Uno San Diego!

U2 is officially back on the road after kicking off their 2005 Vertigo Tour in San Diego's iPayOne Sports Arena last night. Our reports from fans coming back from the arena are somewhat mixed, yet unanimously enthusiastic about the inaugural show being an incredible experience. Some veteran fans were a bit disappointed at the new arrangements of songs such as 'Streets' turning into an African equality song having done away with the traditional red backdrop and replacing it, instead, with images of that continent's country flags. Bono said it best when, at the end of 'The Fly', he chanted "Change! Change! Change!" All fans spoken to commented that the crowd, as a whole, was absolutely deafening. Many of the traditional refrains sung by the fans were louder than ever and the energy was palpable as the band segued from 'Beautiful Day' to 'New Year's Day' and then made more intimate with effortless transitions between 'Miracle Drug' and 'Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own'. Overall it was a solid performance and we can look forward to tomorrow night's setlist to see if any more old favorites are dusted off and given a shine.