bratty_cat
War Child
SAN JOSE 4/10 - Front row and center!
Want to begin by saying that my expectations for a great spot at the Sunday show were not that high because I was on the front rail of the ellipse on Saturday night and had an amazing time. Getting in to the arena was a breeze and Bono even took my friend Suzanne's camera, took a picture of us and then one of himself before tossing it back (bummer, but neither came out). Didn't think I could get luckier.
Sunday, I brought my friend Tri to the show. I've been a U2 fan since '85 and Tri has come with me to at least one show of every tour since Joshua Tree, including the free SF show in '87. I was excited to have her experience the band up close and intimate via GA so we got to the arena early in the morning to get our wrist bands. We then drove back to the city, each did our own thing and then drove back down in the afternoon. Unfortunately the admission process did not run as smoothly on Sunday and it was a bit of a scene to get in (I was about 30 back in the fan club line but doors opened late and by that time fan and non-fan lines had merged into one big mob trying to squeeze through three doors).
I finally got my ticket scanned and saw the "proceed to floor" message so was anxious for Tri to hurry up and get hers scanned so we could find a decent spot one or two back from the outside of the ellipse. She handed over her ticket and there was a split second when the screen displayed no message but then the U2 Vertigo message popped up! We started jumping up and down and ran over to get our new wrist bands. Then we walked out to the line to enter the ellipse where we were only the 2nd group of two waiting to get in! When they let us in, we ran in and stood at the front rail, right in front of where Bono would be! I think we were both in shock cause all we could do was look at each other and just laugh. Then we called my friend who had been at the show with me the night before to tell her. My hands were shaking and I could barely dial the number!
KOL were great, they are so cute, young and super-skinny that they look like little kids but they really rock! After they played, my cousin, who was up in the top tier, called to tell me he could see us on the screen. He couldn't believe where we were (neither could we).
U2 came on with L&POE and I was freaking out (was really hoping to see this as an opener), Adam, Edge and Larry were so close! When Bono came over I just lost it, again not believing our good fortune!
In the middle of Electric Co, Bono looks at me and touches his lips. I looked at him with a "huh, me, what?" expression on my face. He then ran his finger around his lips and I thought, 'is he telling me that my lipstick is smeared or that it's on my teeth' (my friends all tease me cause I wear lipstick all the time and am anal about it being perfect but even thinking that Bono would take time out of a live show to point out a problem out shows you how insane this whole front-row situation had made me)? Then he mouths the word "lipstick" so I frantically reach into my pocket for my lipstick, pull the cap off and roll it up so it's ready for application (Tri tells me I did this lightening fast but I was on auto-pilot at this point, only focused on B's eyes). I hand it to him and he begins putting my Clinique Berry Fusion ON HIS LIPS!!! When we see this, Tri and I are in total shock. He makes some kind of comment like, "well, this is the place for it" and then tosses the lipstick back to me and goes into the "Bring in the Clowns" segment during Electric Co. Crazy!
That just brought the whole show to another level for me and we were both in a super-happy, frantic U2 daze for the rest of it (even despite the drunk, irritating girls right behind us). Such a great concert, so much energy (crowd and band) and the first time we hear OOTS live! I'm still high from the experience...UNBELIEVABLE!
Hoping at least some of the pictures came out cause I brought in the crappiest disposable camera, never thinking I'd get anywhere close enough to take decent pictures.
Other high points from my vantage point:
1. Seeing Larry smile throughout the show, especially at B's comments cause he always looks so serious when he plays
2. Edge coming to the edge of the stage to jam looking perfect
3. Adam Clayton not even breaking a sweat (always the cool one)
4. The, very unbuttoned, hot chest-exposing red shirt that Bono put on at the end (which, unlike Adam's was drenched in sweat in about 2 minutes)
What a night!
Want to begin by saying that my expectations for a great spot at the Sunday show were not that high because I was on the front rail of the ellipse on Saturday night and had an amazing time. Getting in to the arena was a breeze and Bono even took my friend Suzanne's camera, took a picture of us and then one of himself before tossing it back (bummer, but neither came out). Didn't think I could get luckier.
Sunday, I brought my friend Tri to the show. I've been a U2 fan since '85 and Tri has come with me to at least one show of every tour since Joshua Tree, including the free SF show in '87. I was excited to have her experience the band up close and intimate via GA so we got to the arena early in the morning to get our wrist bands. We then drove back to the city, each did our own thing and then drove back down in the afternoon. Unfortunately the admission process did not run as smoothly on Sunday and it was a bit of a scene to get in (I was about 30 back in the fan club line but doors opened late and by that time fan and non-fan lines had merged into one big mob trying to squeeze through three doors).
I finally got my ticket scanned and saw the "proceed to floor" message so was anxious for Tri to hurry up and get hers scanned so we could find a decent spot one or two back from the outside of the ellipse. She handed over her ticket and there was a split second when the screen displayed no message but then the U2 Vertigo message popped up! We started jumping up and down and ran over to get our new wrist bands. Then we walked out to the line to enter the ellipse where we were only the 2nd group of two waiting to get in! When they let us in, we ran in and stood at the front rail, right in front of where Bono would be! I think we were both in shock cause all we could do was look at each other and just laugh. Then we called my friend who had been at the show with me the night before to tell her. My hands were shaking and I could barely dial the number!
KOL were great, they are so cute, young and super-skinny that they look like little kids but they really rock! After they played, my cousin, who was up in the top tier, called to tell me he could see us on the screen. He couldn't believe where we were (neither could we).
U2 came on with L&POE and I was freaking out (was really hoping to see this as an opener), Adam, Edge and Larry were so close! When Bono came over I just lost it, again not believing our good fortune!
In the middle of Electric Co, Bono looks at me and touches his lips. I looked at him with a "huh, me, what?" expression on my face. He then ran his finger around his lips and I thought, 'is he telling me that my lipstick is smeared or that it's on my teeth' (my friends all tease me cause I wear lipstick all the time and am anal about it being perfect but even thinking that Bono would take time out of a live show to point out a problem out shows you how insane this whole front-row situation had made me)? Then he mouths the word "lipstick" so I frantically reach into my pocket for my lipstick, pull the cap off and roll it up so it's ready for application (Tri tells me I did this lightening fast but I was on auto-pilot at this point, only focused on B's eyes). I hand it to him and he begins putting my Clinique Berry Fusion ON HIS LIPS!!! When we see this, Tri and I are in total shock. He makes some kind of comment like, "well, this is the place for it" and then tosses the lipstick back to me and goes into the "Bring in the Clowns" segment during Electric Co. Crazy!
That just brought the whole show to another level for me and we were both in a super-happy, frantic U2 daze for the rest of it (even despite the drunk, irritating girls right behind us). Such a great concert, so much energy (crowd and band) and the first time we hear OOTS live! I'm still high from the experience...UNBELIEVABLE!
Hoping at least some of the pictures came out cause I brought in the crappiest disposable camera, never thinking I'd get anywhere close enough to take decent pictures.
Other high points from my vantage point:
1. Seeing Larry smile throughout the show, especially at B's comments cause he always looks so serious when he plays
2. Edge coming to the edge of the stage to jam looking perfect
3. Adam Clayton not even breaking a sweat (always the cool one)
4. The, very unbuttoned, hot chest-exposing red shirt that Bono put on at the end (which, unlike Adam's was drenched in sweat in about 2 minutes)
What a night!
That is so cool!
and congrats on getting into the ellipse- that is my dream for this tour! 
I think I was standing right next to you guys. My photos are almost identical
