It was October 20, 1980, and four youngsters from Dublin, Ireland were being introduced to the world. That was the release date of U2’s first release, Boy. Four years earlier, Larry Mullen, Jr., Paul “Bono Vox” Hewson, Dave “The Edge” Evans, and Adam Clayton were still in high school when they unwittingly formed the future ‘Biggest Band in the World.’ In the fall of 1976, the 14-year-old Mullen placed a notice on the bulletin board at Dublin’s Mount Temple Comprehensive School and the rest is history.

None was trained – even proficient – on any instrument. Clayton seemed to be the most unprepared and played the bass guitar out of sheer default (Evans had dabbled on the guitar and Mullen started the band…he chose the drums). After forming in 1976, the foursome initially called themselves Feedback, then The Hype, and finally settled on U2.

While they practiced and perfected their craft, the band gained notice around Ireland for their passionate performances. This bought them the time they needed to attack the learning curve on playing the music. While Bono penned deep and spiritual lyrics about the trials and tribulations of childhood, The Edge painted the musical landscape to accompany them. Success was soon to follow.

When U2 finally signed that contract with Island Records, “11 0’Clock Tick-Tock” would be the first single in May 1980 (although it did not make it on the album). The second single was “I Will Follow,” which received much attention in the U.S. in unison with the Boy release in October. Recorded in Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin and produced by Steve Lillywhite, Boy brought a unique sound to the airwaves as punk evolved into new wave. To this day, Boy is considered one of the most impressive debuts by any band – before or since.

“I Will Follow” became U2’s signature song, with Edge’s spiky guitar intro, Mullen’s backbeating drums, Clayton’s prominent bass lines, and Bono’s emotive vocals – the band’s fourth instrument. Surprisingly, the group does not aim for the fences on every song. “An Cat Dubh / Into The Heart” is a beautifully mellow track that showcases all the talents of U2, “Shadows And Tall Trees” could be on any recent U2 album without a blink, and “The Ocean” is a sparse and mesmerizing tune (“Picture in grey, Dorian Gray, just me by the sea / And I felt like a star, I thought the world could go far / If they listened to what I said”).

The track listing:

I Will Follow
Twilight
An Cat Dubh / Into The Heart
Out Of Control
Stories For Boys
The Ocean
A Day Without Me
Another Time, Another Place
The Electric Co.
Shadows And Tall Trees

Boy got the remaster/special edition treatment in 2008. The repackaged double-disc box brings the listener back to 1980, when a phenomenon was in the early stages of creation. Learn more about the history of U2 at http://www.u2.com.

Let’s put aside, if we can, the years of accolades this band has earned. Let’s forget about Rolling Stone Magazine’s five-star rating for this album (giving it “classic” status). Ignore the aging rock stars that have been written off more than once. And pay no attention to the sparse grey album cover that has left some fans scratching their heads.

All you need to focus on is the music. Three of the finest producers in music – all previous U2 collaborators – were involved in U2’s twelfth studio album. Danny Lanois, Brian Eno, and Steve Lillywhite all put their mark on “No Line On The Horizon.” The result is exactly what one would expect from such a convergence of talent and experience. It is both genuine U2 as well as the antithesis of anything the Dubliners have ever recorded. With a weeklong stint on Letterman under their belts and a mini-concert at Fordham University, U2 is going for major exposure.

My first exposure to the band was in 1983. College days. A friend had just picked up their third release “War” and I was informed that I must hear it. That’s where it began for me. Over the next 26 years, I would enjoy the art and creativity of this Irish band and respect their attempts to always be fresh, not fearing a new direction, regardless of record sales.

I’ve had an old tune stuck in my head the past few days. When I first saw the new album cover (a black and white photograph of the Boden Sea, Uttwil, by Japanese artist Hiroshi Sugimoto) I could hear strains of “The Ocean,” a song on U2’s first release, 1980’s “Boy” (“A picture in grey / Dorian Gray / Just me by the sea”). The song, like the photo, is dreamy and simple.

The album kicks off with the title track, a churning piece of work perfectly placed in the leadoff position (“I know a girl who’s like the sea / I watch her changing every day for me / Oh yeah”).

“Magnificent” begins with nice synth, followed by some Yaz-like keyboards, soon building into a driving rock song. U2 has cornered the market on the rising-out-of-the-shadows-to-rock-explosion song (listen to “Where The Streets Have No Name,” among several others). Edge’s slide guitar brings back memories of the late great George Harrison on this one.

The bluesy “Moment Of Surrender” appears with techno loop and church organ that could have appeared on The Joshua Tree (if recorded in the 21st century). “We set ourselves on fire / O God do not deny her / It’s not if I believe in love / But if love believes in me,” sings Bono. And you almost believe him.

“Unknown Caller” begins with chirping birds followed suddenly by the simple magic of the Edge’s guitar pouring over you. Bono’s falsetto calling out “Sunshine, sunshine.” The French horn makes this one special.

“There’s a part of me in the chaos that’s quiet / And there’s a part of you that wants me to riot / Everybody needs to cry or needs to spit / Every sweet tooth needs just a little hit / Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot / How can you stand next to the truth and not see it?” sings Bono on “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight.” This is one of the upbeat selections that is constantly bouncing around in my head.

Next up is the song everyone’s been singing for the past few weeks, “Get On Your Boots,” a hyperactive, straight ahead rock and roll song. It’s got everything U2 fans have come to expect: the fine rhythm section of bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen, Jr., the always joyful and complex guitar stylings of Dave “The Edge” Evans, and the emotion-packed, sky-high range of the band’s most important instrument, Paul “Bono” Hewson’s vocals. It’s the most ambitious song on the album and rightly chosen as the first single.

“Stand Up Comedy” possesses the dark and brooding sounds of “Bullet The Blue Sky.” Almost. The true departure is a funk vibe throughout.

For “FEZ-Being Born,” lyrics from “Get On Your Boots” are layered under the synthesized beginnings (“Let me in the sound / Let me in the sound sound…”). Fez is a small town in Morocco where some of this album was recorded. You may recognize flavors of the region in this music.

“White As Snow,” a traditional piece, is a calming exhibit of U2’s emotional range. One would not expect a song such as this to be on the same record as “Boots,” for example. But they peacefully coexist and beautiful, it is (“Who can forgive forgiveness where forgiveness is not / Only the lamb as white as snow”).

Shifting it all back into high gear is the guitar rocker “Breathe,” another example in the long list of Bono’s super-human vocal range ability. You keep waiting for that voice to crack, but it never happens. Each member’s contribution is, in itself, the most vital…the most important piece of the puzzle. How can that be? Each donates the perfect ingredient for the song. Bono emotes, “Every day I have to find the courage / To walk out into the street / With arms out / Got a love you can’t defeat.” He introduces his heart to his sleeve nearly every time he opens his mouth. And that’s a good thing. That’s a very good thing.

The closing track “Cedars Of Lebanon” seeps into your consciousness like a cold, creamy Guinness Draught. Mullen’s drumming is reminiscent of the “Sunday Bloody Sunday” marching beat, but in a much more reserved fashion. This song is ethereal.

If reinvention is an artistic goal, U2 has achieved that goal once again. By trying new things, they remain consistent with their professional blueprint. To paraphrase Geddy Lee, they know changes aren’t permanent, but change is.

Location: Mall of Georgia IMAX Theater
With: Ethan

Turn It Up Loud, Captain!

What could possibly be considered innovative for the band that’s done it all? A 3D IMAX film? Yes, that would do it. Since their first album, Boy, was released in 1980, Irish rock group and BBITW (Biggest Band In The World) U2 has pushed the limits of celebrity, musical experimentation, and how to look at the world.

With Bono (born Paul Hewson) at the helm, anything seems possible. It has been said that U2 release albums in series of threes: Boy (1980), October (1981), and War (1983) were all straight-ahead rockers with enough hooks to catch a school of piranha; Then came The Unforgettable Fire (1984), The Joshua Tree (1987), and Rattle and Hum (1988) all possessing themes from their newly adopted home, America; followed by Achtung, Baby (1991), Zooropa (1993), and Pop (1997), considered their experimental period; and finally All That You Can’t Leave Behind (2000) and How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (2004), a return to what they did best: great rock (fans anxiously await the third installment in that last series).

One theme consistent throughout all of U2’s releases is a sense of spirituality not attempted by most bands. With Bono, who was raised Irish Catholic in the war-torn streets of Dublin, Ireland, no one can miss the connection with God. Even while many do not consider that to be a cool thing to do, U2 stay close to their religious roots. With this history, Bono and the boys showcase their views on non-violence and human rights through sound and vision. Before “Pride (In The Name Of Love)” – an ode to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – was played, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html scrolled up a screen in Spanish while being read in English. Very powerful.

And so it goes, U23D seemed like a religious experience for the throngs of fans viewing it on that big screen. Culled from several shows in South America from U2’s 2005 Vertigo tour supporting the album How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, the opening scene shows a female concertgoer running through the corridor as you overhear the crowd cheering and music beginning. Missing the opening of a U2 concert rivals the college-years nightmare of oversleeping through a big final exam.

“Unos, Dos, Tres, Catorce!” …the opening of “Vertigo” and a power guitar riff now known to millions. The concert/movie was a visual explosion. Bono reached towards the camera several times as viewers in the IMAX theater reached back in an attempt to touch his hand. At one point he was playing a guitar and it seemed as if one could reach out and tune it for him. Not only was the visual show astonishing, but of course, the music was captivating. Playing some of their greatest songs, this could have gone twice the length of its 85 minutes and not bored the crowd.

All four members had their moments in the spotlight. The Edge (born Dave Evans) made music with his guitar that experts still can’t figure out, while bassist Adam Clayton kept the rhythm on the down low. On “Love And Peace Or Else,” drummer and U2 founder Larry Mullen, Jr. stood isolated on the walkway that extended out into the crowd. His instrument was a single drum that he pounded throughout the song. When he made his way back to the drum kit on stage, Bono took over pounding that drum in what must be one of the most dramatic moments of the show. The singer wears his heart on his sleeve and never shies away from showing it. The only possible complaint about U23D would be that the movie did not have the volume of a true U2 concert. Turn it up loud, captain!

Fans of U2 will love this thing. Those somewhat familiar with the band may become the newest fans. And those who couldn’t care less will – at the very least – say “not bad.” In 1984, Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense did wondrous things for the rock concert film as a true art form. U23D has raised the stakes in 2008.

U2 closed out the show with a beautiful acoustic version of “Yahweh.” Back to their spiritual roots and hopefully, back to the studio to, once again, reinvent themselves as well as rock music.

Here’s the set list:
Vertigo
Beautiful Day
New Year’s Day
Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own
Love And Peace
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bullet The Blue Sky
Miss Sarajevo
Pride (In The Name Of Love)
Where The Streets Have No Name
One
The Fly
With Or Without You
Yahweh

Location: Kemper Arena, Kansas City, MO
Support act(s): ?
In the company of: ?

My humble opinion in review form to follow…