U2 vocalist Bono asked Sunday's crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium to support and "hold up" his band as a type of invocation for the show celebrating the 30th anniversary of "The Joshua Tree" album and tour.

But the Irish quartet led by example, delivering a two-hour musical pep talk for the United States.

Thinking locally, U2 showcased some of the best things about Indianapolis — things Hoosiers may undervalue or not even know about.

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Bono mapped out his plan for the evening by referencing a quote by Indianapolis native Kurt Vonnegut. In his 1952 novel "Player Piano," Vonnegut wrote, "I want to stay as close on the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center."

This ambitious sentiment rings true in the context of "The Joshua Tree," an album of great commercial success built on the unlikely topics of labor strife ("Red Hill Mining Town"), political complacency ("In God's Country") and South American dictators ("Mothers of the Disappeared").

U2 didn't play it safe or predictable in 1987, and it was rewarded with "biggest band in the world" status.

Three years before "The Joshua Tree," U2 had a hit with "Pride (In the Name of Love)" — a song inspired by civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. On Sunday, Bono reached back to an Indianapolis moment when quoting Robert F. Kennedy's remarks given in a park near 17th and Broadway streets the night King was assassinated in 1968: "What we need in the United States is love, and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer"

Four years after "The Joshua Tree," U2 conquered the music world again thanks to its "Achtung Baby" album. The band is dedicating performances of "Achtung Baby" track "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)" to the appreciation of strong women.

Images of bold, defiant poet Mari Evans and hair-care entrepreneur Madam C.J. Walker showed up as Hoosier representatives on U2's massive video screen during Sunday's rendition of "Ultraviolet."

Changing focus from Indianapolis to the United States, Bono spoke highly of opportunity and generosity in a country still under construction and a place that serves as an idea the rest of the world relies on. Opportunity, for instance, is something that's been available to immigrants. And generosity is a foregone conclusion as costs related to hurricanes Harvey and Irma escalate.

During Sunday's rendition of "Where the Streets Have No Name," Bono subbed the word "hurricane" for "poison rain" in the lyric "I want to take shelter from the poison rain."

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Perhaps aware of his Red State surroundings, Bono stayed largely nonpartisan in his messages. Sunday's version of "Bullet the Blue Sky" didn't feature the anti-President Trump lyrics heard when U2 played "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" Thursday. For what it's worth, Hillary Clinton's image generated sizable cheers among the estimated audience of 45,000 when it appeared during "Ultraviolet."

Of all the "Joshua Tree" songs, "Running to Stand Still" may be the one that applies the most to 2017 Indiana. The song's heroin imagery translates easily to our state's opioid epidemic.

On a lighter note, Bono noted the 30th anniversary of the Dalton Brothers, a fake band created by U2 at the Hoosier Dome on Nov. 1, 1987.

Travel issues prevented supporting act Los Lobos from getting to the show on time, so Alton, Luke, Duke, and Betty Dalton stepped up to perform a short set of country songs. In reality, the Daltons were Bono (Alton), guitarist the Edge (Luke), drummer Larry Mullen Jr. (Duke) and bass player Adam Clayton (portraying Betty in drag).

"Some of you were there. Some of you wish you weren't," Bono said Sunday.

A different type of debut made Indianapolis the most forward-looking date on the "Joshua Tree" nostalgia trip.

U2 played "You're the Best Thing About Me" for a concert audience for the first time (after playing the song on "The Tonight Show"). The upbeat love song, scheduled for inclusion on upcoming album "Songs of Experience," may or may not have staying power. But "Best Thing" didn't wilt when slotted among monster hits "Beautiful Day," "Elevation" and "Vertigo."

Long known for borrowing snippets of classic songs to fold into their own, the members of U2 inserted Simon & Garfunkel's "America" into "Bad"; David Bowie's "Starman" into "Beautiful Day"; and the Rolling Stones' "It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)" into "Vertigo."

Acoustics and sonic clarity are a question any time a concert is presented at the gigantic NFL stadium.

A positive, if unscientific, sign arrived when supporting act Beck — playing a strong sampler from most eras of his career, highlighted by the folksy "Lost Cause" and the rambunctious "Where It's At" — called out to attendees at the top of the venue and received instant recognition.

During U2's portion of the show, it was evident Bono's between-song banter echoed harshly off the back of the room. In terms of the music, U2's strategy appeared to be "play loud" to deliver first-generation sounds to as many people as possible.

Let's be thankful pleasant weather conditions allowed the stadium's roof to be open and for potential echoes to be liberated to the sky.

Call IndyStar reporter David Lindquist at (317) 444-6404. Follow him on Twitter: @317Lindquist.