Bono asked the audience to say a prayer for better times in Ireland

There are no gimmicks. Elevation is simple but impressively intimate with a heart-shaped catwalk stretching out into the audience.

The Palais Omnisports de Bercy in Paris erupted as Bono and Co. opened up with their current single Elevation.

This was followed by the Grammy award-winning Beautiful Day from the multi-milllion selling album All That You Can't Leave Behind.

But it was the 80s classic New Year's Day which set the standard for what followed.

Bono dedicated Kite to his Uncle Jack, present in the Paris audience and a man he described as a "father figure" to him.

U2 rely less nowadays on heavy politicising yet one of the most touching moments came during Sunday Bloody Sunday when Bono was thrown the Irish tricolour.

He carefully laid it onto his catwalk and prowled around it before asking the audience to say a prayer for better times across Ireland.

Bono showed another token of affection when he dedicated In a Little While to the late Joey Ramone. That was the last song the punk pioneer heard before his death three months ago.

The simple number about a hangover had now become, in Bono's own words, a gospel song.

Passion

U2 showed remarkable stamina during the 22 song set and awesome raw passion during Bad and the heart-pounding Where The Streets Have No Name.

The band's only real political gesture came during Joshua Tree's Bullet the Blue Sky.

Images of Charlton Heston promoting handguns and clips of street violence reminded you of what U2 stand for.

One and Walk On rounded off a relentless performance which was adored by the Parisian crowd.

Not surprisingly, there was a strong Irish contingent and the Welsh were happy too after a stirring support set from Stereophonics.

But all eyes were on U2, a band who have come such a long way in 20 years. Few, apart perhaps from REM, can truely claim "super band" status.

U2 have matured into a precious talent. At one with each other, they steamrollered through hit after hit.

Fans in the UK and Ireland are in for a treat when the band arrive in Manchester on 11 August.

Tickets are like gold dust. This is the show everybody will be talking about come the end of the summer.

The UK leg of the Elevation tour begins in Manchester on 11 August.