Ape Culture - U2 Vertigo Tour Haiku Review

U2 Haiku Review 2

The Vertigo Tour

By Christine Horace

In 2004, U2 released How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, and in 2005 began their sold-out Vertigo Tour. As Nerdia assembles this ku page for Ape Culture, she wished she had gone to see these early April LA and Anaheim shows with Coolia and Christine, who gives us a haiku review by following their set list.

As the end of the first leg of the U2 Vertigo Tour comes to an end, so does the second set of U2 Concert Review Haikus. These haiku cover events from early shows in Anaheim 4/2 (the day the Pope died), Los Angeles 4/5 and 4/6, and near the end in East Rutherford NJ on 5/17. I am grateful to have seen them 4 times on this first leg of the tour and would like to briefly digress responding to Larry Mullen Jr.’s concerns about ticketing.

In the May 1, 2005, Chicago Sun Times interview with Jim DeRogatis, Larry Mullen Jr. commented on U2’s ticketing: “The reason we charge $165 [for some seats] is so that we can also sell a ticket for $49.50 [for general admission on the floor]—that’s the point. We’re selling the best seats in the house to those who can probably afford them, and those who sit in those seats subsidize the others. I think that’s fair and the way it should be.” Apparently, Larry has never tried to get tickets to one of his own shows. I’d like to invite him, or any other member of the band to sit with me as my anxiety peaks every few years when trying to purchase U2 tickets, my hands shaking on the mouse, my heart pounding in my chest, waiting for Ticketmaster to respond to my request- usually with disappointment. There is no justice in the ticket pricing, and the bottom line is I will pay to see them. And I have yet to score the tickets that are in my price range. I’d like to see the band take action on tickets that are being sold on eBay for thousands of dollars.

The Vertigo Tour showcased a range from U2’s body of work. Songs from All That You Can’t Leave Behind and Achtung Baby brought back memories of those tours. Performances of "Sunday Bloody Sunday," "Running to Stand Still," and "Bullet the Blue Sky" all seem to have new meaning in our post 9/11 world. "One" and "Where the Streets Have No Name" are preformed in the context of Bono’s participation in The One Campaign to end extreme global poverty and AIDS, especially in Africa. For more information on this worthwhile effort, go to www.one.org.

Special thanks to Julie, Vincent, Louise, and Catherine for their assistance in getting tickets.

Appearing on stage in darkness, four lights, a voice exclaims, “everyone!”
Love and Peace or Else At tip of ellipse Bono and Larry share tasks They preach love and peace
Vertigo There’s a place where I can go; Red lights on beaded curtain…Vertigo Elevation Elevate my soul Taking me back four years to A brightly lit stage

Cry/Electric Co. Not too familiar with Boy. Vertigo opens my world to classics
An Cat Dubh I wait for you to whisper “she cat.” Instead you claw and prowl, catlike
Into the Heart (Anaheim night 2/LA night 1) Pulled up on the stage Into the heart of a child The luckiest kids
City of Blinding Lights Confetti blessings Oh, you look so beautiful An instant classic
Beautiful Day After the flood all the colors came out. Vibrant Blue, yellow, green, pink Miracle Drug (Anaheim night 2/LA Night 2) Performed the day the Pope died. Bono recalls trade: fly shades for rosary

Sometimes You Can’t Make it on Your Own Rock star steps aside A simple man bears his soul When you sing, I hear.
New Year’s Day The Edge’s keyboards i gnite crowd for socially conscious part of set
Sunday Bloody Sunday More bloody Sundays until we coexist. All sons of Abraham Bullet the Blue Sky (LA night 2) Terror. Religions. War. Song evokes sorrow, pain. Peace for Daniel Pearl.

Running to Stand Still For troops. Human rights for everyone applauded. Even Iraqis? Zoo Station Lights the color of TV static. I’m ready. Achtung trilogy

The Fly It’s your world you can change it. Everything you know Is wrong. Fly returns.
Mysterious Ways (LA night 2) Uninvited tramp Interrupts girl’s dream come true. Bono scared, they run. Pride In the name of love Sunday obligation met Pride, a dream for all

Where the Streets Have No Name (A two part ku) Flags of Africa give new meaning to this song. Let's make history Starts with everyone Everyone, EVERYONE! One Campaign effects change.
One photos of fans, small and large make up Bono’s picture one but not the same.
All Because of You May I ask, What’s an intellectual tortoise other than contrived rhyme? Band's anthem to crowd: All because of you I am I say, "Back at you!"
Yahweh My love for U2… like a drop in the ocean immeasurable. Larry misses cue mesmerized by profound words making his soul sing
40 Until next time lads changing instruments, leaving stage one at a time.
Vertigo (NJ night 1) Unexpected treat Hello, hello! Song brings down house a second time

Read Christine's first batch of U2 Kus from the Elevation Tour.

For more information about U2, check out U2.com

Add your own U2 haikus here.

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