Second show in Zurich tonight, and the live debut for 'Mercy' a near-mythical track with legendary status amongst hardcore U2 afficionados.
Just one reason among many why the seriously moist conditions were not going to dampen anyone's spirits.
'First time we've played this live outside of soundcheck' explained Bono in introducing Mercy, which was written and recorded
during the 'How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb' sessions and, while widely referenced, never subsequently released.
The track won a great reception and proved another signal that the band are ringing the changes in the set list: tonight we also had Mothers of the Disappeared back after its surprise appearance in Istanbul, as well as the fourth of the all-new tracks North Star.
There's something powerful about watching the band perform in such difficult conditions, particularly a track as poignant as Mothers of the Disappeared, dedicated to Aung San Suu Kyi, with Bono banging his chest like a visual pulse. 'We hear their heartbeart..'
The rain continued to pour and the audience to clap in time as we sequed into Walk On and a snatch of Neil Young's 'You Are Like A Hurricane' before an updated lyric of One about having 'some fun in the rain.' Bono was still singing about the weather ('When the rain comes and I don't mind') as 'Streets' arrived and this totally drenched audience were still unbelievably up for it.... totally into the music and totally ignoring the conditions!
Quite the sight to see Adam with his shirt off, so torrential did the conditions become, and when Bono thanked everyone at the end of Moment of Surrender for ' a special night'... we all knew we had been at a memorable show.
Were you singing in the rain with the band in Zurich ? What was the moment you will never surrender.
No comments:
Post a Comment