Our determination to see U2 again began last Friday night when Ernie and I experienced a "sugar, come on" moment while listening to Original of the Species at the party. Neither of us had tickets to Monday night's show but a frantic Craig's List search and a shady transaction in the parking lot of the Hilltop Steak House in Saugus got us in the house - for face value no less! 
We flew back down Route 1 to meet up with Auntie and Bags at the Greatest Bar where Auntie's company was hosting a dinner with, woo hoo, open bar. Thank you thank you, nameless biotech firm.
Auntie & Bags -- fellow devotees who've seen U2 about five times this year, including once in Ireland -- headed off to nameless biotech firm's corporate box.
Ernie and I headed off to our seats behind the stage, which to our delight, were just a few rows up from the ellipse. Tom and Dawnie, friends of a Garden VIP and VIPs in their own right, ended up in the VERY FRONT ROW, inches from the band.
(photos: Dawnie & Tom experience euphoria in the ellipse)
Ernie and I noted that we and our respective groups of friends are part of our own kind of species, a breed of 30+-ish folks who have not evolved in the all-too-typical fashion where passion gives way to self-imposed restraint, or the notion that enjoyment of live music has an expiration date. It's much more difficult to be spontaneous these days and we're usually just too dog-tired to make the effort. Sometimes it takes a night like this to remind you that if there is a way to swing it, then swing it. Or as my friend Colleen says, "you create your own experience."
Then again there are those for whom the opening notes of Where the Streets Have No Name at a live U2 show will never make their toes tingle. But they are not of our species. SETLIST
City Of Blinding Lights, Hello, Goodbye (snippet) / , Vertigo / Dirty Water (snippet) / Take Me To The River (snippet), Elevation, Gloria, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / The Promised Land (snippet), Beautiful Day / Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) (snippet) / Jingle Bells (snippet), Original Of The Species / Norwegian Wood (snippet), Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own / The Black Hills of Dakota (snippet), Love And Peace Or Else, Sunday Bloody Sunday / Rock The Casbah (snippet), Bullet The Blue Sky / The Hands That Built America (snippet) / When Johnny Comes Marching Home (snippet), Miss Sarajevo, Pride (In The Name Of Love), Where The Streets Have No Name, One / She's A Mystery To Me (snippet)
encores: Until The End Of The World, Mysterious Ways / We Wish You A Merry Christmas (snippet) / The Battle Hymn Of The Republic (snippet), With Or Without You, Crumbs From Your Table, Instant Karma!, Yahweh, 40
comment: During Mysterious Ways, Bono brings two fans onstage, one dressed as Santa Claus and the other as Elvis Presley.
9 comments:
I knew Elvis was living in the area. Probably has some twisted/sorted connection to the craigslist guy at the Hilltop parking lot....That would be my bet. Of course, Saugus is a non-betting town.
I am overcome with a conflicting twist of emotions: (1) insane and all-consuming outright jealousy of Tom & Dawn for being in the front row at a U2 show, which is the ultimate "once in a lifetime experience" I yearn for most, (2) pure glee that people I know and love so had this well-deserved opportunity to enjoy the experience so that I can live vicariously through them forever. Also pretty bummmed that Mike and I passed up tickets because we were "tired" from registering at Crate & Barrel. That is just lame.
LP-Registering is pretty exhausting...have to give that to you guys. You're still in the species..always will be. That said, when are we going on a field trip to see your wedding gown?
So glad you kids could join in on the fun at The Greatest Bar, love that place. Great show, but paid the price the next day at our meeting. Head pounding and a constant wave of nausea made for a long day...I should have eaten a few extra chicken fingers instead of 5 extra beers.
KJ - I agree 100% that when the opportunity arises to do something spontaneous and fun (and means as much as seeing U2 does to many of us) then just do it. To quote a line from RENT which I saw earlier the same day 'Forget regret or life is yours to miss'.
Ah yes, 2 consecutive nights (Sunday and Monday) of U2 accompanied with two different open bars seemed like a fantastic idea at the time.....
KJ and Ernie, great to catch up with you both at the Greatest Bar.
And with that, the Bags 2005 tour with U2 comes to a conclusion.
T-Bag looks like he's in some dimented Irish Pokemon battle.
must have been an amazing show. they do not dissapoint in the garden. wish i was up for it but was still reeling from friday's mung and had little to no energy. and that was sucked out of me by the scanner at crate and barrel. the boys will be happy to know that we went with white plates so we can change looks by just adding different color linens and accents! there, i've done it, now i have to go kick my own ass.
Hi,
would you please link to my blog, or maybe just give me a million dollar? :)
My sister got tickets on Ebay and gave me an early Christmas present. We were literally sitting at the tippity-top row, but it was still awesome! I have video clips from my digital camera if you want to relive it for about 25 seconds.
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