You know, I might just pony up to see U2 on their impending 2005 tour. I've had a bit of an unofficial boycott going on for the last 15 years or so. All things must come to an end.

I've only seen the boys from Dublin once, in 1987 at the Pontiac Silverdome. I'm not sure how many people the Silverdome holds (held?) for concerts. When the Lions played there it held 80,868 in the stands. I found reference to 93,173 attending for some Wrestlemania or another. I'd find it hard to believe that there were fewer than that Thursday night to see U2 and Lone Justice. I was seventeen, excited to be out late on a school night but completely unprepared for the hassle that a gathering literally fourteen times larger than hometown proved to be.

Bono did an amazing job in connecting with that many people. Working an arena audience is an art and he's undeniably adept at it. However at some point it's just too much. So I skipped the subsequent shows at the Silverdome. I passed several times on the opportunity to see them at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. I think I missed out on one opportunity here, as well. But this new album is going to be huge. I can just feel it. Maybe it's time to accept that bigger, while not better, is just the way it's going to be. I've got good connections at the Garden and I have a feeling that they'll play there a few nights next summer.

Giants Stadium, though? I reserve the right to continue my absence.