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by Jason Braun

I've waited for this one for 15 years. Along the way I've ventured to Tempe, Vancouver, and Edmonton to see U2. Finally they were to play my hometown. The anticipation in the media had been growing for months and for the past few days you couldnt pick up a paper without spotting the boys on the front page.

I got my GA tix through Prop, and I am very thankful for them. We got to the Saddledome around 10 AM and eventually found the Floor line-up. We were among the first and settled in for what proved to be a very cold day standing outside (Note to band: please tour Canada in the SUMMER). Everyone in line was very cool, trading U2 stories etc. Anyways, after endouring 8 plus hours of standing in a fridgid wind, and stupid questions from local media they let us in.

Straight to Edge's side inside the heart, first row. PJ Harvey played a great set, but let's face it, nobody was there to see her. As with the other shows, the house lights were on when they launched into Elevation. The crowd was so into the show as most hadn't the chance to see U2 before - stunning. The setlist was the same as has been played elsewhere along the tour - plus Desire.

Standouts included Streets, New York (Bono was given a black cowboy hat from audiene and strutted with it on for the entire song), Mysterious Ways, and Walk On. Bono's temper was on full display during I Will Follow. Someting was wrong with his guitar and I could see he was NOT happy about it. At the end of the song he throw the guitar across the stage, knocked over all the cups of water, then proceded down to the "underworld" and gave somebody (Dallas?) a hell of a tounge lashing.

It's now 1 AM and I'm absolutely beat. Mixed feeling about seeing it again tomorrow - (actually tonight), as I loved the show, but I doubt it can surpass what I just witnessed.

Thanks for reading,

jason

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