Gig played on 19/11/06

It's back to business for U2 on all fronts. A pair of Melbourne dates have been deliberately rescheduled to coincide with the G20 meeting of the world's financial leaders in the city. Which also gives Bono and The Edge the chance to pop up at Australia's "Make Poverty History" concert before getting down to the main task in hand. The set-list isn't radically different to the one that has filled stadiums and arenas across Europe and North America over the past two years.

Reflecting the long lay-off between legs, Bono looks a little fuller of figure. But his voice has certainly benefited from the downtime, sounding magnificent on a stark "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" and an impassioned, piano-led "Miss Sarajevo". The sheer visual and aural spectacle is spellbinding at times, particularly during the opening double whammy of "City Of Blinding Lights" and "Vertigo". Indeed, as the show progresses, it feels like it's been subdivided into several mini-shows.

You've got the stadium anthem opening, also boasting "I Will Follow", "New Year's Day" and a noticeably slower version of "Elevation", which actually only serves to shine a light on its lame lyrics. "Stuck In A Moment", dedicated to Michael Hutchence, kicks off the emotional section as Bono finally discards his shades for "Sometimes You Can't Make It". Then it's time for politics, with the frontman donning a headband marked with the symbols of the world's religions for "Love And Peace Or Else". He also engages in some theatrics, lighting a flare, singing in its light.

Meanwhile, graphics of the flags of Africa light up the stage during "Where The Streets Have No Name" as the audience is urged to text their support for Make Poverty History. The encores, thankfully, are a bit lighter. Bono sports an army jacket and cap, the big screen capturing him delivery a few camp winks at the front row. A slightly stuttering version of "The Fly" is redeemed by a slinky "Mysterious Ways", then a girl from the front row is brought onstage and serenaded to ''With Or Without You'.

"Kite", augmented by a didgeridoo player, closes the show as Bono releases a kite into the night sky. A pretty obvious metaphor, but then U2 aren't renowned for subtlety. And while at times this show feels like a barrage of social conscience messages, both visual and aural, there's no denying the intrinsic, primal rock'n'roll power of the music. Indeed, for all the flag-waving and chest-beating, U2 still set the standard by which all others are measured.

by Simon Ward