I certainly did the Manchester Arena better tonight- it makes such a difference to have been before. I knew the quickest route, which meant it took me half the time to get there. I knew straight away where I was headed, and although the box office queue was longer, it only took 20 mins instead of last night's 30. Combine that with having started off earlier, and I was a lot earlier going through security. Which is probably why it only took 10 mins. So I was in my seat 50 mins earlier than last night.
I was glad not to be higher, up on the second tier- and happy the stairs were nearby, saving me having to climb down some steep stairs. Mind you, they're considerate enough to have railings, so I'd have managed if I'd had to. Great view, anyway.
setlist
- The Blackout
- Lights of Home
- I Will Follow
- All Because Of You
- Beautiful Day / Here Comes The Sun (snippet)
- Zoo Station
- The Fly
- Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
- Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses (Intermission - Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me)
- Elevation
- Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car (snippet) / Vertigo / Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've) (snippet)
- Even Better Than The Real Thing /Vertigo (snippet)
- Hall of Mirrors (snippet) / Acrobat
- The Showman (Little More Better) (snippet) / You're The Best Thing About Me
- Summer Of Love
- Pride (In The Name Of Love)
- Get Out Of Your Own Way
- New Year's Day
- Ode To Joy (snippet) / City Of Blinding Lights
- One / Invisible (snippet)
- Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way
- 13 (There Is A Light)
encore(s):
You know how I was worried about the people around me not standing, on the second tier? Heh. They didn't. Wow. Of course, they were standing in the next section over. Well, I consoled myself with the thought that I've had quite a good strike rate, and it was a great concert anyway.
Bono is ramping up the anti-Brexit rhetoric- it'll be interesting to see whether it jumps another notch in London. As he says, may the greatest love win. I wonder whether that's why they're focusing so much on Achtung Baby, their most European album.. I also noticed new, Berlin-oriented graphics during Zoo Station.
Some people in my section were standing- mind you, the pair in the front row were tough-enough looking that I daresay anyone daring to ask them to sit might have been in danger of a thumping! Anyway, I decided I'd stand if anyone around me did.
And do you know, it was during Pride - song of the concerts on this tour- that the unassuming fellow in front of me finally decided that he was moved enough to stand! Hallelujah, and I was proud indeed to stand for this song, in support of refugees.
And then a funny thing happened. My standing acted as a catalyst, and the whole row got up - it struck me that they seemed somewhat surprised, as though it hadn't occurred to them before. Bless 'em, I was happy to educate them.
They stood intermittently after that. And maybe that was part of it.. and maybe it was the enthusiasm of the crowd. Maybe it was Bono, as it usually is, who was sharing more tonight, as he tends to on the last night in a city. But whatever it was, this was, for me, the concert of the tour so far- probably the entire tour. Because tonight was one of those concerts that I keep coming back to find - I lost it during City of Blinding Lights.
Coming out, someone with a Northern Irish accent remarked to her companion that honestly, that was the best concert she'd ever been to. Down the road, someone with a Manchester accent was debating with his companion whether it was the best ever- but then, as he said, they are all so different. Roll on the rest!
I take the train back tomorrow. Better not leave it too late, as I've actually booked for the Smithfield & Clerkenwell Walk: Guts & Glory, with Walking in London - but more specifically, with Katie of Look Up London! Excellent - I was booked for this in July, but she had to cancel. She's one of the best around. Should be close enough to me, too, and it doesn't start too early. And it being a Funzing event (like all of Walking in London's) I scoured my old Funzing discount codes, and discovered that Funzing_Fb20 seems to be working again - for all of them I've recently booked! So, a 20% discount - better than any recently offered on their Facebook page.
On Monday, I'm back with the Crick Crack Club for Buddha Babies, again at Soho Theatre. Naturally, not advertised on their Meetup group. I wonder whether that's now defunct, as they have advertised no upcoming events.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, I don't have to travel so far to see U2 - they're playing the O2 in London. These tickets, I got my address changed in time for, it seems - they've just arrived. Helen is going on Tuesday.. sat in the corporate box, poshly! Nah, I'd rather be closer and sweatier, thanks! I wonder how many of them stand during the show.. I am absolutely mithered with Twickets alerts for ticket offers for these shows!
Thursday is my colleague's last day before he quits for a new life in Stockholm - we're headed out that night. Amazing that I still had that day free when we arranged it!
On Friday, I fly to Belfast. Yep, U2 again. I get busier when they come . Staying in the Crescent Townhouse, walking distance from the SSE Arena, where the concerts take place next Saturday and the 28th. On the 29th, I'm taking the train down to my mother for a week - makes more sense than jetting back and forth to her!
On the 5th, I'm back up to Dublin. U2 again, dont'cha know? Staying in the Clayton again, which is a hop, skip and jump from the 3Arena, where there are concerts on the 5th and 6th. Would you believe, not even I could swing a ticket for the 5th - well, I'll just rock up on the day, and hopefully I can get something at the box office. I have heard of such things happening. I've had stranger things happen!
On the 7th, I fly back to London (BA) - purely so I can work on the 8th, before flying back to Dublin that night! Was supposed to be Cityjet, but they've now ended their flight schedule after this month - so now I'm going Ryanair. Same hotel, same venue, same band - on the 9th and 10th. I fly back on the 11th, exhausted, and finished with U2 concerts for the year!
On the 12th, I booked for Macbeth, at the Wanamaker Playhouse. And then Let's Do This finally posted that date for the Shirt Tail Stompers at Wilton's - well, I couldn't miss that! Eh, anyone want a spare ticket for Macbeth?
On the 13th, we have our monthly team outing - probably just the two of us, but hey.
On the 14th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) at last for Love Lies Bleeding, at the Print Room at the Coronet. Got my ticket from London Theatre Direct.
On the 15th, I'm going to try the Seven Deadly Sins Pub Naughty History Tour. Walking in London again, so discounted again! Then I'm back to Ireland again for the weekend.
On the 19th, News of the Strange, from the Crick Crack Club, at Soho Theatre.
On the 20th of next month, back with UITCS for Pinter at the Pinter - Pinter plays at the Pinter Theatre. Two long ones on this occasion - this is Programme Four: Moonlight & Night School.
On the 21st, back at last with The London Jazz Meetup, who are off to the London Jazz Festival for a concert by the Faraj Suleiman Quartet at King's Place. UK premiere, apparently!
On the 22nd, with UITCS at the Garrick for Don Quixote. The only cheap tickets left for this were terrible, so I went a bit upmarket. A bit - I'm still behind a pillar!
On the 23rd, I'm on a Paranormal Activity Tour - ooh! Now, for this one, we get ghost-hunting equipment, which could make it interesting - I don't fancy the dowsing rods, myself, but we'll see. Walking in London, again. Discounted, again. And this was after my loyalty discount - so I got it at better than half price! which is good, considering the price.
On the 24th, I'm off on my own to see A Small Place, at the Gate.
On the 25th, back at last to Winter Wonderland! That evening, I'm off to Cirque Berserk - an annual tradition for me. The latest show is the cheapest, so that's the one I booked.
On the 26th, I'm back with UITCS for Programme Three of Pinter at the Pinter - Landscape / A Kind of Alaska / Monologue.
On the 27th, I'm going to see Company, by Sondheim, at the Gielgud. No tickets available for the upper levels on the official site - they must all have been bought up by resellers! Cheapest I found was with OfficialLondonTheatre, run by See Tickets.
On the 28th, I'm with Walking in London again (and the same discount) for the Haunted London Pub Tour.
On the 29th, I'm back with UITCS at the National for Hadestown. Then back to Ireland again for the weekend.
On the 3rd of December, I'm back to the National for I'm Not Running.
On the 4th, I'm off to the Bush, for Drip.
On the 5th, LDN Talks @ Night and London Speaks Sessions (both Funzing) advertised a "Winterville" talk on The Science of Santa, where we get the scientific explanation of how he does it. Taking place at The Windmill. However, seems they meant the day before, when of course I'm busy. So instead I'm going to True West, with Kit Harington, at the Vaudeville. Cheapest tickets from the venue.
The 6th could be interesting - Hazel of Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts, London Guided Walks (and, indeed, Walking in London) has a Christmas Carol Tour. Now, the last two events I booked with her turned out to be no-shows.. the first might not have been her fault, as she was advertising someone else's event, but the second, she just missed the ball on and left three of us standing on a street corner. We shall see whether this event happens, I guess! Now, it's technically more expensive if you book on Funzing - but if you have my discount ;-) it comes down to the same price she charges on her own site, without the booking fee! So I did it that way.
On the 7th, back with UITCS at the Royal Court, for The Cane. Got the very last ticket, phew!
On the 8th, with them again at the Orange Tree Theatre for The Double Dealer.
On the 9th, the Crick Crack Club is back at the British Museum for I Know Not, an afternoon of Sufi legend.
On the 10th, I'm off to the Bridge Theatre for A Very, Very, Very Dark Matter, by Martin McDonagh. Starring Jim Broadbent, this is a dark take on Hans Christian Anderson!
And on the 11th of December, I'm going with North London Friends to The Convert, at the Young Vic. Discounted top-price seats, it seems!
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