It Is Whatever

Having read that U2 were going to play a secret gig in Upper Regent Street between 18.00 and 18.15 to promote their new album No Line On The Horizon I made my way in the direction of where I thought the gig was going to take place – somewhere around the Apple Store. When I got there there was no sign of anything U2ey. I checked my Twitter and was able to establish that the band were on the Chris Evans show so then I realised that it must be up at the more northern part of Regent Street where the BBC broadcasting house is. D’oh!

Sure enough when I got there at about 17.30 there were people in florescent jackets trying to look cool and casual but to no avail. Nonetheless I realised that this is where the show was to be.  After some surveying of the area I established that the best place must be opposite the broadcasting house and on the east side of Regent Street so I mounted the stairs of the church opposite.

18.00 came, and went.

The band were introduced by Chris Evans at about 18.45 GMT. Bono did his usual thanking and then they launched into Get On Your Boots which works really well live. I couldn’t help but notice that the bass is more complicated that Adam’s root note delivery – is he getting paid more money per note now or something?

Magnificent kind of reminded me of a weird disco version of Achtung Baby‘s So Cruel in its laid back delivery. I thought I could feel it dragging a bit at times but then I thought that this track, like the new album, was going to be a grower. I thought it was admirable of them to play something that wasn’t 900 miles per hour. They obviously really like this new stuff. All this reminds me of Actung Baby.

Having read on Twitter and on various blogs that they were due to play for 15 minutes I was expecting the third track to be their final one and with that I was expecting it to be something off their new album No Line On The Horizon. It was a bit of a surprise therefore when they played Vertigo. The whole crowd joined in on the for “Hello! Hello! I’m at a place called Vertigo!” and then promptly forgot the rest of the lyrics. That was funny to notice. (Note to Bono: Write choruses like that guy who wrote “Ruby! Ruby! Ruby! Ruby! Aahhh!”) Vertigo reminded me of how a great a song it was.

To be honest even though I saw the Vertigo tour, and was absolutely amazed by it I should add, I couldn’t help but be disappointed by the album How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. It seemed to lack energy or cohesion or direction – or something! It was all just a bit flat for me. After having listened to No Line On The Horizon on Spotify today I can tell already that the album has a greater depth to it and one that should be granted greater attention. All that said, it was great to hear Vertigo again.

So then just when I thought the gig was over, and the band seemed to think so also with their goodbye waves, on came Chris Evans to welcome the band back on for “another quick one”. Again I was expecting them to play something off the new album, and why not, but The Edge started the intro to Beautiful Day. The crowd went wild in a restrained on Regent Street kind of way. It was great to hear this track also – though I do rate All That You Can’t Leave Behind as a greater body of work than How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.

All in all I would say that U2 are definitely relevant, they definitely kick it and have a place in our world as they approach a half century each – regardless of their age. I heard somewhere recently that U2 releases are not just album releases but are events. Today, whilst it wasn’t exactly The Beatles on top of Apple it still was something monumental and I am glad to have been a part of it. Actually come to think of it it was probably better than The Beatles as no one could actually see the band play could they? Nor hear them.

The setlist:

• Get On Your Boots
• Magnificent
• Vertigo
• Beautiful Day (Encore)

Go here to listen to the album now legally and for free!

Go here to see my YouTube footage.