Christmas in October

Last Saturday night in Raleigh, my wife and I had the good fortune of taking in the U2 concert at Carter-Finley Stadium.

This was my third time seeing them, the last time being in 2005 when we traveled to Philadelphia. If you have read about my experience seeing Coldplay back in August, you know that I don’t particularly care for outdoor concerts. Usually the sound is horrible, you can’t see, and you leave wanting something more.

However, after seeing Coldplay and being relegated to sitting on the lawn about 150 yards from the band, I made a pledge to do whatever it took to get close for the U2 show. I started trolling Craigslist about a month before the show, looking for better seats. Through a set of wonderful circumstances, we found ourselves in the Red Zone, about 40 feet from the stage for the concert, and right on the outer ring that was used throughout the concert as a runway for the band. To give you an idea of just how close, here is a picture I took ( a bit blurry ) of the Edge as he passed by with my phone:

The concert itself was unbelievable. Muse, the opening band, got things started with Uprising. It made me want to fly to Iran and take on Ahmandinejad myself. Later, Bono told me that I should embrace peaceful resistance. I was a little confused. The sound was crystal clear, and not overpowering. It was amazingly good for an outdoor concert.

My highlights:

Elevation
Sunday Bloody Sunday ( with someone singing ‘People Get Ready’ from the audience )
Where the Streets Have No Name
City of Blinding Lights
The Unforgettable Fire
… and just about every other song.

I did not get to see much of the light show and effects because of where we were sitting, but I heard they were tremendous. I would not have traded any of that for getting the experience of being so close to the stage.

I think the only person that enjoyed it more than me was my wife. She has loved U2 for probably 25 years, and it was fun to sit back and watch her revel in being so close to a band she has followed for so long.

Great night, can’t imagine what will top it in the entertainment realm.