He's no longer an eager lad out to change the world, but a well-schooled entertainer. As he climbed the stairs from the floor of the Arrowhead Pond before U2's performance Tuesday, the person next to me gave him a dismissive glance. Elvis Costello had walked by, not just unrecognized but the target of derision.
Middle age can be unkind to once cutting-edge performers.
Bono seems to know this. He's outgrown all that. He's a battle-tested showman, packing the full arsenal of entertainer's tricks. He knows he doesn't need to incite the crowd. Sure, he might break a sweat jogging around the enormous, heart-shaped catwalk of the band's Elevation tour set.