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U2 Vertigo Tour 2005 at Charlotte - Part 3

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Blinding Lights

We headed down to the walkway to the ellipse entrance, but the security guard in the yellow coat told us we had to wait. The house lights went out and stage lights went up and out came U2 with the opening song "City of Blinding Lights." I tried to pick Avalon up so she could see and Hubby was holding Annecy up. Finally the guard let us through and we slipped in the entrance by the Edge side of the stage. There they were, right there in front of us. The four of us looked at each other and said UnReal !! We ended up saying UnReal !! a lot that evening.

The best part of all this for me was seeing how much my kids were digging it. They could actually see the band rather than just watching them on the screen above the stage as U2 went into "Vertigo." Annecy still needed hoisting up, so Hubby held her up for a long time.

There were some girls nearby who were quite taken with Annecy, dancing with her, holding her up so she could see. Both Avalon and Annecy were wearing "Boy" t-shirts they had gotten three years ago. And they were both grooving to U2 live at last.

"Elevation" was the third song. At the start, Bono came to the walkway on our side, stopping right above us over the entrance. I had the CD in my hand, but I felt it was too early in the show to bother Bono with handing him something. Bono took a few more steps then a guy threw a Santa Claus hat onto the walkway. Bono pulled the guy up on the walkway, put the Santa cap on the dude's head, and said something like "I dub you St. Nicholas." The dude pumped his hands in the air and was returned to the crowd. Guess I missed a chance to pass Bono the CD at that time after all.

Lots of people in the ellipse had cameras. I asked a guy standing near me if he would e-mail me pix for my Web site. He said to give him my e-mail address. I handed him a CD and told him what was on it. The idea was that in exchange for the CD, he would send me pix. So far I haven't heard from him.

So that left me with one CD. One more chance.

Gloria

It was exciting to hear U2 play "Gloria." I had told Avalon and Annecy U2 probably wouldn't play anything from October. The significance here is that the audio of the 1983 concert we have opens with "Gloria" and is mostly songs from October. The girls have listened to this show every night at bedtime since it made its way to me several months ago. (This is where UnReal !! comes from. You can hear a guy say this at the end of Electric Co., when Bono goes up on top of the stage. Check out the audio clip.)

So I'm thinking this would be a good opportunity to put the CD in Bono's hands. But he just wouldn't get close enough.

At one point there was some commotion beside us and I noticed Gavin Rossdale standing next to Avalon. Apparently Institute decided to come out to the ellipse and watch the show. After a few minutes, Gavin and the rest of the band moved back into the ellipse.

About this time, a nice security guard in a dark shirt wearing a headset took Avalon over to the rail at the end of the crowd so she could see better. I was especially glad Avalon had a clear view of Larry Mullen, Jr. because she was supposed to play drums in the school band at the Winter Concert that night. I sent an e-mail to her band director explaining that Avalon wouldn't be able to attend because she would be studying a professional drummer that night.

Meanwhile, Annecy had found a blue U2 pick on the floor. Life was good.

"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," "Beautiful Day," "Original Of The Species," "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own," "Love And Peace Or Else."

During "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" Bono started strolling across the walkway on the other side - the Adam side - of the stage. I figured he would eventually get around to our side and I might have another chance at handing Bono the CD. He stopped again over ellipse entrance near us, but he was so into singing the song, I didn't want to create a distraction and spoil his moment. I hoped for another chance with my last disc.

U2 - Boy: Ethan and Bono On Stage in Charlotte

Next came "Sunday Bloody Sunday" - another favorite from our UnReal !! 1983 concert audio. Bono brought an eight-year-old boy named Ethan on stage with him. It was when Bono was going "NO MORE!" in the middle of the song. I don't have the actual audio from the 2005 Charlotte show so all I can offer up is this 1983 clip with a much younger Bono. Bono had Ethan, who looked completely at home on the stage, singing "No More!" with him. Ethan's mom has been kind enough to share her pictures with us U2 fans. Here's what Ethan had to say about his experience:

"It's hard to stop smiling and it just felt like I was dreaming. I could not believe that I got picked, as soon as he got to me I went crazy.

"I had a cool view of all the people that were there. I was so amazed that it felt like I was BRAIN WASHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"It's hard to believe that I was on stage with U2!!! :-) :-)"

-- Ethan on being onstage with Bono during "Sunday, Bloody, Sunday" at Charlotte 12 December 2005