Everyday with dan...: U2 at lucas oil stadium indianapolis

Holy cow!

That's all I can think of in trying to write about this concert. Holy. Freaking. Cow.

Let me see if I can muster some semblance of sum-up, but understand that even by my standards it will not do justice. This was without a doubt the most phenomenal experience I have ever had musically and among the top overall!

M'Lady and I splurged and treated ourselves to the U2 Joshua Tree Tour 2017. Chalk this one up in the 'good decision' column. Concert tickets are expensive (for us), and while we could have gone for cheaper seats (or more expensive), we went all in on General Admission floor tickets at $70 each. I am sooooo glad we did. Being stuck to seat-space would have limited the experience, and a nose-bleed would have ruined it. It was more than worth the elbows, swollen feet, arriving-early-jostling, to be right in the field of play near the stage. If I'd had a better camera (or phone) I would have had some incredible pictures/video. As it was, it was an experience I hope to not soon forget.

HISTORY
We bought the original Joshua Tree album when we were 22 & 24 stupid years young. Not that young and stupid have to go together, but the shoe fits. We lived in a 2-bedroom house at the end of High Street with one small child and another on the way. For some reason, whenever I think of that house though, I picture THIS album cover on the front of our stack laying beside the strategically centered stereo setup in our small living room, which was, of course, next to the black and white console TV with the portable color TV sitting atop (didn't everyone do that?). This album was not only one of the few good decisions we'd made to that point, but it may have defined our generation. It was more than mere music, but a mind-warping mantra of dreams for a malnourished mass of malcontents caught between young-adult naivety and life as it really was. You might even say 'Joshua Tree' gave "America" a meaning we'd never considered.

At any rate, this band of Irishmen brought to us a voice, and a spirit, and knit for us an anthem to belt. Even if we never found what we'd been looking for, it was a call to seek, nonetheless. So the chance to gather with some 45,000 (est.) other folks equally yolked and stoked, regardless of the 30 year time-lapse, felt an awful lot like God's country to me.

INTO THE NIGHT
Indianapolis is an almost 2-hour drive from our home, and we went down early probably out of giddiness. Lucas Oil Stadium - home of the Colts - is easy to get to just off I-70. We came in on Missouri Street, opted for $20 parking because not only was it close but also gave us an easy exit afterward, and were at ground zero around 4:30 pm. Gates didn't open until 5:30 so we walked a bit, then joined those camped in the rope maze around 5. Fortunately it was a beautiful midwest afternoon with blue skies and 70-degree temps perfect for layering into the 50's after the show.

Those of us with GA seats entered the stadium through the Southwest tunnel that opened right onto the stadium floor. The roof was open and while we were ready to rock, we realized we had quite a wait until the 7:30 opener (Beck). At first we tried to stake our claim to floor space near the end of the catwalk where they would do the opening set, but eventually our hunger led us upstairs for pre-show pizza. We meandered back down and found an equally good spot to stand... and then sit... and then get jostled, stepped on, and otherwise irritated by people's stupidity, so we finally decided it wasn't worth an few extra feet. We meandered about and saw a few other people we knew from Fort Wayne, and settled about 50 yards back just in front of the sound board.

BECK
I was not overly excited about Beck. I was a little familiar, but didn't realize until he started just how many songs I knew. I was pleasantly surprised at how good a show he put on. He had people dancing and singing and I'd say was a grand choice to open. He started promptly at 7:30, and I'd guess played until 8:30. It seemed just about right. Everyone was ready...

I found it interesting that, after he was done, the crew tore down the ENTIRE stage setup. The instruments, lighting, lifts and everything. All that was left was the giant backdrop for U2. We wandered over to the right side of the stage (facing it) and were watching them take everything off the side. A fork truck driver was removing the light stands Beck had used, and those of us in the area were momentarily mesmerized. We swore at least one of them was going to come crashing down as they bounced and swayed on the end of the forks. It was a nice little distraction to pass the time.

THE SHOW
It was probably around 9:20 when U2 took the stage. This was earlier than we anticipated because we'd heard complaints they didn't start until more like 10. They did the first few songs from the end of the catwalk - with no video. We'd been warned of this too so we weren't surprised, but we actually had a pretty good spot to see them. The start was electric... and it did not fade...

This is where words start to fail. It was simply an amazing show, incredible sound, perfect vibe, and... if I didn't know better I'd think they were piping at least the aroma of weed into the air. :) Not that artificial high-ness was needed anyway. From the giant video screen stretched across the endzone, the pounding beat reverberating through your body, sheer joy of being in the midst of a throng lost in dancing, singing, swaying, and dream... I can't imagine anything being able to top this.

We ended up staying on the right side of the stage. Fortunately each of the front-men made at least one stroll over to where we were. A time or two we managed to get right up front. We also opted to move back now and then to try to take in the enormity of the video. There was just too much to see, to hear, to do and be and know!

I suppose they ended around 11:30. After doing the entire Joshua Tree album, they wrapped up with some of their later classics, and even debuted their new single "You're the Best Thing About Me" for the first time live, right here in Indianapolis! I will post the set list below, but it ended the only way it could: much too soon, but contentedly simple, as the entire evening seemed.

HOME AGAIN
We stayed til the end and didn't have any trouble getting out of the stadium and back to our car. I think we pulled out at 11:45 or so, and after a hideously long wait at a McDonald's on the way home (26 minutes!), we arrived at our bed just after 2 am.

THE SET LIST (via http://www.u2.com/tour/date/id/45561461)