U2: A 360° Spectacle That Redefined Stadium Rock
All Images: Ralph Palumbo
U2 transformed Angel Stadium into a 360° rock spectacle, thrilling 50,000 fans with soaring anthems and stunning visuals, with Lenny Kravitz warming up the crowd.
Under a warm Southern California sky, U2’s 360° Tour touched down at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, transforming the baseball park into a futuristic cathedral of sound and light. With its massive circular stage — known as The Claw — towering over the crowd, the production set a new benchmark for what a stadium concert could be: immersive, panoramic, and utterly cinematic.
The night kicked off with a fiery opening set by Lenny Kravitz, whose swaggering mix of funk, rock, and soul primed the audience perfectly. His hits “Are You Gonna Go My Way” and “Fly Away” sent waves of energy through the stands, setting the tone for the monumental night ahead. By the time Kravitz closed his set, the crowd was fully charged for what was to come.
When U2 took the stage with “Even Better Than the Real Thing,” the roar of the audience was deafening. Bono, ever the charismatic frontman, commanded the sprawling stage with effortless charm, moving from one side of the circle to the other so that no section of the audience was left out. The Edge’s crystalline guitar tones shimmered across the open air, while Adam Clayton’s steady bass and Larry Mullen Jr.’s tight, unrelenting drumming anchored the spectacle in precision and power.
The setlist played like a journey through U2’s evolution. Early hits like “Mysterious Ways” and “I Will Follow”blended seamlessly with modern anthems such as “Vertigo” and “City of Blinding Lights.” During “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” the audience’s collective voice rose so loud that Bono simply stepped back and let the moment carry itself — a reminder of the emotional communion that has long been central to U2’s appeal.
Visually, the production was breathtaking. The 360-degree LED screen rippled and transformed throughout the show, displaying abstract patterns, close-up shots, and messages of unity that filled every corner of the stadium. During “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” the visuals took a political turn, underscoring the band’s enduring blend of activism and artistry. Yet it was in quieter moments — “One,” “With or Without You,” and the encore “Moment of Surrender” — that the humanity of the performance shone brightest.
By the time the final notes faded, Angel Stadium felt transformed — not just by the spectacle, but by the sense of shared experience. U2’s 360° Tour was a masterclass in how to make something vast feel intimate, and something intimate feel transcendent.
Nearly four decades into their career, U2 proved that the biggest stage in the world is still theirs to command.
