Elevation

After the huge lavish spectacles of previous tours, U2 decided to tone things down a bit for Elevation, which accompanied their All That You Can't Leave Behind album. Just as the album marked a return to a simpler more stripped-down sound, so the live shows did away with the glitter-ball lemons and huge stadiums, returning to smaller venues and all-together more intimate shows. From the small stage with its heart-shaped walkway, and a minimum of special effects, the emphasis is on the music, and from start to finish Elevation provides a welcome reminder of what a great band U2 are. Recorded in Boston, the show features a healthy mixture of new and old tracks, which--considering they were written over the course of two decades--sound as fresh and relevant as ever. From classics such as "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "I Will Follow" right up to instant favourites such as "Beautiful Day" and "Elevation", every track is stunningly executed. If you saw the concerts, this is a worthy lasting souvenir, if you didn't, watch this recording and you'll be kicking yourself that you didn't go.

On the DVD: With the full concert on the first disc, the second one contains a wealth of superb extras. For starters there's the "Another Perspective", which enables you to watch the concert from alternative points of view--the "Fancam" (from the heart of the crowd ensconced within the heart-shaped walkway) and the "Directorcam" (from the production office where director Hamish Hamilton creates his masterpiece). There's also a Road Movie, which gives a time-lapse photography look behind the scenes of a day on the road, and an insight into how to turn an empty, cold impersonal indoor arena into an intimate, spectacular concert venue. It also includes some alternative live takes of some of the key tracks from the album, including a fantastic performance of "Beautiful Day" from the rooftops of Dublin. With the concert offered in a choice of sound ratios (Dolby 5.1, PCM Stereo) the songs sound even greater. As concert DVDs go, Elevation is a definite benchmark. --Helen Marquis