I submit this excerpt from Carter Allen's Outside is America (page 20) for us to ponder during our free time:
(regarding U2's first show at the Paradise Theatre in Boston, opening for the band Barooga, December 13, 1980)
U2's eager attack fueled an emotional reaction from the crowd that amazed the group. After the Edge took charge for "Things to Make and Do," Bono emerged from the shadows and stared onto the dance floor with eyes wide. Grabbing the mike, he admitted, "There's a lot of people here tonight who weren't supposed to be here." Then the band tore into more music from Boy, ending its set with "Twilight" and a sweaty, out-of-breath version of "I Will Follow." Even though the time allowed for the opening slot was short, U2 was permitted to acknowledge the wild applause by jumping back onstage to churn out a second rendition of "11 O'Clock Tick Tock." (The practice of performing a popular single twice in one show was quite unusual in America but common with European groups.) That should have been the end of the warm-up, since U2 had used up more than its allotted amount of stage time, but the audience insisted on more. The tumult prompted the Paradise stage manager to usher the surprised members back into the lights once more, where an amazed Bono reached out for the mike and said,"This is our first ever ... I don't know what!" I believe he meant "second encore in the States." The group complied with a suitably frenzied version of "Out of Control."
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So that point there in bold...
Is it possible that there is a stong correlation between the people who do/don't like Vertigox2 and what continent they're on?
Also, is it just me or does it seem like Carter Allen really romantisized this first show in Boston?
Just something I thought of while doing laundry...