by Shawn McNamara

October 3, 1987 is a day I will never forget. I remember that the weather forcast called for snow, and the temperature was close to the freezing point. I remember thinking that my first major concert experience might be ruined by hypothermia. Would it be worth freezing to death for a band who's new album (The Joshua Tree) I had only purchased a few weeks before? I knew nothing about U2 other than the fact that I liked every song on their album, and Los Lobos & Little Steven (pre-Sopranos) were the opening acts. Me and my other 15 year old friends boarded the bus to Toronto prepared to face the elements that were sure to blow into Exhibition Stadium off of Lake Ontario freezing us all to death.

I don't remember Los Lobos or Little Steven,
I don't remember the cold or the weather. I remember that shortly after 9:00 p.m. on October 3, 1987 U2 changed my life forever. As a full moon hung over Lake Ontario, U2 sang about Running to Stand Still, Pride (In the Name of Love), and Sunday Bloody Sunday. With every musical note U2 converted me from a virgin concert-goer, to a dedicated, die-hard, border-line obsessive, fanatical fan.

Since October 3, 1987 I have seen U2 many, many more times. I have freely spent thousands of dollars on anything and everything U2. I have defended and promoted every cause or creation bearing the U2 name and I will continue to do so until the day I die. It was on October 3, 1987 that my life came to include U2. It might be hard to belive that one concert by four people could change one person so deeply - but it did. This show in Toronto saved my life.

I will never forget that U2 closed the show with "40". 10 minutes later, 20 minutes later, even 30 minutes later the crowd were still singing "How long, to sing this song?...". As we were walking to our bus, a limo trying to get onto Lakeshoe Blvd. slowly cut through the crowd. As the car passed us by, Edge stuck his head out the back window and wavied to everyone outside. What a night. What a show. How long to sing this song? Forever.

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