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U2 Vertigo Tour 2005 at Charlotte - Part 4

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Five More 'Til Encore

In the middle of "Bullet The Blue Sky" a blindfolded Bono performing a dramatic mime of a prisoner perhaps being readied for execution. He followed that up with an intense rendition of "Miss Sarajevo" where he took over Luciano Pavarotti's part. His voice sounded so good to my ears it about made my hair stand up. It certainly made me forget about how I was going to get that CD to him.

When U2 launched next into "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" I figured they would be wrapping up the concert proper soon before encores. I toyed with the idea of tossing the disc on stage, but I didn't want to be a distraction. Right as I was thinking that someone threw a scarf or something onstage and Bono kicked it back into the audience. I didn't want to take that chance with my last, lone CD-ROM!

"Where The Streets Have No Name," "One."

I knew when "One" started that was going to be it before the encore. By now even Avalon was getting panicky, insisting that we try to give Edge the CD. But I assured her we would have a chance during the encore.

Encore! Encore!

Bono and Edge made use of the walkway as U2 performed "Until The End Of The World." I think, however, it wasn't until "Mysterious Ways" that Edge was standing right over us playing a solo. Some nice guy was holding Annecy up right below Edge. I handed her the CD and she tried to hand it to Edge, but obviously he was plucking his guitar so it was silly of me to think he could pluck the CD from her hand.

Now I am really starting to worry I may have to take the desperate move of throwing the CD onto the stage. But I felt it would be very rude to toss it up there in mid-song. So just as they started "With Or Without You" I casually tossed the disc towards Edge. It went behind him on the floor. I thought for sure it would be a matter of moments before a roadie scooped it up into oblivion. But it stayed there. Avalon and I watched throughout the song as Edge backed up and walked forward, almost stepping on it. This was actually a good thing because Bono and some chick he had pulled out from the audience during "Mysterious Way" looked rather, um, compromising from our view. The chick had her back to us and I guess Bono was on his knees singing to her.

U2 left the stage again after that song but I could tell since the lights didn't come back on there was going to be another encore. I watched as Edge's guitar tech, who according to my friend Stephen is called Dallas, readied Edge's guitar for the next song, then deftly scooped my CD off the floor and set it on Edge's amp. Shortly after that I saw Dallas take a guitar pick and aim it at Avalon and Annecy. It was a black U2 pick with the bull's-eye on it. Now both girls had souvenirs.

Back came U2 on stage and out to the outer curve of the ellipse to play "Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of" and "Yahweh." Bono quipped a quick "Happy Birthday" to the late Frank Sinatra, who would have been 90 or something like that.

I had no more CDs to toss. No more chances to put one in their hands. It was actually a relief so I could just kick back and enjoy the closing song, "40."

Or so I thought.

"See You After the Show Then, DD" - NOT

For this song, Adam and Edge switched sides and instruments - Edge played bass and Adam played six string.

There I was watching U2 closing this show with "40," the same song they closed with at the 1983 Chapel Hill show. The song they close with every night on my computer.

And there is Adam right at the edge of the stage looking at me. Just another nameless face in the crowd, I am now. That felt really strange. He had no idea that we had chatted years ago. And that as he got ready to go on stage that time he had said "See you after the show then, DD."

I knew what would come next. Bono would stroll off stage when he finished singing. Then Adma would go. Then Edge would go. Then Larry would go. Just like we listen to every night as "40" closes the 1983 show.

I came to the realization I had failed in my mission to introduce Avalon and Annecy to these guys I had talked with in such detail. I didn't have the power to pick up that sink and toss it out the window. But at least I tried.

It didn't really matter. Avalon was tired. Annecy was tired. I was tired. Unlike after the Todd Rundgren show we had attended in the spring, the girls didn't insist we hang about to say "Hello" and get an autograph. It actually meant more to me that they met Todd, who had been so nice and sweet with them. U2 have just become too big. Ironic that U2 had opened for Todd at that 1983 concert.

Todd I could chat with now. I don't know what I would say to Bono, Edge, and Adam (I don't think Larry and I had a chat back then). What could I say that they haven't already heard other than to compare our 1983 mullets?

On the way back, Avalon said she wanted to listen to Green Day on the ride home. But instead, we had a quiet ride with no music. Just an occasional UnReal !! from one of us as we remembered being inside the ellipse, right in front, and for me the relief that I had fulfilled my promise to take Avalon and Annecy to see U2.

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