U2 Clawing at the Crowd: An Eyewitness Account Of Wembley

One 2009 summer event that will live in the hearts of many concert revelers is undoubtedly the U2 360º Tour show that took place at Wembley Stadium on 15^th August. More than 85,000 people packed the venue, marking the gig as the legendary stadium’s most-attended event ever.

At 164 feet, the mammoth round stage dubbed The Claw towered over the crowd in the centre of the stadium, an inherent homage to the classic film War of the Worlds.  As a piece of spectacle, it managed to top even the herculean seven-story height of The Rolling Stones stage set from their record-breaking Bigger Bang Tour.

Each leg of the U2 flying saucer had its own sound system, not to mention the circular catwalk and larger-than-life cylindrical video screen that ensured a sense of intimacy with the audience; not just the people in front of the stage, but all around.

With Wembley packed in full circle, the crowd rattled and hummed in anticipation of the coming adventure.   All I could see was an ocean of die hard fans donning T-shirts of their favourite band’s past and current tours while performing the Mexican Wave. As smoke engulfed the whole stage, the sounds of David Bowie’s classic hit “Space Oddity” left everyone instantly enthralled.

As Ground Control made contact with Major Tom it was clear that Dublin’s finest had touched down at Wembley. Amid the haze of smoke the man himself – Bono, in his trademark shades and black leather jacket – appeared accompanied by The Edge on guitar, Adam Clayton on bass and Larry Mullen Jr. on drums.

A rousing rendition of drum beats kicked off the show as Bono belted out “Breathe”, followed by the title track of their latest album, No Line On The Horizon.  The song that would ultimately set the tone of the show, however, was “Get On Your Boots”, with The Edge and Adam Clayton playing to the crowd on the circular catwalks while the music mesmerized with its riffs and relentless rhythmic push.

U2 devotees certainly got what they came for with the next number, the aptly named “Magnificent”, a testimonial to how this band has survived three decades.  Bono’s truly magnificent voice blended with the melodic chords of the tune’s percussive beats as the crowd turned their swaying into hand-clapping worship.

Things quieted down long enough for Bono to give a cheeky take on the popular nursery rhyme “London Bridge Is Falling Down”, but the band soon had the entire crowd rocking again with their 2000’s anthem “Beautiful Day”.  Not even half-way through the show, I was already exhausted from all the waving and cheering.

U2’s next moment of elevation came with “Until The End Of The World”.  Crowd members became passengers fully immersed in a voyage of euphoric motion as white lights fired down from The Claw to the main stage, and the screens captured black-and-white video of Bono’s singing and The Edge’s monster guitar riffs.

The euphoric ascent on cloud nine rocketed on with “New Year’s Day”, and was further heightened with the awaited classic “I Still Haven’t Found What I”m Looking For”. Just as Bono sang out the opening lyrics the crowd raised their hands and sang along to the band’s Joshua Tree classic.

Mellowness came to the fore again with an unplugged version of “Stay (Faraway, So Close!)”; indeed, the soothing acoustic guitar coupled with Bono’s gentle vocals brought out  an aura of quiet warmth that echoed all through Wembley.  This worked in stark contrast to the rip-roaring vocals on display in follow-up “Unknown Caller”; the superb footage where the refrain lyrics were shown onscreen simply added to the atmosphere.

While “The Unforgettable Fire” burned away onstage, fans watched in awe as the vast array of scanner lights, video projections of giant flames, and (last but not least!) 360-degree cylindrical video screen was shown in all its glory.  Like the spaceship it was emulating, The Claw’s hydraulic grid descended towards the floor of the stage, dwarfing the entire stadium.

The audience was then treated to Bono’s stellar performance of “City of Blinding Lights.” The lights certainly shone on us as Bono walked the circular catwalk, hordes of fans taking pictures with their mobile cameras while neon lights popped and flared from the multi-screen grid.

“Vertigo” fired on all atomic cylinders as The Claw stage took on a life of its own; the lights and projections were not just there to admire visually, they were there to embrace, making each individual in the audience feel like part of the experience. In the aptly named “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight”, as soon as the band members’ giant faces were shown onscreen, everyone got busy stomping their feet, whistling and clapping to the beats. Wembley was surely in orbit by now.

Bono is not one to be stopped from consistently exhibiting his prowess in highlighting world problems; prior to “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, the screens were inundated with shots of the plight of Iranian protestors, and “Walk On” was dedicated to the imprisoned Burmese opposition leader Aung San-Suu Kyi.  John Lennon would be proud.

A heartful crescendo was reached during “Where The Streets Have No Name” – the crowd simply went wild, cheering and chanting to a tune that sounds as fresh now as when it was first released 22 years ago. Tugging at the emotional strings even more was the always-majestic “One”, arguably the band’s career-defining anthem.

For many, a long-awaited moment came when the band closed the main set with “Bad”, a song that raises awareness on the horrors of heroin addiction.  After a brief encore break, they then raised goosebumps with “Ultraviolet (Light My Way)”, a tune punctuated by the spectacle of red laser lights attached to Bono’s jacket.

The pinnacle of the show had to be “With Or Without You”, as Wembley was transformed into a gigantic discotheque thanks to a mirror ball effect resonating all throughout the stadium. While the audience shouted for more before the atmsopheric finale of “Moment of Surrender”, Bono asked that the stage lights be dimmed down, and Wembley Stadium was instantly transformed into a galaxy of mobile phones.

This was undeniably a lavish event. U2  have continued to cement their position as a rock band to be reckoned with.  Their live performances, magnificent stages, outstanding lights, projections and special effects bring that sense of grandeur to outside venues, while giving their audience a great time and a show filled with attitude, atmosphere and excitement. After years of watching and listening to U2 through various mediums, I’m happy to say there’s nothing better than the real thing! ! -Justin Camilleri