterious Ways.'' Bono's lyrics became literal when he picked out a fan from the front row -- a young woman with a skinny, supermodel physique, wearing skin-tight patent leather pants, spiked devil horns and impossibly high black platform boots. The woman, whom Bono introduced as ``Tiffany,'' looked a lot like Mr. MacPhisto, Bono's alter-ego stage character brought to life during the band's 1993 Zooropa tour. ``It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, she moves in mysterious ways,'' Bono sang as Tiffany revealed charisma and hot dance moves easily matching Bono's lightening energy. With arms slinking and hips undulating, she wowed audiences and even Bono with her high-flying karate kicks. ``You're a beautiful dancer,'' Bono told her as he planted a kiss on her cheek. Confetti fell like snow during ``City of Blinding Lights'' and the crowd sang along during ``Vertigo'' and ``All Because of You.'' U2 ended Friday night's explosive show with humble words from``Yahweh'' and praise-worthy (Psalm) ``40.'' Long after the band left the stage, a marvelous chorus of whistles, loud cries and shouts consumed the arena. Thousands of cell phone screens lit up the stadium like fireflies. Surprisingly, there was no encore. Even more shocking were the ``boos'' coming from pockets of people in the audience. You would think with an electrifying e·lec·tri·fy tr.v. e·lec·tri·fied, e·lec·tri·fy·ing, e·lec·tri·fies 1. To produce electric charge on or in (a conductor). 2. a. 112-minute non-stop set, fans would have been more grateful. Hopefully, U2's message wasn't lost on them. Jennifer Cho Salaff, (909) 483-9381 jennifer.cho(at)dailybulletin.com U2 Where: Staples Center This article has multiple issues: * Its neutrality is disputed. * It may contain original research or unverifiable claims. * It does not cite any references or sources. , 1111 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. When: 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday Tickets: Sold out Information: (213) 480-3232 or www.ticketmaster.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- 2) Bono, above, leads the band on the opening song, ``Love and Peace or Else,'' at Arrowhead Pond on Friday. Guitarist The Edge, left, plays at the sold-out show for some 17,000 fans. Will Lester/Staff Photographer |
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