VERTIGO U2 tribute band

THE EXCELLENCE OF GERMANY

Review By Nadja, Markus, Sofia, Ron (www.u2tour.de)

Vertigo - known as the best U2 tribute band in the world that s what the Indublin Magazine says. Last year we saw the band for the very first time at the Temple Bar Music Centre in Dublin and realized that this is absolutely true. So we decided that if they should ever play in Germany we d be there for sure! And so last weekend we packed our bags together and drove more than 650kms all the way from Nuremberg to Lübeck, where our four Irish guys played.

Funambules is the name of the little pub that has been filled up to the last spot on Saturday as well as on Sunday. The Lübeck-shows are only two out of four gigs on Vertigo's triumphal procession to conquer Germany. The first show on Saturday was really great, it was perfect: Adam and Edge made us listen to the real U2 sound on their guitar and bass guitar. Leadsinger Derek is a class of his own anyway, not only because of his "natural long black hair" but also his fascinating voice and his own style. Our favourite John managed the whole band on stage as usually from his drum kit in the back.

Of course the band opened their set with Vertigo and as soon as they started playing they caught the attention of every single person in the audience and they spread the real U2 spirit, a feeling of power, magic and of course Rock n Roll. The set list was a colourful mix of U2's glorious past and present: from hits like "Elevation" or "Beautiful Day" to classics such as "Pride" or "With or without you" and old rarities like "11 O'clock Tick Tock" or "Out of control". This song marked the end of the marvellous first night in Lübeck and it was exactly how we felt, too!!


Derek opened the second show with the words: Last night was just a warm up! Of course only the few who were lucky enough to get tickets for both nights knew what he meant. Like the night before, people without tickets were standing outside the pub to catch a glimpse of the band playing. Knowing the location and knowing many of the people in the audience, the band turned up their amplifiers and so the Intro was even more catching, the band even more powerful and the whole show even more fascinating than last night.

We got to hear a whole lot more rarities such as "A sort of homecoming" and "In Gods country" which were fantastic. The absolute highlight of the show was the performance of "Bad" right before the break. The song started silently and then grew more and more and more until it transferred all its energy to everybody in the room. I'm wide awake!!! And the drums just didn't want to stop at all and so we probably got the longest live version of Bad ever- and the best. More than once the other band members squinted to their drummer but he didn't even think of stopping the song. John we love you for that!!

We don t know about the Indublin Magazine but we know that they are right: we have just seen the best U2 cover band in the world again. And it wasn't the last time that's for sure.

See you guys again in Dublin or Germany (you know you're always welcome). - www.u2tour.de

DIZZYING HEIGHTS!

Review By Ken Hume, Tullamore Tribune (06/11/2006)

Hello, hello (Hola!) Welcome to a place called or should I say a band called Vertigo, a Live U2 Tribute band who rocked the Bridge House Hotel last Friday night. Vertigo who have built up quite a reputation as one of if not the best U2 tribute bands in the world comprise of Derek P. on vocals as Bono; John K. on drums as Larry Mullen; Mark D. on bass as Adam Clayton & Brian M. on guitar as The Edge and are from Dublin. You can check them out on their website which is www.vertigo-live.com, its well worth a look!

Whilst waiting for the performance to begin there was a palpable sense of anticipation which was only heightened by the bands sound check which included their current hit The Saints are Coming Home Now. There was a rowdy; raucous atmosphere due in no small part to a Lucan Men’s Golf Club outing, whom I want to give a big shout out to! When they did arrive out on stage they were met with a huge roar of approval dressed up in the appropriate attire of the band itself. And in what seems to have become a staple but very welcome opener for concerts involving U2 or U2 tribute bands they hit the ground running with a very energetic; bouncy version of Vertigo from “How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.� This was followed up by a lovely rendition of Gloria off the “Under A Blood Red Sky� album; the wonderfully upbeat Beautiful Day from “All That You Can’t Leave Behind� and in a repeat of their sound check a rousing interpretation of the typically anthemic The Saints are Coming Home Now.

Moving on now into the heart of their performance we discover I Will Follow; the heart rendingly poignant balled of Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own again from the How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb album; the delightfully infectious and bluesy Angel in Harlem taken off U2’s “Rattle & Hum.� They followed this with a brilliant interpretation of Elevation with a wonderful slow burning edgy intro which went on for about a minute until it suddenly exploded into life taking everybody in the crowd with them! Two songs later and we had a break returning after 10 minutes with the classic Where the Streets Have no Name from “The Joshua Tree�; City Of Blinding Lights and the hypnotic, pounding drum beats of the political Sunday Blood Sunday from War.


And last but by no means least Vertigo signed off with the twangy; funky Mysterious Ways; the ethereal anthem of One both from the experimental Achtung Baby and how any band could give tribute to U2 unless they played the song that touches on something deep within in the human heart With Or Without You.

Vertigo brought a different dimension to the whole U2 tribute band genre by giving fantastic attention to detail to all the songs. They not only play the right chords but manage to remind you of an actual live U2 performance. I thought Derek P’s (the front man) vocal interpretation of Bono’s voice was amazingly accurate & powerful. They had a contagious energy about them which very quickly transferred into the audience who soaked up every last drop!

What’s the name of their song, Even Better than the Real Thing? And while it may not quite reach those dizzying heights, it does come close!
- Review By Ken Hume, Tullamore Tribune (06/11/2006)

18th St Patrick's Day Parade Omotesando street, central Tokyo.
Review by Hiro.(www.yahoo.co.jp)

It was unordinary Sunday for Harajuku yesterday. 18th St Patrick's Day parade was held on Omotesando street, central Tokyo. Not everyone wear green, but under warm sunny weather,both Japanese and local residencial foreigner from so many different country gathered and had wonderful afternoon.

I, on my own, watched a parade for 10 minutes and went to see Tokyo Irish Music Festival in Omotesando Hills.(www.irishmusicpromotions.com)

I got enjoyed listening to Whirlpools End and IMC before the main attraction. Well, can you believe that U2 would be here!!!!!!

Time has come, four Irish guys from Dublin showed up on the stage. To be honest, many of us got drink a pint of Guinness already, we were ready to rock. But nobody did stand up from the seat. We, Japanese are so shy. They started from Vertigo! I saw them play this song on YOUTUBE and was not that impressive, but tonight was different. Main Vocal, shall I call him Bono, well I should, is almost as good as Bono! Back guys were also amazingly well playing. I am beginning to believe that I was sitting in a front row of U2 Live! Beatuful Day and I will follow did follow.

Audience were something like 300 people, and we were still too shy to stand up and dance with there performance until when Where the Street Have No Name comes, one Japanese guy could not hold his emotion inside any more, he ran to in front of the stage and start dancing with the band. Bono shake this guys hand. Two, three, four, and many spectators follows, and even I stand up and joined everyone else in front of the stage. It was Party time. They did also play Elevation, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Bad, City of Blinding Light, Desire, and last song they played was With or Without You. They were not Joke at all. They were the real thing. You can see how much they adore U2 and U2's songs. Through this Live, Vertigo did really unite everyone in the hall.

I would love to see them again wherever in the World they do a Live. It is worth to follow them like Original one! - Review by Hiro.(www.yahoo.co.jp)