Liesje
Blue Crack Addict
I'm starting to come off my post-concert high and I'm still so excited I decided to post about this past week....
It all started early last week when I got this PM from Kevin/bfloxng asking why I was going to Detroit and Cleveland, but not Pittsburgh. I really had never even thought about it b/c I don't really know where Pittsburgh is. Then I kept reading all these posts by Miroslava and April in the Fan Gatherings and I started to kinda wonder why I wasn't going. To make it worse, Miroslava pretty much told me all I needed to do was get a ticket and get to her house by 6pm on Friday b/c she was already going to drive in and already had hotel arrangements. Well, you all know how hard GAs are to come by....we were begging (yeah, it got a little out of control at some points) and by late Thursday night, ironically we'd rounded up not one but THREE Pittsburgh GAs at face value! It all worked out though b/c Laura and Erin wanted GA instead of seats so I was able to hook them up.
So I get a call from Kevin around midnight on Thursday promising I'm all set. Friday I get up, run errands, pack, and leave for Miroslava's house at 3:30. It should've been a 2 hr drive, max, but less than 10 miles from her house, two semitrucks crashed and I moved FOUR MILES in 1.5 hrs! Then I got lost finding Miroslava's house b/c by that time it was getting dark and my eyes are worthless at dusk unless I know exactly where I'm going. So, I wanted to cry, I was late, but Miroslava and April were ready to go and off we went. We got to Pittsburgh and found not a single person in line. Miroslava talked Jim, the security man on duty, into letting us camp out, letting use his bathroom, letting us use his outlet, and giving us a tip on where to order a pizza. Brad/Super_Fan was there too and other Interferencers showed up during the night as well.
You can read how the line went in the Tour Dates thread, but by the time we got in (VERY late, after 6:30), it was getting dark, freezing, and wet. Brad was # 1 so Miro, April, and I were 2, 3, and 4. Miroslava called us the Gloria Girls (you know, when Bono goes "TWO THREE FOUR"). So finally Allison comes out and lets us in. As we start going through the security check, we get to those gates where there's like a metal rod and you just walk into it and it turns down and lets you in, except the one in my line (there were three) was stuck. My heart dropped and I wanted to panic, but it turned out to be really funny b/c the guy checking us through saw Brad walk into it and started going off, "oh motherfucker!!!" Thankfully, Allison stopped the other lines until he found the key to unlock it and we got through. Then I could hear Miro shrieking and I knew we were golden. I turned back to see where April was and she just looks at me and goes, "I scanned in!" We were too excited to even think of bringing more people in since two of us three scanned in. So for a concert I never planned on going to, I ended up front row, right in front of Bono in the ellipse!!! The show rocked and Bono did say "TWO THREE FOUR!" during Electric Co. He also was teasing Miroslava during beautiful day and said "teach me teach me teach me" to her. Adam read her Silver Fox sign and had the hugest grin. Bono also read Miro's other signs and said "This one's for Miroslava." At one point during the show he was talking abot how Paul O'Neill was there and the only thing they had in common besides Africa was the name Paul, to which I shrieked and giggled like the hopeless Bono girl I am and Bono turns, looks right at me and says, "what you didn't know that?" and smiles
No WOWY dance, but hey, he acknowledged my presence!! I was definitely more emotional during that show than others, especially during Miracle Drug b/c one of my best friends died of cancer a few years ago and she was only 20 so that was kind of a bittersweet moment. The whole show was such an experience b/c I'd never been in the front for a U2 show before. Afterwards, we wandered around looking for food, but didn't find anything so went back to the room and shared pics and giggled for a while.
Pittsburgh pics: http://www.dutchbingo.net/U2/albums/U2October22/index.html
Sunday we came back to Michigan, I drove home to Grand Rapids and went straight to my parents house to do laundry and air out the camping equipment for Detroit. My throat was so sore and my head hurt so much, for a while I didn't even want to go to Detroit.
Monday I left for Detroit with Laura and Erin. We got there around 5:30 and wandered for a bit, basically learning how much the Palace sucks and bitching about the weather. Before we even joined the end of the GA line, three seperate security guards came up to me and harassed me b/c I was wearing a camera bag, so I freaked and ditched the camera (BIG mistake). Erin and I took our time getting in. We had GAs but couldn't be there until that time anyway. We got a place against the railing at the back of the floor and stayed there during Institute. Erin was saying that sometimes you can find people with wristbands. We saw one guy looking around for kids and I wanted to ask, but some other guy beat me to it and was denied. Erin has the knack for spotting who has the wristbands and at when it comes to U2 I'm shameless, so I promised I'd ask if she pointed them out. Just a few minutes later, a girl walks by and Erin's like "go!" so without hesitation I walked over and said "excuse me, do you have ellipse wristbands?" She paused and said "yeah, but not many. How many do you need?" I said, "oh, just two" and pointed out Erin. So we got wristbands and made our way to the ellipse. We kinda drifted around the back and ended up on the back rail, Edge's side. There was plenty of room to move around, but the people on either side of us were total duds. They just kinda stood there and watched or cuddled each other. Meanwhile, Erin and I are singing along, bopping heads and jumping around. It's a rock show, not a fireworks display! The ladies in front of us spent the entirety of Miss Sarajevo with their backs to the stage, taking group photos. Oh well, the show rocked and we were sooooo excite to hear Walk On b/c Laura really wanted that since she was with her family and they all love that song.
After the show, we all found each other and since it was raining again and the news about the GA policy was grim, we decided to get a room and sleep in actual beds and worry about Tuesday's line in the morning.
Tuesday we got up early, showered, and headed over to The Post Bar for numbers and instructions. We ended up sitting in cars in their parking lot until they opened at 11. We all went in for lunch and gave them some business since they were so accomodating with letting us use the parking lot and bathrooms. During lunch, we planned a series of stealth attacks on the Palace property to try to get some of our people in line before people could cut. My group, team The Edge went first and opted to cross onto the property through a line of trees. It ended up not going well at all. We gave up on the sneak attack since there were so many security people on duty and tried to see how far we could walk in plain view before being turned around. We didn't even get halfway across the parking lot. Laura was next to try and she decided to reason with the security man at the main entrance. He insisted on no line until 2pm and we made him promise to turn cars around b/c on Monday, they said 2pm but people were getting in line at 1:45. By 1:45 we had a group of about 50 people loitering at the main entrance. A few others went around the back way and even others decided to come in cars and stall the rest of the cars from getting in. At 2pm they still were turning people around saying they didn't have the official go ahead, but Romi got a call from the girls who went around back and they said they were already in line. Security let us go at that point and the designated sprinters took off. By the time we all got to the line, only two people had cut and the rest of us honored the numbers so it wasn't that bad. The one good thing about that line was one they let us on, they had two security people at the front all day, so us fans didn't have to keep telling people the procedures and where to go, etc. They also split the fan line off right away. Unfortunately for Renee, who really wanted to meet the band and thank them, Bono showed up while we were darting like deer across a six lane highway to use the bathroom. I heard he didn't stay long and just said hi and shook hands, but still kinda a bummer.
At 6pm, we started going in. I was about the 15th person in my line. Renee was with me and Laura and Erin decided to try the fan line. My ticket scanned and I noticed the computer looked different, but honest to God I've never scanned in or seen anyone else scan in before, so I didn't think I got it. But then the computer guy says calmly, "ok, who do you want with you?" and Renee looks at me like "you got in!" We yell to Laura and Erin to come back and we all give the ticket guy sad "please" eyes until he agrees to let the four of us in on one Vertigo scan. We got our wristbands and began the obstical course. The GA line at the Palace goes something like this: in the door, past the table, around the corner, along the hall, up a huge flight of steep stairs, to the right, through the door, down a flight of stairs that alternate in size, down a flight of stairs even in size, down another flight of stairs that alter in size, and down the final flight of even stairs to the floor, and along the rail into the Adam side of the ellipse. I can't believe no one seriously fell trying to get in! We ended up on the front rail, right between Bono and Edge. Erin and Laura hung their "Thank YOU for a great life" sign and Renee hung our matching signs, hers says "Fan Since 1984" and mine says "Born in 1984...Still A SUPERFAN!" Larry's tech read our signs and gave us some smiles.
The show itself was amazing. We got some rarities like Gloria (during which Miroslava, April, and I all looked at each other and shrieked), Wild Horses, MLK, Crumbs, and Bad as the closer. I was glad Bono didn't do anything stupid like cover Eminem or dedicate Fast Cars to the Motor City. I got my camera in this time and filmed Miss Sarajevo. I was filming Crumbs until the Palace crowd control guy in front of me realized what I was doing and made me stop. The video is hilarious b/c you can see him wagging his finger at my lens. Oh well, I tried! Anyway, there's not much to say about that show except....wow. It was so much fun to be there, especially with Laura and Erin, who between like 25 GA tickets had never got to be in the front, and Renee, who's been a fan since 1984 and this was her first GA experience.
Detroit II pictures:
http://www.dutchbingo.net/U2/albums/U2October25/index.html
Well now....it's starting to sink in. I still have a terribly sore throat, my fever is worse, and now I have a head cold. Plus, I'm so sore and exhausted from screaming, singing, bouncing, and going nuts in general. I seriously appreciate the "rockstar" aspect of Bono. I can't imagine going nuts like that almost every night for months and months! In my years of training and competing in gymnastics, I've never felt as nervous, anxious, stressed, excited, or exhausted and I have in the past week!
In closing I want to thank Miroslava and April for befriending me on a day's notice and helping me out with the Pittsburgh experience, and Kevin/bfloxng, Patrick/bigg2, and Julie/Scarletwine for hooking us up with tickets, and Laura, Renee, and Erin for being such great friends to share the experience with!
all
It all started early last week when I got this PM from Kevin/bfloxng asking why I was going to Detroit and Cleveland, but not Pittsburgh. I really had never even thought about it b/c I don't really know where Pittsburgh is. Then I kept reading all these posts by Miroslava and April in the Fan Gatherings and I started to kinda wonder why I wasn't going. To make it worse, Miroslava pretty much told me all I needed to do was get a ticket and get to her house by 6pm on Friday b/c she was already going to drive in and already had hotel arrangements. Well, you all know how hard GAs are to come by....we were begging (yeah, it got a little out of control at some points) and by late Thursday night, ironically we'd rounded up not one but THREE Pittsburgh GAs at face value! It all worked out though b/c Laura and Erin wanted GA instead of seats so I was able to hook them up.
So I get a call from Kevin around midnight on Thursday promising I'm all set. Friday I get up, run errands, pack, and leave for Miroslava's house at 3:30. It should've been a 2 hr drive, max, but less than 10 miles from her house, two semitrucks crashed and I moved FOUR MILES in 1.5 hrs! Then I got lost finding Miroslava's house b/c by that time it was getting dark and my eyes are worthless at dusk unless I know exactly where I'm going. So, I wanted to cry, I was late, but Miroslava and April were ready to go and off we went. We got to Pittsburgh and found not a single person in line. Miroslava talked Jim, the security man on duty, into letting us camp out, letting use his bathroom, letting us use his outlet, and giving us a tip on where to order a pizza. Brad/Super_Fan was there too and other Interferencers showed up during the night as well.
You can read how the line went in the Tour Dates thread, but by the time we got in (VERY late, after 6:30), it was getting dark, freezing, and wet. Brad was # 1 so Miro, April, and I were 2, 3, and 4. Miroslava called us the Gloria Girls (you know, when Bono goes "TWO THREE FOUR"). So finally Allison comes out and lets us in. As we start going through the security check, we get to those gates where there's like a metal rod and you just walk into it and it turns down and lets you in, except the one in my line (there were three) was stuck. My heart dropped and I wanted to panic, but it turned out to be really funny b/c the guy checking us through saw Brad walk into it and started going off, "oh motherfucker!!!" Thankfully, Allison stopped the other lines until he found the key to unlock it and we got through. Then I could hear Miro shrieking and I knew we were golden. I turned back to see where April was and she just looks at me and goes, "I scanned in!" We were too excited to even think of bringing more people in since two of us three scanned in. So for a concert I never planned on going to, I ended up front row, right in front of Bono in the ellipse!!! The show rocked and Bono did say "TWO THREE FOUR!" during Electric Co. He also was teasing Miroslava during beautiful day and said "teach me teach me teach me" to her. Adam read her Silver Fox sign and had the hugest grin. Bono also read Miro's other signs and said "This one's for Miroslava." At one point during the show he was talking abot how Paul O'Neill was there and the only thing they had in common besides Africa was the name Paul, to which I shrieked and giggled like the hopeless Bono girl I am and Bono turns, looks right at me and says, "what you didn't know that?" and smiles
No WOWY dance, but hey, he acknowledged my presence!! I was definitely more emotional during that show than others, especially during Miracle Drug b/c one of my best friends died of cancer a few years ago and she was only 20 so that was kind of a bittersweet moment. The whole show was such an experience b/c I'd never been in the front for a U2 show before. Afterwards, we wandered around looking for food, but didn't find anything so went back to the room and shared pics and giggled for a while.Pittsburgh pics: http://www.dutchbingo.net/U2/albums/U2October22/index.html
Sunday we came back to Michigan, I drove home to Grand Rapids and went straight to my parents house to do laundry and air out the camping equipment for Detroit. My throat was so sore and my head hurt so much, for a while I didn't even want to go to Detroit.
Monday I left for Detroit with Laura and Erin. We got there around 5:30 and wandered for a bit, basically learning how much the Palace sucks and bitching about the weather. Before we even joined the end of the GA line, three seperate security guards came up to me and harassed me b/c I was wearing a camera bag, so I freaked and ditched the camera (BIG mistake). Erin and I took our time getting in. We had GAs but couldn't be there until that time anyway. We got a place against the railing at the back of the floor and stayed there during Institute. Erin was saying that sometimes you can find people with wristbands. We saw one guy looking around for kids and I wanted to ask, but some other guy beat me to it and was denied. Erin has the knack for spotting who has the wristbands and at when it comes to U2 I'm shameless, so I promised I'd ask if she pointed them out. Just a few minutes later, a girl walks by and Erin's like "go!" so without hesitation I walked over and said "excuse me, do you have ellipse wristbands?" She paused and said "yeah, but not many. How many do you need?" I said, "oh, just two" and pointed out Erin. So we got wristbands and made our way to the ellipse. We kinda drifted around the back and ended up on the back rail, Edge's side. There was plenty of room to move around, but the people on either side of us were total duds. They just kinda stood there and watched or cuddled each other. Meanwhile, Erin and I are singing along, bopping heads and jumping around. It's a rock show, not a fireworks display! The ladies in front of us spent the entirety of Miss Sarajevo with their backs to the stage, taking group photos.
Oh well, the show rocked and we were sooooo excite to hear Walk On b/c Laura really wanted that since she was with her family and they all love that song.After the show, we all found each other and since it was raining again and the news about the GA policy was grim, we decided to get a room and sleep in actual beds and worry about Tuesday's line in the morning.
Tuesday we got up early, showered, and headed over to The Post Bar for numbers and instructions. We ended up sitting in cars in their parking lot until they opened at 11. We all went in for lunch and gave them some business since they were so accomodating with letting us use the parking lot and bathrooms. During lunch, we planned a series of stealth attacks on the Palace property to try to get some of our people in line before people could cut. My group, team The Edge went first and opted to cross onto the property through a line of trees. It ended up not going well at all. We gave up on the sneak attack since there were so many security people on duty and tried to see how far we could walk in plain view before being turned around. We didn't even get halfway across the parking lot. Laura was next to try and she decided to reason with the security man at the main entrance. He insisted on no line until 2pm and we made him promise to turn cars around b/c on Monday, they said 2pm but people were getting in line at 1:45. By 1:45 we had a group of about 50 people loitering at the main entrance. A few others went around the back way and even others decided to come in cars and stall the rest of the cars from getting in. At 2pm they still were turning people around saying they didn't have the official go ahead, but Romi got a call from the girls who went around back and they said they were already in line. Security let us go at that point and the designated sprinters took off. By the time we all got to the line, only two people had cut and the rest of us honored the numbers so it wasn't that bad. The one good thing about that line was one they let us on, they had two security people at the front all day, so us fans didn't have to keep telling people the procedures and where to go, etc. They also split the fan line off right away. Unfortunately for Renee, who really wanted to meet the band and thank them, Bono showed up while we were darting like deer across a six lane highway to use the bathroom. I heard he didn't stay long and just said hi and shook hands, but still kinda a bummer.
At 6pm, we started going in. I was about the 15th person in my line. Renee was with me and Laura and Erin decided to try the fan line. My ticket scanned and I noticed the computer looked different, but honest to God I've never scanned in or seen anyone else scan in before, so I didn't think I got it. But then the computer guy says calmly, "ok, who do you want with you?" and Renee looks at me like "you got in!" We yell to Laura and Erin to come back and we all give the ticket guy sad "please" eyes until he agrees to let the four of us in on one Vertigo scan. We got our wristbands and began the obstical course. The GA line at the Palace goes something like this: in the door, past the table, around the corner, along the hall, up a huge flight of steep stairs, to the right, through the door, down a flight of stairs that alternate in size, down a flight of stairs even in size, down another flight of stairs that alter in size, and down the final flight of even stairs to the floor, and along the rail into the Adam side of the ellipse. I can't believe no one seriously fell trying to get in! We ended up on the front rail, right between Bono and Edge. Erin and Laura hung their "Thank YOU for a great life" sign and Renee hung our matching signs, hers says "Fan Since 1984" and mine says "Born in 1984...Still A SUPERFAN!" Larry's tech read our signs and gave us some smiles.
The show itself was amazing. We got some rarities like Gloria (during which Miroslava, April, and I all looked at each other and shrieked), Wild Horses, MLK, Crumbs, and Bad as the closer. I was glad Bono didn't do anything stupid like cover Eminem or dedicate Fast Cars to the Motor City. I got my camera in this time and filmed Miss Sarajevo. I was filming Crumbs until the Palace crowd control guy in front of me realized what I was doing and made me stop. The video is hilarious b/c you can see him wagging his finger at my lens. Oh well, I tried! Anyway, there's not much to say about that show except....wow. It was so much fun to be there, especially with Laura and Erin, who between like 25 GA tickets had never got to be in the front, and Renee, who's been a fan since 1984 and this was her first GA experience.
Detroit II pictures:
http://www.dutchbingo.net/U2/albums/U2October25/index.html
Well now....it's starting to sink in. I still have a terribly sore throat, my fever is worse, and now I have a head cold. Plus, I'm so sore and exhausted from screaming, singing, bouncing, and going nuts in general. I seriously appreciate the "rockstar" aspect of Bono. I can't imagine going nuts like that almost every night for months and months! In my years of training and competing in gymnastics, I've never felt as nervous, anxious, stressed, excited, or exhausted and I have in the past week!
In closing I want to thank Miroslava and April for befriending me on a day's notice and helping me out with the Pittsburgh experience, and Kevin/bfloxng, Patrick/bigg2, and Julie/Scarletwine for hooking us up with tickets, and Laura, Renee, and Erin for being such great friends to share the experience with!
all
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and congrats on scanning in to the ellipse TWICE!!! you're very lucky!!
). Great story, Lies! 
I don't know how I'll make it for another 4 years after this ride! Congrats!!!! 
Hope you're feeling better!
