Recapping the U2 Show

Amazing? Too cool at the U2 show, originally uploaded by mclanea.

How do I recap the U2 show? It’s an beyond description.

Here are some thoughts from the trip, in no particular order.

1. It was well-timed. A week before my trip to Cincinnati for NYWC and with all the stuff stirring at work, a day away from the chaos was God’s timing.
2. I had good company. Kristen and I rarely get to do a road trip without the kids. And it was great to have Marko and Tash as companions. Technically, Kristen and I were along for the ride since Tash took over driving!
3. Phoenix is a long way away. It’s a solid 6-7 hours away from San Diego. It’s hard to understand because it’s only a 70 minute flight.
4. Bono is amazing. He is a captivating performer. How a man puts out that kind of energy for 2.5 hours I will never know. And his ability to do little moments throughout the show for the fans is incredible. I think I saw him grab a camera and take pictures of fans!
5. The stage becomes the 5th band member. I love production in a show. And this is done so masterfully that the production actually becomes a member of the band.
6. It was worshipful. Hard to explain unless you’ve experienced it. But so many of U2’s songs have deep meaning. There were moments of elation, tears, and just resting in the joy of the show.
7. It was what I needed. Look, it wasn’t a “Beautiful Day.” Tuesday ranked right up there with one of the toughest days of my ministry career. But that song in the show really spoke to me. Finding moments of joy through sorrow was poetic. I keep going back to that song.
8. It was worth the money. Tickets to this show weren’t cheap. Getting there wasn’t easy. But the journey, the show, and the memories of the day made the costs a bargain.
9. I’m still recovering. It’s been two days. And a missed night of sleep is hard to recover from. I am not 21 anymore.
10. We missed the Black Eyed Peas. Seriously, traffic into the stadium was so crazy that we missed all but their last 2 songs. I’m sure they were great. What we saw was a lot of fun.