‘People seem intrigued by an Irish couple leaving beautiful Ireland and starting afresh in foreign climes’
U2 were over half an hour late taking the stage. We weren’t told why, but it was probably down to a technical hitch or two, given how many potential glitches there must be at this unique venue. At one point, for example, when the screens trick us into thinking we’re outdoors, looking across Las Vegas with clouds over our heads, a minor blip means you can see a small black rectangle in the “sky”.
If the visuals are sometimes overwhelming, the always-stunning music provides welcome ballast as the band play a trio of songs from Rattle and Hum – All I Want Is You, Desire and Angel of Harlem – on their Brian Eno-inspired turntable stage before returning to songs from Achtung Baby, which they follow with Elevation, Atomic City and Vertigo. The show’s final art, which caresses the audience like a balm, is also deeply moving.