Tonight I experienced my 3rd U2 concert in two weeks, the 2nd with my brother. This one was a technofest...YouTube, Facebook, Typepad and my iPhone were all involved.
Two weeks ago I was preparing to see U2 for the first and second time in one week - Dallas on Monday, 10/12 with siblings and Houston on Wednesday, 10/14 with hubby. Experienced minor withdrawals as I adjusted to reality after that week.
Then I learned could see U2 again, not in person, but via YouTube. A live broadcast of their concert at the Rose Bowl would start at 10:30 pm my time on Sunday, 10/25. I planned to have it on while I did some work. I didn't plan on posting about it or texting w/my brother through the whole thing, yet that's what I did.
I began with Facebook status updates, but moved to Typepad to blog it, as a public service to my FB friends after 9 status updates w/in about 20 minutes. Oy vey. Then I switched to my blog and will post a link on my FB page and perhaps my Twitter account.
At the other concerts I posted a few updates via FB. For this concert, with a full size keyboard at my disposal, I was able to ramble much more. As a public service, after 9 FB status updates w/in 20 minutes, I decided a blog post was in order.
The other concerts I danced and sang most of the time. For this concert I listened and watched the concert on YouTube, made brief notes on the Typepad blog and texted my brother via iPhone. I sang and danced a little, but didn't want to wake up the kids.
As mentioned in of those updates, the reason I'm doing this is merely compulsion, not a delusion that anyone wants to read my ramblings about U2.
It turned out to be mostly notes about the lyrics of the songs. A musician (strong, handsome Jack) may have noted the music. A tech guy (Mr. Cherry) commented on the lights, sound, etc. Others wouldn't have done anything except enjoy the music.
Here is the "live blog" transcript from the U2 360 concert at the Rose Bowl. I did clean it up a little and added some informative links. If you make it through the whole thing, leave a comment to humor me. Thanks.
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Bono is a wee little Irish man in quasi platform shoes, working the crowd at the Rose Bowl.
"Breathe" - Just heard these lyrics. "Why would I let a complete stranger in my home? Would you?" Need to go look these up. Sounds of substance. "I found grace inside a ____. I found grace that's all I found."
(1:34am RB=rebroadcast) - "Get on Your Boots" - "You don't know how beautiful you are." Adam is working that bass.
(1:39am RB) "Magnificent" - One of my newest top ranking U2 songs. Bono going for the call and response. Fun. "This foolishness can leave a heart so black and blue." "Only love can leave such a mark. Only love can heal such a scar." "I was born to sing for you. I didn't have a choice, but to lift You up and sing whatever songs you wanted me to." "My first cry from the womb was a joyful noise." "Justified (or y?) till we die you and I will magnify the Magnificent." Catching a glimpse of Bono in worship. Then move into uh...noises to encourage people to get up off their big fat ___ and move to Mysterious Ways.
(1:45RB) "Mysterious Ways" - He didn't pull anyone up on stage. Dance on, Bono. "If you want to kiss the sky, better learn how to kneel." The bass is coming through so well, much better than in Dallas or Houston. I'm sure it's due to youtube feed vs. just sound in stadium. Whatever it is, I'm enjoying it. Caught some more interesting lyrics for Mysterious Ways. Guy in purple muscle shirt in front row looks like he wants Bono to pull him up on stage to dance. "Spirit reach me. Spirit move me. Spirit teach me to move."
(1:49am RB) - mic went out..got replacement quickly... "Beautiful Day" - "Touch me, take me to another place. Teach me love, I know I'm not a hopeless case. What you don't know, you can feel it somehow."
11:35 pm - intro band before "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," characterizes band as actors
Larry=James Dean, Adam=Rhett Butler, The Edge=Dr. Spock/mad scientist/alien, Bono=combo of Arnold Schwarzeneger, Danny Devito and Dennis Leary. Nice.
11:38 pm - Acoustic "Stuck in a Moment"...after brief exchange w/Edge I don't remember Bono doing this in Houston or Dallas. Referred to Edge as Zen Presbyterian, doesn't talk much, but when he does....
"You can never get enough of what you don't really need." I don't usually like falsetto singing, but Edge's has grown on me.
11:43- "No Line on the Horizon" Still not sure what that means. Bass line sounds great...haven't noticed it before on this song. "Infinity is a great place to start." (Infinity brings back memories from the Dallas concert. Like I've been on tour w/them or something. Thanks to bro Andy for 'splanin' No Line reference via text message just now. Bono was referring to foggy days on the coast of the Irish sea where you can't tell where the sea and sky separate. Things seem limitless.
11:47 - "Elevation" - One of my favorite songs from concert and from their catalog. Fun to sing and "ooooo" in concert.. and in front of the computer. :) "Can't sing, but I got soul." "Love lift me up out of these blues, I believe in you."
11:50 - "In a Little While" - No thanks for those noises before this song, Bono. Used astronaut video in this song instead of Blue Room like Houston.
11:54 - "Unknown Caller" - Bono is so enjoying himself. Good for him. It's a gift from God to enjoy your work. (Ecclesiastes 3:22)
"Restart and reboot yourself. Your free to go. Shout for joy if you get the chance." Hammond organ in the Underworld under the stage. So that's where the extra keys were coming from. Fun. Didn't do this song in Dallas or Houston, bro and I decided, though he admits his memory may be tainted with giddiness.
12:00 - "Until the End of the World" Love this song. Fabulous bass. Sounds edible here. Yes, edible. Singing w/the headphones on. Good thing everyone is a sleep. Bono does play the tart...and the drama queen. ;) "Taking them to church whether they want to not." - my bro via text message. "Drowning my sorrows. My sorrows, they learned to swim."
12:06am - "The Unforgettable Fire" - EEEEEEEEKKKKK!!!!! My favorite song. Sounds great.
"Stay in the song"...new lyric. Like it. Makes me think of staying in God's presences. Maybe it's stay in the Son? Too overt?
If the mountain should crumble or disappear to the sea not a tear no not I." (Biblical reference.)
12:10am - "City of Blinding Lights" - Run, Bono, run. Bro pointed out Edge playing piano w/pick between his fingers. "Can you see the beauty inside of me? What happened to the beauty I had inside of me?" "Oh, you look so beautiful tonight." "Time won't take the boy out of this man." "The more you know, the less you feel." "Blessing aren't just for the ones who kneel, luckily." Grace abounds.
12:15 am "Vertigo" - "Honey, I'm home. Some Spanish lessons w/an Irish accent." Bass is awesome. "Though your soul it can't be bought, your mind can wander." "The boys can't dance, at least they know." "It's everything I wish I didn't know, but you give me something I can feel." "I can feel your love teaching me how, your love is teaching me how, how to kneel."
12:19 am - "I Know I'll Go Crazy", remix - Go, Larry. Like this version better than the album version. "Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot." "How can you stand next to the truth and not see it. The change comes slow." "Is it true that perfect love drives out fear?" "Right to be ridiculous is one I hold dear." Fantastic call and response. Work the 360, Adam.
12:25 am - Moving in to the political segment. Bit about radio Tehran. Freedom. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" Wiping face w/American flag? I'm sure somebody could read something into that. Bass rocks. Bit of attitude of prayer in Bono.
12:30 am - more political talk...about Aung San Suu Kyi..send message of love from people of Los Angeles, "Sleep...." move into "Walk On" can put on mask from $25 program. No, I didn't buy a program and wouldn't have worn the mask if I did buy a program. I said a prayer for ...... and sang Walk On, though. :) Not syncing with Bono on this, probably more out of ignorance than principle. (Will go read a bit about her.) Volunteers from Amnesty International, Burma something and the One campaign on the stage. Cool for them. Credit Bono for utilizing currency of celebrity (his term) to do something of significance.
12:39 am - It's been an hour and a half since they started. (Broadcast started at 10:30 with a 30 minute countdown to showtime.) Man, that went by fast. It did in Dallas and Houston, also.
12:40 am - Video of Nelson Mandella. Have to appreciate his animation. Bottom line: many obstacles to justice, God will help, work as one. (The day before the Dallas concert, Pastor @LauraKoke had talked about the impact of one person and unity of people working together.)
"One" - "One life you get to do what you should."
12:47am - "Amazing Grace" - Bono on guitar & vocals, with lots of other people. :) Here come some snyths and edge leading into "Where the Streets Have No Name." Bono's taking'em to church again. Wonder what he's laughing at? How do you work a crowd of that size? What fun to hear all those people singing your music. Nice for the ego. Noticing new stuff in bass line, not sure if it's new or I'm just now hearing it.
12:54am - Band applauding the audience. Taking it in. Go offstage. Nice graphics of the cosmos on the screens. Wonder what they do in the Underworld at this time?
12:56am - Space ship w/little Zooropa (thanks, Andy) dude. In Houston they put his face in an astronaut suit floating in space.
12:58am - Bono in his laser jacket and swinging vine microphone doing "Ultra Violet." "Feel like trash. You make me feel clean." "A silence that comes to house when no one can sleep. I guess that's the price of love. The price isn't right and it isn't cheap." (Pastor Earl's message today was "The Price is Right.")
1:03am - "With or Without You" - It took me years to recover from the damage inflicted by Friends' Ross/Rachel use of this song. Jamie Hawkins and my niece Chelsea agreed. Don't know if they have recovered yet. Another lovely choral song. Hey, he didn't hang his jacket on the mic at the other shows!
People were created to worship, whether they know it or not...concerts and sporting events are evidence of this.
1:09 am - Thanks show sponsors and social activists. Take out phones. Amazing.
1:11 am - "Moment of Surrender" - Again w/the bass. Thought of this song at church today. "Moment of surrender. I folded to my knees. I did not notice the passers by and they did not notice me." "My body's begging to get back to my heart, to the rhythm of my soul." "Vision over visibility." Sing it, Bono. Now going w/a little freestyle. I don't remember him doing that at the other shows. "Standing ovulation," texts my bro. Haha.
Jack just appeared behind me. Startled me. Burst my little U2/techno bubble.
1:26 am - the rebroadcast is coming on now...surely I won't stay up for the whole thing again...
2:40 am - still listening...have done a few other things...
2:50 am - just saw they're doing airing the "entire" concert video after the rebroadcast...are they shooting for a 24 hour/day U2 channel..wouldn't put it past Bono...Yikes! It's almost 3am. At some point I either call it and go to bed or call it and stay up.
3:31am - Wrapping up. While doing a bit of research about different things, reminded that I don't agree with everything they support and do. Their lyrics and music are a definite value add, though. And what was the value of me spending time on this? Chalk it up to creative outlet.
3:36 am - last song of the rebroadcast...get off the computer before the "entire" concert video starts airing! Run!!!
so funny!!!!!!
Posted by: Rhonda | December 05, 2009 at 04:43 AM