The previous night, Bono and The Edge had been very welcome gatecrashers at the Make Poverty History gig at the Myer Music Bowl. Now it’s down to the real business for U2. Early talk around the stadium is all about how much better a venue Telstra Dome is compared to their previous Melbourne enormoshow venues (MCG, Glen Waverly).

Well the sightlines may be better, particularly on the field, but the sound of support act Kanye West is a muffled muddle of bass and beats. As the lights go down and The Arcade Fire’s Wake Up blasts out, we hope for better. And the sheer visual and aural spectacle of the opening double whammy of City Of Blinding Lights and Vertigo is spectacular, although it’s hard to catch Bono’s vox at times.

Thankfully, things soon settle down. 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, by which point the sound guys have got it right.

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 and singing by its light. 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 deliver a few camp winks at the front row. A slightly stuttering version of The Fly is redeemed by a slinky Mysterious Ways.

Kite, augmented by a digeridoo 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. But 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. For all the flag waving and chest beating, U2 still set the standard by which all others are measured.