Etihad Stadium

Jay-Z (USA)

Jay-Z, Perth 19th December 2010

Gallery: Jay-Z – Australia 2010

When U2 announced that they’d be bringing Jay-Z with them to Australia in 2010, the reaction was polarising. For some who had hated every minute of Kanye West in 2006, this wasn’t going to make them smile.

There were those though who would come to see Jay-Z, such is the pulling power of the self proclaimed ‘Best Rapper Alive’, and from a record company perspective it’s genius, opening up a whole new demographic of fans.

He started slowly in Melbourne, getting a very lukewarm mid-week reception, but aided by an amazing 9 piece band and a group of fans at the front of the stage who were warming to him, by the time he’d reached Sydney and Perth he had a crowd that was quite happy to bounce, and wave their Dynasty signs in the air. Apparently.

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U2 360 – Melbourne 2

Bono, U2 360, Etihad Stadium, Melbourne 3rd December 2010

Gallery: U2 360 – Melbourne 2

After some hiccups on opening night, possibly not helped by a midweek crowd, Friday night in Melbourne for U2′s second show was something special.

There were setlist changes, a much more relaxed band, a better opening effort by Jay-Z who’d struggled with the crowd on night 1, and a crowd who were very much along for the ride.

Again, the rain held off and we took our spots at the rear of the inner circle, same as the previous night. A great place to watch and hear the show from many different angles.

Some older favourites were back tonight, New Year’s Day and Pride returned, but sadly so too did Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of. Dedicated to Michael Hutchence or not, it’s time to stick a fork in that tune… it’s done.

Jay-Z didn’t join the band on stage for Sunday Bloody Sunday, which was a disappointment to many and a blessing to some, but this was a band in absolute top form – armed with a setlist crafted for the 58,000 people not right at the front. And it worked.

Setlist

  • Return of the Stingray Guitar
  • Beautiful Day – Blackbird
  • New Year’s Day
  • Get On Your Boots
  • Magnificent
  • Mysterious Ways (more…)

U2 360 – Melbourne 1

The Edge & Bono, U2 360, Etihad Stadium, Melbourne 1st December 2010

Gallery: U2 360 – Melbourne 1

They’re back.

4 years ago, U2 ended they’re Vertigo tour in Melbourne, this time we got to kick it off inside Etihad Stadium.

Solid rain up until the concert start had meant that the Etihad Stadium roof would spend most of its time shut. Well, that is if it could actually shut. The giant spire on top of U2′s stage, aka The Claw, was higher than the stadium room, so the roof remained open ever so slightly.

Wouldn’t have liked to leave the opening and closing duties for the roof to the work experience kid.

It was pretty much classic opening night U2. (more…)

U2 Vertigo – Melbourne 2

Bono, U2 Vertigo, Telstra Dome, Melbourne 2006

Gallery: U2 Vertigo

After 4 shows of queueing to get into the ellipse, it was a nice relaxed drive to the underground car park, and then up to our seats at Telstra Dome.

Having originally bought these tickets for March, at that time Ally was nearly 7 months pregnant. Standing in GA not an option, so we had a crew of 11 people up on Level 2 of Telstra Dome in reserved seats. The 4 ticket limit imposed by Ticketmaster meant that we were split into 3 groups, but all one bay apart.

So while the A Reserve seats were closer, we opted for B Reserve seats as they were front on to the stage. Past history at the Echo Dome states that you really don’t want to be off to the side (something others backed up after the show). So although a fair way back from the stage, the sound was really good.

After the brilliance of last night, I was pretty confident that through the combination of reserved seats and the distance from the stage this was going to be a very different experience. I was looking forward to seeing the show from a totally different angle, the stage becoming the centrepiece rather than the band themself.

Up close, the mammoth video screen doesn’t have a huge effect – it’s pixellated and not the centre of attention. Further back however, it comes into its own.   (more…)

U2 Vertigo – Melbourne 1

Bono, U2 Vertigo, Telstra Dome, Melbourne, 18th November 2006

Gallery: U2 Vertigo

“Oh don’t sorrow, no, don’t weep. For tonight, at last, I am coming home. I am coming home.”

So it may not have been Ireland, but it was my home at least, even if not theirs.

After watching the shows in Brisbane and Sydney, it was time to sleep in my own bed. The same can’t be said of Bec, one of my friends here in Melbourne, who decided that she was going to make the concrete outside Gate 7 of Melbourne’s Telstra Dome her bed for the night. On the way back from the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY gig at the Myer Music Bowl, my cousin Brendon and I stopped by to say hi and make ourselves known to the people around her. The idea was so that they didn’t give us grief when she popped back for a nap the following morning and we held her spot. Perhaps not super-kosher but hey, after the investment of time and money we were going to take a liberty here or there.

This would be the 2nd show I’d ever seen at the Telstra Dome, not reknown as the greatest live music venue in the world. The problem in Melbourne is that all our stadia of reasonable size are AFL stadia. The playing surface for Aussie Rules versus Rugby or Soccer is huge, meaning that the seats in the stands are some way further back than those in the northern states. So while we knew we were going to head straight for the front rail this time, we were wondering how the sound was going to stack up for the whole stadium. (more…)