by Nicky Murray

I have waited so long..........I'm not coming down!!!!!!!!!

Just arrived back home to Bunbury elated and exhausted. We arrived at the Superdrome in the afternoon hoping to get a glimpse of the band but just got sunburnt instead. Missed out on getting inside the venue with the Amnesty entourage (not talking to my State Coordinator ever again!!!) but no band at the press conference anyways. Hope people signed the pledge books for the 50th Anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights - all Eastern States fans look out for the Amnesty stand and SIGN, BABY SIGN!!!! Saw Dylan from Recovery (with Hannah I guess???) and also Molly Meldrum doing interviews.

Unfortunately the Lobby Bar was being refurbished so the planned pre-concert party was a bit broken up but managed to meet a few Wirelings including Kylie, James, Tyson and others like the girl in the very cool lemon outfit (sorry cannot remember your name!) Sat through Sidewinder with the excitement getting too much to bear. They made a joke that they were letting U2 borrow their set!!!! Hahahahaha! All I can say is thankfully that arch fitted in just but no cocktail olive so the right side of the screen looked a bit unfinished and also the stage a bit small....Bono having to climb around cameras etc! Someone from the end of b-stage handed him a olive on a cocktail stick!

Unfortunately did not see much of the entrance to Pop Muzik as everyone stood on the chairs in the floor section......and yes I agree with someone else that security was a bit harsh but then can understand that everytime people stood on the seats it blocked others view.....no seats would have been better....I was waiting for our row of seats to either tip over or collapse! In hindsight with that venue being small I wish I was in the first section of the stands. Bono once again put on the theatrics - bullfighting with Edge and his guitar, bellydancing, having horn/halo, swinging his guitar around, beating up things with his flag umbrella and at one point doing a hunchback of notredame impression (correct me if this is really something else!) All I can say is that he knows how to use that stage and has presence! He brought a girl up from the end of b-stage for "Velvet Dress" and some of "With or Without You" and almost curled up in her lap - the camera angle looked great on the screen - cause could not see them sitting on the steps at end of b-stage.

I loved the inclusion of "Bad" and was in tears with "One" and "Wake Up Deadman" dedicated to Michael Hutchence.......at the beginning of "One" Bono said he did not know how he felt about his death....guilty, sad, angry - sounded very emotional - I know I was. What did suprise me was how many people just sat down during "Please". Bono just gives so much to that song and people did not seem stirred, maybe the passion he displays is just too much for some people to get a handle on???? I thought the crowd was a bit subdued but guess that is Perth for you???? What do other people think?

Afterwards we debated whether to head to "The Bog" or wait around near the exit to backstage. Security kept trying to move us on but although the crowd slowly dissipated about a dozen or so fans waited and were rewarded. At one point one of the infamous Tarago vans left with what I would have swore was Bono and was followed by police escort. We kept the faith and waited. The first car out did not stop and was occupied by Adam. About 1.30am the second car came out with Edge who stopped and signed autographs and chatted...thanked him for "Bad" and he commented "Was Adam being unsocialable again?? He seemed such a great guy....very open and friendly.

About 2.30am another car came out with Bono and his security guy who got us organised! Bono said he would have to be quick as was late for getting somewhere (guess The Bog after reading another post???). He signed autographs and said we should go home! Two very cool looking female fans (Blue jackets with lemon motifs) got him on video. Anyway I am thrilled because I had earlier bought a fantastic enlarged photo of Bono from LA during Miami with a spotlight shining out at his feet (see at url below - and thank you ever sooooo much Otto - what a great oppurtunity it provided!!!!).

http://users.aol.com/u2popshots/bigshots/970621-U2-R4-10-BIG.jpg

I asked Bono to sign it for me and he did so and said "that guy thinks the sun shines out of his arse!" (add heavy irish accent here!) All I could manage was to laugh and add thank you in reply. I would have loved a photo with him but he had to go. We took a picture of the very nice white BMW driving off and thats when I felt so happy but at the same time such a heaviness as I wondered would I ever get this oppurtunity again.

Well thats all from me....I am at home with my Mexico video (thanks Matt & Stacey) and a bootleg tape of San Diego (thanks Kylie) staring at my framed photo and trying to fight off the withdrawl symptoms and urge to book a plane flight to Melbourne. I wish the rest of the Aussie Wirelings going to a concert the best time ever and keep those reviews coming!!!

Finally I want to thank my wonderful husband Darryl (who is not a U2 fan) for being there for me, wearing one of my U2 t-shirts and waiting to take pictures and keep me warm till 2.30am in the morning!!!!!

Still not coming down!!!!


PS - Was a bit sad that I did not get to sign the Wire banner so any chance of someone signing it as a proxy for me???? ;-) Thanks to Otto, Christine and Karen for transporting it around Australia and hope that the other venues let you hang it up!

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