The first show in New Jersey on Elevation was one of my favorites of the tour. It was at that concert I had my first encounter with Larry Mullen Jr. I would have two more great encounters with Larry on the Elevation tour, but you always remember your first. I can’t really remember the actual concert, but I remember every second of that brief exchange with Larry. It is a no-brainer that I chose Jersey1 Elevation on June 21, 2001 at Continental Airlines Arena as my favorite ‘J‘ U2 concert. Here is what I wrote that night:

I drove up to New Jersey around 6:30pm Wednesday, the night before the show. I met Tasha at the hotel around 10pm. We got up early Thursday morning and were in the GA line by 6:15am. I was number 30 in line. Tasha tried all day to get a GA, but couldn’t so she stayed in her seat behind the stage. I stood at the rail in front of Adam – again. Jersey1 on June 21^st was a great show! A girl two people down from me had a sign that read, “Larry May I please have your drum sticks?” At the end of the show right after “Walk On,” Larry hopped up and walked right over to her. I took a great close up picture as Larry leaned over to give her his drumstick. Then he looked right into my eyes and nodded. I leaned further than anyone, and he gave me his drum stick. I mouthed, “Thank You So Much.” Larry again nodded. As soon as I got the drum stick, I teared up. Then I looked up at Tasha in her seat behind the stage and we both started jumping up and down. I walked back into the middle of the heart by myself and started to cry and shake. Best moment of the tour for me! I exited the arena clutching my drum stick that Larry gave me after he looked into my eyes. I met up with Tasha outside, and we hugged and squealed. I told her the story, and then she cried. I couldn’t get to sleep until about 2:30am and woke up 2 hours later for the final show on this leg of the tour.

Elevation Jersey1 6.21.01 Set List: Elevation, Beautiful Day, Until the End of the World, Mysterious Ways, Kite, Gone, New York, I Will Follow, Sunday Bloody Sunday / Get Up Stand Up, In My Life / Stuck In a Moment, In a Little While, Desire, Stay, Bad / Wild Horses / 40, Where the Streets Have No Name, Pride, Bullet the Blue Sky, With or Without You, The Fly, One, Walk On.

This is part of my Blogging from A to Z Challenge about ‘My U2 Concerts A to Z.’ Thanks for stopping by. Please come back tomorrow as I write about my favorite ‘K’ U2 show.