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By Megan Moss

Artist: U2

Date: Friday 8th November 2019

Venue: Mt Smart Stadium Auckland

 On a glorious and clement day in Auckland; after nearly 9 years, Irish rockers U2 were back for their Joshua Tree Tour (2019) a celebration of the original 1987 album and tour. For the first time in the southern hemisphere, NZ and Australasian audiences finally get to see U2’s largest high-Resolution LED screen, the biggest ever used in a touring concert production. The impressive staging is quite literally nearly the width of a stadium, a high tech addition that helped create a memorable, emotive and spectacular concert.

Starting the evening’s proceedings at around 7:30pm were Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. With the sun setting beautifully over the stadium, Auckland greeted NGHFB to loud rousing cheers drawing in close to the stage. Ex Oasis vocalist / guitarist and front man Noel Gallagher, Gem Archer, Russell Pritchard, Mike Rowe and Chris Sharrock greeted the eager audiences jovially and got right down to the business of show.

It has been a few years since I saw NGHFB’s and they didn’t disappoint in the slightest, a seasoned band and a glorious performance. They sounded fantastic, didn’t miss a beat, were tight and enjoying the night as much as we were. Their set ranged at first with songs from NGHFB’s; after a slight pause, some banter with the audience (which always goes down well) Noel said, “Right now that bit was for me; and this bit is for you.” and we were entertained for the rest of the set with Oasis classics, the audience singing loudly, sated, their set finishing with a cover of The Beatles “All you need is love.” We were told we were in for a real treat and thanked for coming out early to see them, and they left the stage to massive cheers.

After a wee bit of a wait between sets, the house lights dimmed, to intro song “The Whole of the Moon.” The massive screen and Joshua Tree lit up, casting perfect shadows, much like the sunsets you see in the Nevada desert. In fact long term collaborator, photographer and film-maker Anton Corbijn, whose iconic photography accompanied the original recording, visited Death Valley (Nevada) producing a new series of haunting and evocative films, featured on the 200 x 45 ft cinematic screen behind the group during the live performance.

Staggeringly; The Joshua Tree Tour, by this December; will have played to a total of almost 3 million fans in just 66 shows across 2017 and 2019.

The sold-out stadium erupted as U2 entered stalking slowly in single file across the stage, staying to the back at first and then venturing down the long ramp into the audience. The air was electric, with no-one left in their seats for the entirety of the show. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jnr were onstage now and looking and sounding as vibrant as the last time I saw them 13 years ago; maybe even better.

The Joshua Tree Tour; featuring the complete Joshua Tree album, was played in sequence, with some highlights from U2’s extensive catalogue. Always the good guys of rock superstardom, pioneers, supporters and leaders themselves, U2’s show last night featured a visual (and visceral) roll call of pioneering and trailblazing women. This accompanies Ultra Violet (Light My Way) from ‘Achtung Baby in support of the ONE organisation’s on-going Poverty Is Sexist campaign. The imagery itself was at times haunting and jolted you with reflections on the fallout of war, poverty and pioneering woman from around the world, including NZ’s Jacinda Ardern, Helen Clarke and Georgina Beyer.

Of course, there was a time of remembering Greg Carroll; the kiwi roadie who joined the U2 crew, became their friend and family, and who was tragically killed in a motorbike accident. He no longer walks this earth, however U2 keeps his spirit alive. His image was displayed as the band played One Tree Hill, a stark reminder of life’s fragility.

Nevertheless, there was nothing sombre about the night in essence. We were held in U2’s spell, we sang and danced and were entertained by all of our favourite U2 songs for just over 2 hours, with Bono declaring he was “SIR BONO.” The show included a massive 7 song encore, ending with many thanks from the band, apologies for taking so long to come back and huge applause from the Auckland crowd.

Thank-you U2; it was a beautiful day!

Set List
Intro - The Whole of the Moon
Sunday Bloody Sunday
New Year's Day
Bad
Pride
Where the Streets Have No Name
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
With or Without You
Bullet the Blue Sky
Running to Stand Still
Red Hill Mining Town
In God's Country
Trip Through Your Wires
One Tree Hill
Exit
Mothers of the Disappeared
Angel of Harlem
Encore:
Elevation
Vertigo
Even Better Than the Real Thing
Every Breaking Wave
Beautiful Day
Ultra-Violet (Light My Way)
Love is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way