'Tonight is Saturday Night'

2 Apr 2011
Even before the band arrived on stage tonight, we had a great ovation from another full house when over the PA came a track by Soda Stereo, the Argentinian band led by Gustavo Cerati, now hospitalised in a coma, and to whom Bono paid tribute at the opening show on Thursday.

Even Better Than The Real Thing again signalled the arrival of U2 onstage and what an inspired choice it's turning out to be as a show opener - everyone in the groove from the off. It closed with Edge making his way to the piano which almost certainly meant that New Year's Day was back in the show - and it was, to universal delight. Adam Clayton was introduced for the uninitiated, along with The Edge ('On guitar and everything else...') and Larry Mullen Jr ('On drums and everything else...')

After 'Boots', Until The End of the World jumped forward in the show to fourth track, one of a series of variations tonight:  Stuck In A Moment  was back and Ultraviolet also made it into the set list. Mysterious Ways went out to Kate Hudson who is in the house tonight and the Saturday night party vibes had descended good and proper by the end of Elevation with the whole stadium chanting 'Ole, Ole.'

'Thanks Muse,' said Bono, taking a breath.' Thanks for taking us out last night.
'Tonight is Saturday night. Nowhere else we'd rather be than Buenos Aires.
'People go strange when they stay here. The Edge likes to dance. And Larry Mullen is dancing  - there's something wrong in the world when Larry Mullen is out dancing.'

Another moment that will stay long in the memory was when a beautiful and passionate young woman took the stage to read the last verse of a poem by Violeta Parra, a Chilean Poet,  Gracias A La Vida - a poem made famous by the late Argentine singer Merdeces Sosa.

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto/ Me ha dada la risa, me ha dada el llanto/
Asi uyo distingo dicha de quebranto/ Los dos materiales qu forman mi canto/
Y el canto de ustedes que es el mismo canto/ Y el canto de todos que es me propis canto


('Thank you to life, which has given me so much/It gave me laughter and it gave me longing/
With them I distinguish happiness and pain - / The two materials from which my songs are formed/
And your song, as well, which is the same song./ And everyone's song, which is my very song.)


These were some of our highlights tonight, how about you ? If you were at the show and want to add your own reviews and post your photos, we'd love to see them on our Tours Page.


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