HAVING to vigorously defend their carbon footprint is probably not how 'the biggest band in the world' wanted to start their equally massive world tour.

Just as Cliff Richard keeps popping up with hit singles, the Irish foursome of The Edge, Larry Mullen, Adam Clayton and of course St Bono have clung on at the canopy of the musical rainforest during their fourth decade.

And, for this latest chapter in their attempts to outdo all other stadium rockers, the band humbly gave us - The Claw!

Mere words cannot possibly describe this stage set; suffice to say, it is doubtful it could look at home anywhere other than Wembley Stadium, which is itself a triumph of architectural one-upmanship over practicality.

According to reports, each leg of the alien-space-craft-cum-giant's-birthday-cake-shaped structure cost around £20million.

Naturally, the band has been quick to stress that any tour has an environmental impact, and at least the money is being spent on the people who matter most - the fans.

But then, does U2 really need gimmicks to attract an audience? After all, the estimated size of the crowd was an incredible 88,000 people. And the expectant multitudes were nicely warmed up by Elbow (or, for the Saturday show, Glasvegas) performing their own superb songs including One Day Like This.

Dusk was falling as the headliners arrived on stage and launched into a medley of songs from their current album No Line On The Horizon. But

I was glad when they got to older, more tested ground, drawing the crowds along with Beautiful Day and Vertigo.

Speaking of vertigo, I was so high in the stands as to be practically outside the stadium, but Bono's tonsil-punishing cries still reached.

Meanwhile, special mention should go to the crew who designed a lighting sequence to rival any seen before, while an award is deserved for the screens projecting the band's image to those outside the sacred 'inner circle' of the stage runway.

In keeping with the tour's title, these were a 360[02da] construction which could stretch into a cone or separate into hundreds of sections like honeycomb.

It is always hard to pick a favourite

from the vast U2 repertoire. Certainly the classics like Pride (In The Name Of Love), Sunday Bloody Sunday and Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For each drew massive cheers.

But the mobile phones and lighters that came out for the encores gave the best indication of what people had been waiting for, as the band plucked heartstrings with With Or Without You and One.

Alas, Bono could not stop himself from dragging out a political rant.

He began to harp on about Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was recently given a longer house arrest by the ruling junta in a shocking breach of human rights. The cause may be noble, but the delivery sounded like he was merely keeping up appearances.

He then took a step too far, by dragging volunteers on to the stage wearing masks of the pro-democracy leader while he sang Walk On, a song dedicated to her when it was first released in 2001.

Having said that, I've always been able to separate Bono the Ego from Bono the Singer, and I refused to let it detract from either a spectacular concert or U2's unquestionable musical gift.

And, from the looks of it, the ageing gods of rock are not ready to relinquish their clouds - or their gimmicks - just yet.