The First Time

9 Jul 2010597
When was the first time you saw Larry, Edge, Adam and Bono play live ? How old were you ? Was it last year on the 360� Tour or was it in another millennium way back when ?

'A hot summer day in Paris at the Vincennes Hippodrome.' remembers Dom from France. 'I was 23 year old (and) when the band finally arrived, the sunset was behind the stage and I felt like in a dream. The first song they played was Exodus from Bob Marley...'

'I was a highschool senior,' says someone else. 'And still look back at this concert at the Rosemont Horizon as my greatest moment with U2.'

'On the Vertigo Tour in Brussels, Larry puts his drums right in front of me...'

'Yale University in New Haven: epic, unforgettable show with Bono climbing anywhere he could....'

You've been posting some extraordinary memories of the first time you saw the band play live - unforgettable nights on every tour they've ever played. And not just the show - sometimes unlikely encounters with the band.

'I was 11, I lived across the road from Croke Park. That evening (of the show) our street football match had play stopped by a white Mercedes and out of the car jumps Bono in a white suit. He said hello, gave my mum a hug, shook my hand, jumped back in the car.....'

What about you ? How did you end up at your first U2 show ? Does the venue still exist ? Who did you go with ? Was there a moment you'll never forget ? One of the band do something that's stuck in your mind? A song that changed everything?

Google your memories and tell us below about the first time you saw the band live. Don't forget to add in your name and city/country at the end of the post so we know where you're from.

(Incidentally, keep a copy of your post� once you've added it below. Then post it again in our� tour section - on the night and on the tour of the show you're writing about. If you've got a photo - the band, you and your mates, the ticket stub - the tour pages are where you can upload it. The more reviews you add, the more encyclopaedic an archive of the band's touring history we'll create. Thanks.)
Comments
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fab.tiego
NANTES ZOOTV 1993
ON THE 26TH OF MAY,THE DAY OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE'S FINAL BETWEEN MARSEILLE AND MILAN AC!WHAT A NIGHT AND WHAT A CHOICE FOR A U2 FAN AND A FRENCH FOOTBALL FAN!!!U2 PLAYED A FEW SONGS AND BONO SAID MARSEILLE:1-MILAN:0!FOREVER SINCE I AM STUCK IN FOLLOWING U2 ON TOUR EVERYTIME THEY PLAY IN FRANCE AND SOMETIMES MUCH FURTHER!
geezusgrl
2005
Vertigo tour, April 2005, San Jose Ca Seeing u2 was so incredible. I was with 2 of my closest friends and they had never seen u2 live either..so we were all pumped. As soon as the lights when out and Edge came out on stage to play the intro to "City of Blinding lights"....i remember feeling a bit stunned. I was a bit star struck I think. I just stood there to soak in the moment and watch as the lights brightened and all the band members came on stage. With Bono... raising his hands at the front of the stage and inviting everyone in the audience to participate in this moment. Awesome... The show was everything i had hoped for and more and I will not forget it. Wonderful music...great friends...great show. :) Love you U2...thanks for being the soundtrack for my life....
metropolitan
silver wedding
my 1st unforgettable night with the band was on the 21st of november 1984 in dortmund. germany. so we had silver wedding in 2009. I look forward to the next 25 years. peter
vuegenraf
Gent (belgium) 1992
I saw the band for the first time in Gent, 9 may 1992. I was 16 and it was the first time that i go to a real concert. It was amazing. I have seen them every concert in belgium and holland but that night in Gent is still my number one concert of u2
HIghlights, Tours
The first formal tour I saw was Joshua Tree, I beleive October, 1987? We drove from Cincinnati to Cleveland Municipal as that was our closest bet. I had lured a young college coed on a first date with promise of a ticket, just the night before. Ladies will do anything to see Bono ;) Streets was my favorite, and then the sheer awe of seeing 90,000 people jumping in unison, under a heavy rain, stage lights, Lake Erie in the distance; Magnificant! Brett Thrasher Indianapolis-USA
Kent Dybro Nielsen
My first time
My first time was in 1997. And after this concert, I was dependent Here is my list... Popmart, 4 August 1997 in Parken (DK) Elevation Tour, July 7, 2001 in Forum (DK) Vertigo, August 31, 2005 in Parken (DK) Can not wait for it. August 15, 2010 in Arena Horsens (DK) Kent
Cindy N
Teacher Fan
The first time I saw the band live was in 1987. I was 7 months pregnant with my first child. It started to get wobbly to walk but that was not going to stop me. During "Streets Have No Name" I popped up off my chair and didn't sit the rest of the show. At one point I remember telling my husband to feel my belly because the baby was moving like mad. I swear "she" was dancing along to the great tunes I was enjoying. I will never forget that night!!!!
stefdel
Rock Torhout (Belgium) 1982
I was 16 in 1982 and saw U2 performing at the Torhout-Werchter festival in Belgium and they blew my socks off ! I remember Bono climbing up one of the sound-towers and singing from up there. The crowd went nuts ! Have seen them several times since then, but this first time remains in my memories.
topdrop
Perth Pops
A week after having a shoulder reconstruction I slept out to get tickets to the Popmart concert in Perth Western Auatralia. Was the pain worth it? You bet!!!!!!!!!!! Not only was the show great (despite the dodgy indoor venue that couldn't fit the olive under the roof) but at a late night Irsh bar called 'The Bog' several hours after a man in a black hoodie wearing orange glasses walked in for a drink. What a day, brilliant tickets, U2 going of and Bono in my local bar. Please come back !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
flavioribeiro
The First Time...
The first time i saw u2 was 1998 in Sao Paulo. One of the best day of my life..
Siemione
my second time
October 31, 1998 was my second time seeing the U2 live. I mention my second concert because my first U2 concert was in Chicago and I could barely see the band. It was heart breaking. But my second show (in Detroit) was much better because my sister and I were in the first row. We saw Bono come in with his silk robe and shadow-boxing on to the main stage. I became a fan at age 14 when the Achung Baby CD was released and unfortunately wasn't able to make the Zoo TV Tour. So I patiently waited 7 years before getting to see my favorite band in concert and it was worth the wait....My sis. and I are still huge fans and can't wait to see the band at our alma matar, Michigan State University Stadium!
pavlova
Rotterdam 11-7-1987
The first time I saw U2 was in De Kuip - Rotterdam 11-7-1987. That night I couldn't sleep, I was staring at the ceiling and wonder what was happend, It was amazing. Now I've seen them more than 25 times. And still after each show I can not sleep,..
ZooDiac
July 10:th, Globen in Stockholm, Sweden
I had bought the ticket through a travel company. The girl who guided the tour became a friend later on. I made it into the heart, so there was I only knowing the well known tunes. And what moment was it that made me a die hard U2 fan? When they faded out All I want is you and into Streets... It's the nearest thing to a religious experience I've ever had. I have seen them three times after that, all of them on the Ullevi stadium in Gothenburg 2005 and 2009 :)
Buller
Roskilde 1982...
Fantastic performance on Orange stage, Bono climbing the TV-crane just "Out of control".. U2 is the ultimate live concert band, Olympiastadion Berlin 2009, absolutely fantastic, looking forward to Casa Arena 2010..
Claire A
My first ever show
It was a breezy North-Eastern day, when U2 completely blew me away at my first ever live concert, when they were 'supporting' The Police in 1982. They had the crowd in the palm of their hand, despite the bright sunshine. Bono climbed the speaker stacks and then joined The Police for an awesome version of Invisible Sun. I bought their complete back catalogue the next day .... all of two albums!! The first headline show I saw was the following year, 1983, the War Tour at the Newcastle City Hall - and as I was hanging around the venue waiting to see the band, was lucky enough to be asked to do their washing up.....I was in seventh heaven! My hometown, seeing and chatting to the best band in the World - and a 'crew' pass to boot! The show was amazing with Bono scaling the balcony, and when Bono agreed with me during conversation that 'Drowning Man' was his current favourite track on the 'new' album, I thought I would never stop smiling. I have been hooked ever since....
Corregidora
Noviembre, 1992
By different reasons in Mexico massive rock concerts was not a usual practice, in 1990 that condition change but spectacular tours like Zoo tv was not an option. A popular radio station announce it with slogan "... y el sueño se vuelve realidad", the dream come true. That was exactly what happen...
bolsan
Zoo tv 2° leg
The first time that I saw U2 was in 1992 and I was 19 years old. That day was the 21st of May. It could be the second of the two concert in Forum Assago (Milan), but for a problem with a tir, the concert fixed to 20 May was postponed to 22nd of May and the concert of 21st May became the first date. I remember my happyness, my tears, my voice that shout all their songs. I was the girl more happy on the worl in that day. I'll see U2 in less of 3 weeks in Tourin and I'm very happy: you can't imagine how I'm happy. I love U2! Thanks you very much for give me the opportunity to remember that "Beautiful day". Kisses.
lady22
Mine and my daughter's first time.
The first time was at Giants stadium in NJ 2009.I have been a fan since 1984 but could never get ticket's,now joined their wonderful fan club abd took my 10yrold daughter to see the biggest band in the world.The mood that night was of warmth from fans to her..she had the biggest smile,she lovesthe band as much as myself and to hear her sing to bono and the edge's voice made me smile.I love them not just for their music but for the message they send out and thast is why I brought her there that night.They have torn down my GIANTS stadiam and put up a new one which we will be there July 11,2011 thank you for rescheduling.U2 means the world to me and we will sing loud and proud,but this year we have some deeper meaning behind it which U2 has gotten us through. Love you guy's Jen and Gabriella
hamps
War 83 - It took a second to blow me awa
I was 16 years old and saw them at the now defunct Aberdeen Capitol in Feb 1983 - the 2nd gig on the War tour. There were less than 1000 people there as that's all it held but it was packed! I was a regular gig goer and had seen many bands but U2 just blew me away! Until that point I had been a fan but had never seen them live. Genuinely changed my life and I haven't missed a tour since - been all over the UK & Europe and loved every single gig - all with my mate who I went to the original gig with back in 83!
mgrosen
u2
i saw u2 in the hammersmith pally back in 1980 there first concert in london and been a massive fan every since ...
uniquebeat
It's coming!
I'm proud to say that U2 360 tour will be my first time--May 24, 2011 yay, thank you for finally coming to Salt Lake!
eileebo
u2 first seen by me...
it was a cold dark winters night in glasgow at the barrowland ballroom in 1984 or 5 and me and my friend waited in line for 3 hours while u2 did their soundcheck and went away and came back...the concert was brilliant and bono climbed up the gantry on the side of the stage and told the crowd that u2 were gonna rip the roof off the venue and to this day they did cuase that was the last time they played a small venue in glasgow the rest is history....fan at 17 still a fan
Fonzie340
Copenhagen 06-07-2001
Elevation Tour 2001, Forum indoor concert (small place ->10.000 people), about 50 degrees hot (according to the newspapers), but we stood up front on the balcony and loved the concert. We where marked for life, and have been to U2 concerts ever since.
hitman5
Zoo TV-Philadelphia, 3/10/92
I had been a fan for all of 3 years, but the wait was excruciating. When the night arrived (I remember driving down I-95 in a biblical storm) and the band took the stage, I swear I felt my heart palpitate. Since then, I've seem them close to 25 times, but I'll always remember the "First Time."
Avion Espia
Mi primera vez
It was December 3th, 1997. It was a night I´ll always remember, couse that concert changed my life forever. I was unfamiliar with 90% of the songs, but I could feel every emotion. When New Year´s Day took the stage I knew I will be a fan for the rest of my life. =)
alejocard145
Zoo Station in Santiago 2006
My first live video of U2, was the VHS edition of Zoo TV. The magic, the lights and the broadcast in Sidney, embed in my brain and my heart, specially the performance of zoo station. Almost five years since that video experiencie, I had the opportunitie to see an U2 live show, many, many years since my first contact with the band songs (more or less 25 years). I was 32, when U2 announced the ROW Vertigo Tour 2006. I'm totally broken with my credit card debts, my new appartament and my independence of my parents hume, but U2 was the Goal!. With an American Express, the last resource in my critical finances, I paid the tickets and Hotels to Santiago (6000 Km from Bogota, COL). No matter what! The U2 Concert was a reallity. More or Less 12 hours of airportsand conections, finally I was in Santiago (Saturday). The gig in Santiago was the most awesome experiencie in my life, but the top moment of the night was the mini Zoo TV concert, after the encore. That moment remember me the old videotape of Zoo TV and my tears were unavoidable.
juhoff
1985 -The first ring
I saw U2 the first time at the first rock am ring in Germany on 25.05.1985. Since then nearly every tour in that was shown in Germany. 1989 I was proud to get a backstage ticket for the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund. 1992 in Frankfurt, 1997 in Mannheim, 2001 in Cologne, 2005 with my "best man" from my wedding in Munich - 2007 he died in an accident on the autobahn, so I come back in September to Munich to honour him during the 360° show!!! Jens
bonovoxu2
Sarajevo, Zagreb
My first U2 show: Sarajevo 23.09.1997 and it's amazing. After war see the Popmart stage uhhhh :-) Second show Zagreb 09.08.2009 the best shoe I ever see. Best band on earth
Goanna
'93, Sydney, OZ - Converted for life!
I had tickets at the very back of the Sydney Football Stadium so was expecting a poor view but thought the sound would be loud enough, it was my first experience with U2 so I had no expectations- WOW what a great first time! The huge TV screens, dangling cars and blasting lights - it didn't matter that I was at the back - I didn't feel left out the - that music from Zooropa, crazy Mr mcphisto ringing the local taxi cab, Bono's sublime voice- if I close my eyes I can still feel the vibration of the music and the blasting bright lights, addicted for life!! Cant' wait for 360 to come back down under! God bless U2!
U2 LiveAid 85
I will never forget seeing U2 at Live Aid in "85", as they were new to the US and unforgetable. I can remeber how hot it was, who I was next to and the water hoses being spraying over the crowd to keep us cool. It was at that moment I became a loyal U2 fan and have followed them for25 years. It was also the start of my friends relationship with the band, as he has helped U2 with various details when playing in the US, and is a loyal, dedicated friend and fan. I hope to someday meet Bono and let him know he has changed peoples live, unconditionaly, unwillingly, and unknown to him. It is people like this who will have a soul forever and will never be forgotten. Best Wishes.....<>
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