by Christopher Trimm

So many songs from April 17th had personal meaning for me. I have taken alot of comfort in songs like I Remember You who was sung by U2 for the late Joey Ramone. It was sung by me for the late Patrick Perez. Songs like Bad dealing with unfinished business regarding addiction and the consequences were reminders that the music of U2 has lyrics that mirror life and how powerful is that? Streets had the sense of the next life too, and I really held on to that. The people that surrounded me were real, honest and had a very generous spirit. I hadn't expected to encounter so many people in the heart on the floor, but they were the heart in more ways than one. It's hard not to make friends when you come across the parking lot at 1pm and spend the next ten and a half hours with the same group of dedicated fans, and for this long time fan that was wonderful. Alot of people were there for their first U2 concert and I ran into a 50 something fan from England named Dave who came to his first concert ever. Yes I said first ever. I asked his wife if he had some medication because his heart might explode! I found another fan in the parking lot from Vegas who went to Denver and said the same things about those devoted fans in Denver waiting in the rain for U2 and even though we were too exhausted from the passion of the night to wait afterward I hope my friend Mike found the same qualities in San Diego. Even Bono told us about our "positive riot" from the stage, that on the Joshua Tree tour when they were in town (April 14, 1987) some fans followed back to the hotel and as a "positive rioter" that was a kind reminder. Bono said that that night U2 felt something special about the tour for honestly the first time.
After the technofile deluge of Zoo and Pop the song approach was welcomed and even for the slow numbers had me lost in the music. I never expected to hear the bridge in I Will Follow again (your eyes make a circle) and there that was with a very wide eyed Bono staring out at the response. I didn't quite expect such a long woo ooh ooh lead to elevation and even with amps stationed directly above our heads in the heart the firey cauldron of passion behind me overwhelmed that. I still think that the fans earned all they recieved last night and I left feeling that I had nothing left in the tank because I honestly didn't.
I also offer my apologies for those wondering where this tall man with the war shirt pogoing throughout the set how he ended up in front of the Edge. Will you please forgive me? Hope to see you in Anaheim & Phoenix and I'll let the heart stay open for one more kind soul those four nights, I promise! Slan, Chris

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