I See The Lights Of Home - U2 Innocence and Experience: Madison Square Garden Night 2

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Not really sure what to expect from the latest U2 tour, I went in half jaded about the same set list for every show. No lack of stunning technology, the flashy screens and Madison Square Garden length stage, those four high school mates from Dublin gave an opening set of what was to me, Spark Notes of the Innocence Tour. A unique opening set got the entire Garden going through the catalog of cd’s in their mind. The surprise of Gloria won me over, of course. 

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  Then something strange and ephemeral happened. I got the experience bit. Bono’s Mad Hatter-Rattle and Hum-esque persona started to sound familiar. Sound a bit and look a bit Macphisto. The gold lamé and red shirt replaced with some eyeliner and face powdered...the message of Experience became clear when the disco ball and Pop lights appeared. When the first chords of Desire opened, the whole cliché was an epiphany in front of me. However, Macphisto was timely and I was

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waiting for a Face Time with a foreign leader or exiled writer. (Reference Zoo TV and Bono’s infamous satellite calls to presidents and celebrities mid-show). With the perfectly apt Staring at the Sun into Pride (In the Name of Love) - Bono demonstrated his 1987 experience of telling America about America (missed opportunity to play Bullet the Blue Sky, in my opinion). For an Irishman, Bono has always loved what the idea and ideal of America is. He cares.

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Preachy for some, many should listen.
The amalgam of Innocence and Experience was felt tonight - but it was more than the last two years. It’s been 25 years of going to the church of U2 for me. I have been to the water,

the castles, the stadiums, and the areas. The message always remains the same: 



Dream while wide awake and eyes wide open.

(c) P Squared

SETLIST: U2  Madison Square Garden 6/26/2018
Set 1: Love Is All We Have Left
The Blackout
Lights of Home
I Will Follow
Gloria (Replaced All Because of You)
Beautiful Day
The Ocean
Iris (Hold Me Close)
Cedarwood Road
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Until the End of the World

Set 2: Elevation
Vertigo
Desire
Acrobat
You’re the Best Thing About Me
Staring at the Sun
Pride (In the Name of Love) Get Out of Your Own Way
American Soul
City of Blinding Lights

Encore:
One
Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way
13 (There Is a Light)