Saturday March 24, 2001 Elevation Opening Night in Ft. Lauderdale, FL

I left my parents’ condo in Ft. Myers at 9am and drove two hours over to Ft. Lauderdale and met up with Mike. We went to the Orioles spring training game, which they won and both Cal and Brady played. Then we had Subway subs in our hotel while watching the Maryland Terps win, going to the Final Four for the first time ever, before going to over to the National Car Rental Center.

The U2 Elevation tour began tonight – finally!! It was the best U2 show I’ve ever seen. The Corrs opened. U2 played the best mix of songs. They opened with Elevation and went into Beautiful Day. They played Bad, New Year’s Day, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Gone, Discotheque, Staring at the Sun, Until the End of the World, Mysterious Ways, The Fly, Streets, With or Without You, Bullet, I Will Follow, Sweetest Thing, Ground Beneath Her Feet, New York, Stuck in a Moment, In a Little While – not in that order. They closed with One, but then added Walk On. I did miss Still Haven’t Found and Pride, but it was an amazing show! My seat was on the first level side stage about 12 rows from the floor. Bono spent a lot of time on the catwalk, and he fell off of it. His voice was amazing though. This will be the best tour ever!

Elevation Opening Night Ft. Laduerdale 3.24.01 Set List: Elevation, Beautiful Day, Until the End of the World, New Year’s Day, Stuck In A Moment, Gone, Discotheque-Staring at the Sun, New York, I Will Follow, Sunday Bloody Sunday-Get Up Stand Up, Sweetest Thing, In A Little While, Ground Beneath Her Feet, Bad, Where the Streets Have No Name, Mysterious Ways, The Fly, Bullet the Blue Sky, With or Without You, One, Walk On.

Monday March 26, 2001 Ft. Lauderdale, FL

I saw Bono!! I left the Oriole spring training game early to get to the arena by 3pm to see U2 arrive. After a few minutes of searching, I found out where they were coming in – as well as the other twentysome people waiting for them. Bono drove in first just before 3:30, saw us and walked over to speak with us and sign autographs. Unfortunately people kept circling him and pushing, so I wasn’t able to get an autograph or actually speak with him one on one, but I got a whole roll of film. I was basically one person away from him, and I was able to shout out things. He asked us if we had been to the show Saturday and if we liked it – uh YES! And he said that ‘Bad’ was very special and he’s glad they worked it in again. He said he thought ‘Bullet’ was the best song of the night. He commented on falling off the catwalk. When asked how Ali was feeling, he responded ‘big’ (she’s pregnant). Too bad I didn’t have a video camera. I knew I should have bought one.

U2 Elevation 3.26.01Bono in Florida

The concert tonight was again fabulous! The Corrs again opened. This show differed from opening night in that U2 played Angel of Harlem and a little bit of Unchained Melody at the end of One. They didn’t play Gone, I Will Follow or Ground Beneath Her Feet. Bono sang Ruby Tuesday at the end of Bad. Bono said Larry was the son and father of Elvis! Lenny Kravitz was at the show. My seat was next to the catwalk 15 rows up. I took a whole roll of film. Can’t wait until Thursday in Charlotte – general admission on the floor.

Bono loves the crowd

Elevation night 2 Ft. Lauderdale 3.26.01 Set List: Elevation, Beautiful Day, Until the End of the World, Discotheque-Devil Inside-Staring at the Sun, Stuck In a Moment, New York, New Year’s Day, Sunday Bloody Sunday-Get Up Stand Up, Sweetest Thing, In A Little While, Angel of Harlem, Bad-Sympathy For the Devil, Where the Streets Have No Name, Mysterious Ways, The Fly, Encore(s): Bullet the Blue Sky, With or Without You, One-Unchained Melody, Walk On.