When Bono addressed the crowd at the end of U2’s concert at the CenturyLink Center on Saturday night, a hush passed over the crowd like none that had occurred for the previous two hours and 25 minutes. As the rocker turned humanitarian discussed another school shooting – this time in Texas – he did so in a manner that captivated even the most red-stated Nebraskans in the arena.
“This gun stuff confuses us,” Bono started. “You’ve got to look at this and sort it out. We don’t know what the solution is, but we believe in you to find it.” What followed was the emotional prayer “13 (There Is A Light)” from U2’s newest record Songs of Experience. Consider it the most recent time that U2 – the best American band not from America – poured out its love for its adopted home.
The entire set, actually, oozed politics. How else could you explain images of neo-Nazis and KKK members during “Staring at the Sun” being contrasted in the very next song, “Pride (In The Name Of Love),” who’s lyrics celebrated the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr? Or how about the new spin on “One” that sets out to right women’s social and economic inequality throughout the world? Or what about the constant reminder of terrorism as provided by “Sunday Bloody Sunday?”
U2 became one of the greatest bands in the world because of their talents – Bono’s voice and Edge’s guitar elevating grandiose tunes coupled with the continued pounding of rhythm section Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. can make any terrible song sound good. For some in the audience, that came during a lengthy mid-section of Songs of Innocence tunes. But their social conscience – their ability to provide you the best guilt trip in the world – is what made us worship them to an extent. It was U2 who healed us during 9/11, who fought the AIDs crisis, who tackle economic freedom and world poverty nightly, while letting you sing along to “Desire” and “Vertigo.” Call it pomp and circumstance, but even the most jaded leave a U2 concert ready to make a difference.
Here in 2018, when America is more divided then ever, it is Bono and U2 who are at the forefront of unity. This was just the second time the band played in Omaha, but they didn’t tone down their liberal optimism of a better world. The cohesive setlist wasn’t so much about the “resistance” in America, but about joining together to keep the ideals of the country alive. It was beautiful, emotional, timely, and probably the best rock n roll concert this reviewer will see all summer.
Go to the show, enjoy “City of Blinding Lights” and “Beautiful Day.” But please go home and take to heart Bono’s words that together, great things can be accomplished.
