knox
Refugee
No pictures tonight...I didn't bring my camera, because I didn't want to have to worry about it.
I didn't wait in the GA line today, because I was tired when I woke up. I arrived at the United Center just before 7pm.
At 8:55, I was 15 feet from the front rail in the ellipse. I have my (completely legitimate) ways, that I'll be more than thrilled to share with everybody AFTER Thursday's show.
(Actually, since I learned about it on here, you all have the same potential "second chance" that I did!)
In any case, the show started with the same main set as last night, as I'm sure you all know. The guy directly in front of me looked kinda like John Lithgow, might have been him for all I know (he had a sidekick who was actually HOLDING HIS BEER for him, I dunno if he's just the lesser friend or if it was Lithgow, but it was laughably stupid either way). He was also kind of an ass, had all this empty space in front of him, but refused to either occupy it himself or permit somebody else to do the same...that is until he called over two young ladies and did some dirty dancin' with them during New Year's Day, I think it was. He left, during Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, I think. Well, a slower number at any rate, could have been Running To Stand Still. Of course, this opened up all kinds of space, and I moved up maybe five feet. Various people kept leaving after that point, and by the start of the first encore, there were only two people between me and the rail, directly in front of Bono's mic stand.
It could easily have been where I was, but there was something about the show tonight that was simply NOT THERE last night. It was Bono's birthday, and though he had another rocky start (I think he still has that cold), he was so unbelievably into it. When I saw the Edge pick up his acoustic guitar after Mysterious Ways, I knew we were in for some sort of a treat...wasn't sure what, though, until Bono called for the girl who had played guitar last night. We were treated to a full band PLUS fan version of Party Girl. Bono fetched two bottles of champagne. He gave one to Laura and popped open the other one to spray the audience with. The energy was so high that I even loved All Because Of You, which has in many ways been my least favorite song during the past two shows (besides Yahweh, of course). Original Of The Species was absolutely beautiful. Bono keeps talking about how they need figure out how to play it live, but as far as I can tell, they already have. And just as the band was about to kick into "40", Bono ran around to change the song ("for me!" he proclaimed), and met with zero resitance from the rest of the band. Like every time they've played Vertigo twice, the second go-around has been superior in sound, energy, and crowd reaction. Naysayers, back off, this was a great way to end the concert!
Best Chicago show so far on this tour, in my esteem.
They now have three more chances to top it.
And by the way, Bono ALMOST got the Bullet With Butterfly Wings lyrics tonight - he sang "Despite all my rage, I am still like a rat in a cage."
I didn't wait in the GA line today, because I was tired when I woke up. I arrived at the United Center just before 7pm.
At 8:55, I was 15 feet from the front rail in the ellipse. I have my (completely legitimate) ways, that I'll be more than thrilled to share with everybody AFTER Thursday's show.
(Actually, since I learned about it on here, you all have the same potential "second chance" that I did!)In any case, the show started with the same main set as last night, as I'm sure you all know. The guy directly in front of me looked kinda like John Lithgow, might have been him for all I know (he had a sidekick who was actually HOLDING HIS BEER for him, I dunno if he's just the lesser friend or if it was Lithgow, but it was laughably stupid either way). He was also kind of an ass, had all this empty space in front of him, but refused to either occupy it himself or permit somebody else to do the same...that is until he called over two young ladies and did some dirty dancin' with them during New Year's Day, I think it was. He left, during Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, I think. Well, a slower number at any rate, could have been Running To Stand Still. Of course, this opened up all kinds of space, and I moved up maybe five feet. Various people kept leaving after that point, and by the start of the first encore, there were only two people between me and the rail, directly in front of Bono's mic stand.
It could easily have been where I was, but there was something about the show tonight that was simply NOT THERE last night. It was Bono's birthday, and though he had another rocky start (I think he still has that cold), he was so unbelievably into it. When I saw the Edge pick up his acoustic guitar after Mysterious Ways, I knew we were in for some sort of a treat...wasn't sure what, though, until Bono called for the girl who had played guitar last night. We were treated to a full band PLUS fan version of Party Girl. Bono fetched two bottles of champagne. He gave one to Laura and popped open the other one to spray the audience with. The energy was so high that I even loved All Because Of You, which has in many ways been my least favorite song during the past two shows (besides Yahweh, of course). Original Of The Species was absolutely beautiful. Bono keeps talking about how they need figure out how to play it live, but as far as I can tell, they already have. And just as the band was about to kick into "40", Bono ran around to change the song ("for me!" he proclaimed), and met with zero resitance from the rest of the band. Like every time they've played Vertigo twice, the second go-around has been superior in sound, energy, and crowd reaction. Naysayers, back off, this was a great way to end the concert!
Best Chicago show so far on this tour, in my esteem.
They now have three more chances to top it. And by the way, Bono ALMOST got the Bullet With Butterfly Wings lyrics tonight - he sang "Despite all my rage, I am still like a rat in a cage."
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