Even Better Than The Real Thing: U2's Final Night in Los Angeles

Last week, on a lark, I grabbed one of the few seats left at the Forum to see U2 before they skipped town. With so much stuff happening to the band lately, it honestly crossed my mind that I better see them now before it's too late... but honestly, I was also just in the mood to see a good show, and U2's "iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE" tour has been getting high marks.

I wasn't disappointed. I had a great view of the main stage, but the show setup allows for a surprisingly intimate experience even in a large arena like the Forum. The unique center screen allowed the band to even elevate themselves for all to see. The show is tight, yet feels nimble. And it's a nice mix of older and newer songs. Some pics I grabbed from my seat:


Opening the show


Bono and The Edge on stage


Bono meets an Elvis impersonator


Bono on the big screen


Getting close to the crowd


Bono broadcasts on the Meerkat app


Bono in the screen, "walking" down his childhood street


"Sunday Bloody Sunday"


Everyone in the screen

Here's the setlist, via Setlist.fm:

The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)
Out of Control (with "Good Times, Bad Times" snippet)
Vertigo
I Will Follow
Iris (Hold Me Close)
Cedarwood Road
Song for Someone
Sunday Bloody Sunday (with "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" snippet)
Raised by Wolves (with "Psalm 23" snippet)
Until the End of the World (with "Love and Peace or Else" snippet)
Intermission (The Wanderer)
Invisible
Even Better Than the Real Thing
Mysterious Ways (with "Young Americans" and " Burning Down the House" snippets)
Volcano (Tour debut)
Ordinary Love (Tour debut)
Every Breaking Wave (acoustic)
Bullet the Blue Sky (with "19" and "Black Dog" snippets)
Pride (In the Name of Love)(with "The Hands That Built America" segue)
Beautiful Day (with "Jesus Walks" snippet)
The Troubles
With or Without You
Encore: City of Blinding Lights, Where the Streets Have No Name, One

And some videos of the show:


"I Will Follow" (YouTube video by Millerviller)


While The Edge's piano was trying to be fixed, Bono spent some time talking to the fans. Upon seeing Elvis in the audience he brought him up on stage. (YouTube video by icreatedthematrix)


"Bullet The Blue Sky" (YouTube video by Michael Forester)


Encore: "City of Blinding Lights," "Where the Streets Have No Name," "One." (YouTube video by Mark Anthony)

Chris Mills Gets Intimate: His Sunday Night Living Room Show

Singer/songwriter Chris Mills supplies the best soundtrack for the ups and downs of life. The Chicago Tribune calls Chris "a trenchant troubadour... his scorched, yearning voice is a memorable instrument, landing somewhere between the Replacements' Paul Westerberg and proto-punk folkie Jonathan Richman." Chris is also an old pal from my Northwestern dorm, and has been touring across the globe since the moment he got out of school in the mid-90s. I remember seeing him perform several times back then in Chicago, but it had been several years since I last caught one of his shows here in Los Angeles. That's why I made sure to grab a ticket to an intimate living room show he put on Sunday night at a house in La Canada Flintridge. The audience was kept to less than 30 people -- many of whom were also old Northwestern friends -- and the mood was casual and fun as Chris and his band (which in L.A. includes Los Angeles Times TV critic Robert Lloyd) went through tracks from his new CD. Chris also went solo for several acoustic numbers.



It's not too late to see Chris on this leg of his tour; he and the band are performing tonight, 7 p.m. at Genghis Cohen on Fairfax. Tix are just $10!





Chris' new CD, "Alexandria," is out now. Listen to the track "Castaways" below.