by The Chad

A Utah Boy goes to Oahu: It's been a year since I enjoyed U2's Vertigo tour stop in Salt Lake City and the Irish Boys made it worth the wait!! I've experienced the GA style of enjoyment in several different ways over this tour; Camped out/Lucked out for front of the target center stage, Tried front rail from outer ellipse, hung in the back of the small floor in Vegas, even tried the luxory suite box with my whole extended family as well as different assigned seating spots.. I tell you all this to assure you: THIS SHOW WAS DIFFERENT!! The stress of getting the perfect photo or catching Bono's wink and grin were gone. I wasn't up front in the GA area so I can only speak for the rest of the floor when I say, this concert was more like a PARTY than a show. Fans were dancing and celebrating just being there. This was the ultimate finale experience.. the fans showed it and the performers showed it. The feeling in the air was different and it came through in the music.
Seeing the tour roll across the screen as a list of cities and their corresponding number was a great way to remind me of all the great experiences last year as I saw Glendale, Seattle, Las Vegas & Salt Lake roll on by.. and then as 131.Honolulu scrolled across the fans went crazy! Opening with Blinding lights reminded me that this still was the Vertigo tour and this is the way this tour will be finished. Vertigo left me spinning and I loved the screens dizzying affect. Elevation took me higher getting caught up in the dancing crowd more than I ever have before. I Will Follow came next. That song IS U2. nuff said. I Still Haven't Found turned into In A Little While and as always was performed very personal. Beautiful day continued to have it's unique lyrical approach with lines from Sgt. Pepper et al thrown in, Angel of Harlem was powerful, A fan was brought on stage and asked to play with them, as he yelled in Bono's ear Bono said to the Edge, "we have a very specific request.." and then turning to the audience said, "it may be some very specific B***S*** we'll have to see" (paraphrased) Bono asked Edge if he remembered the chords for Wild Horses and away they went with this fan on Keyboards.. it started rough but quickly they came together and nailed the song as if it was always on the set list. At one point in the show Bono thanked The Edge and his family for being strong and brave. I thought it was a nice sentiment without getting specific and leaving his family their privacy. The First Time, Sometimes you Can't Make it, Love and Peace, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Miss Sajevo, Pride, & Streets were all great. It is getting impossible to tell if a song is 20 years old or 2 years old.. These guys are TIMELESS!! That brings us to ONE as Bono addressed the crowd and wanted to thank some special people that were in the audience that had done so much for the ONE campaign. He mentions several people with names like Bill Gates standing out.. as well as Green Day. Then I thought, 'Green Day is here tonight? Interesting! .. please play The Saints are Coming!!' Ya, well, the encore was the best of any show in my life!! Billy Joe Armstrong and Bono went crazy in their performance of Saints, then Pearl Jam comes back out to Rock in the free world. There are few things better in life than seeing Mike McCready dueling The Edge on one giant screen while seeing Bono and Eddie Vedder belting into mics on the other giant screen!! Absolutely Awesome!! For you Lost (Television Show on ABC) fans out there, between me and my friend Cutts, we saw almost the entire cast on the GA floor of the show and we got our picture arm in arm with Naveen Andrews (plays Sayid) during Rockin in the Free World. (not bad enjoying a concert with celebs) All I Want is You wrapped up the show like some sort of spiritual closing prayer leaving Larry tapping on the drums and then stepping up to say thanks to the crew.. and see you soon!
Until next tour, this is The Chad signing off.
Aloha

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