deciBlog//2005.12.12//U2//Charlotte

Final show of my 2005 U2 marathon. This time Jean & I head down to Charlotte. This will be her 3rd show this tour (one show each leg) & her 11th all time (what a trooper). This will be my 8th for the tour & 17 total.



Door to door from our house to our uptown Charlotte hotel is exactly 2 hours. We check in & then head down to Ri-Ra's Irish pub ~4:00 pm. You can hear the U2 songs playing from across the street. The crowd is filling in. Bass for Jean, a Harp & a Guinness for me. We chat with some other fans & hear some of the "I first saw them in Buffalo in 1983" & "I drove down from Ohio" kind of hard core fan commentary.



We regroup & grab a bite at the nearby Latorre's ("Latin inspired cuisine"). We get a mojito & split the signature entree which was a fantastic scallop dish.







At 6:30 we head down to the arena (knowing that the doors usually open around 6:00 pm) & the GA line is slowly moving through the doors. The most friendly & relaxed security of all of the venues I've been this year. They were mostly eyeballing people & no wands/bag searches. One security guy was firing up the crowd. "Who you gonna see tonight? U2!!!"





We get our tickets scanned & get "proceed to floor" not getting in the bomb shelter. We end up with a good spot at the tip of the ellipse somehat on Adam's side about 8-10 rows back from the rail.



Institute comes out at 7:25 with the usual gig only this time they substituted "The Chemicals Between Us" for "Everything Zen." That was cool to hear that song - always liked that one. Gavin was still doing his pretty boy/I'm in love with my hair schtick. I predict one more release from that outfit at the most.



The Arcade Fire's "Wake Up" U2 concert prelude/intro cranks in at 8:40 surprisingly early. I figured given they play 2 - 2 1/4 hours there must be an 11 o'clock curfew (which must have been the case as the show ended promptly at 11:00). U2 comes out opening with "City Of Blinding Lights."

The crowd was very fired up. It seemed most of the fans throughout the venue up to the rafters were on their feet most of the show. Hearing "Gloria" for the first time in 20 years (last heard 4/29/85 at the Omni in Atlanta) was a special treat & a personal highlight of the show & tour. Otherwise the set list was similar to the Atlanta gigs. Tonight's version of "Original Of The Species" was the 4 member performance with Edge on piano (& not with the 5th member of U2, Terry Lawless). I really liked the versions in Atlanta with Edge layering on some sweet guitar effects. But once again another solid performance & a great show.




Main Set: City of Blinding Lights, Vertigo - She Loves You, Elevation, Gloria, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - In a Little While, Beautiful Day - Many Rivers to Cross, Original of the Species, Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, Love and Peace or Else, Sunday Bloody Sunday - Rock the Casbah, Bullet the Blue Sky, Miss Sarajevo, Pride, Where the Streets Have No Name, One

Encore(s): Until the End of the World, Mysterious Ways, With or Without You, Stuck In a Moment You Can't Get Out Of, Yahweh, 40


I learned a few days later that "Instant Karma" was on the set list, but had been scratched (perhaps due to the curfew). They had started playing that last month in NYC with Patti Smith as part of their John Lennon tribute.




On a down side that arena was built for noise (for games) & not for sound (for concerts). For a brand new freaking building it’s unfortunate the acoustics are horrendous. And you know I know it’s not the band’s PA. I have been in similar vantage points throughout the tour. In order of best sounding venues for my 2005 U2 experience: MCI Center> Philips Arena>United Center>>Charlotte.




Being the Type A kind of guy that I am I have compiled the 8 set lists from my 2005 shows & listed the songs performed. A typical set list has ~22 songs. Not counting the numerous snippets of songs (like Sgt. Pepper, Blackbird, Ole Man River, etc.) I got to hear 38 different songs on this tour. There were only a few that I missed out on (& I have no room to complain by any means - only comment): The Ocean, Fast Cars, Crumbs From Your Table, Angel Of Harlem & Instant Karma.

The 2005 rock & roll concert year was as good as it gets.










1. City of Blinding Lights (8)
2. Vertigo (10) [played twice at 2 shows]
3. Elevation (8)
4. Electric Co (5)
5. An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart (2)
6. I Will Follow (3)
7. Out Of Control (1)
8. Gloria (1)
9. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (6)
10. In A Little While (3)
11. Beautiful Day (8)
12. New Years Day (3)
13. Miracle Drug (5)
14. Original Of The Species (4)
15. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own (8)
16. Love and Peace or Else (8)
17. Sunday Bloody Sunday (8)
18. Bullet the Blue Sky (8)
19. Running to Stand Still (2)
20. Miss Sarajevo (6)
21. Pride (8)
22. Where the Streets Have No Name (8)
23. One (8)
24. MLK(1)
25. Zoo Station (3)
26. The Fly (4)
27. Until The End Of The World (3)
28. Mysterious Ways (5)
29. With Or Without You (6)
30. All Because of You (6)
31. Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of (4)
32. Yahweh (5)
33. The First Time (2)
34. Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses (1)
35. Walk On (1)
36. Party Girl (2)
37. Bad (2)
38. “40” (4)



"Time won't leave me as I am. Time won't take they boy out of this man."



CHEERS!!!