2005-11-02 Los Angeles (a Chrisedge DAT Master)08/24/2008 09:35 AM
OK, enough with the old stuff. Time to jump back into the modern era. Well, almost. It's been almost three years since this concert was performed, but it should still be fresh in the minds of the people who were there. Attentive long-time readers will know that I've already shared a recording from this date only a week after it was played way back in 2005. That one was from taper Bob S. No, not doing a repeat. This recording is from the (in)famous taper Chrisedge, and it has his signature sound quality. Vocals are clear and easily on top of the audience. Bass is thin; it's there, it just lacks strength and depth. Personally, I found the "Bass Booster" preset in iTunes worked better for this recording than the "Rock" preset because the highs are already prominent. "MLK" is played briefly just before the encores, and while I don't have a comprehensive list to confirm it I believe this was the only time during the Vertigo tour that it was played. Likewise, "Walk On" makes a rare acoustic appearance, and alone is easily worth the time to download the whole show, but fortunately it's not the only good reason. I wouldn't be doing my job right, though, if I failed to mention that this performance has plenty of downs to match the ups. The encore, in general, is pretty tired and uninspired, which is a pity because with it being predominantly acoustic it could have been more fun. "Bad" at the end makes up for the lackluster tracks that immediately precede it, so don't give up all hope. Despite the weak ending, I would still rate this a 5 out of 5 and I'm confident you will enjoy it.
1. Ron08/25/2008 07:48:01 AM
Dear jason,
This is indeed a great recording of a nice concert.
Thank you for sharing it with us.
2. Ron08/25/2008 07:50:07 AM
Hi Jason,
Which of the two LA concert do you prefer? November or April 2005?
3. Jason08/25/2008 11:51:11 AM
Homepage: http://www.u2unes.com
Hi Ron,
That's not an easy question. I like the early performances in LA because they are fresh. The setlist had not settled down yet, the performance was not as tight, but in a way that made it more honest. I like the later LA shows because the band has the songs pretty much nailed, the execution is almost perfect. But I would have to say that the April shows are the better ones because for some reason U2 ends up being obviously tired in late October and early November, and it's apparent just listening to them. Of course, just a few days after the November LA shows, U2 managed to turn things around and give two of the strongest performances of the tour in Las Vegas.
That's my humble opinion on it.
Cheers!
Jason
Sample: Window In The Skies
2006-12-09 Honolulu
