Chesterfield's Real Time Live crowd sees that U2UK are the closest to the real thing

U2UK made a very welcome return to Chesterfield on Friday night to a hugely enthusiastic crowd. The atmosphere was electric with anticipation, writes Kev White.

Opening with Sunday Bloody Sunday followed by New Year’s Day, two of U2’s best known and loved songs was risky but it worked, kicking off a well-chosen set

list with each song working well sequentially. Paul Collyer (Bono) had the audience eating out of his hands, singing and clapping along when encouraged

to do so.

As a life long U2 fan I was pleased to see that both Gone and Red Hill Mining Town (two of my favourite U2 songs) are becoming regular fixtures in the band’s

set and went down well.

The set was made up of songs spanning U2’s 42-year career with enough of a spread to please long term fans and newer converts.

One of the best moments was seeing Collyer and Simon Pellecchia (The Edge) leave the stage and walk through the audience playing Stay (Far Away So

Close).

Set highlights included I Will Follow, Out Of Control. Vertigo, In God’s Country, Until The End Of The World, Angel Of Harlem, Pride (In The Name

Of love) and the best versions of Bad and Bullet The Blue Sky I have heard in some time.

The main set drew to a close with Running To Stand Still and Where The Streets Have No Name. The fans were demanding an encore and U2UK returned to the stage finishing a great night off with Acrobat (Light My Way) and a powerful take on With Or Without You.

The band is Adey Aslam (Adam Clayton), Nathan Griffiths (Larry Mullen Jnr), Simon Pellecchia (The Edge) and Paul Collyer (Bono). These guys are all

massive fans with their passion and commitment clearly on display.

U2UK are considered to be Europe’s leading U2 tribute band and on the strength of this gig, it is easy to se why. These guys are the closest that you will ever get to the real thing.

I am sure that they will be back at Real Time Live soon.