tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27554065.post8691344201886125136..comments2024-03-27T17:52:09.889-04:00Comments on You Might Notice a Trend: Hark! I Saw U2 LivePaul Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13092023794397583036noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27554065.post-91144493586833499202017-06-16T17:56:39.602-04:002017-06-16T17:56:39.602-04:00Oh, it would. I'm up to one rock concert per y... Oh, it would. I'm up to one rock concert per year at this point. 2015 was The Joy Formidable at a winery in Sonoma, and last year it was Neko Case at the Fox Theater in Oakland. Both of those venues are small enough for me to get around OK, and make it to the bathroom and stuff like that. I'm hoping that this year I get to see Lucius, but they aren't on tour, and their singers are touring with Roger Waters right now, so I may have to wait.<br /><br /> -Doug in Oakland dinthebeasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12941071534250216503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27554065.post-86176556451341226762017-06-15T22:12:20.305-04:002017-06-15T22:12:20.305-04:00I hope you get the chance. I feel bad that the str...I hope you get the chance. I feel bad that the stroke's hurting you that much. I'd like to think watching U2 perform can lift your spirits enough to actually get better. :)Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06967947720465720504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27554065.post-5730437979115213792017-06-15T16:32:20.345-04:002017-06-15T16:32:20.345-04:00I've seen U2 five times, which isn't an un... I've seen U2 five times, which isn't an unusual number for me to have seen any of my favorite bands. I think the only bands I've seen more times are Yes and Rush. <br /> U2 is a special band, though, and I've felt a connection to them since the first time I heard them in '83, when I was still an aspiring rock guitarist.<br /> The first time I saw them was at the Cow Palace when they were still touring on The Unforgettable Fire, which is one of my all time favorite albums, and they did something that really made an impression on me. They were playing "Knocking On Heaven's Door" and Bono started preaching, like he does, and he said "Are there any guitar players in the audience tonight?" and pulled this kid onstage and handed him his guitar. The kid knew the three chords just fine, and played with them for a verse and a chorus, after which, one by one, they all left the stage except Larry Mullen Jr. on the drums, and the spotlight fell on the kid playing those three chords on Bono's guitar. You could see him hesitate for a fraction of a second before he heard the sound of ten thousand of us cheering him on, then he just played the shit out of those three chords for awhile before they came back onstage to take over again. <br /> Since those days they've grown into a thing that is unique in scope and seen the kind of success that routinely destroys those who get a taste of it, and seemingly without straying from their vision artistically and socially.<br /> I haven't been able to manage any shows of that size since my stroke in 2008, but I've seen videos of entire concerts they did to sort of get the feel of what they've been up to, and perhaps I'll get to see them at least one more time before they quit.<br /><br /> -Doug in Oaklanddinthebeasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12941071534250216503noreply@blogger.com