If you hold on to the notion that Coldplay, Pearl Jam or maybe even Springsteen is the greatest act right now, just hit the backspace key and close out your browser session. Because, this isn't the place for you.
But what I can tell you is that what we witnessed was pure Joy. If you love music. Over 85,000 people were in absolute frenzy as the lads from Ireland just absolutely blew away the audience with an incredible show! My only regret is; that i could not have each and every one of you along with us. I really missed my best friend Kris (and wife Heather) and so many of you i would have loved to have had the chance to share what we experienced. At the end of the show, many fans who were standing next to each other could be seen hugging and exchanging handshakes. It was that great.
First take a look at the stage, which you can see is absolutely staggering in scale:
Shut the f$%# up!
Yeah apparently some people are now critical of Bono for his extra large "carbon footprint". Heard that David Byrne said something about it being "wasteful". Lol! Hey David-- what have you been up to since the Talking Heads? Oh.
Believe me: All this global warming worry stuff will be over in a while after the sun returns back about 1 degree to its normal temperature. Plus, you know that Bono talks to God anyway, and if it were a problem he would let us know.
Anyway, we were in complete awe when we first walked in and saw this 184 foot high four-legged monster they call "the Claw". I call it the biggest stereo system in the world; with its huge stacks of loudspeakers pointing down in all directions as the sound is real loud and perfectly clear. But, "the Claw" is much more than just speakers and a stage. Taking 52 trucks to carry and a fulltime staff of 550 stage hands to set up, "the Claw" weighs in at 56 tons! Maybe the best thing is its insane 360 degree video screen:
Forget your contact lenses? No problem. Edge and Bono in stereo rotating around 360 degrees on "the Claw's" jumbotron...yeaaah baby! At this moment, i don't think too many fans were concerned if U2 had purchased enough "carbon credits".So the pre-show starts auspiciously. We were down on the floor about 10 people back from the catwalk that circles around the stage. Not bad, but not good if you are short and have tall people in front of you. I had to put Owen up on my shoulders for a several songs so he could see the stage.
Anyway, the fuse to light the start of the show is here now: the playing of the song "Space Oddity" by Bowie. I was never a huge fan of David Bowie, but some of the fans know this is the song to mark the final countdown before U2 takes the stage-- and they begin singing the lyrics. Ground control to Major Tom...Ground control to Major Tom... Meanwhile, there is an incredible electricity building amongst the 85,000 in the audience, as I am looking up at the massive "Claw" that is really beginning to resemble a rocket ship preparing for liftoff! Finally, the band comes out. Larry Mullen on the drums. Adam Clayton on bass. The Edge on guitar! And... i tell you this as a metaphor, Bono comes out as the Lion King of this crazy rock and roll jungle, roaring at the crowd, more pumped up than any of us for this moment, and roars into the song "Breathe"...and we have lift off. The volume intially is unbelievably crazy loud you can feel the bass through your chest and Edge's guitar and Bono's vocals race through your head... but the sound is perfect, and the feeling is pure Joy. (here is a link to a video)
Many of you are aware (how could you not?) that our son Owen was pulled up on stage by Bono in Philadelphia 4 years ago and was given his signature rose tinted sunglasses. Well, Wendy makes up this crude sign for Owen to hold up that says "Hi Bono its me Owen from Philadelphia. Thanks for the glasses!" I was like, that is going to be stupid and a waste of time. We may not get that close to the stage and Bono may not see the sign. He's on my shoulders here as the third song ends as Bono is out on the circular catwalk coming near us:
I'll be damned if Bono finishes the 3rd song "Magnificent" (btw- a great song from the new album), and pauses to take in the crowd. Bono surveys around and squints to read Owen's sign. Does a double take, looks back at him, points to Owen with his hand acknowledging him, then saying in his Irish brogue, "It's all-right, Owen?" (Meaning: We're playing all-right up here for you Owen?) Pretty cool. Everybody in the crowd around us is like, WTF!--and is wanting to know for a moment just who is this 10 year old kid?The show goes on as darkness sets in, U2 does a tribute for a woman Aung San Suu Kyi, imprisoned in Burma for peaceful protest for 13 years. You are reminded that a U2 show is always about love and peace. Songs like "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "With or Withou You" follow. It was majestic that night.
Here we are seen coming back to earth after the show.
We file out slowly onto the back streets of city. You walk in a throng through the neighborhoods of Dublin and you pass the many Pubs that are still open. How else would this hugely Irish day end; time to get a pint?
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