September 23, 2009 - Giants Stadium New York - New York

[Knuckle]

I've been to a lot of U2 shows (but this was my first 360 show). I'd tell you if I were disappointed, but I wasn't. I was GA about midfield. It was outstanding! I really have to disagree with the above assessment of the crowd. I looked around the stadium several times during the show and I saw 80,000 people really into it. Crowd around me was also having a great time. A few people were really out of it. Woman behind me dropped like a stone during last song (moment of surrender). Had to call security over for her. Her eyes were looking in different directions as she laid on the ground. (Sort of punctured the karma of that beautiful song. Hope she's ok.)

Vertigo especially ignited. Said hello to Matt Damon walking out the rear of the stadium. He was signing autographs for some while every other New Yorker chanted "Boston sucks" to him. He's a Red Sox fan. Kind of funny how U2 brought 80,000 New Yorkers to a uniquely unified and positive mindset, but back to themselves before even getting out of the stadium.

Going back tonight for second show and am even more pumped up for it. Advice though, traffic/parking situation was horrendous with new stadium and arena complex under construction. Give yourself plenty of time. We walked into the stadium only just as "space oddity" came over the PA. Great show followed.

 

[crazy levi]

Agree on tattoo bit ... getting tired.

Can you explain this to me? Who is this guy, and why did he get brought up on stage, given the mic, and a hug from Bono?

It reminded me of a much weirder incident in 2000 in DC. A guy in boxer shorts only climbed up on stage...and huddled with Bono. He said into the mic "I have something for you," which of course gave me the Mark Chapman chills...then he said "I'm just trying to have a good time," and Bono said "I'm just trying to have a good time too."

Then the song ended and the lights went down, and Security quietly and gently hustled the guy off the stage. I don't think they threw him out but who knows.

 

[JR#9]

Brought my 8 yr old Jason to his first ever concert and made sure it was a U2 one as he's a huge fan and probrably ruined any concert he ever goes to going forward as he was the little boy pulled up on stage during City of Blinding Lights!!!

The kid (and the old man) couldn't have been happier!

If anybody has any video/pictures of him up on stage with Bono please, please send it to jahearn@slk.com as of course my camera was full and it happened so quickly I couldn't get any good shots!

Thanks so much and thank you U2 for making it a great 1st concert experience for my son!

 

[alison0313]

Thats awesome! Congrats to Jason!!!

 

[circa1992]

How awful Circa. I really feel bad for you cause I'm sure you were so looking forward to the gig. Did you get to enjoy it at all??

Thank you. It truly is a bummer because we have literally been counting down the days until this show. U2 concerts have become a special thing for me and my daughter to share together, so I just felt like I was ruining it for her because she was so concerned for me. Although I was on the verge of passing out, I still tried to enjoy it as much as possible. In a way, perhaps, because I couldn't jump around, I spent more time just watching their facial expressions and trying to pick up on the little things. Honestly though, I felt foolish being right in front and not appearing to be into it (believe me, in my head I was bouncing and fist-pumping the whole time and I was still trying to take it all in as much as possible)!

 

[jesseu2]

We were all seriously dead from the heat and humidity all day; there was no shade in the GA line at all! I actually got so sick after Muse and was totally dehydrated (even though i was sure to drink during the day). I honestly thought I was going to be one of those people that they have to pull out of the crowd and carry away (Sarah and I were front pit rail directly in front of Adam). I actually told her not to worry about me if that happens and just stay and enjoy the show because one of her best friends and his mom were directly behind us and her father & brother were in seats. It seriously sucked that the entire time U2 was right in front of me i couldn't help but think "Please don't puke in front of Bono!" It KILLED me that we had such a prime spot and i couldn't even enjoy it and jump around like I usually do!It was seriously stifling in the pit. Honestly though, I am shocked and pleased that I actually made it through without throwing up or passing out.

i feel you here.....i wore pants yesterday, bad idea... and i'm getting over a sinus infection an sore throat... sinus infection + humidity = worst combo and feeling EVER... i was drenched in sweat from head to toe.. the whole show... i sat down during most of muse's set... an u2 took forever to get started, did not come on til 9 pm, like hurry up.... meanwhile i was DYING in the humidity.. sat down a few times, drank like 4 bottles of water, went through a whole bag of lemon drops(ricorle?)... very hard on me cuz i have a physical disability.. did not eat much before heading out yesterday.. i will eat before i go today and i'm wearing shorts this time!!!!!!! my friends were using the Aun suki(sp?) masks as fans to cool me down.... it was that bad.

crazy levi, you forgot about the effects humidity has on some people and need to reevaluate what you said.

When it started to rain some, i was hoping it would POUR!!!!! an then u2 woulda played 'rain' lol.

other than this, the show was awesome!!!!!

 

[Dane-Dane]

Brought my 8 yr old Jason to his first ever concert and made sure it was a U2 one as he's a huge fan and probrably ruined any concert he ever goes to going forward as he was the little boy pulled up on stage during City of Blinding Lights!!!

The kid (and the old man) couldn't have been happier!

If anybody has any video/pictures of him up on stage with Bono please, please send it to jahearn@slk.com as of course my camera was full and it happened so quickly I couldn't get any good shots!

Thanks so much and thank you U2 for making it a great 1st concert experience for my son!

Aw, how lucky for you guys. He was adorable. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of it. I did notice that when Bono was sending him off a group of people from another spot were waving their arms and he sent your son over to them than instantly realized the mistake and sent him back your way...we were laughing thinking he's giving that kid away to the wrong people! Silly Uncle Bono.

 

[crazy levi]

crazy levi, you forgot about the effects humidity has on some people and need to reevaluate what you said.

When it started to rain some, i was hoping it would POUR!!!!! an then u2 woulda played 'rain' lol.

other than this, the show was awesome!!!!!

I thought it was a pleasant night weather wise, but yes it was a bit humid. I wore shorts and a T-shirt, and didn't get to the stadium till 7:30 so it was already dark. I'm sure if you were there since the early morning it would have been rough, especially in the pit. But the GA area is pretty sparse, so it was nice back there if you didn't have to be as close as you could get.

I understand the dedication to do that kinda thing...but It's not for me anymore. I'm not a kid anymore. Did get in line at 10 am in 2000 and got into the heart, that was great, but those days are over for me.

 

[diamond]

i feel you here.....i wore pants yesterday, bad idea... and i'm getting over a sinus infection an sore throat... sinus infection + humidity = worst combo and feeling EVER... i was drenched in sweat from head to toe.. the whole show... i sat down during most of muse's set... an u2 took forever to get started, did not come on til 9 pm, like hurry up.... meanwhile i was DYING in the humidity.. sat down a few times, drank like 4 bottles of water, went through a whole bag of lemon drops(ricorle?)... very hard on me cuz i have a physical disability.. did not eat much before heading out yesterday.. i will eat before i go today and i'm wearing shorts this time!!!!!!! my friends were using the Aun suki(sp?) masks as fans to cool me down.... it was that bad.

crazy levi, you forgot about the effects humidity has on some people and need to reevaluate what you said.

When it started to rain some, i was hoping it would POUR!!!!! an then u2 woulda played 'rain' lol.

other than this, the show was awesome!!!!!

Jesse,

Sorry to hear about your troubles-same w Circa.
Wish I was there to help you.

Have a great show tonight, and eat lots and put on sunscreen.

<>

 

[diamond]

Can you explain this to me? Who is this guy, and why did he get brought up on stage, given the mic, and a hug from Bono?

It reminded me of a much weirder incident in 2000 in DC. A guy in boxer shorts only climbed up on stage...and huddled with Bono. He said into the mic "I have something for you," which of course gave me the Mark Chapman chills...then he said "I'm just trying to have a good time," and Bono said "I'm just trying to have a good time too."

Then the song ended and the lights went down, and Security quietly and gently hustled the guy off the stage. I don't think they threw him out but who knows.

He is Dan the tattoo guy.
This is the 9th time he has been on stage..I think.

He is a 'known quanity' w Bono, and Bono likes him-hence the repeat pulls ups at different shows.

One of the hardest things for U2 fans to do is -cease to be envious, I even have that problem sometimes. Some of us forget that it's Bono's show and not our's to do whatever he wants.

<>

 

[diamond]

Brought my 8 yr old Jason to his first ever concert and made sure it was a U2 one as he's a huge fan and probrably ruined any concert he ever goes to going forward as he was the little boy pulled up on stage during City of Blinding Lights!!!

The kid (and the old man) couldn't have been happier!

If anybody has any video/pictures of him up on stage with Bono please, please send it to jahearn@slk.com as of course my camera was full and it happened so quickly I couldn't get any good shots!

Thanks so much and thank you U2 for making it a great 1st concert experience for my son!

Congrats JR#9!

<>

 

[OSF]

Wow, Jesse you are a trooper! Have a great show tonight. It was nice meeting you in Boston!

 

[Y2K]

Did anyone else find it disappointing that Bono on two occasions was trying to tell the staff that some of the instruments were too low? I think it was the piano on "New Year's Day" and the bass on "Walk On". Hopefully, they do a better job of soundchecking for tonight's show.

 

[crazy levi]

Did anyone else find it disappointing that Bono on two occasions was trying to tell the staff that some of the instruments were too low? I think it was the piano on "New Year's Day" and the bass on "Walk On". Hopefully, they do a better job of soundchecking for tonight's show.

It's hard to say if he meant it was too low in his monitors or in the actual mix. Sounded OK to me.

 

[Zoots]

And by the way...my favorite song of the night was the passengers tune.

Is that fanboy enough for you? Who even owns that thing?!

lol. I'm pretty sure 99% of the regular posters of this forum owns a copy of Your Blue Room. It is not that obscure.

 

[U2Mama]

Brought my 8 yr old Jason to his first ever concert and made sure it was a U2 one as he's a huge fan and probrably ruined any concert he ever goes to going forward as he was the little boy pulled up on stage during City of Blinding Lights!!!

The kid (and the old man) couldn't have been happier!

If anybody has any video/pictures of him up on stage with Bono please, please send it to jahearn@slk.com as of course my camera was full and it happened so quickly I couldn't get any good shots!

Thanks so much and thank you U2 for making it a great 1st concert experience for my son!

WOW!! What a great experience....SO happy for your son (and you!!) My son (11) really wants his first concert to be a U2 concert...maybe 2010!

 

[crazy levi]

lol. I'm pretty sure 99% of the regular posters of this forum owns a copy of Your Blue Room. It is not that obscure.

Excellent point. But does your average U2 "tourist" have it? Of course not.

So just as U2 strode the line between arena and stadium last night, I sit on the fence between superfan and average meathead.

I think that's a wonderful perspective to review a show from.

Apparently some of you disagree. But in the end, as Desmond Tutu says...we are all one. It's beautiful, really.

 

[Zoots]

Are you referring to yourself proudly as part meathead?

 

[crazy levi]

Are you referring to yourself proudly as part meathead?

Pride...in the name of meathead.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

I got into the pit at 8:15pm!

I missed Muse cos I had to wait for a friend of a friend to arrive in his car (who parked about a mile from the stadium) so I could leave my bag there cos they'd banned all backpacks from the stadium. And I was soooo looking forward to seeing them too. Hopefully tonight.

But I walked straight into the pit when I finally got into the stadium. My new challenge is to see how late I can get into the pit. It was 7:50pm at Boston 2, and now 8:15pm at New York 1.

This is amazing! I think 8:15 PM is the new record for how late you can go getting into the pit.

I'm starting think now that when the majority of people arrive on the field, they probably see the pit, and assume that its already full based on what they can see, or are just not interested in the pit, or in fact don't really know anything about it.

How many people were in the regular GA area when you went into the pit at 8:15 PM?

 

[last unicorn]

I think that's a wonderful perspective to review a show from.

You're so full of yourself it's laughable.

 

[ramblin rose]

I'm starting think now that when the majority of people arrive on the field, they probably see the pit, and assume that its already full based on what they can see, or are just not interested in the pit, or in fact don't really know anything about it. [/B]?

You could be right on one of your theories. I've heard a lot of misinformation about the pit in the four shows I've at so far. People saying that the pit was Red Zone and you had to bid for a spot in there, other people saying that the pit was VIP tickets wondering how they could buy those. So who knows if that's why some people (or a lot of people) aren't even attempting to go in.

 

[crazy levi]

You're so full of yourself it's laughable.

Well, at least I finally got a laugh out of you.

 

[crazy levi]

You could be right on one of your theories. I've heard a lot of misinformation about the pit in the four shows I've at so far. People saying that the pit was Red Zone and you had to bid for a spot in there, other people saying that the pit was VIP tickets wondering how they could buy those. So who knows if that's why some people (or a lot of people) aren't even attempting to go in.

The fact of the matter is, people paid $200-$1000 to get these Red Zone tickets, and they are going to use them. I asked the staff person by the ramp if I could walk into the pit - she said, as far as I know, yes, you can walk in through the back.

This did NOT cause a stampede - everyone around me was content to stay put and enjoy their "red zone VIP" experience. I did not enjoy it, so I went out into the GA area after a few songs. I thought about making a move into the pit, but the last thing I wanted was to be even further behind the stage or off to the side, even if it meant getting "closer" to the band at that point. And the pit was of course pretty full by this time.

People are going "red zone" cause they sell it as "no hassle, no crowds," and I'd think most people want to keep it that way. Even though I thought the Red Zone view sucked, it certainly was not packed at all - even up by the ramp you had plenty of elbow room.

 

[diamond]

You're so full of yourself it's laughable.

can we lose the hate?

 

[diamond]

.

People are going "red zone" cause they sell it as "no hassle, no crowds," and I'd think most people want to keep it that way. Even though I thought the Red Zone view sucked, it certainly was not packed at all - even up by the ramp you had plenty of elbow room.

I was wondering about this, I couldn't get an answer from Principle Management.

Thanks for clearing it up.
It could change from venue to venue though.

<>

 

[ramblin rose]

The fact of the matter is, people paid $200-$1000 to get these Red Zone tickets, and they are going to use them. I asked the staff person by the ramp if I could walk into the pit - she said, as far as I know, yes, you can walk in through the back.

This did NOT cause a stampede - everyone around me was content to stay put and enjoy their "red zone VIP" experience. I did not enjoy it, so I went out into the GA area after a few songs. I thought about making a move into the pit, but the last thing I wanted was to be even further behind the stage or off to the side, even if it meant getting "closer" to the band at that point. And the pit was of course pretty full by this time.

People are going "red zone" cause they sell it as "no hassle, no crowds," and I'd think most people want to keep it that way. Even though I thought the Red Zone view sucked, it certainly was not packed at all - even up by the ramp you had plenty of elbow room.

I'm not sure what you're responding to. Did you read the post I was responding to?

I know what RZ is since I was in the RZ for both Chicago 2 and Boston 2. RZ people can basically stand anywhere they want, it's been like this since Europe.

However, this had nothing to do with what the discussion was about.

 

[mim]

I got to the stadium around 4pm and was still able to get three rows from the rail (between Adam and Bono). The show itself was amazing, but the humidity made for quite an uncomfortable night. I had to deal with a couple of gerks from RZ trying to muscle their way in front of me, but did not let this or the weather stop me from enjoying my favorite band.

 

[joerags]

I just got home from tonight's show (it's 12:45 a.m.)

One word

AMAZING.

From start to finish...

In fact, my voice is gone. No joke. My voice is gone. I couldn't stop cheering, singing and screaming....

At the end of the show, Bono announced that they set a Giants Stadium record for most people ever. Even more people than the Pope had when he was at Giants Stadium. He said, "Sorry Pope." He also said "sorry Boss (Bruce Springsteen), even though it's your birthday." That all was tongue-in-cheek.

But anyway. The biggest highlights for me were City of Blinding Lights, Elevation, Vertigo, Breathe, Unknown Caller. Even Walk On, I was touched...

This was one of the greatest experiences in my life. Seriously. Right up there with my teams winning championships (Yankees, UNC Heels)...

Bono kept on mentioning how he loved New Jersey...

New Jersey, my homestate.. We're more than just the turnpike and the Sopranos.

 

[Sicy]

joerags, you can repost here

http://www.u2interference.com/forum...-giants-stadium-new-york-new-york-201792.html