I just noticed no one else has submitted a review of this show, one of 2 on the elevation tour I was fortunate to see. My wife and I saw the Indianapolis show on Leg 1 on Bono's 41st birthday in May, and that was incredible. This one, however, blew it away.

Recall this was the band's 1st show back in the states for the fall leg, just a month after 9/11. It wasn't tense, but the build-up to the show was palpable, almost electric, wondering about security, terrorism, just things that could go wrong in a big crowd, etc. Fortunately, they went oh-so-right all night. New York took on all new significance when played. Likewise did Walk On and several other songs from ATYCLB, which in hindsight seemed like it was written in response to the attacks, not a year before. Very timely.

Joyce Arena in South Bend is small. Small. S-M-all (my favorite Cannonball Run joke, sorry). Holds about 8,000 people. About 80% of tickets were sold to students. So the energy was very young and upbeat, especially with the realization that many in the crowd had likely never seen U2 before (I had just turned 31, this was my 4th show since Joshua Tree, so I felt hip and ancient at the same time here).

Because of the venue's size, the heart's tip was literally 20 feet from the other end of the arena. The floor was the size of the basketball court. So, every seat was close. Someone told me this was the smallest venue in the US in which U2 played a full show in almost 20 years. For that, it felt like we were watching a taping of unplugged, esp. when bono & edge played out near the crowd.

Best of all, this was U2, Ireland's best export aside from Guiness or Bushmill's, playing at the home of the Notre Dame fighting irish. Between the new leg of the tour, the recent attacks, the venue size, the crowd and all the other intangibles - plus a great set list and good sound - this was a celebratory, uplifting and emotional night of music. A show I'll never forget.

My wife didn't make it to this one with me, as we had just had our 3rd son 3 days after the 9/11 attacks. A friend of mine joined me instead for his first U2 show and he loved it. My wife and I now live in Florida, and we will be together again to see them in Tampa in Nov. 05 - and we can't wait!

Enjoy it if you can - always a great show! Scott in Sarasota, Florida.

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