In the spirit of celebrating key anniversaries of U2-related events, it was 15 years ago today that U2 took over Boston to perform at the Boston Garden for St. Patrick’s Day. This was the one ZooTV indoor show that crippled a city in such a way that when tickets went on sale, there were over 1 million calls coming through on the ticketmaster phonelines that it literally melted the telephone infrastructure for the 617 area code. Had it not been for Propaganda honoring the ticket request, there would have been no way to have gotten into the arena to see the show.

To call the scene celebratory was an understatement. Hours prior to the doors opening to the Garden, fans had been queuing up outside the ticket window with the hope that U2 would release tickets at the last minute. A local radio station, WZLX, held a contest where they encouraged people to come to the Garden in their best - and most festive - outfits to win 2 tickets for the show. It was a bit of Mardi Gras mixed with Carnivale blended with pandemonium - the likes Boston really hasn’t seen except for when the Red Sox won the World Series back in 2004.

Some friends of mine and I (all of whom I had met via Propaganda’s Grapevine - a fan address listing for fans to connect with one another prior to the days of email and the internet) headed up to Boston with the hope of getting to the arena early enough to catch the band come in and maybe score an autograph or a photo. It was a crazy thought, but we had nothing else to do, really. When we arrived at the arena, we were walking around trying to find the entrance where the band would be arriving at. Amidst the chaos, I caught what looked like a police motorcade out of the corner of my eye. Sure enough, behind it was a motorcade that resembled that of what could be U2’s, so I started running - leaving my friends behind - to follow the motorcade. I’m cutting through the revelers outside the arena, the people waiting in the line for the tickets…all the while keeping my eye on where the motorcade was going. I don’t remember ever running any faster than I did that day.

Next thing I see is a window being rolled down, Bono’s head sticking out of it - him waving his traditional peace sign out the window, and then rolling the window back up. Vindication - I thought…I was right! Meanwhile, I’ve left my friends in the dust with the hope they’ll eventually catch up with me. I managed to get to the backstage entrance where there were only about 20 or so other people waiting just before the motorcade did. The cars drove up the driveway and then entered inside the arena. About 5 minutes later, my friends caught back up with me. I gave them the low-down as to what had transpired, and seeing as at that point there were less than 30 people outside, our chances were very good that someone would come out and say hello. Well, it wasn’t a band member - it was Dennis Sheehan who came out.

Dennis said to us “Seeing as it’s St. Patrick’s Day and all, the band wanted to do something special for you. Instead of signing autographs, you’re our guest during soundcheck today.” So, we lined up in single file as we were told and followed him inside the Garden. At this point, I had a dilemma as I was supposed to meet up with another friend to give him his ticket for the show - and he wasn’t with us at the backstage entrance. I made the call that I would go in and apologize later as I was certain that I’d track him down after the soundcheck. After we were all seated, there were some late stragglers who joined in the line at the last minute - and as the Luck o’the Irish would have it, he managed to get himself into the soundcheck too! He said in his thick Irish brogue, “Sherry me darlin’, I saw you runnin’ - and I knew I had to try to catch up with ya!” I was so happy because I didn’t have to worry about finding him.

There were only about 50 of us who were invited in for the soundcheck that afternoon - and it was pure magic. Each band member came out individually, greeted us, and treated us to almost a full hour’s worth of music. During the instrumental checks of songs like “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” and “Until the End of the World,” I found myself sitting there singing along; only to have a tap on the shoulder and have someone point me in the direction of where Bono was sat - he gave me a thumbs up and I was very embarrassed to have been caught doing his job. As I said, that day was pure magic.

Later on, exiting the arena after the sound check, the Mardi Gras atmosphere was in full swing - and it was very disorienting coming out of an experience like that to see the pure and utter chaos of what was going on. I noticed that the ticket queue had gone away - the band had reserved an entire floor section for last-minute ticket release and they were able to fulfill the dreams of just about everyone who had queued up the day of the show for the tickets. So, some lucky people scored front row tickets about 2 hours prior to the doors opening - talk about having a lucky day themselves!

Entering the arena, the band had arranged for a set of bagpipers to greet everyone prior to the Pixies coming on stage to open the show. Edge pulled out as a surprise for everyone Van Dieman’s Land for the gig, and Larry treated everyone to his singing of Dirty Ol’ Town - foreshadowing the Outside Broadcast singing role he’d take on begrudgingly.

Being a long-time fan of Boston sports teams, I found myself experiencing pure joy - here I was standing on the floor of the famed Boston Garden - where some of the greatest sports figures ever played, watching the greatest band in the world on the most famed Irish holiday (as it’s celebrated in America), feeling like the stars all aligned perfectly. Many have asked me what my favorite concert memory/experience is, and I am torn among several. This one show ranks right up there for me because of the sheer statistical improbability of the entire day happening the way that it did.

I can’t believe how fast time goes by and that it’s been 15 years since that gig. Wow.

Thanks to U2Log for pointing this out - Willie Williams has surfaced on YouTube over the past few months, sharing with the world his special view on things during his time with U2 and the 5th leg of the Vertigo Tour.. Besides putting up videos of U2 performances taken with his secret agent surveillance camera, he’s also put up little videos like this one showing how his creative mind gets inspired (well, sort of!).

It helps if you’ve read all of his diary entries at U2.com to put some of these videos into context - especially the ones where he’s showing his various meal choices whilst travelling.

To view more of his videos, check them out here.

@U2 reader Eric alerted us to the fact that the U2 documentary Rattle and Hum is now available for purchase on iTunes. For $9.99 you can legally download the widescreen version of the 1987 film in its entirety. Visit the iTunes music store to view a trailer of the movie and read user reviews.

Here’s another recap from two more of our special Vertigo Tour correspondents, Lisa Konarski and Gayle Kuzmich. Thanks to the both of you for sending this along! (By the way - grab a snack and a beverage…they wrote quite a bit!)
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Our excitement began with a simple email. Gayle’s sister Gina posed the possibility of going to Hawaii for the April U2 show. Gayle sent Lisa the email and said “What do you think?” Could it be possible? U2 in Hawaii! It truly would be paradise. A couple frantic days of checking for airfare, tickets, hotel costs etc. were stopped with the announcement of the postponement of the show. Still the seed had been planted. And our wait began.

We checked the web each day for the new dates. Finally in late July the word came. Gayle read the announcement on @U2.com first. She called Lisa and breathlessly said “They announced the new dates!” We were quickly on the web scanning for ticket prices. We found what we were looking for – GA’s! We purchased them within an hour of learning about the dates. We were really going to Hawaii! Gayle had to hang up the phone because she could hardly speak. Lisa jumped up and down in her office. Oh my gosh – it was really going to happen. On December 7th, after months of planning, imagining and intoxicating excitement we left California to see our boys.

We arrived in Hawaii on Thursday around noon. After quickly settling into our hotel, we headed to the bar for a “pinch me we’re really here” celebratory mai tai (one of many..you can be sure). We spot our first U2 t-shirt – Croke Park. We know why they’re here. Later on the beach we see more U2 t-shirts of different varieties as well as Product (Red) shirts. The sense of being a part of something big is building.

Later back at the bar, Gayle, wearing the Edun “ONE” shirt, is asked “Is that a U2 One shirt or a just a shirt that says one?” Jeff and Stacy from Phoenix, Arizona are there for the show too. Soon we meet Mike and Matt of New York. Our U2 shirts are a great icebreaker. In our conversations with these fellow fans we tell them of the blog for @U2.com and are surprised they have not visited it. We quickly share the site address and promise they won’t be disappointed in this great resource.

The energy builds in the local media. On Friday we learn that the line is already forming. As we meet others with GA tickets we ask when they plan to get in line. Saturday morning is the common answer so we are confident in our plan to go to the stadium in the morning and we continue to enjoy Hawaii.

A breezy, sunny morning welcomes us Saturday. It truly is a beautiful day! Packed with provisions for our day in line, we await the arrival of Russ our cab driver whom the hotel had hooked us up with. We had heard transportation would be premium due to the show and the Honolulu marathon on Sunday morning. Russ is running late and when Lisa calls him, he says he’ll pick us up in 15 minutes. Seems like an eternity. While we wait, Gayle’s sister Gina spots Cindy Crawford, Rande Gerber and Kid Rock in the hotel’s Starbucks. Pretty sure they are her for the show. Lisa asks for a photo with Cindy. Rande asks Gayle if she wants to be in the photo too, he will take it. Gayle says no but he earns big charm points for asking. Russ finally arrives and we are off.

We get to Aloha Stadium a little after 11 a.m. Later than we hoped but the line looks promising. Stadium staff have the fans grouped (caged) in sections with those diehard campers in section one. At one point a security guard walks by and yells, “No alcohol in the cages!!” Yikes. Anyway, we make it into the end of section 3. We position our supplies and begin our wait. Our goal is the circle within the first barrier and we anxiously wonder if we’ll make the cut. Security seems somewhat loose in letting people in and out of the section. We’re told there are approximately 1500 people ahead of us. Everything we have read says the inner barrier holds three to four thousand. We are sure we are in but…

Waiting in line offers the opportunity to watch a variety of people. There is such a diversity of ages. We meet people from all over the United States and listen to conversations in different languages.

As the time to enter the stadium nears, the anticipation rises and there are a couple false starts. One person stands and everyone stands. There is a push to the front gate of our section – nothing dangerous but definitely urgent. The neat rows are gone and a bulge of people is standing. Positioning has been altered. Some who were behind us are now in front of us and a few whom were in front of us are near the end of the line. One brilliant fan suggests the line move to the right so we are in the shade. Hats off to you!! We meet John, Mike and Brent from Dallas, Texas. John is a big fan and he’s been trying to explain the energy of a U2 show to U2 concert virgin Brent. If Brent only knew what lies ahead.

About 4:30 p.m. the first group is calmly walked into the stadium. As they pass the other side of the cyclone fence that separates us, they are greeted with cheers. We see section two moving then it’s our turn. We move, we stop and we move again. Security seems to have the movement under control. We are warned not too run and looking at the size of some of the security crew, I wouldn’t defy them. After a short wait just outside the stadium, the switchback moves. We climb up the stairs and then down to our first look at the stage. Oh my, there it is! A stadium stage we have only seen in photos. We see the inner circle. So much room. Yes, we are in! But then comes the devastating blow.

Just a dozen people from the gate to the inner circle we are cut off! We stand at the barrier, frustrated, disappointed and angry. There is so much space inside. The inner circle of the arms of the stage (the U2uterus) is full but the people around the outer side of the arms are just three deep. We stand at the barrier of the outer circle, stage left. Good viewing but not what we wanted.

We spend the next couple hours questioning security, contemplating options, attempting to get in but it’s not meant to be. A terrific gentleman in a great black hat is standing next to us with his wife. They are from Toronto. He bolsters our positioning by reminding us that these are great spots. Putting it into perspective, we are here to see U2. We are in Hawaii. It’s the last show of the tour. And we are closer than either of us has ever been. Hello!!! Is this awesome or what???

U2 Stage Manager Rocko and his band the Devils kicked off at 6:30 p.m. They were great! Playing for a solid ½ hour, they played a couple classic rock songs as well as one referring to road rage on Hawaii’s Nimitz Freeway. He had a blast running around on the side stages. He gives a shout out to his mom and dad and says, “See I told you I could do it.” Very cool. Young man’s dream being realized later in life. Rocko asks who in the audience is local. Many cheer. But when he asks who flew in for the show, the roar is far louder. There are more cheers from the crowd when Rocko acknowledges his employers. He comments on the length of the tour and being away from friends and family and the anticipation of it being over in “20..20…24 hours to go…” Thus he ends his set with a dynamic cover of “I Wanna be Sedated.” The stadium was fairly empty at this point and we wonder if some didn’t hear that the show started at 6:30 rather than the 7:30 time noted on the ticket. The inner section is still wide open.

Pearl Jam comes to the stage ½ an hour later. OK, now when we heard that Pearl Jam was to open for this show, we were just stoked. Having sat through Kings of Leon and Damian Marley at earlier shows in San Jose and Oakland, while watching Europe get the likes of the Killers and Keane and other great acts, we felt we had “earned” Pearl Jam. So if seeing U2 in Hawaii was the completely decadent chocolate fudge cake, Pearl Jam was the icing. And they were awesome. They opened with Corduroy and didn’t disappoint. Eddie kind of went a little crazy with his tambourines during the Baba O’Riley finale hitting himself and Mike McCready on the head a few times. It was cool to see them having fun and goofing around. Gayle’s thrill was seeing Given to Fly. Love the song, love it better live. Totally cool.

Upon the conclusion of the Pearl Jam, the lights come back up and the open area within the front barrier is beginning to fill in. Cast members from the TV show “Lost” walk by us. We later learn Kid Rock was there and in the inner circle. Many of those that fill in the open space appear to be there to be seen. Yes, we are still frustrated but refuse to let it spoil the night.

Finally the long awaited moment arrives. Months of waiting, planning, anticipating come down to the lights dimming and the cities where U2 had played during the Vertigo tour scroll across the immense stage. Each city is counted off. Cheers rise from the crowd as their city rolls by. We yell for San Jose and Oakland, California where we saw our other shows. Arcade Fire’s “Wake Up” plays and we know what comes next.

Adam, Larry and The Edge appear as if a part of the smoke. The strains of “City of Blinding Lights” build. We have heard it before but it still makes our spirits soar. An American flag rises from the far alternate stage and Bono appears. He waves the flag around and struts that Bono strut to the main stage. He may know he “can’t dance” but oh to watch that man move.

The crowd is charged and the energy is beyond electric. We sing, no scream, those familiar words of the first few songs – City, Vertigo and Elevation. We love the desire to sing with the band but they are drowned out by the fan enthusiasm early on. Bono thanks everyone for their patience in waiting for the show following the postponement. In one of several touching moments, Bono thanks Edge, Morleigh, Sian and Levi for their strength and support of the tour. The crowd echoes his thanks. We are truly grateful to be here and the air of magic is strong.

More magic. During “Angel of Harlem,” Bono pulls a guy up and has his arm around his shoulder. He is talking to him as they walk toward the main stage. Bono turns, laughs and then tells Edge “This man has a request. A very specific request.” This incredibly lucky guy wants to play keyboards for “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses?” No way! There is a brief scramble with the band to prep for the song. It is incredible and amazing.

Bono is generous with the stage visitors. He brought a little girl up to sing “No more” during “Sunday, Bloody Sunday”. Another man was brought up from the front for a brief time. During the first encore was the lucky girl brought up during “Mysterious Ways” and kept on stage while Bono, on his knees, sang “With or Without You.” Lisa REALLY wanted to be her.

To paraphrase Bono, Larry, dare we say it, was on fire. The drumming was so strong. The first encore kicked off with “The Fly” and is a highlight for Gayle. The energy, the music, the lights. You can’t help but say “WOW.” Then the second encore blew us away.

It started with the new song “Window in the Skies.” Then Bono called out, “Let’s see if we can get Billy Joe out here.” It can’t be true. We can’t be this lucky! Then Billy Joe appears as “The Saints are Coming” starts up. His microphone didn’t work so Bono gives him another one. The song rocks. Billy Joe leaves and Bono says “Let’s see if we can get any more saints out here”. Eddie and Mike from Pearl Jam come on for an AMAZING version of “Keep on Rocking in the Free World.” It is beyond description. The power of that number. Bono changes a line to sing “Make poverty history!” He sings “We love The Edge.” Eddie sings “We love The Edge.” We sing “We love The Edge.” And you think what a great way to end the show. We’re feeling good. What a great night…..but then, The Edge reaches for ANOTHER guitar and you think “What more can they possibly give us?”

Bono then thanks their women who have followed their men. And he begins “All I Want is You.” Beautiful! Powerful! Amazing! Bono leaves the stage. Adam leaves the stage. The Edge leaves the stage. Larry plays on. Concentrating. Taking in the moment. Then he stands and walks to the front of the stage. He thanks us for waiting for them and says “See you soon.” We begin counting the days.

The show is over and what an incredible experience. We recognize how incredibly fortunate we are to be a part of it. We love The Edge! We love Adam! We love Larry! We love Bono! We love this band! Mahalo U2!

Special thanks to our special Vertigo Tour correspondent Pat Hurley for his reports and photos. Pat - sounds like you picked the right locations to be at! You can see his photos here.
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Sorry for taking so long to file this report, got back from Hawaii yesterday, has taken me some time to gather my thoughts from all the events of the extended weekend. And what an amazing experience it was surrounding this tour-ending concert! A chronological summary:

FRIDAY: Touch down in Honolulu around 8PM local time, our driver asks us right off the bat if we’re in town for the big U2 concert, he’s been picking people up all day who are going to the show, also ferrying people to Bono’s rental house as well as our hotel which some of the band members are staying at (are you kidding me!).

SATURDAY A.M.: Before heading downstairs for breakfast, took a look at an article in the local paper describing how some fans started camping out in the GA line on Thursday night, and how accommodating the venue was in opening up some concession stands and providing portable toilets. Sit down at our table, look up and guess who is sitting two tables away……. Billie Joe from Green Day! I’m thinking he must be here to play “The Saints are Coming” with the boys tonight, right ? Also spotted him later in the day doing some of the normal things a family does while on vacation, kind of cool to see him as a regular father as opposed to the famous lead singer we see on stage or on TV.

SATURDAY P.M.: Just from hanging out around the hotel all day, and noticing all the people with U2 shirts or “ONE” wristbands, it seems many of us have traveled a long way to see this show. Waiting out front to catch a cab to the stadium, wearing the “INSPI(RED)” T-shirts my wife picked up from the Gap before we left the mainland, another couple comes up to us and comments on the shirts. After chatting for a few minutes, the valet brings their car around, at which point they offer us a ride to the concert. Now I’m originally from NYC, so I’m not in the habit of accepting rides from perfect strangers, but given they’re U2 fans and sympathetic enough to our situation to offer, we hop in and enjoy the ride with the radio tuned to a station that is just playing blocks of U2 and PJ (Deb and Mark – thanks again).

THE CONCERT (Pre-U2): Arriving at about 6pm, there were still plenty of people in the parking lots tailgating, but you couldn’t tell that from the size of the crowds surrounding the 4 merchandise tents. Sorry Rocko, I missed most of your opening act while waiting to buy a few T-shirts and a poster, but you sounded like you were having fun. Finally we reached our seats, 3rd row - stage right - killer view (thanks to @U2 reader Becky M. – your package will be in the mail soon) and waited for the arrival of Pearl Jam. Knowing they only had about an hour for their set, Eddie & Co. were on fire from the start, playing many of their songs (Corduroy, Elderly Woman…, Evenflow, Betterman) that would be recognizable even to the audience members who were there just to see U2. The native islanders in the crowd got a treat as PJ also played a song “Hawaii 78” written by a Hawaiian member of the band. Pearl Jam closed their set in impressive fashion with “Alive” and a cover of “Baba O’Riley” that brought down the house.

THE MAIN EVENT: As the crew clears PJ’s equipment and gets the stage ready for U2, it gives us a break to catch our breath and prepare for take-off. The anticipation builds until finally “Wake Up” bursts from the speakers while a ticker-tape of every show on the Vertigo tour crawls across the video screen behind the band. Bono emerges on the catwalk waving an American flag at the start of “CoBL”. The lower deck of the stadium is literally bouncing up and down as the band rips through “Vertigo”, “Elevation” and “I Will Follow”. The atmosphere is more like a celebration than anything else as the crowd expresses its joy and the band is completely at ease and having fun, most notably when Bono pulls a fan from the crowd who is “very specific” about playing keyboard on “Wild Horses” and Bono checks that Edge remembers “the chords”. As the fan returns to the cheering crowd, running back down the catwalk arms overhead in triumph, we are treated to “The First Time” before the band completes the main set and first encore with familiar numbers which have been staples on this tour. Bono apologized a couple of times for the concert’s postponement, thanking the crowd for a “second chance” and for “hanging around” as well as thanking Edge for “staying strong”. I have to admit, this being the final show of the tour, I was looking forward to the band doing something a little different and they delivered in the second encore. After “Window in the Skies”, Billie Joe joins the band on stage (like I thought earlier) for “The Saints are Coming”, then Eddie and Mike from PJ appeared for a cover of “Rockin’ in the Free World”. The scene of Bono and Eddie dancing and exchanging lyrics and Edge and Mike trading solos was incredible, their extended version of the song ended with everyone singing “We love the Edge”. The night came to a close with “All I Want Is You”, the band members leaving one by one with Larry the last to go, playing the drums slower and slower, almost like he didn’t want to finish and the show to come to an end, until he came out from behind his kit to deliver the last words, “See you soon”. Just an amazing night.

SUNDAY: Back at our hotel, poolside, early afternoon, there suddenly appears a man dressed all in black, shades, slicked back hair. Everybody perks up, “Is that him?”, “That’s not him, his hair is too long” and indeed it wasn’t Bono, it was just his decoy. But we’re thinking, if his decoy is here, maybe he is too? Sure enough, about a half hour later, I spot Bono up on a veranda overlooking the pool, sitting at a table, just hanging out with friends. We move to an adjacent room, seeking a chance maybe for a quick hello or photo op, but as he leaves the room he stops just long enough to say hi to a couple of kids and their mom before his bodyguard escorts him over to the elevators.

All in all, a great trip, an incredible show and a few glimpses (some not mentioned) of the people behind the rock stars which I’m glad to say only enhanced my opinion of them.

(photos (c) S. Lawrence/@U2)

The US Leg of the Popmart tour came to an end in Seattle, Washington. As the story goes, Bono had been inspired by the “spirit” (tequila if memory serves me correctly) while in Vancouver a few nights before to do a reverse mohawk, which didn’t look too good. (Let’s face it - even the mullet probably looked better on Bono than a reverse mohawk.)

So, to make peace with his hairstyle, the rest of it came off. Fans in Seattle were shocked to see a bald Bono. For those of us who were there, we couldn’t believe it when fans who saw the show in Vancouver warned us about the new look Bono had. Nice to see that 9 years later, his good friend Gavin Friday has now taken up the shaved head look too.