by Carrie

Wednesday, June 6th I was elevated beyond my wildest imaginations! My friend Michelle and I got up at 6 to go wait in line at 8:30am at the FleetCenter. We were numbers 70 & 71 in
line. During one of our walks around the Fleetcenter to pass the time, we happened to see Edge drive by. The driver slowed down and Edge, in his distinctive hat, smiled and waved. It was brilliant to see. Gavin Friday was in the backseat with him. We left, but my friend stayed and it turned out Larry and Adam followed shortly after, then Bono came in another car after that, running a little late from his Harvard speech. Ali was in another car behind Bono.

By the time we were let into the Fleetcenter, it was 6pm. We decided to go along the inside edge of the heart, almost near the tip. That's what changed the entire night for us.

Fast forward: U2 walks on stage. We know they're coming. Alan Carter gave a great introduction. The temperature in the arena has risen. Adam's the first one on, smiling his unique smile. By the time the rest of the band were on stage, I had freaked out. I was screaming - completely shell shocked that I was *actually* 20 feet away from U2!! It was a dream!!

I had read about this concert, I have seen clips, listen to songs, seen pictures of every possible angle. Yet NOTHING prepared me for what I was about to experience. They completely blew my mind. I was gone. I don't remember the first four songs.... it still hadn't sunk in.

I became aware of everything as soon as "Until the End of the World" came on. I shouted out the title to my friend Michelle. Bono was coming towards us on the catwalk!! We started yelling to him. I was blowing kissing like crazy, he looked at me and looked away for a millisec before looking back, sorta smiling, singing. I started yelling, "I love you! I love you!" even though in my head I was telling myself to stop yelling that! I was throwing my hands to him, kisses flying through the air.
Suddenly, I saw a transformation come over Bono.

Bono was at the verse "you kissed my lips, you broke my heart." As he sang the first stanza, he leaned forward, reaching his fingertips out to my outstretched hand.
Just as our fingertips brushed, he pulled back. As if we had a chain attached to our wrists, mine shot forward, reaching. I was leaning up against the barricade, on
tiptoes, practically in midair the whole time.

"You broke my heart," Bono sang, reaching forward again, my anticipating smile breaking my face. He pulled back before my hands could reach their desire. But I knew his gig now. I thrust my shoulder out and gave him my "face." Turns out Michelle was doing the same thing at the same exact time. The face, of course, being the big puppy dog face with pouty lips and lusty eyes and the stare that no man can resist. Not even Bono.

"But you said you would wait," Bono sang, walking a few steps away, "until the end of the world," and he was back! He spun around, got on the ground, and crawled like in the "Babbbby, ohh babbbby" scene from Dirty Dancing, toward our outstretched hands. Other hands were reaching for him, which he slapped away. The moment was getting surreal, like I was watching this out of my body happen to someone else. He grabbed my hand first, so we were locked pinky and ring fingers. Then he took Michelle's hand, and brought it to his mouth. He kissed it, giving us the most sexy look I have ever seen. Ever. I was in such shock I couldn't move, speak, I actually thought the other 19,998 people had disppeared. Bono was holding our hands, and he looked into my eyes as if he wanted to put his lips all over my body. (Sorry to offend anyone- but I know you guys know that look!) Then he was gone. It was unbelievable.

The show just took off from there. Song favorites were Desire and an amazing show of Bullet The Blue Sky. I didn't even want to see that song, but my mouth was open in astonishment the entire time. Awesome!!

My Edge encounter was coming next. Bono was about to make introductions. I made my way to where Larry would be walking, when all of a sudden I looked up and saw Edge. Now, I have recently gone from being an Edge admirer to an Edge fanatic. He was phenomenal that night. And when I saw him, I yelled his name in surprise. I was so excited to see him!! He looked straight at me!! I was 10 people away from the catwalk, but he heard *me*! I gasped in surprised at meeting his eyes, and somehow made my outstretched hand turn and twist into a thumbs up. Edge seemed pretty flattered at my amazement, chuckled and smiled so sweetly, winked, and gave me a thumbs up back. I flipped!!! That was an incredible moment.

During Streets I felt "God in the house," just like Bono had described it to Rolling Stone a few issues ago. I felt his presence, I screamed "amen!" I felt like we were all
singing at an amazingly uplifted church. My favorite line switch came when Bono sang, "I dance in the rain," making my heart jump. The idea of being able to dance when it is raining, literally/metaphorically, is one that is hard to implement, but is so entirely liberating when it is done. I love Bono for feeling that at that moment.

Bad was shortly after. Bad has been my favorite song ever since I first heard it. There is not a time or a situation which cannot be cured by Bad. I love it. It was as if I wrote the words. I knew it, right when Bono started introducing the song, that Bad had to be it. I started to panic. I knew I wouldn't make it through the song. The security guard was watching me cautiously. The first cord broke the suspense, and Bono was no further than "if you" before I started
crying. The entire song I was overwhelmed with completely joy and astonishment.

Adam caught my eye. It was during One, when I knew I wanted to be closer to the stage for the end of the show. I wove my way through the crowd. Adam caught my eye. I started blowing him kisses, one hand at time, throwing my arms to him and screaming. He smiled his "I-know-I'm-unbelievable-and-I-love-the-bass"
smile, then looked to Bono for a sec before looking back at his crazy fan. Then he started to laugh, leaning forward over the bass, shaking his head. He looked back up
at me as I grinned wildly at him. He smiled that awesome smile, the smile that I only realized right then is the one I wear on my face when I know I'm the shit, so to
speak, and he nodded his head to me in acknowledgment and greeting. Michelle was behind me, "Do you see him looking at you?! He's smiling at you!!" Adam and I flirted across a sea of people.

I had a transcending time. I will go again on Friday, with fears that nothing could ever live up to that night, but trusting U2 to once again astonish me. I am so blessed and so fortunate.

*Elevate my soul*

(check out all my pics at http://www.geocities.com/followu2angel/Elevation.htm)

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