by Cliff B.

Since this is my first U2 concert,I don't have any other U2 concert experiences to
relate this too, but I do have to say this show WAS worth every penny I spent for this
show! They opened up with "Elevation" with the house lights still on, and then did
a rousing version of "Beautiful Day".There were a lot of hightlights to the Portland
show:

1) Bono pulling a teenage girl up on the stage to slow dance with him.

2)Bono telling the audience (19,000 +) that during the band intros that when they
first got together they were,for one afternoon,called "The Larry Mullen Band".

3)Bono leaping into the crowd at the "point" of the heart-catwalk and racing thru
the crowd,and stoping to give a boy (about maybe 10,I'd say!) a piggy-back ride
thru the crowd and into the bowels of the Rose Garden Arena!! This kid will have
some story to tell his friends the next day at school!

4)Bono informing the crowd that they are dedicating "One" to Joey Ramone,
who passed away (RIP,Joey) that afternoon.at the end of the song,Bono leads
19,000 in a VERY moving a'capella version of Amazing Grace. This was quite
touching,I thought,

5) The Edge was,in my opinion,playing the BEST gutair anywhere in the world at the moment that U2 did "The Fly". WOW!! His gutair was from another world in this
tune! He put all the hair-bands to shame with his playing on this version of "The Fly".

6)After "Beautiful Day", Bono informs the crowd that 20 years ago,he lost "a little
brown bag",and had anyone seen it?? This, I believe, was a curt refrence to when
they played here in Portland then, he had a folder of lyrics for there next album,
which was stolen from them at the show that night WAY back when!

All and all,this was an EXCELLENT concert,and I congratulate the band for having
just the right amount of stage production! It was not overwhelming, as the PopMart
Tour proved. Good job last night U2! and Please come back to Portland,Oregon!

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