by Mica Prazak

I had been waiting for last night for a long time. I remember being a late bloomer for U2, and then last year I purchased a live U2 DVD called "Rattle and Hum" which increased my excitement to see a show. I was lucky enough to obtain a ticket from a friend, a wonderful view from the gallery. I was also able to purchase my best friend a ticket off Ebay about three weeks ago. So in a nutshell we were able to experience the U2 experience together.

My goodness, it is a difficult experience to define. Coming out of a Franz Ferdinand or a Killers concert, you come out excited, pumped, full of energy. But for those wonderful bands the mood remains relatively the same the whole show. Intense Intense Intense.

I had my worries that sitting in the balcony would lessen the intimacy, but U2 has the power and grace to reach every seat in GM Place. I felt so many emotions tonight, and left the building thinking about things that no other concert has ever left me thinking about. There was not a bad seat in the house, it was an honour just to be there. Not that anyone used them anyways.

There was a huge feeling of anticipation before U2 took the set. The crowd starting to doing a wave around the building. The lights went low and as I expected the band started with City of Blinding Lights. The lighting display was beautiful, and the crowd was very receptive, especially considering that the music video had just been filmed there. As the song closed Bono sung the simple words,

"We don't want to leave this city...."

Then right into Vertigo. The crowd went nuts, they truly have created a stadium anthem here. It is so much fun.

Bono seemed to drink a lot of water at the beginning of the show, and skipped a few lines in some songs, and people around were saying he was having voice troubles. I just thought to myself, the true test was going to be "Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own." which is my favourite song on the new album.

What a song that is, off go the glasses, and the passion that makes Bono's voice so unique just soared through the stands. Beautiful.

At the beginning of the show, Bono seemed to interact with the crowd more then in the second half. He grabbed someone's lipstick from the crowd. He took someones camera, and took a picture of them from the elipse, and he started firing water at the Edge who was standing out on the elipse.)

The most touching moment for me was Bono's sincere and personal story of a boy that he attended high school with. He spoke of how modern medicine has created "miracle drugs" that allow amazing things to happen. It was touching, and allowed me to appreciate the song more. The words of a song I didn't really like, were suddenly full of meaning and relevance.

One of the reasons I have always wanted to see a U2 concert, is purely for Sunday Bloody Sunday. I always wonder how they can keep the intensity for a song like that, after playing it for so many years. And I also wish he had said something to the crowd before getting us to yell "NO MORE." I really didn't know what we were trying to stop. Regardless, interaction with the audience is important, and to be a part of a brilliant song is fine by me. The Edge is just so good in this song.

I was actually surprised by the somewhat lack of a response for "Pride." I wasn't really aware of the demographic of the crowd, but I do know for many people it was the name of U2 alone that made them buy tickets. Regardless, I think this is a universal message, and I thought more people would have known the words.

With "Streets" the crowd went nuts, and I couldn't help but be brought to tears. It is such an epic moment in music, that organ sound playing in the backround, and then BOOM, The Edge comes in with the classic guitar sound. This was the first U2 song I loved, and I knew I would be overcome with emotions when I heard it live. It was a beautiful thing, that few bands can do.

Although admittedly I didn't know most of the songs in the encore, I liked how they blended into one another. The whole show had that quality, like a bunch of rolling hills, with the big hits like "streets, pride, and sunday" standing out.

A funny moment occured for me, when Bono spoke of his frustration of our PM Paul Martin. We were told to simply give him a call, and the cell phones came out and people entered (613) 992-4211. I looked at my friend, and laughed that I was saving Paul Martin to my "Friends Contact List."

And yes, we all remember that foolish woman that came up during Yahweh. Honestly, you have a chance of a lifetime here, you could walk the stage with Bono, and you have to come off as a drunk silly immature desperate girl. Hugging Bono is fine, but honestly instead being remembered as the girl who danced and walked with Bono, she trys to hump him, and loses her chance. Cheers to Bono for being a good sport, and laughing about it.

I was also a little sad that my favourite U2 song, "Bad", was played the night before and not tonight. "With or Without You" would have been nice too, but "Bad" would have been perfect.

Finishing with 40, was a touching little moment, in which we sang the chorus until the band left. Having played two encores, and thanking the "beautiful beautiful city of Vancouver....a city that stole our hearts and our heads." they marched off proudly one by one. It was nice to see Larry Mullen as the one remaining member of the band at the end of the show, the backbone of the band, the one that has to stay where he is, the one who played the last note.

I left the stadium, not especially excited, or happy, or sad. I left with a unique collection of emotions and an undeniable fulfillment. I had experienced something I can be proud of my whole life. I am so grateful. I am blessed. I am in awe of U2, and howr they can touch so many. Thank you Bono. Thank you Edge. Thank you Adam. Thank you Larry.

And thank you Sarah, for getting me in.



p.s. Why is U2 not playing "I still haven't found what I'm looking for on this tour.

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