by Dave Dressler

Imagine how terrible it would be to go see your favorite band only to be denied entry because your tickets are for the wrong day. Well that happened to me this evening at the Staples center. I know that I still had tickets for the show on the 19th, but the true horror was that my sister flew down from Seattle to be with me at this show. This story does have a happy ending though. After much begging and pleading at the will call for about an hour, the wonderful folks at the Staples Center were able to supply us with some tickets for trade. Not only did we get in, but our seats were fantastic! We were two rows up on the left side of the heart-shaped walkway. Several times during the show, Bono and the Edge walked right past us. We were so close that you could almost touch them.
As for the show, U2 put on their usual stellar performance. The simplicity of the stage, fewer video screens, and the smaller venue made this a very intimate rock show. Out of Control was a pleasent suprise. Bono told the crowd that they are a band from the north side of town, and this is our first single. Angel Of Harlem is a personal favorite of mine, and I was pleased that they played the full band version. Bono and the Edge did an acoustic rendition of Please. With my binoculars, I was able to zoom in on the Edge's hands as he played, and Bono's face as he sang. What a thrill. Emotions ran high during the encores as Bono laid the american flag in front of the drum kit and talked about the honor of performing in the United States. He also said that he truely respects our flag. Then the band launched into the song One. As they played, the names of the passengers aboard the highjacked airliners scrolled by on a video screen behind the band. The crowd responded by raising their hands and giving the peace sign. What a tremendous evening.
For those of you going to future shows, let this be a lesson to always check the date on your ticket. Especially if extra shows have been added, and you are buying your tickets over the phone.

Peace, love, and U2.

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