Tuesday, July 05, 2011

MAGICAL

Happy Independence Day! I certainly celebrated my freedom by declaring myself free: free from showering... free from household chores... free from doing anything I didn't have to or want to do. And it was a great way to live.

So I guess you could say my fourth was pretty boring. I slept in, read Harry Potter the majority of the day, taking breaks only to start laundry and make dinner and at 9:30, pulled a stool from my kitchen out my front door, into the hallway and next to the window to watch the fireworks: just me and my PJs. Not the way I want to spend every Fourth of July but for this one, I'll take it

But enough about my fourth; wait til you hear about my second! I woke up Saturday to a text message inviting me to attend THE biggest concert taking place in Nashville in YEARS. Everyone loves some U2, including this girl. I was just not quick enough on the draw to get a ticket when they went on sale... that, and I still haven't won the lottery. So imagine my utter shock and gratitude when someone generously offered me a free ticket with their party! I was giddy ALL day long.

This U2 360° tour has been going on since July 2009. The Nashville stop was their 100th show of the tour and bear in mind they have not played in Nashville since 1981. The show was SO MUCH FUN. Not knowing a ton of U2, just the classics you probably know too, I was nervous that I would not know a lot of the material performed since this tour is, after all, in support their last album. Well, I needn't have feared. They hit them all: Mysterious Ways, Elevation, Vertigo, Pride (In the Name of Love), Sunday Bloody Sunday, Beautiful Day, One, With or Without You, Walk On, Where the Streets Have No Name, What I'm Looking For, and my personal favorite, City of Blinding Lights. I love that song so very much, and they played it at the height of the show: the stage was all lit up, including some powerful beams that were shooting straight up into the sky. It. Was. Incredible. I also learned made some new favorites from the songs I did not know as well.

The two highlights of the night were Bono's tribute to Johnny Cash and this touching moment at the end of the night. Bono spotted a man holding a piece of paper that read "Blind Guitar Player." After their final bow, Bono walked to the edge of the stage, asked him if he wanted to play, and shouted at the rest of the band, who was already heading offstage, to hold on a second. Bono takes the guy's hand, leads him to center stage and the techs strap a guitar on him. Then, U2 and this guy play "All I Want is You." And as if that memory isn't priceless enough, Bono GIVES the guy his custom guitar. UNREAL. Watch that video link. None of us knew the guy is blind and didn't realize it until we saw security leading him backstage with his walking stick. Somehow it makes the whole thing so much better. What a beautiful moment!

So, I would tell you to get your tail to this concert ASAP, but unless you are in one of the nine other cities where this tour is stopping before it ends July 30, then I guess it won't be happening. It was the best show I've ever been to! Bless you, St. Bono! You have a new fan in me.

So I hope both your July 2 and 4 was as free and magical as mine!

PS - Click the Walk On link if you want to see why this song is my second favorite U2 song.

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