I'm kind of a fair-weather U2 fan. I was here on Interference a bit when HTDAAB came out, then disappeared and really kind of "moved on" past U2. Discovering bands like Arcade Fire, TV on the Radio, etc. made U2 seem kind of past-their-prime and mediocre. Of course when NLOTH came out, I quickly got back into the band for a bit, but it kind of fell by the wayside as summer rolled around and I didn't make any effort to buy concert tickets.
Then a week ago, I was talking to a friend and we discovered a mutual affection for U2. Started discussing their back catalog, albums, and the sort of things you can only discuss with other hardcore fans. We realized - hey, they're going to be 5 hours south of us in Boston next week. Let's get tickets and go for it!
We got to the stadium around 6pm and managed to find a spot in the pit in front of Adam, one row off the back rail. This ended up being a wise choice - although we could have gone closer in, there was so much less stress staying near the outer rail, not having to worry about people squeezing in front of you. Plus there was more room to hop around and jump without getting smashed.
Anyway, while waiting for U2 to come out, it felt strange. Here I was at a concert I didn't even plan on being at just a week before. My two previous experiences during Vertigo Tour had included months of agonizing waits, lurking during setlist parties, full days spent in GA lines, and extreme anticipation. This time, I didn't really know what they would play, and really didn't feel any sort of overwhelming anticipation. More of a "this should be a fun night" instead of "FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY IT'S HERE!" And I expected to have a good time, then head back north and move on.
I don't know what happened. Sometime between GOYB (which was way better live than I expected), ISHFWILF, and Elevation, I was back in the zone. Instead of just nodding along and clapping, I was jumping, yelling, and singing as loud as I could. It was just perfect. It was better than any concert experience I've ever had. Better than when I got front row on the rail between Bono and Edge during Vertigo. Perfect. Without knowing what the previous setlists were, I wasn't thinking "Oh, next comes Song X, followed by Song Y; oh, Song Z - they've only played that 4 times so far this tour!" I was just in the moment. And couldn't have been more fun.
Now I'm home. Now I'm depressed. I went to one concert, and now it's over. I don't want to work. I just want to see them again.
Now I remember why I love this band so much. And now I realize I need to start saving and planning for more U2. Next spring!