Unforgettable

U2 - four working class Irish lads with a talent for making unbelievable music - proved just how good they are with two stunning performances on Saturday and last night which left the crowd, including Oasis' Noel Gallagher, exhausted and exhilarated.

But there was a solemn note when lead singer Bono dedicated the song Kite to his 75-year-old father Bob Hewson, who is dying of cancer.

Apart from that it was business as usual as Bono strutted around the stage like a wounded tiger, wearing his customary pair of shades and dressed entirely in black, complete with his trademark thick leather jacket.

How he did it is open to question.

The heat in the MEN Arena was stifling but Bono still dressed as though he was just about to take the kids out sledging.

It is all about being cool you see and U2's main man has it in spades.

He makes the most of his image too.

The stage was designed in a heart shape so Bono and occasionally guitar maestro The Edge could wander out into the crowd and make the night extra special for the band's fans, who had forked out more than £40 for a ticket.

Anyone who paid extra for a seating ticket though, may as well not have bothered.

Such was the energy and excitement of the performance, no one sat down for a moment.

All around there were people swaying, throwing their arms in the air and chanting along to every word. And that was just the stewards.

Around 19,000 were there, and probably double that if the number of people listening on mobile phones are counted.

Nearly everyone had a phone with them to ring a friend. Amid the din shouted comments like: "Phil, is that you Phil? Get a load of this? It's top innit?" could be heard.

And why not because the more people that shared in this the better.

We got all the hits from With Or Without You to Elevation, Sunday Bloody Sunday to One, and The Fly to Mysterious Ways.

Best of the lot was an inspired version of Desire where the band walked amidst the audience and played a makeshift low-key version which the crowd lapped up.

There was the usual U2 serious stuff as well.

Bono is a well known peace campaigner and the message "The Five Biggest Arms Dealers in the World are America, UK, France, Russia, China" was flashed on a screen at the back of the stage.

Whether the crowd appreciated the message is open to debate. Terry, a lad sitting the row behind me did not seem to take in the full seriousness of the issue, remarking, "It's always arms they deal in isn't it, never elbows or knees."

As is appropriate for the biggest band on the planet, U2 came back for not just one encore (when Bono dedicated the stunning song One to the elder Oasis sibling) but another.

And if the crowd had their way there would have been a few more too. Unfortunately it had to end sometime.

"Thanks for giving us a great life" said Bono as the band trudged off.

Thank you U2 for giving us a great night. Thank you for giving us a great night PICTURES BY PAUL HEYES U2: The four working class Irish lads proved just how good they are with two stunning performances on Saturday and last night