Bono going to the back of the arena & other new effects

[oliveu2cm]

There are some things in here that might be considered spoilers, so beware...

I've noticed that Bono has been going to the crowd behind the stage a lot more lately. Not only that, but he has been heavily interacting with them.

1. Providence #1, Bono spots a little girl in the lower balcony behind the stage. Larry's drumset was in my way so I couldn't see but this is what I was told happened- first Bono marches off stage, and we were wondering what the heck he was doing. The crowd is cheering and apparently Bono climbed up onto the railing and hung there with his arm slung around the rail. He is singing - I believe it was SBS- (my memory is a bit foggy) and then he says "what's your name?" and asked it again. Then you hear the little girl scream "I love you!" and the crowd erupted. it was great!

2. Providence show #2. During SBS Bono is again facing the crowd behind the stage, making them go wild and the heart also go wild. I saw Bono pointing and counting something on his fingers- apparently this is when he spotted these three woman who were dressed alike in blue jeans and flag shirts. During Pride the girls suddenly appear behind Adam and Bono walks them out to the tip of the heart, singing away. The girls were great, dancing and clapping their hands and just followed Bono to the tip, where he arranged them on the platforms and said "these girls were in the back row and now they are in the front row" or something to that effect, and then Bono left them as he went back to the main stage, although he sung the rest of the song directly to them. They were great, all grooving and smiling- I got some good pics of that.

3. I'm sure something happened from Philly but I'm getting everythign confused all of a sudden.... oh yeah I remember now- again during SBS Bono headed back there, did his usual thing of raising his arms and getting the people going, and marched around again, it looked like he was going to go off the stage and under the balconey, but for some reason he changed his mind and headed up on Edge's side of the heart.

The lights have also been different so far. For instance, during Bad the house lights come up! And the way the spotlights are on Adam and Larry, notably, they shine on the rows behind the stage, creating a wonderful effect of being able to see the fans. I for one enjoy having the lights come up frequently when it's appropriate.

Also, in Montreal Bono pulled up the pregnant woman who had GC seats; not the back of the arena but still outside the heart.

Just goes to show you the best seats are everywhere in the arena! Anyone else notice this, too?

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She's gonna make you cry
She's gonna make you whisper and moan

* U2TakeMeHigher *

[NicaMom]

I've noticed that too!
I have seats for the last show, they're almost rear view, I must come up with a good sign.

Eliv8, I wish I had those behind the stage tickets!

[SicilianGoddess]

W wzer!!

Godddddddd I cant waittttt!

That is so awesome. I love to see things getting changed up and Bono interacting with the crowd. God U2 is like no other band on this planet.

Cant wait to see the pics!



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Zooming In
Zooming Out
Nothing I Can't Do Without

[U2Byrd]

Yes I noticed it in Philly. I liked it I was in the heart and Bono for sure paid attention to those behind the stage. I also think Bono is going to the tip of the heart more for the people the farthest away from the stage. Baltimore there weren't any people behind the stage so that show doesn't count. Bono is the man.

[U2Kitten]

I was behind the stage in Philly, front row and I appreciate all the attention he gave us. Edge and Larry smiled and waved a couple of times too. Bono splashed water into our section. UNFORTUNATELTY---- there was about a 15-20 foot gap with a drop just as deep between the stage and our seats, so he was unable to climb over. Oh, if only there had been a bride or something!

[oliveu2cm]

U2Kitten- thats right, i had forgotten about the water! During OOC, when he kicks water into the heart, he did in Philly and Prov1 also- he kicked it behind the stage at the people there. In Philly when he kicked the cup it went so far that it reached the tip!

I've also noticed he hasn't spent as much time right up front w/ the people- like grabbing their hands like he used to during Bad. Not sure if this is b/c there's a lot of the same faces in those spots or what. I definitely love the interaction & mixing it up. And this new lighting guy, whoever it is, is doing a great job.

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She's gonna make you cry
She's gonna make you whisper and moan

* U2TakeMeHigher *

[Bonoforever]

Originally posted by oliveu2cm:
Also, in Montreal Bono pulled up the pregnant woman who had GC seats; not the back of the arena but still outside the heart.

That story was one of the cutest things I read - when he kissed her stomach!

When I first went to see U2 I was so surprised at how much Bono interacted with his audience - I mean most bands that big think it's a security risk if the lead singer wanders off into the crowd. I think Bono knows how happy he can make people by noticing them in the crowd - I don't know about the rest of you who he picked on but 2 months on and I'm still smiling!

Just as long as he doesn't start totally ignoring the people at the front of the heart - after all the hours in the cold they go through to get there.

[This message has been edited by Bonoforever (edited 11-05-2001).]

[Fritzy]

i noticed this as well, i was at MSG 1 with seats kind of behind the stage and he spent very little time 'with us' lol...then at providence 1, that story with the little girl, and he was back there other times as well (i noticed because i thought to myself 'shame he didn't do that the other night'!) and also i was at philly and noticed he paid more attn to the ppl behind the stage.
just proves there are no bad seats for these shows!

[U2SJ]

COOL! We have back of the stage seats for 2nd night LA and for last night Oakland, so NicaMom, great idea to make a cool sign! Maybe he'll pluck us out of there and bring us down??? What kind of clever sign can we think up???

[MissZooropa]

I really enjoy reading about all the interaction they (and mostly Bono) do with the audience. As someone said, other artist this big tends to get further away from their audience but U2 only gets closer.

I think It would scare the hell out of me walking on the catwalk with so many people on both side of you that can almost reach you. I really admire Bono for doing that. I wish I could tell him how much it means to us that he does that, and stepping out on the platforms and holds on to someones hand and trust that guy/girl to hold him (he grabbed my friends hand ones and he said that Bono put all his weight backwards and if he had let go, Bono would have fallen flat back, talk about trust!), crowedsurfing and stepping out on the reiling, taking people up onstage.

I really enjoy the difference in picking people, it's not any longer something that happens to girls during WOWY, that's rare nowadays, but guys playing instrument or just carrying or singing with Bono.

I think this whole tour has been about us, the fans, the audience to be a part in the show. On Zoo TV and Popmart we were more of spectators. But this also makes the shows more different because it depends so much on the audience whether the shows becomes good or less good.

I love this tour, so it is...

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"U2 on it´s own is a very interesting group and all. But U2 with it´s audience is a culture" - Bono

"Hur er leget? Was it right? Hur är läget?" ~ Bono tries to speak swedish in Stockholm. Hur är läget? means How are you doing? by the way.