The Joshua Tree is one of the most influential albums in my personal musical history. For reasons that are voluminous, I count “With Or Without You” as perhaps my favorite song of all time.
Soon after 9/11, Bono added a heart-tugging touch to “Where the Streets Have No Name.” I attended their show at the Baltimore Arena (which had to be the smallest venue they’d played on the Elevation tour) and watched curiously as he sprinted around the heart-shaped stage extending out onto the arena floor as Edge’s iconic guitar intro was belabored non-laboriously, with the ebullient frontman finally coming to a stop where the heart’s halves conjoined. He paused a beat, or two, raised his head high, and proudly opened up his black leather coat to reveal an American flag serving as its lining. It was brilliant stagecraft and a salient emotional outlet — on multiple levels — and brought widespread chills and tears to the audience.
So, on its 25th anniversary, here’s a performance of “Where the Streets Have No Name” from Slane Castle. This weekend, may you tear down those walls that hold you inside. It’s like spring out there, after all!
