Thursday, October 1, 2009

U2 In Concert

For many years, I've shaken my head and scorned the legions of people who would go into a Sufi-like trance whenever they described the experience of seeing U2 in concert (this affliction is also prevalent in Bruce Springsteen fans). After a while (probably about 1990), I decided that I would simply sit this band out.

Well, 19 years later, I folded, like a cheap suit. I took the Kitten to see U2 at Fedex Field on Tuesday night. My rationale was this--Bono and I aren't getting any younger, and one of us was going to be more likely to sit concerts out as we got older. In point of fact, this could very well turn out to be the last real opportunity I had to catch the Zeitgeist that most folks my age long ago experienced.

I did this with some trepidation, having gone to see The Police two years ago and come away a wee bit disappointed that I was not 20 anymore, and that Sting seemed to phone the appearance in from his villa in St. Tropez. Then, the warmup band performed frighteningly screechy examples of their seemly endless rendition of the same song, which caused the Kitten to sit with her fingers in her ears throughout their performance (for those of you worried about my declining aural health, I turned off my hearing aids so as not to ruin them).

So by the time U2 took the stage, I was ready to be underwhelmed. What a mistake. Bono and the boys are simply amazing. Their energy was endless, their musical skills manifest, and their showmanship top-notch. Yes, we had to put up with Bono's endless moralizing....but it seemed a small price to pay for being thoroughly entertained by a songbook that has been consistently added to by great music for the past nearly 30 years. That these guys started playing together in high school and have kept it together--no, improved it--for nearly 30 years is a wonderful thing.

I'm glad I went, because now I understand the hype. Sorta wish I had gone earlier in my life....

12 comments:

Doc Milnamo said...

U2s album "Boy" was released in 1980 (yes album as in a 12" vinyl LP played at 33-1/3rpm on a turntable for you youngsters) and I had heard a couple of cuts on the WVU student radio station. I was hooked from the get-go. The song, "I Will Follow" was the most original song I had ever heard in my young life. This was something different!

I have followed the band for all these years and am amazed firstly that they are still together. Secondly, they're still putting out some decent tunes almost 30 years later. I've had many opportunities to see them in concert and have always chosen not to go because of Bono's preachiness. Having seen concert videos my fears were confirmed with "the pattern". The Pattern was: preach some political spudwaz, play song, play song, preach some political spudwaz, play song, play song, etc. It wasn't until many years had gone by that I realized (OK maybe finally admitted) that my fave - Springsteen - had been doing this for years and in fact had become more strident in his socialistic leanings.

Maybe I can scalp a few tickets at Carter-Finley stadium?

Doc

Ben Ality said...

Is this Facebook or the Conservative Wahoo?

The Conservative Wahoo said...

Ben (Tom)--see the masthead of the blog. Pop culture is in the swim lane of this blog.

Sally said...

What's the first concert anyone ever saw? I can't believe I'm admitting this, but mine was Air Supply.

Goldwater's Ghost said...

First - Jimmy Buffett

Best - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Sally's TMI moment - George Michael

PK said...

I might be able to beat Air Supply...

Donny & Marie at Kings Dominion.

First at an indoor venue: Huey Lewis and the News

The Conservative Wahoo said...

First; The Police at JFK Stadium in Philly

Best: Recent U2

Worst: The Police 24 years later...

Sally said...

Sorry GG, Donny and Marie trumps your George Michael...but it was an impressive entry nonetheless.

Duck Phillips said...

I remember the night that CW was going to see The Police at JFK. It was the night before he left for college. I have a cool photo of him from that night wearing a Panama Jack-style hat sitting on the kitchen counter...

First concert: BRUCE, Born in the USA. 16th Birthday present from DM. TDP was there, too.

Worst: Erasure



Best concert: U2 at The Vet in Philly. Attended this w/ GG. GG made the observation that Bono could have had anyone in the audience that night--male or female.

Goldwater's Ghost said...

I might have said something to that effect...

True story - During their '92 appearance in Philadelphia, the band passed out U2-branded condoms as part of a social awareness campaign. I kept mine as partly a souvenir of the moment, and partly as short-term inventory.

Flashforward 1998 - I arrived at my apartment one night to notice my room was not as a Ieft it. It had been as if someone had been rummaging through it with a purpose. I noticed that my chest of drawers was askew - my "junk drawer" had been given the once over, and my U2 condom was missing.

The next day, my roommate and I were comparing war stories of the night before, and he let me know that my choice of condoms were not to his liking. "I took your U2 condom out of the wrapper, and it almost fell apart in my hands" he said. He proceeded to tell me that the act that followed was akin to rubbing his schwartz across sandpaper.

I doubled up on the floor laughing when I told him his protection was over six years old.

And, yes, for those keen enough doing the math...

Mrs. GG said...

First Concert - U2 @ Tower Theater
TMI Momment - John Tesh

Doc Milnamo said...

John (Igor) Tesh Mrs. GG? Yikes!

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