Our summer vacation started a bit early this year due to a conflict in U2 schedules. We were supposed to see U2 play in Montreal last July, when Bono hurt his back and had to have surgery. When it came time to reschedule their tour the Montreal date fell during the end of our summer vacation.

We toyed with leaving the Beach early, however, that really wouldn’t have been fun so we looked at our options. Go to Toronto, Philidelphia, Moncton or Baltimore.  Since Baltimore fell just before our beach vacation and my cousins live quite close to M&T stadium, so we had a place to stay and babysitting, we opted for Baltimore.

The concert started at 7pm but we don’t know our way around Baltimore and have heard horror stories of traffic, so we decided to make a day of it and left around 1pm for the stadium.  Upon our arrival we could hear the guys doing a sound check on the instruments. Our excitement started before we even got out of the car. Lots of people stopped us to ask where we were from with our Ontario plates, wondering why we were crazy enough to drive all that way to see U2.

We took a walk and stopped at a pub for some nachos and beer then back to the stadium in time to hear the whole band doing sound checks before they opened the gates. It was killing us to know that Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr were all inside while we were on the other side of the walls. They gave us a small taste of what was to come.

As the gates opened I realized for the first time how high the 500 level was and wasn’t sure I was going to make it. For the Montreal concert we had General Admission tickets but we had to trade in for the 500’s in Baltimore, funny thing…we went from being super close to being super far away! We were two rows from the top, my legs still feel like jelly when I remember just how high we were.

Here is a photo of us while I was actually still clinging to the seat as though I was about to tumble to my death. Hubby kept warning me that once the stands filled up and it got dark, I would be OK. I wasn’t sure… Just look at how nervous my smile is!

Despite how high we were, the stage was incredible, it all makes sense now as to why they built this monstrosity, it filled the stadium up. Even though we could see them running around, the giant screen and the effects from the stage made it that much bigger.

See how it fills the night sky!!

Best of all… Hubby was right, as soon as the stands filled up and The Boys hit the stage, my legs stopped feeling like jello and I was able to get up and enjoy the concert. They played many of my favorites (Sunday Bloody Sunday, Elevation, Pride, Mysterious Ways and more) but two of my favorite moments were One/Amazing Graze/Where the Streets have no Name and closing with Moment of Surrender with a tribute to the late Clarence Clemens with Jungleland. Just an amazing night all around.

After waiting two years to hear them play again, I am just a tad bit sad that it has come to an end. Knowing how tired they must be keeping this tour going, and looking forward to the end I just hate to wonder if this was their last go around.  I do hope to hear of an arena tour a few years down the road, as I promised J that we would take him if they did, but knowing how hard it must be to put on such a show I would completely understand if they didn’t.

Next time, if there is on, I will be sure to bring the old DSLR with shorter lenses, as I couldn’t bring my big guns in the gates with me.