Elevation 2001, April 23,
The Arrowhead Pond,
Anaheim, Los Angeles,
'This,' says Robbie Williams, one of a limo-load of famous names watching tonight's first show in Los Angeles, 'is really inspirational'.
No surprises there then, but, apart from inspirational, here's ten other words that captured Elevation 2001 on April 23rd.
1. Signs.
There are lots of roses tonight, and a Scottish flag, and a U2 HUM number plate. There's also a 'St Bono' sign, a Just Married, Dance With My Wife!
sign and one, using the heart suitcase image, which reads, 'Incite Hope'.
And they do.
2. T-Shirt.
Edge wears No. 7
3. Mobiles.
So many shot into the air when U2 strike up the opening chords of Stay (Faraway So Close) that a mini-web-cast is apparently underway. 'A song we haven't played in a while,' says Bono, of only the third airing of the Zooropa track on the tour so far. There's an even bigger cheer when he inserts Los Angeles into the lyrics.
4.Jubilee 2000
'Thanks a lot,' says Bono, 'For spending your hard earned cash on a rock show. Thanks for giving us a good life...thanks for supporting Jubilee 2000. It's amazing that in this time an entire continent is going down the toilet and it isn't even on page 2, 3 or 1. We've done a lot and we're going to do more with your help. Even a rich rock star can talk about shit like that...'
5. Guests.
Robbie Williams, Salman Rushdie, Cameron Diaz, Daniel Lanois, Gwen Stefani, Danny Saber, Phil Jouannu.
6. Kite
After New Year's Day - a song U2 have performed live perhaps six hundred times - comes Kite, 'a tune we've only done once before.'
7. Roses
Were they yours ? Bono picks up a bunch and throws them into the audience during Pride (In The Name of Love). During The Fly, pacing the catwalk like a monkey, he picks up the 'Just Married, Dance With My Wife' banner but neither partner gets to boogie onstage.
8. Band
'I'd like to do something that's very difficult for singers to do, I'd like to introduce you to the rest of the band.
'To the founder member of this group sitting behind the drum kit, Larry Mullen Jnr, come on down...
'The first manager of U2 was not Paul McGuinness, it was the poshest member of the band, the man whose instrument holds mysterious powers over womankind, Lord Adam Clayton.
'On the left hand side of the stage, if you're living in LA he might be your neighbour, he has two American children Levi and Sian... wearing the No. 7 t-shirt, even his mother calls him The Edge....'
9. Honourable Mentions
Bob Marley (Get Up, Stand Up in Sunday Bloody Sunday); David Bowie (Young Americans in Bullet The Blue Sky); Michael Hutchence (for Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of), Joey Ramone (for In A Little While) and Led Zeppelin (Whole Lotta Love in Bullet The Blue Sky)
10. Thanks
One is followed by I Remember You and by Walk On.'Thank you PJ Harvey, Orange County, Thank you LA....Thank you.....'
And (another) goodnight.
