Before I tell you about U2, I must first give you a little context. For starters, we told our nephews that we'd get them Tshirts if they paid us back. The tshirts were $40. $40, people! Am I that old that I think this is ridiculous? Particularly when they sell online for $30? I justified my waiting in line for the shirts by thinking that Bono is probably buying food and meds for people with AIDS in Africa. I don't know if this is true, but please, if it is not, don't tell me. Because I bought the tshirts. I mean, it's Bono, right? It sounds like something he'd do.
Concerts, in addition to being a great way to see bands, are also great venues for people watching. And you'd think that with it being Charlottesville and all that it would be the wine and cheese crowd. And certainly the golf clappers were in attendance. We just didn't sit near any of them. In front of us were these women who looked just like I imagine Montessori School teachers in the 1970s appeared. Tapered jeans, homemade sweaters, no make up, and long frizzy hair down to their butts. What made it even better was that these women rocked out! And I mean rocked out to the opening band MUSE. (Who the soccer mom sitting next to me generously looked up for me on her Blackberry). Teacher 1 was standing up, waving her arms around, and yelling. To MUSE. Oddly enough, when U2 came on, she stuck her fingers in her ears, saying it was too loud. "Um, well, it is a rock concert, M'am," I said. But the craziest thing about Teacher 1 was her hair brush. She must have brushed her hair at least 30 times during the concert. I counted how many times she brushed it during the hour interim between MUSE and U2--11 times. Is it just me or is this weird?
And MUSE, by the way, proves the point that even if you have messed up teeth, you can still throw on a shiny shirt and look hot so long as you know how to play an instrument. (Their bassist grew on me. He's sort of a Spanish Jeremy Piven. And their drummer is so Rupert Grint. Post Swine flu. And nothing says "Awesome!" better than a skinny Ron Weasley on the skins.)
And of course, there was the point during the concert where everyone in our section starting sniffing and wondering who it was that just lit up a doobie.
Also, at one point, I looked at Sloan and started laughing hysterically because I was convinced that our section had a mime in front of it. I thought, "This is the weirdest thing I've ever seen at a concert." But no, it wasn't a mime. It was a sign language interpreter. In my defense, she was wearing a black hoodie, black pants, and had on white gloves. But still, that's a bit out of the ordinary right?
So this was the context in which Bono, Larry, the Edge, and Adam would wow me. (Or, as I like to call them in Elizabethtown--Paul, Larry, David, and Adam). The set was amazing. This sort of honeycombed TV thing at the top of it that would move and get larger. A disco ball (which makes EVERYTHING better). Over a dozen manned spotlights. And they truly were in 360. We sat behind the stage and did not feel like we missed out at all. At one point, I thought I would've liked to have been down on the floor with some of my buddies--but then I remembered they had no seats, no way to put down their coats, and, of course, no mime or brush lady. (Of course, they DID have Bono ten feet away.)
Definitively, the U2 concert affirmed to me something that I've always believed--there is no such thing as a distinction between the secular and the spiritual. Everything, be it your favorite TV show or song, has a spiritual message in it. Because we are spiritual beings, we have no other way to communicate, whether we intend to or not.
What has always struck me most about U2 is their intentionality. The fact that as celebrities, I know what matters to them--fighting injustice, feeding the poor, being kind. In Christian circles, it is always debated about whether or not Bono is a Christian. He cusses on TV and the like. But of course, as my Pastor's son has pointed out, a lot of times he's drunk when he's dropping f-bombs, so you can't really count that. And I get that what we say does matter. But in my denomination, we have a catechism that can basically be summed up by its first question--"What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy Him forever." And people, never before have I witnessed this being fleshed out on such a large scale and by so many people. I was overwhelmed by it at the concert. I'd close my eyes and then would have to remember, wait, you can close your eyes and feel it on your Ipod, watch Bono as he bears his soul and cries out to God, "How long must I sing this song?" Or perhaps as he leads the stadium in singing "Amazing Grace" during the first encore.
I was struck by not only was it Bono singing these words, it was the entire Scott stadium. I wondered, do these people know they are singing scripture? That Sunday Bloody Sunday is essentially a prayer to God to deliver us from sin? That Bono and the boys are pissed off about the very things that God hates. And that yes, some of their music could be considered love songs, but I think Bono would agree that even the greatest human loves are shadows of our greatest Lover. That being said, I do often wonder if sometimes the other band members are like my friends after I've had too may drinks--we get it! we get it! God is good and injustice is bad. And to the Edge I say, dude, what do you wear to the beach?
So if you still believe that there is such a thing as "secular"--I leave you with the words of U2.
Magnificent
Oh, oh, magnificent
I was born, I was born
To be with you in this space and time
After that and ever after
I haven't had a clue only to break rhyme
This foolishness can leave a heart black and blue, oh, oh
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
I was born, I was born to sing for you
I didn't have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice from the womb
My first cry, it was a joyful noise, oh, oh
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
Justified, till we die you and I will magnify, oh, oh
Magnificent, magnificent, oh, oh
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love unites our hearts
Justified, till we die you and I will magnify, oh, oh
Magnificent, magnificent, magnificent
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