U2 360 here we come! (Moscow show)

(If you are looking for my comments and review after the show read here: Show review.)

Ok, I think I will allow myself to get a little excited now. It's been 12 years since I have seen U2 play live. The first concert I went to was Zoomerang (ZOO TV) at the MCG in 1993, and the second was POPMART at Waverley Park in February 1998 (one of the last events at Waverley Park before the stadium was decommissioned).
I missed out on Elevation in 2001 as they never came to Australia. Then for Vertigo, they were supposed to come to Australia at the end of 2005. We left the country at the end of 2005 and they did not make it to Australia for another year.
I never wanted U2 to be too important in my life, so I never tried too hard to make it work. It's better not to make idols out of things. Having said all that, U2 are my favourite band, and I have been a fan since 1989.

So I knew it was a gift from God that I am able to go to Moscow to see them this year. They have never played in Russia before. I already made a decision to be in Russia before I knew that they would be playing here.

Of course Bono has had his back scare recently. But the boys are back on stage and hopefully he will be ok. Then also the weather in Moscow has been atrocious due to a terrible heat wave and the devastating forest fires. Too much anticipation leading up to this gig. Of course the suffering that many Russians have faced is far more important than any U2 show.

But I will still enjoy it if it goes ahead next week and I don't have to cancel my tickets.

Enough babble. What am I hoping for from this U2 show? Apparently a mate and I will get together at a local pub for lunch and bump into a bunch of other expats. Then we'll make it to the stadium in time to get a good spot. If we get near the front I will be stoked, but I'm not gonna hang all my hopes on that. Their show is supposed to fill the stadium anyway.

I've been following their setlists recently. On one hand this may spoil things as I have an idea of what they will play. On the other hand, I want to rehearse and sing along to all the songs. :)

Some people have been complaining about their setlist. The fact is that the band can never please everybody with their list. Some have been complaining that there are not enough songs from No Line on the Horizon. Some have been complaining that there are too many songs from the Zeroes. Some have been complaining that there are too many songs from the 80s. (Yes that's right, there 'aint many songs from the 90s in the setlist.)

I happen to agree with the latest column from atU2.com, that although New Years Day is a fantastic song, it could be rested. Let me tear into the list and remove some more 80s songs. In fact I would keep New Years Day more than I would keep some others.  'I still haven't found what I'm looking for' and 'With or without you' could be left off and I wouldn't complain, although some others might be mad.  Sunday Bloody Sunday is a fantastic song too, but I would live if that were gone. The only song from the 80s that is too sacred to remove is 'Where the Streets Have No Name.'

What I would like to see is a little more from Atomic Bomb and No Line. 'Sometimes you can't make it on your own' has not surfaced at all during the 360 tour, nor has 'All Because of You.' 'Stand up comedy' from No Line has not been played at all during the entire tour, nor has 'White as snow' (apart from Magnificent, they are my two favourite songs on No Line).

I do applaud the new material such as 'North Star' and 'Glastonbury' being played and I am looking forward to them. But while new material is being played, I am sure there are many other fans that would agree that it would be amazing if they pulled out 'Mercy' and played it live.

What ever they play, I am sure that it will be great. Having missed Elevation and Vertigo, I have a lot of catching up to do.