This will be my last U2 post for awhile, I promise. Please bear with me.

Last night the band played the penultimate show in their five night stand at MSG. For the first time, I sat behind the stage. As the seats were only four or five rows back from the 20-foot drop between the stage and stands, the proximity to the band was excellent. Unfortunately the view was mostly of their back sides, when it wasn't partially obscured by the beaded curtains or other lighting rigs.

I'd always heard that the best part of rear of stage seats was "seeing what the band sees". Yes, that was the highlight, but even that couldn't compensate for the feeling of disconnection I felt throughout. As exciting as it was to be so close to U2 and witness the Garden crowd going mad, it was like watching it all on TV.

My seat location aside, Tuesday night's show ranks well below Friday and Saturday, overall. U2 essentially repeated Friday's set list (save swapping in Out of Control for Electric Co.), dashing my hopes for more variety. If this was the first show someone saw during this stand, perhaps it was the best show, ever. For me, it was just competent. Maybe expecting the band to pull out some obscure favorite of mine (like "A Sort of Homecoming", "Ultraviolet", "Seconds", "Wire", etc.) is not realistic, I don't know. I was just hoping for something fresh, but it was not to be. All of the crazy changes I wanted will likely happen on Friday night, the finale of U2's MSG residency. I will have to find a bootleg.

There were highlights, like Bono pulling a young girl on stage during "Sunday Bloody Sunday", or hearing another ripping version of "Fast Cars". "Crumbs From Your Table" was played again, and it sounded tighter and more powerful than on Friday. If U2 keep improving this one, it may become a set list standard. It has the potential.

So for now, that's it for U2 concerts for me. Thanks for indulging me. Enjoy these pics and the others on Flickr.