Now what?
One of my favorite bands has been U2 since my halcyon years in college radio. They’ve endured fairly well. The last record that I was really fond of “All That You Can’t Leave Behind” The recent records since have had their moments, but as a whole, are well, okay. The lads did provide me, however indirectly, with what might be my zenith in parenting when I took my eldest to her first rock show when U2 played Buffalo toward the end of 2005.
That said, I thought it was pretty interesting that there were many great reviews from the shows played then because they were in arenas with the focus on the music.
I saw the attached photos from the National Post in Canada and thought maybe stadium shows are getting too large. When it is that big, how important is it to say you were in the building, when all you did was pay lots of money to watch the Edge on TV?
It is an awe-inspiring site and a cool picture, but I must be getting old.
I was at a free show last week and somebody complained that I was blocking their view of a tv-screen at a free show. It happens more at the free shows and there are plenty of great ones in our area, but they do attract folks who go so they can say they were there, not because they were interested in the show.
It’s interesting to see and I think paid shows aren’t immune. I was fascinated by the amount of people who used the slow songs at the April Bob Seger show in Buffalo for beer runs. Really? There must be something I’m missing in those eight dollar beers that make them so addicting.
By all means, do check out the pretty fair review from U2’s show on Monday, found here at http://arts.nationalpost.com/2011/07/12/concert-review-u2-at-the-rogers-centre-in-toronto/
It’s interesting to me that great songs transcend anything and when Seger was here, he said the heck with everything and just played.
One of the forum posters on the National Post site hit it on the head that the band would be great in front of a brick wall.
Play decent music and people will come….
Mike's Pub 