Up Close With U2

Not too many times will one get to experience arguably the greatest of anything in history – let alone four times. Whether or not U2 sits on top of the pile isn’t the point…it’s that they are at the top of the pile. For decades they have been producing some of the best and most important music in the world, and because they are globally loved, being able to see them live is an exercise in timing.

Once at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC. Once at Mile High Stadium in Denver. Twice at Pepsi Center in Denver.

I’ve been lucky. And considering that two of those times Ahna and I went together, I have been very lucky. The Pepsi Center (capacity around 19,000) seems like an intimate venue to see a band of U2’s stature. Having seen two huge performances in stadiums, the shows that they do indoors are entirely different. While still a performance, they are much more raw, much more rock, and much more fun.

This time around, we snagged floor/GA tickets, and met up with a couple of friends. We walked into the arena through a special entrance with no idea on what to expect. When we ended up about 10 feet from part of the stage, we were assured by someone who attended a previous version of the concert at an earlier tour stop that we were in perfect placement. Then the show began and our jaws dropped. Bono appeared immediately in front of us; then later seemingly serenaded us with Sunday Bloody Sunday. The band walked and played just in front of us, and the big video screen was omnipresent. Oddly, one of my favorite parts of the show was actually just a video…of Johnny Cash singing The Wanderer – perhaps my favorite U2 song ever (it was never played in the previous shows I have been to).

A night to remember for sure.