U2 treated everyone to their Christmas Party at the Garden to finish off their seven nights of shows in Boston. Perhaps it was the fan who dressed up as Santa, or maybe it was all of the requests for “(Christmas) Baby Please Come Home,” or maybe it was just because there’s only 19 shopping days ’til Christmas. The mood in the Garden was celebratory to say the least. Integrating “Jingle Bells,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” and the very much requested “(Christmas) Baby Please Come Home,” Bono managed to find the time to give Santa his gift wishlist: a firetruck, 5 million people for the One campaign, World Peace, more time with his kids, and for Edge a new train set. Bono also integrated “See Santa Claus right in front of You” during “Beautiful Day.” We all found out during Mysterious Ways that Santa did have some great dance moves as he was brought up on stage and danced with Bono (Scottish Highland dancing to be exact), then Bono lead him around the ellipse where he met up with another fan, dressed as Elvis, and then all 3 proceeded to the front of the stage. Bono motioned to both Santa and Elvis to continue dancing behind the stage. It was quite the surreal moment in the show - and something you just can’t anticipate! Larry and Adam’s laughter during this was quite contagious.

After treating fans to a gift you just can’t gift wrap earlier in the day (meet/greet outside of the hotel), there were hints to a John Lennon “tribute” of sorts as we are coming up to the 25th anniversary of his passing. Bono and Larry were both wearing peace pins (Bono’s was black and white, Larry’s was hot pink and black - I know I know…hot pink), and Bono was able to pull off Norwegian Wood for the first time since Chicago on May 12 (sang over 75% of the song!) along with Instant Karma and bits of War is Over.

A fan from Tennessee had let Bono know that December 6 (today) is the 17th anniversary of the passing of Roy Orbison, taking Bono by surprise. Bono did not dedicate “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own” to his dad for the show, instead dedicating it to Roy Orbison. Bono said “Thank you for the shades” towards the end of the song - a tribute to the trademark both Roy and Bono share. To show Bono’s spontaneous side, he ended “One” with “She’s a Mystery to Me.”

During “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” Bono made a profound discovery - “The Edge is human!” Bono started thanking a bunch of people for coming out (Larry Summers and all at Harvard, Tom Brady, Dean Kamen, and a few others), he turned to Edge and asked if there was anyone he liked to thank. Edge walked over, and tried to tell Bono something, but he was focusing too much on the guitar. When he finished saying what he needed to say, we all noticed that Edge kinda didn’t keep the notes right, and Bono declared “The Edge is human.” We all cheered. Edge wanted to thank all of those at the Angiogenesis Foundation for all their work on cancer research. (Edge is *such* the scientist!)

As a side note, Bono mentioned that Dean Kamen was at the 12/4 show and he wanted to thank him for creating a device that “will turn piss into water.”

Other people thanked at the show include local promoter, Don Law, and music critic for the Boston Globe, Steve Morse. Bono mentioned that Morse was leaving the Globe (after being there for 31 years), mentioning that Morse was one who would give the band a kick in the arse when they needed it. After a few seconds, Bono jumped to the side and said, “Ouch!” as if Morse had given him a kick in the rear. Another celebrity sighting was Aerosmith’s own Tom Hamilton.

The fans on U2.com’s Zootopia boards were able to get many in GA to hold up the white signs with the word “ONE” on them at the start of One, with Bono saying “That’s a beautiful sight.”

I was quite impressed with the ability for the sold-out Garden to match the cheering level from the 12/4 show. Bono took out his earbud at the end of Pride, grinning from ear to ear, at everyone’s singing of the “whoa oh oh oh’s.”

This show felt like it was a fan’s show; and after seven shows in Boston, we figured this was at least the 2nd show for most in attendance. Some people compared it to their 6/8/01 “Free Ray Bourque” show, and it did have that feel about it. (I did not attend, but after listening to the show - I agree that it did.) At several points in the show, Bono addressed the crowd with “last show in Boston” or “seven days/seven nights” or “last night of the tour in Boston” as well as “Merry Christmas.”

It was a different energy that filled the Garden, as compared with the gig on the night before. If I were to choose which gig was better, I couldn’t. Each had a magical quality to the show. It’s like having children (so I’m told) - each child is special in their own way and no one child is a favorite of a parent. That’s how I feel about these two Boston shows. Each rocked - each rolled - and each blew the roof off!

Here’s to a great 7 shows in Boston, and here’s to hoping it won’t be too long before they roll through “mast-a-chew-setts” again. (side note: that’s how Bono pronounces Massachusetts).

For photos from the show, visit here.