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U2 Vertigo Tour 2005 - Charlotte North Carolina

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New Charlotte Arena

When we arrived at the New Charlotte Arena, we were directed to an entrance on the other side of the building for General Admission ticket holders. There we got our wristbands and earplugs for Avalon and Annecy.

Institute, the opening band, were already playing. This is Gavin Rossdale's latest band (you might remember him from the band Bush).

We weren't sure how we were going to manage general admission with an 8-year-old and an 11-year-old. I did not want them to get smushed in the crowd but I wanted them to be able to see. We decided our best choice was to be at the back of the floor so we could see over the heads of the crowd. Even so, the girls couldn't see the stage. At one point, Hubby put Annecy on his back (piggy-back style) but a security guy in a yellow coat said he couldn't do that because it might block the view for people behind him. The only thing behind Hubby was a blocked entrance so this was a bit anal since there were no people behind us.

Hubby and I watched Institute on stage while the girls watched the screens over the stage. Gavin came around to the front of the ellipse a time or two, which made it possible for Avalon to see him. Annecy was too short. With all the distractions we didn't get to focus on Institute as much as we would have liked.

The CD-ROMs Start Moving

While we were hanging out there beside the audio console (on the left side if you're facing the stage), I decided to see if I could start moving CDs in the direction of backstage. There was a young dude sitting there who I think might have been with Institute. I handed him one of my CDs and asked if he could get a copy to U2. He said all he could do was pass it on to the tour manager. Good enough for me. I had five more chances.

After Institute said "Good Night" (this was their last show with U2), the lights came up and I decided to see if I could find another avenue to move a CD. I left Hubby and the kids by the audio console and went up the other side of the arena. I asked a yellow-coated security guard how I could get the interviews to the band and he directed me to a lady standing by the ellipse entrance. Well, she couldn't do anything. She wasn't even allowed to move from her spot so I didn't nag her about it.

I leaned over the rail and asked a man who walked from backstage how I could get the CD back there. He said he'd check, but when he came back, he said that the band weren't accepting "gifts." Another security guard asked if I had an extra CD so I gave him one. Four more chances.

Where the Action Is

I finally made my way back to Hubby and the kids. It took forever because to leave the floor you had to go up the stairs on one side and to get back you had to go down the stairs on the other side. It took some time for me to work through the crowd and get to the other side of the arena where the "down" stairs were.

Hubby and the kids were where I had left them. As soon as Hubby saw me he said "You should have stayed here. This is where the action is."

He told me about seeing a man named Jack with a long salt-and-pepper beard who seemed to be the head audio dude. But he had left by the time I got there. I walked around looking for this guy. I saw another gentleman wearing a Vertigo pass and tried to give him a CD, but he waved me off.

We were all getting excited about U2 coming on stage soon. I decided I might actually have to cut through the crowd and try handing the CD over at the ellipse.

As I looked around behind me I saw a guy with a salt-and-pepper beard. I quietly walked up and handed him the disk, saying it had interviews with U2 from 1983 and that the band might find it amusing. Just as quickly I turned around and walked off as he said thank you. Three down.

As luck would have it, a man offered me yellow wristbands to get into the ellipse then he walked away. I caught up with him and gave him a CD as a thank you. Two chances left.

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This page was updated June 22, 2008.
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