PASADENA

Please remember to scroll down within each entry (city) and read in REVERSE chron order. In the photo with me is Cathal, author of Me & U2.

SUNDAY 10/25: As many times before, we had aimed to be at the venue early but decided it wasn't that important and decided to take our time. We had the complimentary continental breakfast at the hotel and then did a little shopping to prepare for being in line all day. My friend Dana was already at the venue, thinking I would already be there, and texted me that there was only one couple in the Red Zone 1 line. Nick and I had Red Zone 2 tickets (Adam side). We were thrilled to find NO LINE ON THE HORIZON for our line--so happy to be the first ones. And no one showed up for at least an hour. We found some shade, and blew up our air mattress. I read my book for awhile while Nick checked out the General Admission line.

Then a couple, Eden & Mike, joined us in line. They were kind enough to allow me and Nick to wander around so Nick took me to see the GA line. The line was long and thick, fans nicely spread out on grass with their lounge chairs and coolers. Met up with Dana, Natalie, Brad, and recognized other friends. Back in our Red Zone line Kevin (Nick's best friend) and his girlfriend Larissa who has the EXACT same birthday (1/25/69) as me(!) visited us. It was such a BEAUTIFUL DAY weather wise and Kevin brought me a Corona. At around 4pm, we decided to pack up and start the actual line at the gate. We were irritated with the repetitious announcements coming from the stadium and also watching countless fans walk up to security asking where to go and them telling them NOT to get in our line but to get in the GA line to the left of us. Nick video'd the line a bit. At one point the crowd of fans right behind us cheered for him. The scanner lady behind one of the gates seemed more excited than us. But would you believe, the guy scanning our tickets...his scanner wasn't working. Luckily Eden & Mike got through the gate on time and were kind enough to save us spots in the front row corner of the Red Zone. They offered us spots 1 & 2 but we refused, so we were 3 & 4 from the corner. Nick went to buy me a beer and I was getting a bunch of texts from friends. At one point I slammed down my hands on the rail and said loudly, "I LOVE THIS SHIT!!"

I had a shirt made (see Photos below) that has the U2 lyric "women of the future hold the big revelations" on the chest with a big "U2" on the stomach. I was going to change into it during Get On Your Boots, but I decided I liked the lacy top I was wearing and instead I put the U2 shirt over the rail just so the U2 showed! And during songs I held the shirt up and out over the rail. During I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight, I was holding it out as Adam was walking by on the catwalk. Nick screamed Adam's name until he got his attention. Then Adam just stood there right in front of me, smiling and being his flirtatious self. I was jumping up and down! Nick took my fly shades off my face for me, and this just added to the little flame going on with Adam. How I wish that part would show up on the DVD. You can see my purple shirt hanging in the air (lower left of screen) in this VIDEO at the 2:00 minute mark.

As we were walking out of the Red Zone, Nick spotted Stacey and Lisa, so we got to say hi to them. Then Nick and I decided to sit and talk in the rental car while the crazy traffic in the parking lot subsided. We didn't turn on the engine until 1am! So much for Adamesque's after-party in downtown LA.

When we got back to the hotel room, we watched a little of the webcast. But we were too tired to watch it all. We flew out of LA the next day, Mon 10/26, at 1:10p. Nick was nice enough to drive me (without me even asking) from SFO to JFK in Berkeley so I could participate in the Public Interest Certificate Ceremony.

U2 LA (the last U.S. show on this leg)
(Brono #74, Nick #45)
PHOTOS
VIDEO (short due to concert being professionally filmed)
WEBCAST (I think the full webcast is down now; if someone finds it again please let me know. Update 3/20: DVD announced! More info to come.)

SATURDAY 10/24: We flew out of Vegas at noon. Got another rental car and drove about an hour to Pasadena. We decided to check out the Rose Bowl before going to our hotel. We found friends (Alli & Brad) in line, of course. Word was that the line had started since the day before the Vegas show but no one was allowed to spend the night and as a result the line order was getting shuffled a lot. We were happy to find that will-call was open so we got our concert tickets a day early plus a parking pass so we wouldn't have to deal with any of that the next day. Then we checked into the Comfort Inn. We considered seeing Echo & The Bunnymen accompanied by an orchestra in concert but decided it was better not to drive back and forth to downtown LA (an hour each way) and risk staying up too late since we were aiming to be at the venue by 8am. Instead we took a Jacuzzi. Nick briefly met a lady to whom he sold extra tickets, and then the two of us just relaxed in the room with the door open since the weather was so nice.

VEGAS

FRIDAY 10/23: We had to be up at 4am, pick up Brad at 5:15am, and wanted to be back in the line by 5:30am, a half hour earlier than we were expected. We had packed sleeping bags, a tent, and an air mattress, which we brought with us to the venue. While it was still dark, we gathered in the same area as yesterday, waiting for security to let us line up at the actual venue across the street. At about 6:30am we got the word, crossed the street with all our stuff, and lined up temporarily. Then we got word to go ahead and walk to gates 10 & 11. Several security guards smiled at us weirdly as 100+ fans dragged bedding in the dark. Brad walking around in a blanket acting and talking like Moses--too funny.

The sun quickly rose but it was still chilly in the early hours of the morning, but we were cozy with two sleeping bags and the air mattress Nick blew up, plus a fan loaned us their blanket. We didn't need the tent we brought. I read my new Half the Sky book and then we napped. This one gal who was separated from her friends in line and only had one blanket said, "I want to cuddle with them!"

Later Nick was checking out the line and spotted Christine and Spot, our Zoo Station fan friends from Petaluma. He took a picture and brought it to me. My reaction was, "Where is Bono!?" because Spot looks so much like Bono sometimes! So we decided to go find them again and take photos. Spot put in a vodka-and-beer order with Nick. Around 9am Nick and I left the line temporarily (leaving our stuff). We got lunch to go and then Nick dropped me off at the hotel so I could rest as I was feeling a garden variety upper respiratory infection (URI) coming on. Then he went to the airport to pick up Jovita. She had decided to come to the Vegas show last minute, got an earlier flight than expected, and needed to get to the venue to get a number and establish a place in line.

Right about 3pm we got a text from Jovita that security wanted fans to clear the line of stuff. But we didn't have to clear the area for awhile. So we visited with friends, using umbrellas for protection from the hot sun. At one point I was walking past Christine & Spot and noticed they were about to be interviewed for the news! So I got to watch that live.

ARTICLE
NEWS VIDEO

Once the line was let in, Nick ran ahead, as usual, thankfully, and saved me a spot inside the circle, front row Edge! Christine & Spot were in the second row right behind us at first, but then someone motioned for them to go a little further down but let Christine in the front row, so we were only a couple people away from each other. I cried during most of the show, just a personal thing from being in the moment.

U2 VEGAS (be sure to read about the famous people in attendance!)
(Brono #73, Nick #44)
PHOTOS
VIDEO

THURSDAY 10/22: It was 85 degrees as weather.com predicted. Just as we drove away from Bally's, we got a text from our U2 friend, Matilde. She had news that the General Admission line had started at Sam Boyd Stadium, so we decided to drive straight there. We saw our friends Joe and Vik (who were organizing the line) and others on this pseudo-sidewalk. So we got our numbers on our hands (27 & 28) and put our names on the General Admission list. We waited in line for awhile and then decided to drive down the street to check into the Siena Suites and get some lunch.

We went back to the line, met new friends, and awaited an announcement from security expected around 3pm. By 4pm, we found out that it was okay to leave the line, as long as we were all back by 6:00 the next morning for roll call. Roll call for a U2 line--as many U2 lines as I've been in, I just love those two words! So Nick and Joe and I took off for the New York New York Hotel where a U2 Interference party was starting at 5pm at the Nine Fine Irishmen pub. (Nick and I liked this pub when we saw The Police in Vegas in summer 2007.) We sat at this long bench table with other fans and had Guinnesses and a cheese dip with Irish country bread. A few hours later we drove Joe and his gal pal Anu to the airport so Joe could pick up a rental car along with some incoming friends.

We drove back to the line yet again and picked up our friend Brad and went back to the pub! Now they were charging a $5 cover. Argh. We went back outside to the same table and met our Facebook friend Elsha and her family who live in Utah. Elsha sold us handmade xmas cards. She is donating the proceeds to children in Africa. We left the pub by 11pm but didn't get to sleep until midnight.

WEDNESDAY 10/21: Nick and I flew to Las Vegas at 4:20pm (ha), got our rental car, and drove to Bally's. We were mad that neither of us thought to pack CDs for the rental car! When we checked in to Bally's, Nick told me the only room left in the hotel was the size of a broom closet. As I opened the door, I couldn't even see any beds...it was that BIG! We ended up getting a free upgrade to a suite...it was like 1930 Grand Hotel room meets Pretty Woman!!

Donny & Marie
We walked across the street and saw Donny & Marie Live at the Flamingo Hotel! Our seats were in the first row of booths, the booth furthest to stage left. At the beginning of the show, Nick wanted me to run up with him to the stage to greet Donny. I hesitated and hesitated but Nick waited for me and I finally followed. Donny did this fluttery-finger motion back and forth with me pretending to shake my hand but not. It was great! Nick and I ordered margaritas in these great hot pink keepsake glasses that are curvy and say "Donny & Marie Flamingo Las Vegas" on them. To think we used watch their TV show religiously 30+ years ago. We had a lady next to us take a great photo of us and Nick filmed parts of the show. Unfortunately at the end of the show, security confiscated the film card, even though it said nothing about photography rules on the tickets or anywhere in the venue. Luckily no U2 was on the film card!