B is for Bono

My A is for Alex post has me mentally stuck on the alphabet. And since we went to UVA on the 1st to see U2, Bono is still on my brain.

U2 is the only band left that we both wanted to see in concert. Sadly, every time they're close enough for us to go something comes up. This year the planets aligned - my parents were here to watch the kids, we got tickets, and we could actually get away for a couple days. Our 10th anniversary was back in August, so it made the perfect 10th anniversary get-away.

I've grown up listening to U2. I remember seeing them on MTV singing "Do they even know it's Christmas?" when I was 7 or 8. I still have Rattle & Hum around here somewhere on tape. This is a band that I have never let go of from childhood, and I'm amazed that they still are making incredible new music. People grow up, musicians retire, not much stays the same. But for some reason I've always been moved by U2's music. And now I've finally been to a show - I hope it's not my last!

Charlottesville knew what they were doing when planning for this concert. We arrived at 6:30 and stopped to grab dinner about 3 blocks from the parking lot. We parked in one of their designated parking lots at 6:50, and then walked the mile or so to the show. We were in our seats by 7:15. Seriously. It was painless (other than the pebbles in my shoe). Yes, it was busy and there were a phenomenal number of people there, but it was so well planned you barely felt crowded. We were up in the top section of seats and it was fun just to watch everyone arrive. The opening band, Muse, sounded like they were having technical difficulties. Musically they sounded great, but the lead singer was just off. Oh well.

The stage was amazing and fun to see change over the course of the show. Since we were up high I feel like we had the best vantage point to see everything - especially the stage. There have been so many reviews of the show, I'm not going to get into how great it was - and it was great, incredible, amazing, etc. I was shocked at how you could feel the energy from the band all the way up to our seats. I was shocked at how their music touches me still. I'm still in awe of how Bono manages to run all over the stage like he's 20.

The entire experience was just amazing and exhilarating. We left excited and energized and happy and all those things that you should be after a wonderful evening of fantastic music. I've never seen anything like it, and I hope they tour in our area again because we'll be there.

Images courtesy of powerlinead.wordpress.com, huffingtonpost.com, and U2Star.com.