Ten Observations on U2's Second Night in Toronto

1. Bono is God reads one sign held up by a fan.

2. Edge is in his red No.55 t-shirt again.

3. The songs U2 played tonight are listed left.

4. Avoid 'shit sentimental songs' when you lose someone.

'This feels good,' explains Bono, introducing Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of. 'This feels looser tonight, this song is like a conversation I'd like to have had with my friend. 'When you love and lose them don't write a shit sentimental song, write a tough one. I wish he was still here, this is for Michael Hutchence.'

5. Just imagine - this was originally only known to people who bought U2 singles in the 1980's. 'Not bad for a b-side,' admits Bono at the end of The Sweetest Thing.

6. During Mysterious Ways the singer does not lie on top of the rising video screens as the dancer gyrates below. Tonight he is wiggling his own hips, before leading the song into Sexual Healing, and then it is Kite and Gone and New York and Sunday Bloody Sunday, which, unusually, brings forth no Irish flags tonight.

7. Bono is not God after all.

'You alright?' the singer asks the audience part-way through an exciting show. 'Everything seems pretty great since coming to Toronto, just lost the top of the really high notes.' The explanation he submits is widely accepted.'That's because I just had a baby boy.' 'I'd like to introduce you to the greatest rock'n roll band on the planet. It does not mean you are tomorrow or yesterday but tonight... you just kind of know.' Everyone here tonight also seems to know. 'Either that or the worst wedding band.' adds Bono, but there are no takers for this view in Toronto. 'We had a couple of names before U2, the Hype before we lived up to it but for a whole lunchbreak we were called the Larry Mullen Band.' At which point the singer realises he has temporarily misplaced the drummer: 'Larry seems to have gone off ...' Larry returns shortly but meantime, it is hello from Toronto to 'the first manager of U2, he had little cards printed up, Lord Adam Clayton.' The Lord walks down the catwalk from the main stage to meet Bono, somewhat to the singers surprise: 'He doesn&Mac226;t normally walk all the way, this is a big moment!' And after the Lord comes God, as Bono picks up the sign announcing his recent deification and is forced to disagree. 'I beg to disagree - Edge is God.' Toronto agrees.

8. Parts of tonights show were broadcast on MuchMusic in Canada and the band did a live interview with the channel at their studios after the show.

9. On the eve of the fortieth anniversary of the founding of Amnesty International (see our earlier story), the band perform Stay live for the annual UK televised benefit for Amnesty - The Secret Policemans Ball. 'Now we go live from Toronto to London to the Secret Policemans Ball,' explains Bono. 'An extraordinary event that changed my life. This is Stay.' The lyrics are adapted to feature, 'London, Belfast, Toronto.'

10. One becomes Walk On via a short visit to Unchained Melody as the show comes to a close: 'Thank you for waiting in the rain and queueing outside and shelling out for these tickets.'

What They Played:

Elevation
Beautiful Day
Until The End Of The World
Discotheque / Staring At The Sun
New York
Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
Kite
I Will Follow
Sunday Bloody Sunday
In A Little While
Stay
Bad
Where The Streets Have No Name
Mysterious Ways
The Fly
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Bullet The Blue Sky
With Or Without You
Pride (In The Name Of Love)
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One
Forever Young (Bob Dylan Song)
Walk On