Scratching off the top of my Bucket List

Ever see the movie “The Bucket List”? Yes? Well, I feel for you. Ok, sot he Nicholson/Freeman combo was good idea, but the movie didn’t really deliver. Sure, it had a neat concept, but just wasn’t realistic and was a bit cheesy. But the movie does, however, provoke the question “if you had X-amount of time to live, what would you do?”

Of course, not all of us have unlimited amounts of money to spend on frivolous materials and marvelous journeys but we do all have things we wish to accomplish, do, and see in our limited time here on earth. I can’t say I’ve made my list yet but before I even think about such things, I automatically know what would be the first thing on my list: to see U2 in concert.

On March 3rd, U2 released their latest album called “No Line of the Horizon”. I like it. It’s no “Achtung Baby”, but it’s close. I told Catherine months before its release that this would be one of the very few chances I’d have left to see U2 on Tour since they’re getting old and frail; conversely enough, the music does not and still holds just as much power as it always has. I quickly scanned the U2.com for tour-dates and after a few weeks of NLOTH’s release, they released dates and was on the prowl for tickets. Though pre-sale tickets quickly came and went last week, I didn’t have the $50 to spend on a membership to try and get pre-sale tickets. Rather, I waited out until the public sale yesterday afternoon. I was on the phone for 1.5 hours trying to get tickets but could not get through. I had a line on my work phone on hold with TicketMaster, kept trying to call TicketMaster on my cell phone, and kept getting put in and out of queues online. I (along with friend Matt Barbour) wanted to get tickets for the Boston show but by the time I finally got through to a human-being all that was left were the terrible $252 seats. So, I tried the to get tickets for the Toronto show (to which they added another show the next day). Funny enough I only had to make one call to get through the Ticketmaster.ca number and got 3 tickets for the Sept. 17th show at the Rogers Stadium. Although I didn’t get the tickets I wanted ($57 General Admission tickets that were standing-room on the field with the stage) I had to splurge and get “ok” seats for $97. I am excited, though, and can’t wait to finally get to see them live.

I once read (can’t remember where) a memorable quote from a pastor who went to a U2 concert once; he explained it something like this: “a U2 concert is a worship experience like none other. Except, this worship concert has the occasional cuss word and alcoholic beverage”. Even from all the U2 DVD’s I own, you get swept away by the music and its impact on a crowd. I can wait to get caught up in that and just take in the experience for myself.

This is a video of U2's second single from NLOTH, "Magnificent" and is my fave track from teh album. After the album's release, DAvid Letterman had U2 as the musical guests for a whole week and tore the Ed Sullivan Theater down with nermous performances; this, also, was my fave. What a fantastic lyricist:


"I was born, I was born to sing for you.
I didn't have a choice but to lift you up
and sing whatever song you wanted me to.
I'll give you back my voice.
From the womb my first cry it was a joyful noise."






"Only love, only love can leave such a mark."