Bono was, as always, captivating and exuberant. Hearing him tell his story, and the backstory of U2 in a "share a pint" pub format was a nice change from the usual aural and visual bombast. A nice balance to past (and future!) tours. Overall, a very enjoyable two-and-a-half hours at the Beacon!
However, I feel compelled to call out the audio engineering on the show. I have no doubt the person(s) behind the board/backstage/etc. had their hands full with the up-and-down waveform that Bono can be, switching from belted song to quiet narration, handheld microphone to lapel/lavalier/body mic.
I wonder if Bono was hearing himself clearly in his earpiece during the narration segments. Because, on the Lower Balcony, everyone in my party of six had a difficult time hearing him at key moments throughout the show. This was frustrating, and it felt like we had to strain to make out what was being said for a good portion of the show. I sort of figured by the time we saw the show (April 29) all of the production bugs would have been worked out. Although I should point out that the engineering on all of the songs was top notch.
Thanks for a terrific evening, Bono. Happy Birthday! And thanks Beacon, and the crew, for continuing to provide a wonderful venue for these types of shows.