1992 June - Glasgow the Last of Zoo TV

Jane and I left Sheffield at 5am to catch the train to my hometown in Cumbria. We arrived at my apartment at 8.30am and had a meal and a rest before heading off in my car to Glasgow a couple of hours later. Talk of rushing about, I couldn't be bothered or manage trips like that now, but I was 16 years younger then!


I'd never been to the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre before but it was very easy to find and we soon had the car parked and walked the short distance to the venue. Again the weather was lovely so we sat in the sunshine to wait for the band arriving. We saw Larry, Adam and Edge arrive in Mercedes cars but none came over to the fans. Shortly afterwards another Mercedes arrived with a dark haired man wearing sunglasses in it and we thought at first glance that it was Bono so we waved, the person inside ignored us with an icy stare and set face - we realised we'd waved at Phil Joanou! Talk of feeling stupid.


Not long afterwards the real Bono arrived and opened the window and shouted and waved at the fans. And, of course, he came across to meet us. The group was quite excitable and soon a crowd of people surrounded Bono, Jerry the security man carefully managed the situation in his own diplomatic way, he was such a lovely man with great respect towards the fans.


I was almost up to Bono when two large men pushed right in front of me, I could just see in between them and saw Bono motion with his hands to move aside which they did and there I was right in front of him. He's seen what had happened and I was so chuffed he made sure I got through. He looked very tired and pale and didn't talk very much, he seemed exhausted, yet he still found time for the fans. I got my ticket signed said thanks and then got out of the crowd.


Jane and I then joined the queue and got into the SECC at 6.30pm. We were amazed to see there were still places available at the B-stage. A Trabant was sitting on it so people hadn't stood there thinking their view would be blocked, but we knew the car was lifted at the beginning of the show so we got an ace position right at the front of the B-stage. We bumped into some of our friends who were already there and chatted before the show started.


Once the show got going there was quite a crush where we were, especially when any of the band were on the B-stage. But I am quite tough and wasn't too bothered by that, I had a perfect place right at the front and I was going to hang onto it!


The SECC's roof nearly blew off during this Zoo TV show, I think the band were really buoyed up by the Glaswegian crowd, who were behind them from the word go. I've since found that U2 gigs in Scotland have always been special, I think it is the Celtic connection between the Scots and the Irish, there always seems an extra-strong bond between U2 and their Scottish audiences. Another thing I love about Scottish shows is that they are always very well organised .


Highlights of this show, well, there were many. In Bullet the Blue Sky Bono changed the words to make a scathing attack on BNFL and Edge did the same with an amazing guitar solo. I was reduced to tears during Running to Standstill, it was so beautiful and Bono's hallelujahs were heart-rending. It was very moving and beautiful performed just about six feet in front of me on the B-stage. It was wonderful to be so close to see every expression - I also noticed that the sole on one of his platform shoes (though nowhere near as high as he wears nowadays!) was loose, it's surprising he didn't trip up! During Streets the whole bulding seemed to be bouncing up and down and the crowd drowned out the band - as they often did that night. It was one of those emotional roller-coaster U2 shows where you are laughing, crying, happy, sad, in other words a U2 show at its best.


After Love is Blindness that was it for me and Zoo TV, but it was good to see it out on such a high. We had sweated so much crammed up against the barrier that we were literally wet and the cool air outside hit us, we quickly scooted to my car to take off our tees and put on light jackets we had.


We actually got to meet Larry after the show which was really nice! He was charming and chatty, freely signing autographs, but declining photos which is fair enough. People were asking him about the Sellafield thing but he was very non-commital in his answers.


Bono came out just after Larry and a big crowd soon formed around him, we stood back as we'd met him earlier and let others have their turn. He looked really tired again, and it amazed me how he could be exhausted before and after a show, yet perform full of energy during it, it's amazing what adrenalin can do! Edge and Adam did not stop that night.


Jane and I went back to my car still high on the adrenalin from the show ourselves. The drive home seemed to pass in a flash and we fell into our beds as the sun was rising at 3.30am!

1992 June - Zoo TV Sheffield

There was a break of just over two weeks between the UK Zoo TV shows we were attending, which gave us a welcome break from the travelling. The next show we went to was at Sheffield on 17th June. Jane and I arrived there around midday and met up with our friends, I got to meet my penpals Debbi and Jackie for the first time there and I got along especially well with Debbi, who still is a close friend to this day. I also met Julia and Linda, two sisters who were friends of Jane's, it was really nice to know so many people who were also U2 fans.

The weather was really warm and we hung around waiting to see if we could catch the band arriving. It has actually struck me while writing this that the Zoo TV tour was an exceptionally good tour for meetings with Bono, tours since have not been so prolific on the meetings front.

The band arrived at around 5.30pm but only Bono came out to meet the fans. He wasn't as lively as at Birmingham but still very warm and friendly. I got my Even Better Than the Real Thing CD signed. I wa sgetting more confident about talking to him and I asked,

"What's happening about Sellafield Bono?" I'd heard that an injunction had been obtained by British Nuclear Fuel Limited to stop the protest on it's land.

Bono paused and then said, "It's getting really messy."

Jane pushed a little more and said that we were thinking of going but weren't sure whether it would happen or not, but Bono didn't answer and said no more about it. I realised then that the band were going to be there, Bono couldn't say more, and he stayed silent as he didn't want to lie to us.

Someone passed Bono a packet of Silk Cut cigarettes to sign,

"Ahh, nurses cigarettes," Bono said with a laugh. Someone asked him why he called them that and he laughed and said he didn't know why, but that what they called that brand in Ireland.

All in all Bono was with us for about ten minutes, and once more everyone who was there got what they wanted signed. He was so patient and had a very calm, sincere manner when with fans which tends to stop too much hysteria developing. Once more I must say - he has amazing social skills!

Sheffield Arena was a good venue, it was very new and had loads of toilets for the ladies! Yay! Our seats were about the same as at Birmingham so we had good views of the show. The show was good, but not exceptional, it wasn't as much of a party as Birmingham had been, and nothing stood out to be me as special, but we still enjoyed it.

1992 June - Birmingham, Soundcheck and Bono

Early on the 1st June Jane and I set off for the next Zoo TV UK show at Birmingham's NEC. We said goodbye to Bee who was not coming to the show and got the train first into London (we were squashed in with the morning commuters, what a nightmare to have to do that everyday!) and then on to Birmingham. We arrived at midday found our B & B, which was really nice and then set off for the venue which was close by.

It was a sunny day and lots of people were hanging around the back entrance of the NEC so Jane and I joined them figuring this was where the band would enter. A tour bus arrived and I didn't take much notice of it, but, surprisingly, Bono must have been on it for suddenly there he was walking towards the crowd.

He started signing autographs and chatting at the opposite end to where we were and I thought there was no chance that he'd get to us as there were a lot of people there, about 60 or 70 I'd guess . But he was very patient , took his time and soon was near us. He was being bombarded with all kinds of questions, one I remember was,

"Do you still read the Bible?" to which he replied yes. He also said that there would be a "few surprises" in tonight's show.

Jane passed him her programme to sign and after he signed he looked up and immediately recognised her,

"Hi! How are you?" he said smiling and Jane said she was fine, "Were you at last night's show?" he continued. Jane said that yes we were and that we'd gone to Paris as well.

"We weren't happy with the seating in London," Bono said and with that Jane told him that we couldn't see a thing and that it was very disappointing. He shook his head and then asked,

"Which show did you prefer?" Jane said Paris and he nodded in agreement.

With that he moved on and was almost at the end of the line of fans when it started to rain. At this point a very pregnant woman was let around the barrier to go up to him. Bono's face was a picture and everyone was laughing.

"What's happened to you?!" he exclaimed to even more laughter, the woman said something to him and he said, "Oh that's wonderful" and gave her a big hug, it was very sweet. Then he got hold of her hand said goodbye to us all, and proceeded to run back into the NEC dragging this woman with him.

Bono had barely gone in when the heavens opened and there was an almighty storm! Shortly afterwards the lovely security man Jerry came out and said to the now much smaller group,

"If any of you want to see the soundcheck come in!"

I couldn't believe it, there were about 30 fans and of course we all went in. We sat at the front to the left of the stage and Jerry told us just to sit quietly and not take any photos, the pregnant woman was already there. So we hung our soaked kagouls and jackets up to dry out and waited. Edge, Adam and Larry came out and went through Zoo Station, Mysterious Ways, Angel of Harlem and Satellite of Love. It was really interesting to watch them, Bono didn't appear at the soundcheck at all.

It lasted about thirty minutes and afterwards we were allowed to stay inside the arena. So we got our merchandise, food and drink from crowd-free stalls as the doors had not yet been opened, what a treat!

The NEC is like a huge shed but our seats were really good, on the side close to the stage, there would be no problems seeing the band this time! I'm not going to write up each show I saw in detail here in the blog, as I feel that could get a bit repetitive - and I have seen a lot of U2 gigs! So I will pick out highlights or special things that were unique to write about in each show.

Birmingham was so different from London. We could see everything, the audience was lively and responsive from the start and the band were on excellent form. Bono was in a very playful, mischievous mood throughout, at one point he said,

"Edge-man, I think I've split me trousers!" I looked but I don't think he had . The song that stood out for me in this show was Running to Standstill with Bono taking the part of an addict shooting up, very dramatic and effective, great lighting. This show was a real party, yet also intimate and we all had the night of our lives.

Afterwards we were all high on the adrenalin of the show, we'd had such a brilliant time. We went out and to the back of the NEC again wondering if we'd see the band leaving, again there were already a lot of fans waiting there. Suddenly Bono appeared out of the shadows and, ever the performer, leapt in the air like he was performing Zoo Station. He looked like he was getting into a car then he suddenly started running towards the fans - he caught the security people unawares and one had to quickly leg it after him. Bono looked great in a burgundy corduroy suit. He didn't sign anything, just went along the line of fans saying thanks, shaking hands and kissing people. It was a lovely thing to do, I think we all wanted to just say thanks.

"That was better than Paris" Jane said when he got up to us, he said nothing but leaned over and gave her a big hug. Then, as quickly as he arrived he was off again and into the car, the other band members didn't come over. We really appreciated what he did and it made a wonderful night just perfect.

1992 May - Zoo TV London - U2? Where?

The first UK show of Zoo TV was at Earl's Court on 31st May. Jane and I arrived there in the morning and met up with our friends, Bee, Karen, Serena and Rosie and others. We spent time catching up with each other and had something to eat. We tried to catch the band arriving but missed them as there is more than one entrance to the venue.

We went into the arena, it was my first visit there and I was very disappointed with the venue. It was large but badly set out and looking tatty. Not that long later I remember hearing about part of the seating collapsing at Earl's Court and I was not surprised! Also, there were hardly any female toilets and it was a lenghty wait when you wanted to go, in the end we just went into the men's!

Our seats were on the floor near the back and as the floor was not raised at all the view was very poor. I can honestly say that because I am quite small I did not see U2 on stage once, I only saw them on the screens, and even they were not on all the time.

Also the audience was not very responsive and it took until well into the concert before they started to get into the show. So these things combined to completely spoil the show for me and it felt like a very different experience from Paris. It was all very disappointing as this was my first UK U2 show.

And just to finish off a bad day we managed to miss the last Tube back to Bee's where Jane and I were staying for the night! Some days are better than others ......

1992 May - Zoo TV in Paris

It was 7th May and this Paris show was the first of the European leg so there was a sense of anticipation and excitement. Again this was a time when not many people had the Internet so though the first leg of Zoo TV had been in the US, we'd only read a few things and had reports from friends so there was still a bit of mystery about what to expect.

Our journey to Paris was uneventful. It was a very warm and sunny day when we were dropped of at the Bercy arena, and initially, we'd wanted to go Notre Dame which we could see in the far distance down the river. We decided against it as we did not really have enough time, it was a shame as I love Paris, but this was one of those cheap arrive-see the show-go home trips. Most people on our coach trooped off to a nearby MacDonalds, but Jane and I wanted to have a little taste of France while we were there so we wandered off to look for a restaurant. We found a lovely little place and had a delicious leisurely meal there.

We left the restaurant and met up with some of our friends who had also come on this trip. There was nowhere else to wait so we just hung around the venue hoping to see the band arrive. However, we missed them, they went in by another entrance and the fans who were there got their autographs.

We started queueing - it was really hot by now and we felt like cattle as we were literally penned in with barriers and watched over by security men. That meant it was almost impossible to leave because you had to climb over these high barriers that were all around us. It was not pleasant, the sun was relentless and we were squashed together, perspiration running down our bodies. I ended up with sunburn on one side of my face! I prayed for the gates to open. Eventually at around 6pm they did and we were let out of our pens. There was a stampede - we'd expected this as we'd heard that this happens in France - we had to join in otherwise we would not get a good place.

Inside we had already agreed to go for seats rather than the floor, again because we felt it might be too much of a crush for us there. We raced past the bag checker, the ticket collector, down steps, up steps and into the arena. We manged to get good seats three rows from the front in the lower balcony to the right of the stage. We sat down on our seats and recovered our breath for a while and laughed at the madness of it all.

The French audience were brilliant, cheering and really building up the excitement long before anyone came on stage. There always is a great atmosphere at European shows. Fatima Mansions were the support band which we did not enjoy very much. At 9pm Zoo TV started with Bono, dressed all in black, strolling onto stage with little ceremony. He sang a beautiful song that sounded almost traditional Irish. In America Dianne had met Bono and had asked him what the song was and he'd said it was just something he'd made up.

The rest of the band came on-stage and blasted into Zoo Station amidst a barrage of words and images from the 20+ small screen and four large screen on the stage. Six garishly painted Trabants hung above the stage at weird angles, their headlights were on and there were spotlights shining from inside the cars. It was a real assault on the senses and like nothing U2 had done before in a live show.

The Fly was next, and Bono went into character, all in black, Fly shades, jerky dancing, sleazy, having great fun with this character. Edge's guitar razor sharp, words flashing up at breakneck speed on the screens, adding to the relentless pace of the song.

Mysterious Ways was funky, complete with bellydancer which worked well. This was one of my least favourite tracks on Achtung Baby, but live it was excellent with an extended ending. So many of U2's songs really change and come alive on-stage.

One was wonderful. Simple and poignant, lighters lit like fireflies all around Bercy, the audience swaying and singing along. It was obvious then that this song was going to be a U2 classic.

Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses was most mostly sung by Bono lying on the stage, I don't know how he can sing so well lying down! He was in great voice for all of the concert, and I could appreciate just what a good singer he was, for when I'd heard him in Lovetown he was having voice problems so he was not at his best.

And so the show went on and I thought just how different it was from the Lovetown show I'd seen three years earlier. It was much better, and very powerful, and the Achtung baby songs were so damn good! At one point Bono leaned into the audience and held hands, then suddenly he disappeared he's been pulled into the seething mass! It took a lot of tugging from the security to get him back on stage. But it didn't stop Bono continuing to have physical contact with the crowd - and that too was different from Lovetown where he had no contact with the audience.

The old songs were brilliant too - Bad as always sent shivers down my spine, Streets nearly blew the roof off. Running to Standstill was a new arrangement which I really liked. The audience were amazing and sung along so loud with passion and fervour. But we were glad we weren't on the floor as mass of people kept "rippling" and the crush was scary.

All too soon the show ended with Love is Blindness which was very moving. The stage was lit with red and purple lights and constellations of stars in black and white spun slowly on the four big screens. It was strangely peaceful and almost hypnotic. Bono got a girl out of the audience and danced with her closely for a long time, it felt like he was dancing with us all. There was such a sense of intimacy in that huge arena, it was a special moment.

And that was it, my first Zoo TV show, and what a ball it was and what great memories it has left me with!

1992 April - Zoo TV Ticket Frenzy

This was my first proper U2 Tour and my first stressful scramble for tickets. Jane and I wanted to go to as many shows as possible, and in the end it worked out really well as we got tickets for UK shows in London, Sheffield and Glasgow through Propaganda. It was really easy in those days to get tickets from the fan club. They allowed you two tickets to one show and all you did was fill out a form with what you wanted and send it off and a few weeks later your tickets fell through the letterbox. No jammed up websites or phone lines.

Jane and I shared our Propaganda allocation and as Jeanette was unable to go to the London show so she let us use her allowance. We managed to eventually get tickets for Birmingham through the public sale.

We also decided to go to the opening show of the tour in Paris in May and booked one of those all inclusive trips. So there we were, all set for Zoo TV!