U2 in Philadelphia. Oct. 16

 In the middle of last night's concert, somewhere around "One" or maybe "With or Without You," I realized that I was completely and totally happen. You can't ask for more than that from a U2 concert. Thanks again to Jenny for getting me the ticket:)

  To begin with, BONO IS HOT! I know that I always knew that, but Whoa Nelly! I realized it during "With or Without You," which was one of the many, many encores. Bono brought a young woman up onstage and held her close the whole song. She clung to him while he had one arm around her and the other arm on his mike. At the end, he knelt down and kissed her hand. Oh my.....
 
  They did THREE encores. In fact, I thought the show was over and then they CAME BACK. They played "Yahweh," and led into "40." Sob. It was so perfect. You know, it is fitting that Larry is the last U2 member left on stage at the very end, because he created the band.

  Bono dedicated "Stuck in a Moment" to Michael Hutchence and said he always thinks about Michael this time of the year.

"I don't know what Michael would have thought of the reality TV show," Bono said. "He might have liked it."

  The concert began with "City of Blinding Lights" with Bono giving shout-outs to Philadelphia. He mentioned how the city sponsored two Live Aid/8 concerts and how the city's DJs were among the first to play U2 on the radio. When the band first played Philadelphia, it was to a crowd of 50. The next show was for 500. Then 5,000 and then 50,000.

  U2 played "Electric Co." and "The Ocean" from their first album. I must say, I had absolutely no memory of "The Ocean." But it was nice to hear.

  During one of the songs (maybe "Love and Peace") Bono brought a little boy named Owen on stage. The boy held Bono's hand and walked him around the ellipse.

  "Thank you for walking me home, Owen," Bono told him at the end of the song.

  Bono took off his sunglasses for the song about his Dad. God, Bono looks hot when he is sincere. He put on a cowboy hat for a new song, "Fast Cars." There was a guy in a cowboy hat a few rows in front of me who was waving his own hat around. Perhaps he thought Bono could see him.

  Incidentally, sitting next to me were a dad and his sullen-looking early teens son. The son sulked through the whole show. The dad kept looking at him like, "HELLLLO. This is a U2 concert! It IS cool." But of course the teen did NOT think it was cool, precisely because his dad did. Sigh.