Discoteque
Rock n' Roll Doggie
I'm starting with the Dallas show, because it's the most recent and the one I wrote everything down about first. I'll link it over to the main forum as well. So here goes--it's long!
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I flew back to Dallas on Saturday after spending a week in Long Beach with Dana (Moonie), sleeping on her sofa! No offense, Moonie, but my back is killing me!
My friend Karen (a quasi-U2 fan - I'm trying desperately to convert her to the faithful) and her husband picked me up at the airport and dropped me off, exhausted, at home. I then had to run to another friend's house to pick up my one GA ticket that I got through TicketsPlus (thanks for the tip, Lylas!), unfort., I was later to find out that when the ticket booth opened at Reunion, they couldn't even give away all the GA tickets that were available at face value, ARGH!!! Ran to the store for snacks, and was in bed by about 8:00 pm.
I didn't get to Reunion arena till 6:30 AM?parking was a bit of a problem, because even the lots were not open?we all had to sneak under the gate arm to get to the lot. I have a bit of a scrape mark on the top of my car from it now, ouch. I could not see anyone lined up, however, I called Lylas, who came around the building and took me over to the GA line. I got the first double-digit GA number--100! I hoped that was a good omen. Found a space next to the building, and set up camp, hoping for some blessed heat from the sun, and SOON.
I'd heard that much colder and even sleeting weather was on its way to Dallas, but Sunday dawned as another absolutely BEAUTIFUL day (the weather this entire trip could not have been any better!), albeit very chilly before the sun came up. The sun peeking up over the bridge illuminated the downtown skyline of Dallas and made it glow, it was quite lovely. We were very close to some train tracks, so unfortunately we were burdened with hearing the bang and the clatter and honking of assorted trains throughout the day. Not good for those desperate for some well-needed sleep!
I met or saw a bunch of nice folks in the GA line: Inca (who I got intimately aquainted with at the Vegas show, as I was literally pressed up against his backside the entire show), Julie (Lylas), Carmella (EPinAmerica), Eileen (LikeO2), Abel, Cami and her Bonomole, and Tim and Doug, the two adorable guys who kept me company and entertained me for most of the day. There were many people who brought their kids--LITTLE kids, some as young as probably 4 or 5 years old! And one little girl, about 9, whom her parents seemed desperate to get on stage with Bono - she was decked out in a very cute outfit, with U2 stuff all over it, little bows, and a sign that said "Bono, I've loved you since I was a little girl!" I thought for sure she would get pulled up! But little kids at the show bothered me. I'm all for exposing kids to great music, but don't take them to the floor for a U2 show - it's too crazy, and the people are too tall for them to see over, and if you put them on your shoulders to watch, you'll only make the people behind you mad because you'll block their view. Not to mention the kids' poor little eardrums!
Nothing wrong with getting SEATS to see the show with your kids.
The day passed as any other day in the GA line, and all too quickly we were taking our stuff back to our cars, as they herded us into one long line, and handed out entrance wristbands! About 4:30 Eileen/LikeO2 called me to tell me they were awaiting the boys arrival in the back, so I rushed over, where we waited, and waited?and waited, only to have to run back to the line when they opened the doors to the arena. We never did see them come in.
Once inside, and inside the heart, we ran to find a good spot, and promptly sat down for the long wait. I was not as close as I was in LA, I was about 3-4 people back from the front rail, but it wasn't bad. Unfortunately, this particular crowd did not give me the 'warm fuzzies' as the crowds did in Vegas and LA. This crowd was young, aggressive, pushy and LOUD. I had a lot of semi-drunk frat boys behind me bellowing things at whover would listen. I was undoubtedly the oldest person within a 10-foot radius. One young Al Gore lookalike, who was obviously very excited to be there, had brought along his girlfriend who didn't look nearly as ethusiastic, and I think was more worried about keeping her oh-so-perfect makeup and hair in place. Heh. Good luck with that, honey.
Many beers flowed around me, which only added to my worries. No Doubt's rather rotund guitar tech continued to hang out on stage for no good reason, not even tuning anything, but very obviously just trying to kill time for some reason. 7:30 came and went?and then 7:40 as well?where the hell were they???
FINALLY Gwen and the boys came on stage--hooray!--and the crowd went crazy. The drummer, in his little skirt with that thong underneath, gave the crowd a little bump and grind to get them going--YIKES. We could see all the way up that skirt!
Again, No Doubt played another great show, but I think they cut it a bit short by one or two songs?it didn?t feel complete to me. However, it was a very bittersweet gig for No Doubt - Dallas was the last show that they were doing with U2 on this leg of the tour?the rest of the tour to be carried by Garbage. I know they are sad about it, but they have a new album coming out, and so now have to get ready to headline their own tour. After seeing how amazing they are live, I hope that by riding on U2's coattails, that No Doubt has gained even more fans?they really are awesome live!!
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I flew back to Dallas on Saturday after spending a week in Long Beach with Dana (Moonie), sleeping on her sofa! No offense, Moonie, but my back is killing me!
I didn't get to Reunion arena till 6:30 AM?parking was a bit of a problem, because even the lots were not open?we all had to sneak under the gate arm to get to the lot. I have a bit of a scrape mark on the top of my car from it now, ouch. I could not see anyone lined up, however, I called Lylas, who came around the building and took me over to the GA line. I got the first double-digit GA number--100! I hoped that was a good omen. Found a space next to the building, and set up camp, hoping for some blessed heat from the sun, and SOON.
I'd heard that much colder and even sleeting weather was on its way to Dallas, but Sunday dawned as another absolutely BEAUTIFUL day (the weather this entire trip could not have been any better!), albeit very chilly before the sun came up. The sun peeking up over the bridge illuminated the downtown skyline of Dallas and made it glow, it was quite lovely. We were very close to some train tracks, so unfortunately we were burdened with hearing the bang and the clatter and honking of assorted trains throughout the day. Not good for those desperate for some well-needed sleep!
I met or saw a bunch of nice folks in the GA line: Inca (who I got intimately aquainted with at the Vegas show, as I was literally pressed up against his backside the entire show), Julie (Lylas), Carmella (EPinAmerica), Eileen (LikeO2), Abel, Cami and her Bonomole, and Tim and Doug, the two adorable guys who kept me company and entertained me for most of the day. There were many people who brought their kids--LITTLE kids, some as young as probably 4 or 5 years old! And one little girl, about 9, whom her parents seemed desperate to get on stage with Bono - she was decked out in a very cute outfit, with U2 stuff all over it, little bows, and a sign that said "Bono, I've loved you since I was a little girl!" I thought for sure she would get pulled up! But little kids at the show bothered me. I'm all for exposing kids to great music, but don't take them to the floor for a U2 show - it's too crazy, and the people are too tall for them to see over, and if you put them on your shoulders to watch, you'll only make the people behind you mad because you'll block their view. Not to mention the kids' poor little eardrums!
The day passed as any other day in the GA line, and all too quickly we were taking our stuff back to our cars, as they herded us into one long line, and handed out entrance wristbands! About 4:30 Eileen/LikeO2 called me to tell me they were awaiting the boys arrival in the back, so I rushed over, where we waited, and waited?and waited, only to have to run back to the line when they opened the doors to the arena. We never did see them come in.
Once inside, and inside the heart, we ran to find a good spot, and promptly sat down for the long wait. I was not as close as I was in LA, I was about 3-4 people back from the front rail, but it wasn't bad. Unfortunately, this particular crowd did not give me the 'warm fuzzies' as the crowds did in Vegas and LA. This crowd was young, aggressive, pushy and LOUD. I had a lot of semi-drunk frat boys behind me bellowing things at whover would listen. I was undoubtedly the oldest person within a 10-foot radius. One young Al Gore lookalike, who was obviously very excited to be there, had brought along his girlfriend who didn't look nearly as ethusiastic, and I think was more worried about keeping her oh-so-perfect makeup and hair in place. Heh. Good luck with that, honey.
FINALLY Gwen and the boys came on stage--hooray!--and the crowd went crazy. The drummer, in his little skirt with that thong underneath, gave the crowd a little bump and grind to get them going--YIKES. We could see all the way up that skirt!
