U2 on YouTube

I watched the U2 concert online from Sunday’s live performance at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles. 96,000 people, crazy! When I was at the Vertigo Tour 4 years ago, my ears were ringing post-concert from a 20,000 venue.  How amazing would it be in a stadium like the Rose Bowl with 5x as many people?  It’d be electric!

But, watching over 2 hours on YouTube at 1am in the morning… still enjoyed it mucho much. Gracias, U2! As i watched, i had to make my set list as i usually would do were i physically there. I also added approximate time markers if you don’t have the 2.5 hours to watch it all. With a catalogue as deep as U2′s, always nice to know what made the set list for that particular night.

A few performances i enjoyed most and watched multiple times: Elevation, Vertigo, I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight, Walk On and Ultraviolet. Really liked Ultraviolet (and not just cos of laser lights).

U2 on YouTube | October 25, 2009 | Rose Bowl in Los Angeles
Breathe
Get Your Boots On 10:25
Magnificent 14:50
Mysterious Ways 19:50
Beautiful Day 24:25
[Band Intro] 30:50
Where the Streets Have No Name 32:50
Stand By Me 36:50
Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out 38:40
No Line on the Horizon 43:25
Elevation 47:50
In A Little While 51.40
Unknown Caller 55.50
Until the End of the World 101:20
The Unforgettable Fire 106:25
City of Blinding Lights 110:40
Vertigo 116:10
I’ll Go Crazy if i Don’t Go Crazy Tonight 120:30
Sunday Bloody Sunday 127:00
Walk On 133:40
One 143:10
Amazing Grace 148:10
Where the Streets Have No Name 149:10
Ultraviolet (Light My Way)159:20
With or Without You 204:20
[Thank Yous] 209:45
[Cell Phone Milky Way] 211:20
Moment of Surrender 212:00

Listening

Mat Kearney – City of Black and White (2009)

You know what’s so good? This album. I used to listen to his first full length album (Nothing Left to Lose) non-stop. Non-stop. And it looks like i’ll have another round of that! He’s touring right now and there’s a Vancouver date on November 1st. Definitely one of the downsides of moving away from Vancouver is many missed concerts. Sad times, i would very much like to go but i cannot. And!  And, Erin McCarley is opening for him on tour.  She sounds so good live.  Come to Calgary, Mat and Erin!

This record is sounding much more.. voluminous. (Is that a word? Yes, it is.) A lot more electric in the arrangements and yet, still very much acoustic. I like it, i like it a lot!

Sigur Ros – með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (2008)

The English translation of the album title would be,  “with a buzz in our ears we play endlessly.”  Every time i listen to Sigur Ros i practise pronouncing the name of their band. si-ur rose (rolling the ‘r’s and speaking ‘rose’ quickly). si-ur rose. si-ur rose. yep. If you need your dose of mood music, here you go. It’s epic, lots of instrumental rises, emphasis on vocals, soothing falsettos.

Hillsong United – A_Cross the Earth: Tear Down the Walls (2009)

The title track takes the cake on this one for sure.  Another great anthem for the Church. But, I’ve listened through the album many times and only find half the songs memorable. Maybe i need to keep listening or maybe it’s just different. Don’t get me wrong, i like the album but it doesn’t stack up as much for me relative to previous projects like All of the Above and United We Stand and such. But, “Tear Down the Walls” is a must listen.  And again, Brooke Fraser tracks particularly stand out strong. (Side note: i signed up for a Twitter account just so i could follow Brooke Fraser.  Yes, i’m THAT girl.)

U2 – The Joshua Tree (1987)

Bought it for $4 at Goodwill. It’s The Joshua Tree, what else needs to be said?  Sadly, i won’t be able to go to the Vancouver pit stop of the U2 360 Tour at the end of October.  I know several people who are going and I am jealous.  Covetous.  In a sinful way.  hahaaa.  At least i can say i’ve seen them in concert though. 2005 Vertigo Tour, i think i temporarily lost my hearing back then.

Top 5 of 2008 | #1 for 2009

The end of one year and the start of another naturally generates different kinds of countdowns and Top lists. I’ve been going back and forth on what i deem to be my Top 5 albums of 2008.  A lot of music and many factors to consider, how does one decide? In the end, I made my list below including my choice song and lyric.  My comments are further down.

#5 | This is Our God – Hillsong
Choice Song: Stronger

“It is written, Christ is risen…”

#4 | Can’t Love, Can’t Hurt – Augustana
Choice Song: Hey Now

“It’s quiet in the streets now, but it’s screaming in your head.”

#3 | Leavingtaking – Peter Bradley Adams
Choice Song: The Longer I Run

“If I wander ’til I die, may I know whose hand I’m in.”

#2 | Viva La Vida – Coldplay
Choice Song: Strawberry Swing

“People moving all the time in a perfect straight line. Don’t you want to curve away?”

#1 | Three Flights From Alto Nido – Greg Laswell
Choice Song: I’d Be Lying

“Won’t you let me give you a hand? I have an extra I’m not using.”

More Than an Honorable Mention
Fall, Winter – Jon Foreman
Choice Song: The Cure for the Pain

“It would be a lie to run away.”

Okay, some comments for each album.  #5, Hillsong continues an incredible streak of live albums.  Even in the midst of the unfortuneate news of guest artist, Mike Guglielmucci, Hillsong produces not only another album but another great resource for the Church to connect with God.  Their excellence in musicianship commands respect and Brooke Fraser delivers the strongest lyrics in “Desert Song.”

#4, I listened to this Augustana album so much that i made the CD cover my Facebook profile picture for a while.

#3, I discovered Peter Bradley Adams on accident in 2008 and good thing at that!  The lyrics meld so well with the melodies on this album.  Adams sang me to sleep a lot last year.

#2, This album converted me to a Coldplay fan.  I was browsing through HMV a week before the release of Viva La Vida and i hear this ultra rhythmic song on the speakers.  I literally stop mid-step and stand in the middle of the store trying to figure out what song it is.  The voice sounds a lot like Chris Martin?  I ask the HMV employee what is playing and she says it’s the new Coldplay album that comes out the next week.  Then and there i decide i would buy the new album.  Mucho tres good.  Btw, the song that was playing was “Lovers in Japan.”

#1, I love Greg Laswell.  And this album through and through.  He has this magic about him as illogical as that sounds.  Maybe it’s his calm voice that sounds so unique and yet totally isn’t't at the same time (unique voices in my book are the likes of Robbie Seay and Caleb Followill).  Maybe it’s his look, which i take as confident but laid back (as a true west-coaster would be).  Or, it’s his success without needing to be in the limelight.  Or, maybe it’s none of the above but simply because he’s pleasantly easy on the eyes. *Wink =p

Honorable Mention. Jon Foreman is brilliant and the only reason why he didn’t make the Top 5 was because I didn’t listen to this EP as much as I did the others to warrant any of the 5 to get bumped down.  Where does Jon Foreman come up with his lyrics? I’d like to be in his brain for a day.

So, I look forward to new music in 2009.  And even though we’re barely one week in, i’m pretty sure i already know what will be Album #1 for 2009…

U2′s new album comes out on March 3rd!!!!!!!!! It’s called No Line on the Horizon and it was supposed to be released for late 2008.  But can you believe that U2 said they weren’t done writing for the album even though they already had 50-60 songs for it?!  These boys never stop.  I mean, what other band out there can tour the same album for 2 years?  March 3rd, come sooner!