2U: Bono for a Bargain (and the Edge too)
Not Bono, but Close Enough
Attending a U2 concert is one of those things I need to do before I die. Back in 2001, my one chance at seeing them live was thwarted by a friend’s VERY ill-timed engagement party (and no, I’m not over it).
But it hurts a little less now. Why? Because instead of U2, I’ve got 2U. That’s right. Ladies and Gents, I introduce you to 2U – the U2 Tribute Band. As their website proclaims, they’re The World’s 2nd Best U2 Show.
They look a lot like U2 and most importantly they SOUND a lot like U2, and all for about 1/20th of the price of and probably 1/100th of the hassle of attending an actual U2 show (which I still need to do someday, so if you have any helpful connections for me, pass ‘em on). Let me explain. 2U is a full-time professional tribute band. They are constantly on tour. They practice a lot. They are good. This is not like going to see your college roommate’s boyfriend’s frat brother’s garage band trying to cover “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (“because it’s just such a great song, man”). 2U does the full gamut of the U2 oeuvre … from the early Boy/War/Unforgettable Fire/Joshua Tree years through Achtung Baby and Pop and Zooropa and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb and whatever their new one is called (plus all the albums in between).
I went with a friend to hear them last Saturday at Gael Pub. They were close enough to touch had I wanted to go up that close, but instead we leaned against the bar, drank our beer, and sang along to their impressively accurate renditions of “I Will Follow”, “New Year’s Day”, “Bad”, “Where the Streets Have No Name”, “Desire” and bunch of others. (This is not U2 Unplugged – 2U brings the full lighting and acoustic effects along for the full show.) They sound amazingly like the real thing.
You know all the words already. Now you’re in this friendly pub, beer in hand, everyone’s singing along, Bono and Edge and Adam and Larry are jamming only 15 feet away, and nobody paid more than $10 for the privilege. It’s like Dublin, 1978 only it’s happening in Manhattan, 2009. If that isn’t a recession special, I don’t know what is.
My one complaint: 2U went on at 10:45 PM, nearly 2 HOURS later than their advertised time. Ahem. Not even the real U2 can get away with that.
