by Dave

Well what can I say two U2 shows in two weeks, not bad considering that they had only planned one, and the band had to change the law for this concert to go ahead. So for the first time ever and according to MCD and Lord Henry Mountcharles this was the only time there would be a second show. So Slane two was going to be a bit special. Last week I got my ticket on Friday night, for this one I had my ticket since the day they went on sale, July 9, thanks to my mother and sister. So this one was a bit better planned. My Uncle lives in Navan, which is 10km away from Slane, so, myself and my mate Gray stayed in his house. Our other mate Chris was supposed to come with us, but a mix up, left a very pissed off Chris in Dublin on Friday night. The plan was get up at 10, get to Slane and into the heart. The happening was Go on the tear on Friday night, turn the alarm off at 10, and get up at half 11. We get into Slane and not only the heart but the pit passes are gone. We meet up with Anto, Gar, Ciara, my cousin Aileen and her mate and Chris. So we muck around for the day. This time the weather is pretty poor. Its very overcast, and its getting warmer. 1 o clock we saw Dara, after a decent start they got worse. The Walls who weren’t much better came on around 2. Then at about a quarter to 3, Nelly Furtado came on and she was pretty poor. The pick up in events came at 3.45 when the Ireland vs Holland Soccer match was on. This was a vitally important match for Ireland to Qualify for the world Cup. The atmosphere was tense, and all of Slane was watching the match. Then Jason McAteer scored for Ireland, the place erupts. 20 very tense minutes follows, finally the final whistle, and Ireland have just about qualified for the World Cup. Slane erupts and cheers and claps for a couple of minutes, Amazing. I turn around to a guy I had been half watching the match with, and he says “I thought you were going to have a heart attack In the last few minutes, Mate”. He was right, I was in bits.
So we make our way over to the stage. The excellent Ash come on just after 5. I followed ash for a while and the Northern Rockers didn’t disappoint. Just after 6, Moby came on stage. Im not a big Moby fan but he was brillant. He brought Fr. Dougal Magurie(From Irish TV show Father Ted) on stage and they did there classic, 1996 Eurovision entry “My Lovely Horse”. He also congratulated the Irish Soccer team, on a great result.
So next U2, I knew what to expect from last week, an 8.20 entrance, half eight comes and goes, 15 minutes later U2 come on stage. An excellent version of Elevation blasts out. Then with the start of Beautiful Day, Bono shouts out “and now we`ve had two.” The band are in a real party humour, compeered to the tense and full experience of last week. Until The End Of The End Of The World Is Next, This time a photographer gets on stage and flashes pictures as Bono mocks to take he\she on! Next New Years Day, excellent, in the middle part Bono raps an Ireland flag around him, and says “For just once, Ill be Jason McAteer.” Then it’s the first set list change of the evening. Out Of Control, a real punk Rock version, With Bono saying how each band members family put up ₤500 for them to start a band, “but were not going to Live in London or New York, were going to stay at home and live in Dublin.” He then introduces “from Malahide; Adam Clayton, from the Artane Boys Band Larry Mullen.” Then Sunday Bloody Sunday, without the Get UP Stand Up bit, but this is real heavy metal. The Song ends and Bono starts shouting out the names of all those who died in the Omagh bombing, with that they play the best version I’ve heard of Wake Up Dead Man. I turned around and people holding Lighters light up, the hill in Slane, Excellent. ”Bono says this is a song about friendship” Stuck In A Moment; Brilliant. The excellent Kite is next, the best song on the new album; Bono dedicates it to his Father. Afterwards, Bono tells a story of his father and The Edges father falling down a street in New York, “The Two of them absolutely Rat Arsed.” Angel of Harlem comes next, with Bono changing the lyrics “The grey Slane Skies cleared away\Tonight Slane Castle belongs to me”. Excellent, I was very surprised to hear Angel of Harlem so that was excellent. The Band headed to the tip of the heart and played Desire. Bono and Edge preformed Starring at the Sun, with Bono messing with a beach ball, he took from the crowd. Then Bono dedicated All I want is You to his “beautiful wife Ali”, with a prolonged ending to the song. Bono sang “All I want is” and the crowd replied “You”, Bono: “All I Need Is” Crowd: “You” excellent, lasting a couple of minutes. The amazing Streets was next, a good bit better then last week, with the lights stronger then the 1st show. Mysterious ways came next, This time Bono takes his daughter Eve on stage and she dances away to Mysterious Ways, classic as little Eve gives the dancing loads. It was a class version with Edge tearing in to the guitar. The song ends, Bono starts shouting, “is there love in the house tonight, This is Our Love” and Pride played again, where it was recorded. Then the break in proceeding as last week. Unlike last week we didn’t get the no guns video. This time the video wall lit up with “The Five Biggest Military Suppliers in the World! France, Great Britian, USA, China and Russia” Bullet the Blue sky screams across Slane, This you can see Bono running on stage to start singing. At the End of the Song you can hear slowing build his voice up as he sings IRA, INLA, Real IRA, UDA, UVF, You gotta Compromise Compromise!! The the opening crowds of With or Without You, Amazing absoultey amazing. Then comes ONE, Bono dedicates to the best support act we’ve ever had! The Irish World Cup Team, Yeah were nearly there, We promise to support you from now on. One is excellent, not as emotional as last week, but still excellent. Finally as with there encores Walk On is last, but not least, and certainally excellent, a good deal better then last week. Disappointedly for me this was the end, It was followed like the previous week with Fireworks, but since it was the last show of the tour, I expected another song or two, It was still great, the way they changed there set. So this time I’m going in a different direction. Instead of going to Dublin its back to Navan. A 9km walk to Navan town follows as the roads are closed. So My uncle Mick picks us up in Navan and were back in his house at 1.45, not bad considering everyone I know who went to Dublin got home about 4am. So a great weekend, and I’ve been elevated twice in a field in County Meath.

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