I'm seeing U2 tonight!

Things I might think of during each Joshua Tree song:

1. Stan Wawrinka
2. My solo karaoke performance and kissing whiskey lips 
3. My debut karaoke performance (technically it was an open mic night) 
4. The now two guys who mentioned liking this song when I told them I'm a U2 fan 
5. Sweet sins and bitter tastes left in mouths (does whiskey even taste bitter?) 
6. My dad playing me the song for the first time because it had something to do with Dream Theater 
7. Being a dreamer and getting burned by the fire of love
8. Providing temporary relief to someone
9. Amy 
10. That I used to really dislike it because I couldn't hear it for the first minute or so 
11. When I heard U2-2 perform it and I swear they played a bit of the Miracle Drug riff which made me tear up

Just a stop down the line...

"Don't get on the wrong train." That was the first line of the first song I heard at the most recent concert I went to in London, and it's sound advice for tomorrow, when I undertake my laborious journey from the Biomedical Sciences Teaching Labs to The O2 Arena. Yesterday I found a new route that will shave approximately one minute off of my journey time to the bus stop, and I've looked up the station platforms between which I'll have to traverse, so I'm feeling well prepared! Today I carved a pumpkin with the current U2 tour logo and painted my nails; the thumbs with the same design, and the other nails crimson, to be my crimson nails of success! Right now I'm listening to a live stream of tonight's concert, and almost crying with excitement about tomorrow, when I'm actually gonna be there...

Just 2 stops down the line…

Two years ago today I experienced my second 25-hour day in a row when, the day after the clocks went back, I travelled back from Germany, gaining an hour in the process. Although tomorrow will be 24 hours long, I anticipate it feeling far shorter, as I complete final preparations for my lab session and the journey to London…

4 stops down the line…

Six years ago today I had my first experience of seeing U2 live, when their 360 Tour concert at the Rosebowl in Pasadena was streamed  live on YouTube. After an enjoyable day celebrating my grandad's 65th birthday, I set my alarm for 3:15 am and settled down for a few hours rest. A short time after I had drifted off, it was time to get up and go, all the way downstairs to watch U2ube. I was extremely proud of myself for not drifting off during the twenty minute intro, and when the show began I really perked up! The stand out moment for me was hearing the beautiful Ultraviolet (Light My Way) during the encore; I believe it almost brought me to tears. I'm led to believe that particular highlight won't be repeated in four days time, when I attend my first proper U2 concert, but I'm looking on the bright side: I will be attending my first U2 concert in four days time!!!!

Just 5 stops down the line...

My first U2 show is less than a week away, and I'm getting more excited by the hour. On 18 September I was pretty annoyed to discover I have a practical session in the afternoon, which gives me a mere three and a half hours to get to London before the concert starts. Over the following few weeks, I became pretty confident that I'm gonna make it on time: a quick search on Google maps gave me hope that a train at 17:30, followed by a tube journey, can get me there in time; recces to the train station have taken no longer than 25 minutes; and my dad suggested a fast and hopefully less crowded route to the venue on the tube. Additionally, last week I bought some leather effect trousers to complete my "Female Fly" look for the concert!

Dreaming out loud

It's been a nice rounded 2 years, 3 months and 4 days since I last posted about a concert, and in that time I've seen many more artists, including Gary Barlow, Scouting For Girls, half a dozen Eurovision winners, NKOTB (once), Lawson (twice) 5ive (three times) and most recently, Take That (including Howard for the first time)! However, my all-time favourite band continues to elude me. It's kind of my own fault for becoming a fan a few months after the tickets for their tour had been sold, but how was I to know they wouldn't come back to my country on the next European leg?! Anyway, they will not elude me for much longer...

Last September, U2 surprised the world with the release of their new album, Songs of Innocence, when it turned up on the Apple devices of millions of people worldwide. I was in the minority who were delighted by this, and eager to learn whether seeing them live would be a possibility in the coming year or so. It seemed likely, so I decided to convert my u2.com free membership to a paid subscription in order to get access to presale tickets. Sure enough, on 3 December the tour was announced, including four nights in London, which I could easily get to. But things weren't all positive: the shows were on weeknights in late October, so I'm extremely likely to be in uni on those days (I won't know for sure until 18 September this year); the presale code only allowed me to buy two tickets, but my sister and mother both wanted to come; and signing up after the album release meant I was in the Innocence presale group, so wouldn't have access until a day after long-term subscribers, by which time the general admission tickets I wanted to go for could well have sold out. Setting aside my GA dreams, I decided to try for two presale tickets anyway, and managed to get a pair of seated tickets for my sister and I! The following Monday my mother entered the general sale and succeeded getting herself a ticket only a few blocks away from us!

But that's not all! A week ago, six Irish dates were added to the tour itinerary: two in Belfast and four in Dublin, including one Saturday. Getting to Ireland for this date seemed feasible, as I could fly over after university on Friday evening, so I decided to try to get tickets. Having already used my presale code, I had to enter the general sale on 14 September. While setting up a Ticketmaster account, I noticed some student tickets would be available. I decided to go for them, as my sister and I are both eligible, and the demand for them would be lower than for general admission tickets. I was entered into the ticket queue at 9:00 am and after about 15 minutes, was able to select two student general admission tickets! At 9:23 am I received email confirmation of my purchase and the fact that I'll be going to Dublin to see U2!

So I now have two opportunities to see my favourite band and hear my favourite songs live, the first in just over six weeks! I'll try to keep this blog updated as the time approaches...

iPod Challenge Day 25: Biggest secret?

(It's the last day!)

Trash, Trampoline And The Party Girl - U2

(My biggest secret is that I adore this song? Or that I still think the world revolves around me, as I did when I was three? Hmm...)

iPod Challenge Day 21: What do you think of when you see the person you like?

(Yesterday's...)

Mothers Of The Disappeared - U2

(This one doesn't make sense, maybe because I don't actually have a "person I like" right now.)

iPod Challenge Day 20: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Angels Too Tied To The Ground - U2

(I want to be an angel? Maybe I want to work to help people in need?)

iPod Challenge Day 18: What do you think of the person you like?

Fire - U2

(I don't "like" anyone at the moment, but if I did still like a certain someone it would burn me.)

iPod Challenge Day 16: What do you think about very often?

Love Is Blindness - U2

(I think about love very often, specifically what love is.)

iPod Challenge Day 15: What do your parents think of you?

I Will Follow - U2

(My parents think I follow the crowd or I rely on them too much.)

iPod Challenge Day 14

Peace On Earth - U2

(My friends think I'm peaceful and they strive to be like me. No, perhaps they think I'm unachievable or unreachable, not very grounded, as this song seems to question the strive for peace.)

iPod Challenge Day 13: What is your motto?

New Year's Day - U2

(Maybe "every day is a new beginning"?)

iPod Challenge Day 10: What do you look for in a guy?

The Ground Beneath Her Feet - U2

(I look for somebody I can step on? I think it's best to take this based on the lyrics, rather than the title in a literal way.)

iPod Challenge Day 9: How would you describe yourself?

Walk On (18) - U2

(This isn't really how I'd describe myself; to me, this song is about inner strength, resilience and letting go of something that's holding you back, which isn't really me. I guess it could be my ideal.)

iPod Challenge Day 3: Describe your current relationship

Cartoon World - U2

(I take this to mean that it doesn't exist in reality, which perfectly describes my current relationship!)

Achtung Baby: All Grown Up

Yay! U2 have finally announced the release date for the hotly anticipated remastered re-release of it's (in my opinion) greatest work to date: Achtung Baby! The 31st October 2011 is the date set, which coincides with drummer Larry Mullen Jr.'s 50th birthday, and is just short of 20 years since the original album first hit the shelves on the 19th November 1991. The remaster is available in 4 physical editions as well as download, ranging from the standard CD with a provisional RRP of £13.20, to a limited edition Über Deluxe box set containing the original album, sister album Zooropa and 4 other CDs (presumably containing a lot of B-sides, reworkings and demos); 4 DVDs including Zoo TV: Live from Sydney and a new documentary about Achtung Baby titled "From The Sky Down"; a pair of Fly Shades; an 84-page hardback book; a sticker sheet; art prints and more, but it comes at a very hefty price: Amazon UK shows an estimated cost of £385.99. Other formats include the album with a bonus disc (for around £16), and the 6 CDs, 4 DVDs, a 92-page book and 16 art prints (£105.99).

Are you excited about the anniversary release of Achtung Baby? Will you be purchasing it when the time comes? If so, which version takes your fancy?

Mangotsfield Festival

I had a great time today at the annual Mangotsfield Festival with Em, Chris and Chelsea; we bought random-flavoured ice creams (mine was cherry, apple and lemon), perused the wide variety of stalls, and sat in the bright summer sun (luckily I brought my shades!). We were just ambling around, looking at stock the library was trying to get rid of, when I found a U2 CD inamongst it. It turned out to be an exclusive All That You Can't Leave Behind promo EP from a newspaper, and I suddenly gained a keen interest in the content of these precariously stacked boxes. I discovered the full Batman Forever soundtrack, pounced on Passengers: Original Soundtracks 1, and was just about to leave when Chelsea picked up the Discothèque CD single! Perfect! Our shabbily organised outing to the Cleve rugby club grounds had yielded me 4 albums, 2.5 hours of music, and the opportunity to go mad in public, as well as help fund our local libraries. And I was home by 2:30. What could be better?

(As I write, the discs are scattered around the laptop after being uploaded to iTunes, except for OS1 because I already downloaded it, thinking that an event like this would be impossible, and basically being impatient.)

Max's birthday

I had a good time at my cousin Max's birthday party yesterday. I listened to All That You Can't Leave Behind on the way there, just because it's Joey McIntyre's favourite album, and found it quite refreshing. We didn't eat until about 4:30-5:00; I had a bit too much of the curry starter, so could only manage one burger for dinner, then it was time for the birthday cake; Max beamed as scores of relatives sang "Happy Birthday" to him. I had a small slice of raspberry and passion fruit pudding for dessert, and heard a familiar sound coming from the neighbouring room, a low hum of bass first of all, a solid beat, a slight chiming guitar sound, leading into a full-on, soaring guitar riff: "Oh-oh-oh-" Magnificent! I was delighted to hear it, blasting from my uncle's iPod, and I had a little dance to myself. All too soon it was time to leave, but not before hearing it a second time, right before we left! Magnificent, indeed...