October 30, 2000 was a preamble to what would be one of the best years of my life – U2001. It was the day All That You Can’t Leave Behind was released and the wonderful Elevation Tour would follow a few months later. This album couldn’t have come at a better for Americans as its songs helped comfort them almost a year later on 9/11.

I immediately fell in love with All That You Can’t Leave Behind at first listen. It instantly became one of my favorite U2 albums. It is my fourth favorite after The Joshua Tree, Rattle and Hum and Achtung Baby. 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.” “In a Little While” is just one of those songs that hits my soul, that gives me goose bumps every time I hear it. But my favorite line off All That You Can’t Leave Behind, and one of my favorite U2 lyrics ever, comes from “When I Look at the World” – “When your thoughts are too expensive to ever want to keep.” I just love that line and being very opinionated with no filter, it gives me a little validity to be that way. U2 won three grammys for “Beautiful Day” – Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance by a group or duo.

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. This was the first time I had ever been to the first and last show of a U2 tour. This was also the first time I had been to more than eight shows of a U2 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.

In between the first and third legs of the Elevation Tour on September 11, 2001, the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil occurred and changed our lives forever. I was actually in New York City just a few days before the Twin Towers went down. I was at the MTV Video Awards – outside on the red carpet shaking hands with Bono, Adam and Paul McGuinness (Edge and Larry just waved). A month later U2 continued the Elevation Tour comforting audiences at this horrific time with songs like “New York,” “Grace,” and “Peace on Earth.” Categorizing All That You Can’t Leave Behind as timely is an understatement.

ALL THAT YOU CAN’T LEAVE BEHIND

Beautiful Day………………………= 9/10
Stuck in A Moment………………= 9/10
Elevation……………………………= 9/10
Walk On…………………………….= 10/10
Kite…………………………………..= 8/10
In A Little While…………………..= 10/10
Wild Honey………………………..= 8/10
Peace On Earth………………….= 7/10
When I Look At The World…….= 9/10
New York………………………….= 7/10
Grace……………………………….= 7/10

Average…………………………… = 8.5