I'm still struggling to come up with a decent post about U2 without sounding like a complete sappy girl. I'm not going to give a review of the show because I cant remember any of it, even at the time I wasnt paying the blindest bit of attention to the music, was just lost in the 'OMG!!!-I'm sharing a field with Bono!!' - ishness of it all. That doesnt make sense does it?! LOL. Well it does to me.

I think that part of the reason why it was so extra-special and exciting was that it was such a huge surprise and so last minute ... oh and not having to pay for any of it - that was nice too!! We knew that U2 were coming to Tampa, but we also knew not only the price of the tickets but also how hard it was to get hold of them, and had written it off as something that simply wasnt going to be happening for us. That is until the Childrens Cancer Centre called me on Thursday afternoon!! It turns out that a very generous man connected with the stadium had some extra tickets and had given them to a couple of local charities, and then, someone at the CCC (who obviously must have some very cool psychic abilities, and had picked up on my 'I NEED to see Bono vibes) picked up the phone and called US! Poor Sharin, I think I screamed a bit. LOL.

So anyway, Friday comes and I'm a mess. Too fat and all my clothes were horrible. My hair wouldnt behave, I sneeze mid-mascara and have a meltdown, the air conditioning was working overtime and still I'm sweating buckets. By the time we leave the house (late) everyone hates me. As luck would have it though, our lateness was perfect as we missed the crazy traffic, cruised right on up to the stadium, flashed the VIP parking badge (oh yeah, so cool) and had just enought time to grab some U2 goodies and settle into our luxury suite (oh yeah, so cool ... again!).

You know, it would have been a great night even without any music. I'm sure Im was not the only person there who could have happily sat and stared at The Claw all night. It was beautiful, all flashy lights and glowy and alien-esque. Kind of like the spaceship in Close Encounters, you didnt need to see the aliens - or the band - it was cool on its own.

We shared the suite with another pediatric cancer patient and his mom, and some really nice kids from a local childrens home - they were SO well behaved and were obviously very, very happy to be there. It was a great atmosphere, just staring in awe at The Claw and watching the stadium fill up until every seat in the house was taken. All 75,000 of them. Wow.

A band named Muse from England - oh it was so nice to hear a familar voice - opened for U2 and they were incredible. My god, that dude could sing! What a voice.



I think I love him.

Then, came U2. :) OMG! Bono sang Breathe and it was all like still and quiet, yet electric and loud and supercharged awesomeness too. If you see what I mean. He was singing, the Claw was pulsating, The Edge was doing something magical with his guitar and all was right in the Universe. LOL. Am I overdoing it?! :) Truly, it was THAT good. And sorry, I know I havent even mentioned David, Derry and Scott yet, they were there I promise, but I think I was just wrapped up in my own little world so much that night. Is that so wrong. I dont think so. I do know that they were loving it just as much as me, well maybe not Derry because he's so cool and doesnt get excited, but anyway, they were there and they were having LOTS of fun too.

So, the band played on ... what they played I cant remember, its all a bit of a blur. Everyone in the stadium was rocking out. It was cool. Mr Scaglione, our kind benefactor, and some of his friends and colleagues came to see if we were okay and if there was anything more they could do for us .. Im telling you, these people were so generous and so interested in the children and genuinely concerned about what they had all been through, or were going through and really wanted to make sure they had the time of their lives. In fact, Mr Scaglione pretty much hung out with us for the rest of the night and really bonded with Scott. It was very touching.

Then, somehow, a backstage pass appeared for Scott to allow him to get through the bowels of the stadium and into the pit via the backdoor, so to speak. (By then the children from the home had left as they had a curfew and the other child wasnt well enough to go down to the Pit.) I thought he was going with Mr Scaglione and his friends but before you know it, they're dragging me (kicking and screaming I tll you) along with them too. So we scurry through the building, passing security, bodyguards, bono's cars (!!) and all sorts of backstage rock-star coolness and pop out right below the stage. We get there mid-way though Sunday Bloody Sunday and really, what more can I say. Cool man. It was cool.

Thank you Mr Scaglione and Childrens Cancer Centre. We had so much fun.

Scott and Mr Scaglioni (aka Mr Awesome!)

The Claw!!!

The Claw with fancy extending disco ball/flashing light thing

BONO!!! taken from pit, underneath claw/disco ball thingy

The Edge

Adam Clayton

Oh wondrous Claw!