Why U2? Part One

With the 20th anniversary of the release of my favorite album of all time, I figured I would take some time to explain why it is that I have become such a massive U2 fan. While there is plenty of time coming up in the future to describe the love of the music and sound, the personality and all that stuff, there are certain memories I have that not only do I associate with a time, a place, or a person, but in this case, with music. Here's one:

It was two years ago today that U2 streamed their concert from the Rose Bowl live across the world via youtube. At the time I was in Chile and trying to work out a long-distance relationship with a woman back home whom I cared deeply about. In the process of getting acclimated to this new place and the new job, it seemed like a good opportunity to stream the show together that evening.

Now, I've long been of the belief that music has a power to reach and to touch. I'm one of those. I firmly subscribe to the notion that as we are living, breathing human beings, we are subject to having things move us. And music does that for me; it has done so for as long as I can remember. U2, in particular, had come to move me and mean more to me from not only a musical perspective, but also from the vantage point of the memories it evokes. I understand that there are songs that remind us of people (Example: "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" by the Smashing Pumpkins reminds me of my friend Kevin, and the summer we spent listening to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness on repeat all day, every day. To THIS day, I hear anything by the Pumpkins, I immediately think of Kevin and that summer). There are also songs that remind us of places (Enrique Iglesias' "I Like It" will always remind me of Miami 2010). To that effect, U2 brings about feelings and emotions. "Where the Streets Have No Name" will always send a shiver up my spine, make my hair stand on end, and have me feeling invincible. Always.

Now to bring it back to the story...I'd been keeping up via Skype, and thought that this would be quite the magical marriage of my favorite band and my favorite gal (who traditionally had shook her head at the opening chord of any U2 song, knowing full well that it was 3-5 minutes of uninterrupted euphoria; not that it had to be silent, just that it was causing extreme joy. If you're going to butter me up to anything, having a soundtrack of that nature is a great strategic move...). Our arrangements were made to talk that night and to have the concert playing in the background. However, each of us working a full day and coming home after to sit still for a conversation could sometimes lead to drowsiness. I don't doubt that my enthusiasm for the idea exceeded hers, but we managed to get into the sound in time for the concert to start.

Now, for those of you who haven't seen anything from the U2 360 tour, I urge you to check it out. The music is testament to U2's staying power, at least as a live act. The set is....well, it's something to behold. And the experience of such a live show unchains me. Couldn't endorse it more.

And so we sat (and proceeded to lay down), watching the concert, listening to the music, and looking at each other. Until drowsiness took over us. While I won't bore you with the set list, both new and old songs were well-represented. Highlights 1-3 (links given if the embedding doesn't work):

1)Playing "In a Little While", which isn't a terribly common song played live, but fit the situation perfectly; to say it upped the beauty of the song is an understatement.


2) The move from "Streets" to "Ultraviolet": While WTSHNN is the best song I've ever heard live, the move to "Ultraviolet" off of Achtung, Baby (perhaps my favorite track from my favorite album) was spectacular. I was jarred awake by the intro to the song, but was MORE than pleasantly interrupted when I heard where they were going with it. Beautiful, Bono's ridiculous light jacket not withstanding.


3) Watching someone sleep through the end of the show. "Moment of Surrender" off of U2's latest effort has a similarly profound impact on me from both a emotional and spiritual direction. While I don't know if it makes for the best concert closer ("Out of Control" this past summer, for example, was better), it is a touching song. Combine that with the serenity that comes with someone fast asleep, and it became one of the best (if not THE best) moment I can remember about living abroad. I am reminded of that today, as it's been two years since the concert first aired.



The moment in itself had a longer-lasting effect than the concert, and yet the concert served as a way to connect not only the two of us, but also add the music- a third party- into the mix. At the show this past July, I was reminded of that night, and how surreal it was to be experiencing it live, fully awake. The rest I'm not sure if I can put into words. Rest assured more is on the way, though.

Talk to each other.