The first time around, my friend's brother drove us to the show. He was willing to be our ride in the hopes of getting a concert t-shirt. We did not deliver though, as we were poor, soon to be, college students. This time around I drove us Downtown and public transportation (the T) got us to the North Shore.
Each time we crossed a hurdle, I breathed a sigh of relief. Getting into the city without a lot of Parkway traffic - exhale. Find a place to park - exhale. Get on the right T car - exhale. Everything was coming up aces for us fortysomethings. Until we had to make a stop at the resolution tent.
Extra security measures were in place for the show. I'm not sure this had anything to do with the recent terrorist attack after a concert in England. The credit card you bought the tickets with had to be presented for entry. Plus, your entire party had to be together in order to get in. Neither of these were an issue for us, but we went in a gate that was meant for people who were standing on the floor not sitting in one of the upper levels.
Two very nice gentlemen helped us resolve the issue quickly. I was worried that after recent events the heightened security would create a tense atmosphere but that was not the case. Although there were a lot of people working to keep anything from going awry, their mission did not compromise our enjoyment.
We had left for the concert early and boy did it pay off. We were in the venue a half hour before the opening band and had plenty of time to eat, get t-shirts and walk three levels searching for the only wine kiosk in the joint.
Of course all of that walking caused us to work up an appetite. We settled on nachos - one of our ol' teenage staples. When we were in high school, she and I once spent an entire Pirates game eating nachos and talking. We left the game not knowing who the Buccos had played and who ultimately won, but we didn't care. Fun was had just by simply being together - the rest was all just white noise.
Just before U2 took to the stage, a rainbow appeared to the left of the Heinz Ketchup bottle, which proved to be a great photo op for many fans - some wondering if lead singer Bono himself worked out a deal with God to give the night His blessing.
Once the music started, we did not sit. Everyone stood for three hours, and to tell you the truth, there was no other way to enjoy to the show. It was neat to observe the other concert goers who probably had been looking forward to the night just as much as my friend and I were. Everyone had their own story - the family of four in front of us with their teenage children, the young family on the floor equipped with earplugs and bottles in backpacks to keep their little ones hydrated . No matter the story - for those two hours we were all one - all connected through the power of music.
Getting home proved a little tricky. Walking among a throng of people to the T station we yielded to the advice of the traffic cop screaming to "stay on the sidewalk". My friend and I held hands and linked arms to prevent being separated. Fast-forward about 30 years - we joked about being old ladies relying on each other to get safely across the street. All in all it was an organized, peaceful exit but with watchful eye I looked for anything suspicious - as we do live in crazy times.
We boarded a packed T car and ended up missing our stop, but found a helpful couple who explained how we could get to where we needed to be. I was disappointed in my one misstep, but was pleased it was an easy fix. We also found another lady who made our same mistake.
The night ended shortly after 1 a.m. Twenty-five years ago I might have been too excited to sleep but not now. My friend and I earned a good night's rest. But I am pretty sure I wore the same thing to bed as I did after my first U2 show in '92. My concert t-shirt was the only suitable option for a rocker like me.
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