by Gwynhefaire

This show was my first ever U2 concert after years of being a big fan, so needless to say, I was *SOooo* excited. I have been reading all the other reviews here, and didn’t think I would be posting one, but I just cant help myself - It was simply astonishing! I couldn’t believe how great
U2 sounded, especially Bono’s voice, which was surprisingly strong, and the Edge when he
would go off on his solos. I’m from New York City, but I kind of liked the journey down to DC-it was like making a pilgrimage.

Anyways, I was on the outside left rail of the Heart, about 1/3 of
the way from the tip. Here are some moments I remember well. Sorry if I get a little gushy ; ) --

-In his greeting to the crowd, Bono opens with, “Well, here we are in the City of Exploding Manhole Covers,” referencing a fire that erupted Thursday under the streets of the Georgetown section of DC, causing power outtages and flame and smoke to billow out of manholes. haha He called the city lovingly by this nickname again a little later.

..Until the End of the World:
- Bono starts to saunter down the left side of the catwalk (I must note that he has a very panther-like walk - the man should have been a tango dancer!) Directly across from me, but on the inside rail of the heart (inside the security walkway), was a professional photographer lady with really long blond hair. She has her camera up to her eye, the lens must be 1/2 a foot long.
Bono comes at her, singing over her, slowly getting closer until his face is right against her camera. She is trying to be all professional and maintain composure, but he gets the better of her and she starts to giggle and moves the camera away, and is rewarded with a big kiss.

-After that, a fan right near the photographer-lady hands Bono an huge thick hardcover book with an iridescent jacket. Bono holds it, turning it and looking it over. It’s a copy of Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses. Bono opens it, closes it again and then hands it back to the fan.

-(One last note on this song -- am I the only one who thinks that the bullfight at the end of this song is a teensy bit cheesy??)

-..Kite was simply stunning. Bono seemed to put a lot of feeling into lines like, “I want you to know, that you don’t need me anymore,” and “In Summer I can taste the salt in the sea.” It was so lovely. And boy, he NAILED the high note in “I’m a man...” - he even held it for a few extra counts!

-..Desire was great with all four guys coming to the tip of the heart. Adam rocked it and the crowd was clapping along with the bassline enthusiastically. The bandmembers all seemed very pleased with this song. But then as soon as they stopped playing Larry and Adam disappeared back up to the main stage before anyone saw what happened. Bono turned around with a very bemused smile, looking where Adam had just been, shook his head and made some comment about how they donn’t ever stick around for a second in the spotlight.

-..Stay - I loved the way Bono stated almost defiantly as an introduction, “THIS is a beautiful song.” And then he and Edge proved it. It was just gorgeous.

-...All I Want is You - I think this has always been one of their most underrated songs. It’s great to hear them give it the spotlight live, kicked-up, and full-throttle; it was very powerful, full of
drama, and the Edge really took his solo away at the end. whew!

-..The Fly - I thought this was a real showstopper, and I was never much of a fan of this song before. The way it begins, with Bono crooning tenderly “looove..shine like a burning star, falling from the sky...toooonight” with that one spotlight coming down on him like the star of
Bethlehem is breath-taking - I didnt even recognize it at first. Very dreamy. Then they just rock away with it and the sound is earth-shaking. And the image of Bono as a fly smashed against the video walls at the end is too cool.

-..Bullet The Blue Sky was extremely powerful and angry. People all around me stopped singing along and dancing and were just riveted. The sound was much more edgy than I’ve heard it before. The speaking part in the middle where it kind of sounds like a stutter (right after the bit about fighter planes)is GREAT and the whispered “it’s america!!” is intense. Kaitland and Emily describe in a previous review what happened with the fan at the end just the way I remember it. There was definitely
something kind of eerie about the whole incident. Before, during the song, the way Bono was treating the hand-held spotlight and waving it around made it truly seem to be a dangerous weapon. Its light was so strong as it cut right through the arena. Then suddenly there was this naked-except-for-boxers, young, Asian guy on stage with Bono. His chest was very smooth and
his skin-tone was perfect and golden and his muscles nicely-shaped. He looked vulnerable and so human. His skin just lit up
blindingly when Bono turned the potlight/gun on him; it was startling and ghostly. A really strange, stark moment. Then there’s the two of them, crouching down together, and it WAS creepy when the fan announced “I have a present for you.” and Bono DID sound sinister when he reponded slowly in a low voice, “I just want to have a good time too...” It was all just very weird. Yet
fitting somehow perfectly with the mood of the song.

..With or Without You: During the last verse of this song Bono came to stand on the catwalk right in front of my section. He just stood there singing, with his head thrown back and his eyes closed. At this point a fan behind me chucked a large, wabbed-up Irish flag at his head. It sailed
right past his nose, missing him by a hair’s breadth!!! ***LOL! Bono didn’t flinch, or open his eyes, although I don’t know how he didn’t feel the breeze... I wonder what would have happened if it had hit him?
-a verse later, Bono’s voice broke on a high note, he melodramatically rubbed his throat, opened his eyes at last, and mummered to the crowd, “Sing it for me...”

- During one of the songs at the end, I think it was Pride, a few security guards hurried past me towards the tip of the heart, a few seconds later they came back, one of them carrying a completely passed-out girl in his arms. No one in the band noticed, and I think she must have been alright once they got her outside. She must have had heat-exhaustion, plus dehydration from waiting in line all day without enough water-- it was soooo hot and humid in the arena. The only way I survived was because I had a folding fan that I waved in my face the whole time. (Note to those going to wait in line in the future -- take care of yourselves!)

..One: The introduction speech Bono gave here was quite serious and earnest. I though it was a very important part of the show. He was really trying to reach the audience and move them about the plight of the African people who are being ravaged by poverty and AIDS. He seemed on the verge of tears at a few points and angry at the same time about the apathy of people in Europe
and America. He said he was ashamed of Europeans, because they are waiting for America to make the first step. Then he demanded of the audience, “Is America still a great idea? Is it??” trying to get his message across, and then said something along the lines of, in the Bible Jesus
said that when you clothe a poor person, you are really clothing Him too. Bono then seemed to sober up a little, looked around sheepishly, and said “I can go on a bit, cant I?” Edge gave him a supportive grin and they went into a beautiful-as-ever rendition of One.

All in all, it was fabulous. Watching the images of the band on the screens overhead, you would swear you were seeing lost footage from Rattle and Hum -the guys looked ageless. Larry was like a machine (he
has arms of STEEL!) and Adam was more smiley than I’d thought he’d be -- he seemed to feed
off the fans a lot, so everyone should give him lots of attention (which he deserves)! Bono was a very professional showman, full of melodrama, and well, all I can say is DAMN, the Edge sure can play that guitar!

Amazing. Oh, and one last thing: all the other fans I met there were just the nicest people ever.

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