Prov 2 was SPECTACULAR

[oliveu2cm]

Velvetdress and i are sitting here not sure what to say!!!!

Stunning, just an incredible show, both of our favorites of every show we've seen.

By now you've seen the setlist and it was every bit as amazing in person as it was on paper. party girl, slow dancing, wild honey, and larry's awesome speech...

the band just came out rocking in a different fashion than prov 1. Bono ended Elevation with "celebration, celebration" over and over, and that just set the tone for the evening.

we're just gonna give brief highlights before we try to write it all out...

Until- instead of interacting with a girl, Bono took a helium 40th bday balloon from the heart and sang to the balloon then at the end of the 2nd verse he bit the string of the balloon, and released it. Then when he got to the tip, he pulled a photographer from the pit, but the guy seemed to be a fan who had happened to get press passes, not a news journalist. Instead of the bullfight! - he beckoned the nervous photographer towards him, as Bono embraced Edge, putting his arm around his neck as edge played and they both posed for the photographer until the end of the song.

After SBS, Bono said (from what we remember) "when i asked larry what he wanted for his 40th birthday, he said he wanted to play a gig in rhode island." Larry laughed and said something we couldn't hear, then stood up and waved. Then he walked around the kit to the front stage, where Bono presented him with a cake. Larry took the (chocolate) cake and pretended to throw it into the heart, laughing. Then Larry took the mic and -well the crowd went NUTS! we KNEW what a treat this was!!- "em, hello."

and "i've waited 40 years to get up here at the front of the stage." at this point, bono is looking like a mischiveous boy on Larry's drumset. Then Larry says "and I really quite like it up here!" crowd goes wild. then he said something about feeling safe b/c "at least Bono can't play the drums" !!

Larry said next: "There's no way I'd rather spend my birthday than with 18,000 of my closest friends. I feel so close to you that I could borrow money from you." then he gave bono the mic back.

Bono said laughing "yeah and you'll never see it again."

...we'll be right back w/ more as we collect the rest of our thoughts!!

 

[VelvetDress]

AFter the speech Bono consulted Edge for a second, and the band started Party Girl. We flipped out!!!!! A large portion of the audience seemed to know it and they played the entire song, excluding just the line about "when i was three". It was a very solid version, unlike boston 4 with only Edge and Bono playing there.

After party Girl, again Bono paused and then started playing SLOW DANCING. by this time, we weren't sure if we had died and gone to U2 heaven. or if we were just home with the b-sides blaring. At some point Edge joined Bono on guitar, and then eventually Larry and Adam BOTH joined in as well. They played the whollle damnnn songggg it wwassss awessommme!!!!! AND BONO KNEW ALL THE LYRICS!!!

AFter they repeated the chorus THREE times in a row, it became obvious that they didn't know how to end the song. Bono then started alittle speech about how "in Ireland we have a thing called the ballroom" and something about how they never got into it and that's why they became a rock and roll band, and he motioned to stop with his hands and the band complete ended the song w/o an ending. Edge was laughing and Bono was cracking up. It was hilarious, and such a treat!!!

After that a bottle of champagne magically appeared. Bono shook it and sprayed it all over the crowd, then on Larry, and then Larry took the bottle and took a healthy swig! He set it on his drumkit, smiling away and waving at the crowd's hysteria, and Edge casually ambled over for a swig of his own! When the crowd saw that they cracked up even more.

.....

 

[Diemen]

Wow. That sounds like one helluva cool show! A real party atmosphere. Any night where Larry actually talks into a mic is something special.

I'm really, reeeeaaally jealous.

 

[oliveu2cm]

After a very solid Kite, SUDDENLY OMG here comes Wild Honey. AFter Bono performed CPR to rescuitate us he kindly finished the song. It was not another goof version. He jumped up on the ramp and walked to the tip where Edge met him and they sang the song together. It was fun and beautiful and again Bono sang all the right words.

Please acoustic with piano was next. It was beautiful.

Bad and they put the house lights up during the latter part of the song. It was great!

Streets- he recited part of the Psalm again, which he hasn't been doing on this leg.

Found- another good performance which kept the momentum going

PRIDE. These is from two girls, who btw, are a bit tired of Pride. BUT, tonight was a different story entirely. Somewhere in the middle of the song, Bono produced three beautiful girls wearing identical outfits- jeans with long sleeve shirt with the flag imprint. They followed him onstage behind Adam, onto the heart ramp behind Edge, and were dancing and clapping their hands to the song. Bono paused midway and offered his arms to escort the girls to the tip. At the tip, he said "i brought these girls up from the back of the arena, and i'm putting them in the front row." He helped them climb on each of the three platforms at the tip where Bono sometimes uses to step into the crowd. He left them there dancing and grooving and smiling and singing for the rest of the song. They were incredible. MLK speech was also included at the end of Pride.

 

[oliveu2cm]

We realize this is no longer a brief post!!

I had made a sign for Larry's birthday. It was basically the symbol for the Harley Davidson motorcycles, but instead of saying "Harly Davidson" I wrote "Happy Birthday" and where Motor Cycles was, I wrote Larry Mullen. Anyway. As the band was leaving the stage I threw the sign up in the air- we were near the back, inside tip of the heart. Bono IMMEDIATELY saw it and smiled and pointed at my sign and showed it to Larry. Larry smiled and said something- i *thought* it was "I know" but i'm not sure, either way he was loving it and once I realized they saw the sign i started jumping up and down and they looked at it for several seconds!

After the show I gave the sign to Dallas, who told me he would give it to Larry. Then Dallas went and got me the setlist Larry used to read during the show.

 

[spanisheyes]

Thank you so much for the updates ladies, sounded like one awesome show. I'm amazed once again that we can get the setlist, and actual reactions from fans as special as you two on the same night as well. Awesome!

Chris

 

[Salome]

sounds amazing

------------------
Salome
Shake it, shake it, shake it

 

[VelvetDress]

The rest of the show was solid and gorgeous, though no other heart attack inducing set list changes! Bono had us in the palm of his hand throughout the show and it was a much different atmosophere from the somber performance the night before.

From the setlist that Olive got, Wild Honey is on the setlist but Party Girl and Slow Dancing are not. Also, the setlist has POE, but they substituted it with When Will I See You Again.

Forgot to mention the stunning I Will Follow. "Ring those bells Edge" over and over was reintroduced. As well, Bono sang the words "You've changed....you've changed me. Thank you." It took our breath away. He was incredibly gracious and humble and you could tell it was a special night and special moment, and this lyric change was not pre-rehearsed or done for effect. He also changed the lyrics "Your eyes make a circle we see you when we go in here," while gesturing at the heart.

Between us we've seen almost 30 shows and tonight was possibly the most thrilling of all of them. The atmoshere in that arena was so joyful we thought our hearts might explode.

Goodnight- we've been awake for 24 hours now!

 

[mocool12]

WOW!!! That is so awesome! It sounds like that was such a great show, I'm glad both of you had so much fun!

 

[DebbieSG]

lol, Bono remembered all the words! Definitely an "on" night

. And a speech from Larry Mullen Jr...Wow! What fun!! You got a real treat with that spur of the moment setlist, too.

Thanks for all the news, oliveU2 and VelvetDress!

 

[mbi16]

OH my gosh, I have such a huge smile on my face, it sounds like it was an awsome show!!! I'm so jealous, and so glad none of the FBI things have come true yet. Wow what a great time that must have been.


------------------
Tha Prickly Comedian

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Sounds awesome, guys...I was there in spirit!!!!! Larry surely felt the vibes I was sending out there!!! *cries* I am so jealous!!!!!! Larry talking at a show is like Haley's Comet!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH....*ahem*, anyways, I'm happy for you guys that you got to see such a great show!

 

[brettig]

Originally posted by LarryMullen's_POPAngel:
Sounds awesome, guys...I was there in spirit!!!!! Larry surely felt the vibes I was sending out there!!! *cries* I am so jealous!!!!!! Larry talking at a show is like Haley's Comet!!!

So Larry singing would be?

 

[EPandAmerica]

That does sound like an awesome show! I am so glad that a more festive atmosphere has arrived.

 

[Basstrap]

Man, thats so cool.
I NEED to get those mp3's, you understand? I NEED them!

Where can I find em'?

------------------
If you take a drive, I'll tax the street
If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat
If you get too cold, I'll tax your heat
If you talk a walk, I'll tax your feet
I'm the taxman!

 

[Hewson]

It was an amazing show. The mood was so celebratory. All band members were laughing and having fun. It seemed like a comedy show at times between Larry's words and Bono's...about the ballroom he said something like "there's a place in Ireland called the ballroom where musicians go to make it...we couldn't so we formed a rock band." This looked like 4 guys who love playing together and were having the time of their lives.
It ought to quiet down the setlist complainers a bit too. WOW!
I feel priveleged to have been at that show.

 

[Shygirl]

WOW!!! sounds like an awesome show girls!!!


I wish I could've been there to see it...
Thanks for telling your story!

 

[Giant Lemon]

Thanks for the review! It sounds amazing- I wish I could've been there.

 

[U2Kitten]

You sure were lucky to be there, Larry's b-day sounded so cute! Here's a report I found:


Main Set: Elevation, Beautiful Day, Until the End of the World, New Year's
Day, I Will Follow, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Stuck In a Moment, Happy Birthday,
Party Girl (full band), Slow Dancing (full band), Kite, Wild Honey
(acoustic), Please (acoustic w/guest), Bad / 40, Where the Streets Have No
Name, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Pride

Encore(s): Bullet the Blue Sky, What's Going On, New York, One, When Will I
See You Again, Walk On

Comments: Larry turns 40 today, and Bono leads the crowd in singing 'Happy
Birthday'. A cake and champagne are brought on stage. Larry thanks the crowd
from Bono's mic while Bono briefly sits at Larry's drums. A unique setlist
includes 'Slow Dancing', which is played for the first time this tour, and
only the 11th time ever. 'Party Girl' and 'Wild Honey' are played for the
first time during this leg of the tour. Bruce Brody joins Bono and Edge on
'Please' as he has twice before on this leg.


More notes:

- during "...End of the World," Bono took a "Happy 40th birthday" balloon
from Sherry; it was weighted on the string at the bottom, and Bono bit the
weight/string off and let the balloon float to the rafters
- during New York, the scrim that comes down from the rafters was unable to
drop because there was a balloon stuck and in the way!
- the entire crowd sang Happy Birthday to Larry at the end of the show while
the band stood on stage
- while the crowd was singing, Larry put on his Halloween mask: an
Elvis-style set of sunglasses complete with big 'porkchop' sideburns


Anyone got pics of this? I wanna see!

 

[sharky]

argh! I wish I was there!

I checked my voice mail last night and some anonymous angel had called and left me a message. I don't know who it was because all I heard was Wild Honey coming from Providence through my phone. Oh, it sounded awesome!

------------------
"Things will not be the same in this city for us." -Bono, Dublin, February 1980

 

[jezebel]

THANK YOU Olive & VelvetDress!!!!! How lucky you were to be there!!!!

Your narrative was so good that I read it to my husband....he loved it!!!

It's so good to see the guys having a good time!!!

 

[*Ally*]

hey olive and velvet dress! i met you guys in line- i'm friends w/ khelia.

it was so great to meet you both! i agree that last night's show was simply AMAZING!!! i can't even find the words to describe it, so THANK YOU for posting all of the details. i hope that you guys have a BLAST in philly!!

 

[She Is Raging]

Carrie!!! I'm so glad that you were able to give your sign to someone for him... it was so cool

and also that you guys had such a great time since I didnt catch up with you after the show!!

I agree that the show was completely mindblowing...

I cant believe that the guy they pulled up was in the photo pit last night - I TURNED DOWN PASSES LAST NIGHT!! ARGH! Any other night I would have taken them in a heartbeat- but I wanted to stay in the heart since it was my last show..., and I almost had to miss the Chicago show I had passes for last time since they didnt want me bringing my camera back in.... I really cant complain though!!!

Have fun in Philly!

------------------
"Edge, it's you she wants...it's you!...I know him! He's in my band!" Bono - Zoo Boston, 1992
*******
- Kathleen -

 

[Achtung_Bebe]

WOW!!! Sounds incredible!!!

If they play Party Girl in Austin I will truly lose it

 

[browneyedgirl]

Thanks for the great review girls....It sounds like you had one of those special nights.....

 

[TwoHeartsSL]

What an amazing show! I am sorry we missed seeing you VelvetDress. We got a chance to talk with Beachcomber for a while though. We were in the third row in front of Edge. What an emotional show! As you have said, I think the band was so pumped and emotional last night-I think for many different reasons-Larry's birthday, the terrorist attacks, and one year sinc ethe release of ATYCLB. Bono said that this had been an extraordinary year for the band, and thanked the crowd for making it happen-This wasn't your typical rock star thankyou drivel-he was really sincere. One highlight for me was Edge looking right at me at the end of the show while shaking people's hands. I think I was the only guy in the area with grey hair-he probably thought-"ah good-another old guy nearby". Anyway, I can't remember another show that was this emotional. Talking with other people from the heart after the show, we agreed-the crowd and the band were completely drained afterwards, just from the intensity level. At the beginning of this year, the band announced they were re-applying for the job. Not only did they get it (I don't think they ever lost it), they created a whole new level for other bands to aim for-this is what a band is SUPPOSED to be like-THIS IS LIVE MUSIC!!!

 

[~LadyLemon~]

Great reviews girls!! I'm glad we got to meet--your sign was so fucking cool Carrie!!!

The show was amazing--PARTY GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was so excited for that. And I got sprayed with Larry's champagne!

 

[achtung__baby]

Thanx for the excellent review!

Did anyone get a picture of Bono on drums?

 

[*Ally*]

Originally posted by Bonoforever:

Did anyone get a picture of Bono on drums?

Yes! SadEyedLady got photos of Bono on drums, Larry w/ the cake and champagne, etc... but, she's still on tour (tonight's her last show), so she can't post 'em yet. She will do so as soon as she gets internet access, i promise! (i can't wait to see the photos either!)