I couldn't really concentrate at work, in anticipation. Headed off in good time - it's far enough that the bus wasn't an option, so there I was on the awful Jubilee Line again. It's just so crowded.. it was after 7 by the time I was getting on, but I still had to let two trains go by because I couldn't physically squash on - happily, the third was much emptier, and at the next stop, I even got a seat.
I'm not used to arriving at concerts with such a crowd - I must have picked the popular time! With the crowds, they'd left the electronic gates open at North Greenwich, and it wasn't convenient to tap out - I must keep an eye on my Oyster card, see whether I've been charged for an incomplete journey. Anyway, the usual busker was there - the first decent nod to U2 I've seen on this tour. With or Without You, he was playing - previously, I've had Pizza Express playing their music in Manchester, and a busker in Amsterdam, murdering the same song.
Jeez, you should have seen the queue for merchandising on the way in! Well, I'm pretty much sorted by now - just made my way through the metal detector (not much of a queue) and upstairs. Not so many queueing for merchandising here - or anything else; I actually found a bar with no-one at all queueing at the till! and took the opportunity to buy a cold drink. Getting to my seat involved some clambering down rail-less stairs - but it was worth it:
Excellent seat - well-upholstered, too! Now, I was on a corner, and I've had great experience of corners - and indeed of the rear of the stage. The people who sit there seem somehow determined to make more of the experience, and are that much more sprightly.. as the screen lit up tonight, the video started, and people started to realise that something was happening, I was jealous as the front of our section got to their feet. However, I didn't have long to wait - as the first song started, there was a general wave of movement, and in moments our whole side of the arena was standing. Not universal, that - the second tier, certainly what I could see of it, was woeful - and, predictably, the corporate boxes. A lot of the lower tier on the other side too. But as for my section - it was just like the old days, and I was exhausted from standing, by the end! Worth it though - even with the elbow of the lady beside me.
Setlist:
- The Blackout
- Lights of Home
- I Will Follow
- Gloria
- Beautiful Day
- 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
- Even Better Than The Real Thing
- 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
- City Of Blinding Lights
- One / Invisible (snippet)
- Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way
- 13 (There Is A Light)
encore(s):
A truly great show, as ever, with plenty of surprises for those who didn't know what to expect. It's a terrific mix of crowd-pleasing, straightforward rock classics to get the whole crowd jumping, and inventive accompanying video clips - as well as clever stage gimmicks. And it is fantastic how the band make sure to move all the way around the arena, ensuring that nobody really feels left out. Not quite the passion of Manchester - but that's splitting the finest of hairs. Really looking forward to doing it again tomorrow.
Funnily enough, as I made my way out, someone was complaining that "they didn't even play With or Without You"! My slow walk to the station took all of 35 minutes. A different busker was in situ there, attempting One - with frequent pauses to remember the words. At least, by virtue of heading to the end of the train, away from the crowds, I had no trouble in getting a seat this time. Funnily enough, whom should I spot in London Bridge, as I was changing Tubes, but the evening's first busker! He was doing Pride - and someone passing me remarked that it's much better in the original key. "Is that the original key?" she asked. "Yes," he said, "that's B. These days, they play it in A." So now you know.
Funnily enough, as I made my way out, someone was complaining that "they didn't even play With or Without You"! My slow walk to the station took all of 35 minutes. A different busker was in situ there, attempting One - with frequent pauses to remember the words. At least, by virtue of heading to the end of the train, away from the crowds, I had no trouble in getting a seat this time. Funnily enough, whom should I spot in London Bridge, as I was changing Tubes, but the evening's first busker! He was doing Pride - and someone passing me remarked that it's much better in the original key. "Is that the original key?" she asked. "Yes," he said, "that's B. These days, they play it in A." So now you know.
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 around these parts. Staying in the Crescent Townhouse, walking distance from the SSE Arena, where the concerts take place on Saturday and Sunday. On Monday, 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. 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. 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. The club does have a Meetup group, but it seems to have gone dormant, and is no longer advertising upcoming events. Not that that stops the organiser from attending - I'm sure I saw her at last night's event!
On the 20th, 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 of next month, 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 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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