U2 with Arcade Fire (Corel Centre)

The night we all were waiting for in Ottawa finally arrived. Friday night at the Corel Centre has been in the minds of U2 fans since the announcement was made more than three months ago. Opening for Ireland's greatest band were the Arcade Fire. They are an eclectic mix between Spirit of the West (Celtic Music), and The Talking Heads. The band opened up with "Wake Up." This was the same track that U2 started their pre-show with. Their lead singer, with a Flock of Seagulls haircut, is Win Butler who welcomed the audience, "To the 10,000 people who just arrived," he exclaimed "Hello, We're Arcade Fire."

It was this writer's introduction to the band live and they didn't disappoint! The Arcade Fire's seven musicians were extremely dexterous playing their instruments. From what they displayed on stage, their CD is definitely worth a purchase. [Funeral, released in 2004 on Merge Records] The band was full of energy, confirming the hype following them over the past year. They played for 45 minutes and gave it their all.

Starting just 14 months ago, the Montreal based band has opened for high profile musicians such as U2, Coldplay, and David Bowie. Their debut full length has garnered sales in the U.S. and Canada of 224,000 and 70,000 copies respectively. When Win Butler introduced "Rebellion" he said to the crowd: "I know Ottawa is a pretty polite town, but for this song you don't have to be. It's okay." "Rebellion" was an energetic song and "Laika" (which is where the Talking Heads comparison comes in) was another highlight. "Tunnels" was another intense tune they played.

So, as we waited to switch channels and for the arrival of U2, the crowd grew. The Corel Centre had it's first sold out concert! 18,000 were waiting in anticipation for the greatest band of this era. U2 first played in Ottawa in 1985 at the Civic Centre. I was living in North Bay at the time, and I didn't discover U2 until I saw The Joshua Tree Tour at the CNE in 1987. The show was as unbelievable then as it was on Friday, more than 15 years later.

So they turned the house lights down and we all knew we were in for something memorable! Bono and Co. opened with the song "City of Blinding Lights," using beaded light curtains and confetti to enhance the experience. "Vertigo" was next and it was accompanied by all the energy the crowd could muster. We all sang along in unison to the first verse of "Elevation." Bono alluded afterwards to the crowd, "Sexy People, Here in Ottawa, Friday Night."

The next song was "I Will Follow" which Bono sang quickly, adding, "its only twenty years ago, I seem to remember" (referring, of course, to the band's 1985 concert at the Civic Centre). They rolled on through their set list continuing with another classic "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking for." The ever powerful "Beautiful Day" was next, "Has this City Got Soul!" Bono repeated over and over during the song.

Bono is known for pulling people up on stage, as he did in Toronto in 1987 (a concert in which I met the lucky guy afterward). This time a very young boy was brought up on stage and Bono, asked him to chant "No More," "No More," Everyone in the crowd followed suit during the singing of "Sunday Bloody Sunday." "Miss Sarajevo" was a compelling song that Bono told us he wrote with Luciano Pavarotti about the degradation of human rights around the world. The Articles of the Human Rights Code appeared up on the video screen, and a young girl started to read the six articles of the Code; the 18,000 Ottawa fans read aloud with her.

Paul Martin wasn't at the concert but it didn't stop Bono letting loose on the PM. He encouraged the crowd to take out their cell phones and call their political leaders as the numbers of Paul Martin and other Canadian politicians flashed up on the video screen. "I write the songs. You write history. Write a chapter now we can all be proud of," he said in vain as if Mr. Martin was there watching the show.

Then came the encores, the first contained "With or Without You." Bono grabbed a teenage girl from the crowd and put her head on his shoulder and sang to her. Afterward Bono and the Edge went to bottom of the oval stage and gave us an acoustic version of "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of,", and their new set list song, "Yahweh."

One by one, first Bono, then the Edge, Adam Clayton, and finally Larry Mullen left the stage exhausted. The crowd sapped all their energy with their enthusiasm. It was a night to remember and can be considered one of the greats in Ottawa's concert history.

The fans, including this writer, would like to thank the band for keeping their promise by stopping in Ottawa during their current tour and hope they will show the same consideration on their next.