love & a rocket ship v. 2

According to a blurb I read in the Red Eye yesterday, Bono "suffered from severe compression of the sciatic nerve and a herniated disc and was in intense pain with partial paralysis in his lower leg" which sounds pretty horrible and our boy won't be getting on his boots anytime soon. Which makes me truly brokenhearted over the cancellation of U2's north American tour, set to hit Chicago in July. Given the circumstances though, I understand, but still, it's disappointing.

It's been in the back of my mind, and as we are creeping into June, every so often, I would think "YAY! U2 in July!!" It was a future goal, something to look forward to. Those shows are pretty amazing, and I've been lucky enough to see them many times when they've come through Chicago. I've had a handful of other amazing, life altering theatrical experiences, and the U2 shows are right up there at the top of the list. How can a stadium show feel intimate? I don't know, but those guys work huge, cavernous places like the United Center and Soldier Field like they were as cozy as your living room. Something about their performances draws everyone in, and it really is a shared, almost religious experience. With the gods of rock.

I still remember the show last year, it was a party atmosphere that started in the parking lot. People were tailgating (hell, it cost us 45 bucks for the privilege of parking there, I think most people wanted to get everything they could out of it), with the band blasting from car stereos. Inside, everyone was mild mannered, until the guys hit the stage. Then, everyone was on their feet, singing along snapping pictures, calling their friends so they could hear favorite songs, holding their phones towards the stage so that Bono could see the lights from everyone in the darkened stadium. Like our own little constellation. It was one of those perfect moments, perfect evenings, that you file away carefully in your heart & mind, to recall on later occasions and look back on with fondness.

So I am sending love to you, Bono, and positive, healing vibes. As someone told me once, no stress, only love. Love and a rocket ship. The tour is going to be rescheduled for sometime in 2011 and I have been instructed by Live Nation to hold on to my tickets because they will still be good for the new dates. So I have something else now, to look forward to.

In the meantime, we will just have to make do with videos... turn this one up, it's my favorite.