Archive for January, 2011

Elevation 2001

Posted in 'On the Road with U2', Albums, Elevation, Tours, U2 with tags , , , on January 31, 2011 by DeenasDays

2001 was one of the best years of my life. It truly was the year of U2. But it started just over 2 months prior with the release of All That You Can’t Leave Behind in October 2000. It quickly became one of my favorite U2 albums. I didn’t have to listen to it a few times to fall in love with it like I had with Achtung Baby and Pop. My favorite songs off of All That You Can’t Leave Behind are In a Little While, When I Look at the World, Beautiful Day, Walk On and Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of.

U2 went on the road in support of All That You Can’t Leave Behind with the Elevation Tour that started and ended in America, more specifically in Florida. I saw 27 shows on the Elevation tour that spanned from March to December 2001, including the first and final shows of the tour. I traveled across the United States from Maryland to Florida to Washington state and back to Florida making great friends who are still my friends today, 10 years later. In January 2001, I started buying my tickets for the Elevation shows. In February, U2 won three grammys for Beautiful Day – Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance by a group or duo. In March my Elevation tour began, and I journaled all of my tour experiences.

my Elevation tour keychain from Philly

 

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My Summer in Dublin 1998 & NetAid 1999

Posted in 'On the Road with U2', Bono, Concerts, U2 with tags , , , , , , , , , , on January 28, 2011 by DeenasDays

The year after Popmart I spent the summer of 1998 in Dublin, Ireland. I stayed and studied at Trinity College and took weekend visits to London and Belfast. While in Dublin, I visited U2 sites. I walked from Trinity to Windmill Lane and saw the wall where all the U2 fans signed, just like the wall at Graceland. I went to Kilmainham Gaol where A Celebration video was filmed, but they didn’t let me on the staircase. I saw Grease at Point Depot theatre where U2 played their famous ‘go away and dream it all up again’ New Year’s Eve show in 1989/1990. I went to Bono’s house and into the backyard, as well as the hearing aid store, Bono Vox, that Bono was named after. I even went to U2’s nightclub,The Kitchen, when Howie B was dj-ing. I was in Dublin for two months, but never saw Larry, Bono, Edge or Adam.

U2 tour in Dublin

Windmill Lane

Kilmainham Gaol

Point Depot Theatre

Bono's house

Bono Vox hearing aids

The Clarence Hotel and The Kitchen nightclub

 

The following year I drove up to Giants Stadium on Saturday October 9, 1999 for Net Aid, a benefit concert to raise money and awareness for the Jubilee 2000 campaign to cancel debt in poorer countries. Performers included Bono. Wyclef Jean, Sting, Jimmy Page, Jewel, Sheryl Crow, Black Crows, Puff Daddy and Michael Stipe, but the stadium wasn’t nearly full. Bono and Wyclef Jean closed the show with their song New Day, which I loved. Earlier in the show, Bono performed One. But it would be another year and a half before I would see U2 again.

NetAid 10.9.99

http://www

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My final Popmart shows – Tampa 11.10.97 & Miami 11.14.97

Posted in 'On the Road with U2', Bono, Concerts, Popmart, Tours, U2 with tags , , , , , , , on January 27, 2011 by DeenasDays

I traveled to Florida for the third leg of the Popmart tour. My parents have a condo in Ft. Myers, so I had a free place to stay. Laurie flew down with me to attend the shows in Tampa and Miami, both about a two hour drive from Ft. Myers.

At the time, the Popmart show at Houlihans Stadium in Tampa on November 10, 1997 was my favorite U2 show I had seen, including all of ZooTv and Popmart. I think mainly because I stood right on the b stage, rather than staying in my seat. There was nothing between me and the stage. And for Popmart, U2 entered through the crowd and onto the b stage. I thought they sounded better than the shows I had seen on the first leg. It was raining and the top deck of the stadium was empty, but it was a great show! Third Eye Blind opened, and I really liked them. Instead of karaoke like in the first leg, Edge sang Sunday Bloody Sunday, and a belly dancer from the audience came on up on stage for Mysterious Ways, like during ZooTv. I didn’t know it at the time, but that belly dancer was Melissa Pruitt who would become my friend 4 years later. Also in attendance was Beth Nabi, who blogs over at http://bethandbono.com. It was Beth’s first U2 show. She and I would meet and become friends 14 years later in Denver and see many shows together on the 360 tour.

U2 Popmart Tampa 11.10.97

A few days later on November 14, 1997 we drove over to Pro Player Stadium in Miami for my last Popmart show. We again did not stay in our seats and stood right at the b stage. I grabbed onto Bono’s leg (sort of hugged it actually) as he leaned over into the crowd. Although I have always been a Larry fan, I was really digging Bono during Popmart.

U2 Popmart Miami 11.14.97

my Popmart BonoMan tee like he wore

The set lists for both the Tampa and Miami Popmart shows were the same (except they played Miami in Miami): Mofo, I Will Follow, Gone, Even Better Than the Real Thing, Last Night on Earth, Until the End of the World, New Year’s Day, Pride, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, All I Want is You, Staring at the Sun, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Bullet the Blue Sky, Please, Where the Streets Have No Name, Discotheque, If You Wear That Velvet Dress, With or Without You, Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me, Mysterious Ways, One, Wake Up Dead Man.

Popmart tour program

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Popmart Philadelphia 6.8.97

Posted in 'On the Road with U2', Concerts, Larry Mullen, Popmart, Tours, U2 with tags , , , , , on January 26, 2011 by DeenasDays

My 6th Popmart show, and final one on the first leg, was on June 8, 1997 at Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. I went to this show with my best friend Cindy. We arrived to see Bono and Larry get off the buses, but like in Columbus they were swarmed by fans and we couldn’t get close. I managed to get a couple of pictures though.

U2 Popmart Philly 6.8.97

Larry in Philly

Ken invited me out to Oakland for the U2 show. I went, but for a reason that escapes me now we didn’t go to the show. I did meet Fenton, of Rattle and Hum’s ‘could you pass me a tissue Fenton’ fame, and I got a VIP laminated pass for the show, but we never went to the U2 show. I remember having a great time exploring all around San Francisco, but no U2 show. I would have to wait a few more months for another Popmart show.

my Popmart VIP pass

 

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Popmart New Jersey 5.31.97-6.1.97

Posted in 'On the Road with U2', Concerts, Popmart, Tours, U2 with tags , , , , on January 25, 2011 by DeenasDays

My next Popmart shows were at Giants Stadium in New Jersey on May 31 and June 1. My friend Laurie went with me. We were on the floor for the first show, but our tickets were in the stands on the side of the stage for the second. Ken, the crew member I had met in Pittsburgh, walked us down to the floor for the second show, so we could be close to the stage. As he was walking us around, it was time for the band to come out. We were walking around behind the stage as the guys were walking out. We stood right at the stairs as Larry, Bono, Edge and Adam walked onto the stage. I wasn’t allowed to scream obviously. I almost passed out from holding in my excitement. It was at this second show on June 1 that Bono and Edge performed Staring at the Sun acoustically for the first time.

U2 Popmart NJ 5.31.97

my Popmart hat

U2 Popmart NJ 6.1.97

 

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Popmart DC 5.26.97

Posted in 'On the Road with U2', Concerts, Popmart, Tours, U2 with tags , , , , on January 24, 2011 by DeenasDays

The Popmart show at RFK Stadium Washington, DC on May 26, 1997 was great. I was 5th row from the stage. Everyone I knew was there, since I had gotten tickets for most of my friends. It rained as it had on ZooTv, but it really poured this time. The set list for this show was the same as the ones in Pittsburgh and Columbus, except Unchained Melody was not played in Columbus and Edge sang Sweet Caroline in Pittsburgh. The set list for Popmart DC was as follows: Mofo, I Will Follow, Even Better Than the Real Thing, Gone, Pride, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, Last Night on Earth, Until the End of the World, If God Will Send His Angels, Staring at the Sun, Daydream Believer (Edge Karaoke), Miami, Bullet the Blue Sky, Where the Streets Have No Name / Playboy Mansion, Discotheque, If You Wear That Velvet Dress, With or Without You, Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me, Mysterious Ways, One, Unchained Melody.

U2 Popmart DC 5.26.97

Popmart tee (front)

Popmart tee (back)

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Popmart Columbus 5.24.97

Posted in 'On the Road with U2', Concerts, Popmart, Tours, U2 with tags , , , , on January 21, 2011 by DeenasDays

A couple of days later, Mike, his girlfriend and I drove three hours from Pittsburgh to Columbus, Ohio for our second Popmart show on May 24, 1997 at Ohio State University. We saw Bono get off the bus, but he was swarmed by fans. It wasn’t orderly as it had been on ZooTv. We got a few pictures though. We also signed the banner hanging outside the stadium. Our seats weren’t too close for this show.

U2 Popmart Columbus 5.24.97

Bono in Columbus

the banner we signed in Columbus

Popmart at Ohio State

Discotheques at Ohio State

 

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My 1st Popmart show – Pittsburgh 5.22.97

Posted in 'On the Road with U2', Concerts, Popmart with tags , , , on January 20, 2011 by DeenasDays

My first Popmart show was on May 22, 1997 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mike, his girlfriend and I drove the five-hour drive from Baltimore. While waiting outside the stadium I met Ken, one of the guys on the crew who drove one of the trucks that carried parts of the elaborate Popmart stage from city to city. Ken was to be a source for a couple cool U2 experiences.

U2 Popmart Pittsburgh 5.22.97

Popmart tee (front)

Popmart tee (back)

 

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Pop Music

Posted in 'On the Road with U2', Popmart, Tours with tags , , on January 20, 2011 by DeenasDays

Pop was released in March of 1997. I remember seeing the video for Discotheque and loving it because U2 was dressed like The Village People. A lot of people criticized Pop for being too techno and not enough of like U2, but I really liked it. The lyrics were just as strong as always. In fact, one of my favorite U2 songs of all time, Gone, is from Pop. My other favorites from Pop are Staring at the Sun, Please, Discotheque, and Last Night on Earth.

U2 started their Popmart Tour in America in support of their new album Pop. For this tour I again went to 8 shows, but I traveled further than I had for ZooTv. I had just graduated college and just broken up with my boyfriend. Fun Lovin’ Criminals, who had a song out called Scooby Snacks, opened the six shows I saw on the first leg of Popmart. The setlists for these Popmart shows were pretty much the same, but were quite different from ZooTv. The order of songs were changed all around and of course all the new songs were played, but the most unique performance was Edge singing karoke to either Sweet Caroline or Daydream Believer.

I really enjoyed the Popmart tour. I don’t think it gets the credit it deserves, but there were some great performances. It was visually pleasing as well. There was a giant golden arch like McDonald’s, a giant martini and a giant discoball traveling lemon that brought Larry, Bono, Edge and Adam to the encore. It was also the only time I have seen the band in a uniform of sorts. They each had their own tee shirt: Bono was Bono Man, Larry was Hit Man, Adam was Pop Tart, and Edge was Mr. the Edge. And by the end of tour, If You Wear That Velvet Dress became one of my favorites off Pop.

my popmart keychain & rubiks cube

 

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ZooTv recap

Posted in 'On the Road with U2', Concerts, Tours, U2, ZooTv with tags , , , on January 18, 2011 by DeenasDays

Primus and Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprosy opened the all the shows I saw on the ZooTv Outside Broadcast tour, except for the rehearsal concert in Hershey. Primus had a popular song called Jerry Was a Racecar Driver and U2 had been using Disposable’s Television Drug of a Nation to open their shows. This went along well with their television themed tour, complete with big screen tvs and Bono’s channel flipping. The setlist for the Outside Broadcast Tour was pretty much the same as the first leg with a couple of additions here and there. A few things that stand out in my memory are Adam introducing Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World and the grocery cart, the belly dancer for Mysterious Ways, Larry twirling the trabant car light on the b stage for Satellite of Love, Bono’s grand entrance during Zoo Station, but mostly the Hallelujah chorus at the end of Running to Stand Still – it gave me chills every time, and still does. The ZooTV tour will always hold a special place in my heart as it was my first U2 tour.

my favorite ZooTv tee (front)

my favorite ZooTv tee (back)

my ZooTv hat

ZooTv Outside Broadcast tour program

U2 released Zooropa the following summer. It was the first time I ever bought a cd, as opposed to a record or tape. Mike and I drove to Tower Records in Rockville, MD at midnight July 5, 1993 to buy Zooropa. It had a similar sound to Achtung Baby, but I didn’t like it as much. Although it had some great songs such as Dirty Day and The First Time. U2 did not tour America in support of Zooropa. I would have to wait 4 more years for a new album and another tour.

 

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My last ZooTv show – Philly 9.3.92

Posted in 'On the Road with U2', Concerts, Tours, U2, ZooTv with tags , , , , on January 18, 2011 by DeenasDays

My final ZooTv show was on September 3, 1992 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There were two shows in Philadelphia and I was supposed to go to both shows, but was moving back to College Park so I only went to the second show. It was raining again, so they let the few of us waiting outside Veterans stadium in Philly inside for the sound check. We were also excited because our friend Maggie, who wrote a fanzine, got us Hospitality passes, but all that got us were some soda and chips. We didn’t see U2 back stage at all. But we did get to hear Whiskey in the Jar and When Loves Come to Town.

U2 ZooTv Philly 9.3.92

Larry and Adam in Philly

ZooTv hospitality pass

 

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Can’t Help Falling in Love with ZooTv in DC – August 15-16, 1992

Posted in 'On the Road with U2', Bono, Concerts, ZooTv with tags , , , , , on January 13, 2011 by DeenasDays

Two days after Jersey on August 15th, Mike and I were back in our hometown for two more ZooTv shows. Well, sort of. As close as the ZooTv tour was going to get to Ellicott City, Maryland. We were at RFK Stadium in Washington DC in the rain. I met Bono again and he autographed the picture of the two of us from Giants Stadium. He wasn’t as talkative as in Jersey. I think the rain made him grumpy.

Bono at RFK

U2 ended both shows on August 15& 16, 1992 with Can’t Help Falling In Love in honor of the 15th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley on August 16, 1977. For the first show, I was third row and Bono knelt in front of us and sang it. As an avid Elvis fan as well, this was an amazing, unforgettable moment for me! My worlds were colliding! For the rest of the tour, U2 ended their shows with Can’t Help Falling in Love.

U2 ZooTV DC 8.15.92

Bono in DC

Larry and Adam in DC

MirrorBall Man in DC

U2 ZooTV DC 8.16.92

 

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ZooTV Outside Broadcast Opening Night – Giants Stadium

Posted in 'On the Road with U2', Bono, Concerts, Fans, Larry Mullen, U2, ZooTv with tags , , , , , on January 10, 2011 by DeenasDays

On August 11, 1992 three friends and I drove up to New Jersey for the official opening of the ZooTv Outside Broadcast tour at Giants Stadium. Opening night had been pushed back one night to August 12th. Mike and I went over to the stadium anyway and ended up sneaking in and getting up on the stage and touching the trabants, which were used to light the stage. We eventually got kicked out of the stadium. We tried to figure out where U2 was staying. Even though it was August, it was cold at night, so while waiting on the curb for U2 to show up at the hotel, we huddled next to a bus keeping warm from the fumes.

There were a bunch of fans standing outside Giants Stadium on the afternoon of August 12th waiting for U2 to arrive. Bono came out and went down the line talking with each of us, signing autographs and taking pictures. When Bono came to me, he noticed the tee shirt I had made with ‘One’ on it.

my one t shirt

I handed Bono my Outside It’s America book for him to autograph. I noticed he was taking a while, so I looked at what he was doing and saw he was misspelling my name. I said, “No, Deena is spelled with two e’s.” Bono kind of gave me this sly smile. In my book, he wrote, “A nice t-shirt Din…Deena Bono 92”

Bono's autograph to me

Then I threw my camera to Mike, so he could take a picture of me and Bono, both with our big sunglasses. Bono’s head is on my shoulder. It’s a great picture! He autographed it a few days later in DC.

me and Bono

And if that wasn’t enough, Larry drove by us on his motorcycle and waved. He didn’t stop unfortunately, but I did get a picture. Then I ran away screaming – he just has that affect on me. I wouldn’t meet Larry for another 9 years.

Larry rides at Giants Stadium

Our seats for opening night on August 12, 1992 were in the second section on the floor in the fifth row. Larry sang Dirty Old Town as only he can! I was so excited that Jonathan tried to hold me back, so I hit him causing him to fall off his chair. Lou Reed joined U2 on the b stage for Satellite of Love, and his performance was used for the rest of the tour via video.

my ticket ZooTv outside broadcast opening night 8.12.92

The next night on August 13th, we were in the front floor section in the 8th row. I remember running past security to get to the B Stage as Bono was walking down. I got a Zoo Dollar that night as they flew through the air during Desire.

my ticket ZooTv outside broadcast Giants Stadium 8.13.92

my Zoo dollar

 

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ZooTv Outside Broadcast – Hershey Rehearsals

Posted in 'On the Road with U2', Concerts, ZooTv with tags , , , on January 6, 2011 by DeenasDays

In the summer of 1992, U2 ditched the arenas for stadiums for their ZooTv Outside Broadcast Tour, and I went to the first five shows and another one a month later. Living in Maryland made it easy to travel to most of the East Coast shows. Washington DC, Philadelphia, and New York were all within a 3 hours drive. Plus U2 usually played two nights in each city. It was on this leg of the tour that I started meeting U2 fans and touring around with them. Mike and I traveled to all these ZooTv shows together and met the same folks along the way. Unfortunately, we did not keep in contact with our new friends after the tour ended.

 Mike and I found out U2 was going to be rehearsing for their tour in nearby Hershey, Pennsylvania. They wanted to rehearse at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, but the community freaked out and protested. So we went up to Hershey a couple of nights and sat outside to listen to the rehearsals, but we never saw the band. We did hear them play Acrobat and So Cruel though.

We got tickets to the rehearsal show on August 7, 1992 at Hershey Park Stadium. Tickets were only $15 and went to local charities. We were way in the back, but at least we were there and it was a great show. Instead of starting off the show with Zoo Station like all the other shows, U2 began with Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year’s Day, and Pride before going into their regular set list starting with Zoo Station. Pride was played again before the encore. This was the first time I had heard New Year’s Day and Sunday Bloody Sunday, since they didn’t play them on the first leg. Edge sang Van Dieman’s Land, the first and only time I have heard it live. This show was the day before Edge’s birthday, so Bono led the audience in singing Happy Birthday.

ZooTv Hershey 8.7.92

 

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Zoo Tv 1992 – my first U2 shows

Posted in 'On the Road with U2', Concerts, U2, ZooTv with tags , , , , on January 3, 2011 by DeenasDays

At the age of 19 ½, I saw my first U2 show. It was on the ZooTV tour on March 7, 1992 at Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia. It was the 5th show of the tour. My best friend, Cindy, went with me. We made the four-hour drive from Baltimore to Hampton and immediately walked over to the arena. We saw Bono standing in the middle of a bunch of fans and reporters. I didn’t speak with him, but got close enough to hear what he was saying to everyone else. For my first show, I was 4th row. Bruce Hornsby and Phil Joanou were also in attendance. The Pixies opened, and I did not like them at all. But then again, I just wanted to hear U2. I had waited 5 long years to see them!

my first U2 show

my first U2 tour shirt (front)

back of my 1st U2 tour shirt

My second U2 show was 3 days later on in March 10, 1992 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, just under a two-hour drive from Baltimore. For this show, I was 9th row. I again saw Bono entering the arena and speaking with fans. I hid in the bathroom when the Pixies played.

ugliest U2 shirt ever, that I still sleep in (front)

back of ugliest U2 shirt

I don’t remember the actual concerts, as far as the songs that were played, from this first leg of the ZooTv tour and I didn’t keep a journal back then, so I am relying on u2 fan sites for setlists. The setlists were pretty much the same for both ZooTv shows I attended on the first leg: Zoo Station, Even Better Than the Real Thing, Mysterious Ways, The Fly, One, Until the End of the World, Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World, Angel of Harlem, Satellite of Love, Bad, All I Want is You, Bullet the Blue Sky, Running to Stand Still, Where the Streets Have No Name, Pride, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, Desire, Ultraviolet, With or Without You, Love is Blindness. The only difference was Love is Blindness was not played in Hampton and The Fly was played second in Philadelphia.

ZooTV tour program

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Achtung Y’all!

Posted in 'On the Road with U2', ZooTv with tags , , , on January 1, 2011 by DeenasDays

Achtung Baby was released in 1991. I
had to listen to it a few times before I fell in love with it,
which I did. It had a completely different sound from any of U2’s
previous albums, but the lyrics were amazing. And for me, music is
all about lyrics and drums. Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild
Horses is still one of my favorite songs. In fact, I
read its lyrics to my first love when we broke up. Yes, I made the
poor guy sit down and listen while I read him the lyrics. Other
favorites of mine off Achtung Baby are
One, So Cruel, Acrobat, and Tryin to
Throw Your Arms Around the World. In support of
Achtung Baby, U2 announced they would be
touring America in the Spring of 1992. I was a sophomore in
college, so I could now go to concerts! I had a subscription to
Propaganda, U2’s fan magazine, which gave me
an opportunity to buy tickets to one or two concerts
before they went on sale. But me being me, I wasn’t satisfied
to go to just one or two shows. No, I had to go to as many as I
could, and for the ZooTv tour I went to eight shows. The months
between the release of Achtung Baby and the U2 concerts were spent
constantly watching and listening to U2. My U2 buddy Mike and I
would spend hours and hours just watching U2 footage over and over
that we had taped on VHS – MTV specials, interviews, videos, etc. It was during this time that
I went from a U2 fan to, dare I say, U2 fanatic. 1992 was going to
be a great year!

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