
Perhaps you've stood on the edge of the Grand Canyon, looking out over the world's most beautiful hole in the ground. And you've thought, "EVERYONE should see this, at least once in their life."
I had the same feeling in 2005, when my wife and I flew to Chicago to attend a U2 concert. It was such an amazing experience; the power of the music, the purity of Bono's voice, and the glow of the community of fans enraptured together. Everyone should experience this at least once!
This month I experienced it again; this time not only with my wife but with our sons. One of my friends called U2 "the Grand Canyon of bands," and I'm happy to steal that. Truly they are the biggest rock band in the world. They're career has spanned decades, their music has literally touched multiple generations of fans. I love it that my boys like "Put On Your Boots" as much as I do. Everyone should see them live, at least once.
There are many differences this time from our 2005 concert experience. This tour it's stadiums instead of arenas, so that our concert was 60,000 people instead of 20,000 (some of the shows have had 100,000+). Bono's hair is shorter, and his face more wrinkled. But his voice is still magical, the source of his nickname ("Bono Vox" = "Good Voice" in Latin) and his power to sway the emotions of millions. The stage setting has gone from amazing to out-of-this-world with the invention and building of "The Claw," or what Bono called "The Spaceship." It's the tallest rock stage ever, and we counted 12 guys raised up into the Claw just to run spotlights, in addition to whoever else was up there!
But it's the things that staid the same that brought us back again, and caused us to get tickets to be on the field, as close to the stage as possible. The excitement of knowing we're going to get a great show. The quality of U2's music, sung from across the entire, amazing history of the band. And the thrill of 60,000 people united in musical appreciation and fun.
I mean no sacrilege when I say that a U2 concert is almost a religious experience. In some ways I wish church was more like a U2 concert. There is unity. There is praise (for a band in the case of U2, for God in the case of church). There is celebration. And afterwards, you tell everyone you see what happened and how great it was.
And when Bono, spotlighted on an otherwise dark stage, strummed his guitar and sang the first verse of "Amazing Grace" as part of the intro to "The Streets Have No Name," it crossed over from "almost." It was a religious experience. Singing Amazing Grace with 60,000 friends is a pretty unique worship experience.
U2 will be back in North America next summer. Every music fan should see this band live, at least once in their life.
