U2 in Denver: Welcome to the end of the world

The Fray joins the biggest band in the world at Invesco Field

May 21, 2011

U2 celebrated the end of the world in Denver Saturday night. And for those unprepared for the biggest, most expensive stage in the world, it sure as hell looked like the apocalypse had descended upon Invesco Field at Mile High.  

Six p.m. came and The Rapture remained distant, but the show went on. The clawlike 164-foot U2 360° stage, which costs some $750,000 per day to operate, clutched the city throughout the day, with dozens of fans and reporters mobbing the stadium for a chance to catch a glimpse of Bono and company. The band and the show are essentially one at this point, so for our money, U2 had won the day before they even took the stage. But once showtime came (nearly an hour late, for the record), U2 was U2. Which is to say, one of the greatest live acts ever; even if they stayed far away from familiar tracks early in the set (no, "Get On Your Boots" doesn't count); and even if Bono seemed to be ducking the media.

Local boys The Fray were nothing but grateful for their opening slot. Reeling from hits such as "How to Save a Life" and "Over My Head (Cable Car)" to deeper cuts, the band cut a radio-perfect set for one of their biggest audiences yet.

At one point, singer Isaac Slade found himself alone and asea on the foremost edge of U2's massive stage. So what did he do? He just looked back, laughed and called out his bandmates by name. Exactly the kind of stage presence his idol Bono would likely respect. —  Matt Farley, Metromix