This is half review and half response to the Shannon review. I have to admit I was skeptical about Kanye opening for U2. He is extremely talented but it just didn't seem like the best match. We were on the floor so we showed up to watch him play (to mostly empty seats) and were pleasantly surprised. As rap artists go his music has depth and is for the most part free of obscenity, which only added to the quality of the show. The violinists and other musicians were awesome and he did a tremedous job of getting what little of the U2 crowd that was there ontime amped for the show. I feel I have some grounds for saying this because I lived in Utah for a long time and am LDS, but as usual the SLC crowd proved its closed-minded, ignorant reputation--having a CD on the shelf at Deseret Book does not equate talent, nor does being a rap artist negate it--open up your mind Utah.

As for U2, what else needs to be said. The music was amazing, the lighting fantastic, but most of all the energy and emotion from a band that cares more about the world and meaning in their music than their image and a crowd that responds was unmatched. I saw them in SLC just after 9/11 and I can't decide between the two. I have been a fan since Unforgettable Fire and would have been sooner if I'd been old enough to know who they were. And nearly 30 years into their career, through the radio-friendly hits and the under-appreciated jems, they still have their feet on the ground, music that is fresh and relevant, and a connection with the fans who took them to and keep them at the top. I love it when they pay tribute by covering the Beatles, the only modern musicians in their league.

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