There is little doubt that while U2's performance in Anaheim on Friday night (June 17) was a good one, the Saturday show that arrived a day later was even better. The band's performance was a big factor, as was a more notably involved audience that made a big difference to be sure.
There were also obvious changes to the setlist from the previous night. The band performed a high-powered version of "The Fly" (the first time the song has reportedly been played during the 360 Tour), and several riveting songs that show up toward the end of most U2 concert sets (the one-two punch of "One" and "Where The Streets Have No Name" with a bit of "Amazing Grace" sandwiched between) showed up here very early in the show in front of 50,000+ fans packed into Angel Stadium and added a dynamic to the proceedings that worked wonders.
The gospel-flavored "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (dedicated to Quincy Jones) was especially moving, as was the soaring "Beautiful Day" and "With Or Without You."
I had heard via a text from a friend just prior to U2 taking the stage that Clarence Clemons (the long-time sax player with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band) had just died from compilations from a recent stroke, but the inclusion of several lines from "Jungleland" still hurt with the realization that the Big Man was gone.
Just an additional note that Orange County Register writer Ben Wener wrote a wonderful review of both the first show and second show, and I recommend both reviews.
Setlist: U2 at Angel Stadium, June 18, 2011
Main set: Even Better Than the Real Thing / The Fly / (“James Brown!” quote from Tom Tom Club’s Genius of Love) > Mysterious Ways / Until the End of the World (bit of Anthem) / One > Amazing Grace (snippet) > Where the Streets Have No Name (with reference to All You Need Is Love) / I Will Follow / Get On Your Boots / (Snippet of She Loves You) > I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For (dedicated to Quincy Jones) / Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of (for Michael Hutchence and the Edge’s wife) / Beautiful Day (dedicated to Gabrielle Giffords, featuring video of Cmdr. Mark Kelly and references to Space Oddity) / Elevation (quote from California Soul) / Pride (In the Name of Love) / Miss Sarajevo > Zooropa > City of Blinding Light / Vertigo (with references to the Stones' It’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll and Miss You) / I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight (with quotes from Discotheque and Please) > Sunday Bloody Sunday > Walk On (with You’ll Never Walk Alone coda)
Encore: Ultra Violet (Light My Way) / With or Without You / Moment of Surrender (with Jungleland reference)
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