U2 w/Garbage @ Savvis Center 11/28/01

Last year’s All That You Can’t Leave Behind could be the best record that U2 has ever made, and it undoubtedly sounds like it right now. At any rate, it can certainly be said that U2’s 2001 Elevation Tour is the most exciting period in the band’s existence. They are more focused and even more relevant than they were during War and Zoo TV, which have turned out to be the band’s signature moments. U2 fancy themselves as the biggest and most important band in the world, and their 100 magical live shows this year suggest that they are well deserving of the title.

After much delay, the Elevation Tour made its way to St. Louis on Wednesday night, with Garbage assigned to open the festivities. The underrated, oft-forgotten collective of studio wizards played a business-as-usual set of standards, drawn from all of their solid albums. Three from Version 2.0, “Push It,” “Special,” and “I Think I’m Paranoid,” began the show, with the newer “Shut Your Mouth,” and the uplifting “Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)” rounding out the set. After “Only Happy When It Rains” they were quickly off to warm applause. For having their work cut out for them from the start, it was a job well done.

U2 is the greatest rock band in the world because it’s what the numbers want. In addition to playing music, Bono and company have had to sell their butts a little bit to get to the top. They are the rare band that embraces being the center of attention, involving themselves in every pertinent issue and sticking their noses right in everyone’s faces. It has been a difficult year for all, and U2’s worldly identity has helped them seem more necessary than ever.

Put simply, U2’s shows during the Elevation Tour are among the most jubilant and satisfying gigs that most will ever see.

If Popmart was the end of the millennium madness, then Elevation is the simple anecdote. Other than the occasional cat walking around the heart that encloses the stage (and about 200 fans), the audience is treated to a stripped down U2, with Bono, The Edge, Larry and Adam playing their instruments as a band and not a spectacle. The storied physical elements of U2’s past are now gone, but the emotional aspects remain firmly in place.

The St. Louis stop was great for two reasons. First, the familiar elements of the tour were presented as usual. The band humbly took the stage with the house lights on for the opening “Elevation” with Bono proclaiming “Elevation/Soul Nation/Jubilation” during the iutro. As always, “Beautiful Day” followed with Bono making his way onto the heart, tagging his “soul” rant to the end of the song.

Throughout the rest of the night, much goes according to plan. The respective tributes to Michael Hutchence and Bono’s father (“Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of” and “Kite”), the “Sunday Bloody Sunday” segue in to “Get Up Stand Up,” and the exhilarating sprint around the heart during “Where the Streets Have No Name” are expected, yet unforgettable.

Second, slight set changes gave the show unique identity. After “Angel of Harlem,” two fans were pulled on-stage to play with Bono and The Edge. It wasn’t a rare occurrence for the Elevation tour, but “Knockin’ On Heavens Door” was aired for the first time. A rejuvenated “Please” followed, boasting a minimal acoustic approach with an angry tone, and “Bad” was complemented with a verse and chorus from “Whose Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses.”

The first encore was gritty and dangerous while the second was touching and hopeful. An explosive “Bullet in the Blue Sky” gave way to a bouncy “What’s Goin’ On” and a firm tribute to “New York,” with the latter two being obvious references to the recent attacks on the United States.

Although they are currently taking a minimal approach, there’s nothing subtle about a U2 show. Great songs, flashy lights, masterful posturing and urgency combine for constant sensory overload. U2 broke everyone’s hearts on Wednesday night, and somehow managed to put them all back together again.

The only difference is that those hearts are now stronger than they’ve ever been before.