U2 provides truly 360 experience in Atlanta

Oct. 6, I embarked on a journey that took me away from the Lee bubble and into the Georgia Dome where the U2 360 tour was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

One thing that caught my attention was the diversity of the crowds as they entered the stadium. As I sat outside watching the concert-goers arrive, I saw all shapes, sizes, colors and ages, quite possibly the greatest menagerie of people I have yet to see. That was my first indication that this night would be unlike any other.

At this point I must make a confession: this is the first mainstream concert I have ever attended. I had been to Christian concerts of all sizes but never anything of this magnitude. So, I must admit I was glad to arrive early enough for the culture shock of being surrounded by smokers and beer vendors to wear off.

“Personal” is the only word I can think of to really describe the setup of the stage and screens. As the name of the tour would lead one to believe, the design focused around having a 360 degree view of the stadium from the stage. The central stage was linked to an outer walkway by three bridges, two of which moved over the audience members in the central “red zone.” The concept was amazing.

A screen circled above the main stage, giving even the nosebleed a view of what was happening on the ground. A friend pointed out to me that the technicians even thought to delay the screen slightly so that the movement actually matched the sound as it reached the higher sections.

Muse opened the show a little after 7 p.m. with outstanding energy that shook the building and set the tone for the rest of the night.

I am a mild Muse fan and have listened to a few of their songs, but even though I was for the most part unfamiliar with their set list, I was still impressed with the quality of music I was hearing.

The vocal quality was amazing for a live performance, and the music stayed true to the distinct sound that Muse is typically known for. I will be purchasing a Muse album or two in the near future as a consequence of that performance.

At around 9:15 p.m., after an intermission that seemed to be eternally long, the countdown began and U2 prepared to take the stage.

One thing that struck me about both Bono and Muse lead singer Matthew Bellamy is the accuracy with which the recorded albums portray their voices. It was refreshing to not experience complete shock upon hearing a band live.

The audience’s energy was intense before Bono even appeared, and it continued to grow as the Irish legends led the audience members through a two hour set that included old and new songs, as well as a few short covers, including a touching verse of “Amazing Grace” that led into “Where the Streets Have No Name.”

A crowd favorite and a theme of the night was “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight,” and Bono even dedicated “City of Blinding Lights” to President Obama’s sister, who was in attendance.

In true U2 fashion, though, the night’s focus expanded to include themes of social justice and equality. From raising awareness of the AIDS epidemic to honoring the plight of Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and the fight for democracy in Burma with the song “Walk On,” the band led audience members in an almost sombering observance of what Bono observed we all have in common: the belief that we as Americans can make things better.

My only complaint is that when the screen was extended to full length, the view from behind the stage was greatly limited and the only way to know what was happening was via the video feed. Even though some concert goers lost their direct line of sight, the entire concert was still viewable on the massive LED screen.

After two encores, the nearly two hours of music came to an end.

I can honestly say that the next concert I attend has some big shoes to fill.