The Florida Adventure Diary
I arrived in Tampa at 11:45am and met my traveling companions: Heidi Dutton, Deseree Stukes, Rhonda Daniel, Debi Pope, and Sparky - our mascot. After a quick stop at our hotel suite it was off to the beach! A great day for a drive out to Clearwater Beach, and our first visit to the Gulf of Mexico. The water was great! We even met some U2 fans who were going to the show, and they had met on the Net too.
Deseree and Heidi filled me in on their adventures the night before. They went to Borders to buy U2, as if you couldn't guess. They "stole" all the free flyers they could carry, then, "Hey what's that? It's the stadium!" A carnival was set up but they noticed all the band's semis pulling in after St. Louie. Heidi and Debi went over to talk to the guards and returned with cash, looking very satisfied. "It's just money for beer!" They made a beer run, the roadies were surprised to see they returned with the beer, and change. They got the crew drunk and tried to pull some juicy stories out of them. But like all the people in U2's organization they were really cool and weren't talking. The crew said the band really cares about their fans and how they go to great lengths to take care of them. Many of the crew were from the south, Debi's southern accent and charm kicked in. She asked to take a peak at the stadium, the crew got them in. They entered through the back of the stadium, saw the dressing rooms, the offices, and then the stage! The base was up, the scaffolding for the screen, and the top of the arch. The met a driver who said he really enjoys meeting fans who travel from city to city, and takes pictures of them. All this advanced research came in handy on Monday night, we knew exactly were to park to beat the long lines, and after the show they met up with many of the crew as they prepared to take everything back down to drive to Jacksonville. They also picked up additional flyers with a picture of Larry in a muscle shirt, for all those Larry fans out there.
It was getting late so off to the Wire party we went. This time at Bennigan's. Another good turnout, everyone sitting at a large, U-shaped, table, which made for some great conversation. We met Martin, Ingrid, Pirate Bob, Dave Zidek, Joy and her husband, Kathy Bunch and her husband, Aingeal, Salmon, and Mark. After a quick meal, pictures, and lots of great stories it was off to Houlihan's Stadium for the show. The first thing we noticed was how empty the stadium was! According to Tuesday's Tampa Tribune the total count was 20,232, one of the smallest turnouts yet. There were no seats sold at the far end of the stadium, and the upper levels on both sides were empty. Third Eye Blind put on another great show, then virtual Howie B spun his tunes. Free Howie B!
Heidi, Deseree, and I plotted our move to the b-stage. Heidi and Deseree were b-stages virgins, and I'm always looking to score again, so off we went. The security was really cool, they said we had to stand back until the band came out, but then we could move. As Mission Impossible spun and POP Muzik approached we grabbed our spots along the rail. This time it was the right side, where the catwalk meets the b-stage.
After getting lots of blurry pictures in Toronto and Montreal I decided to try another camera, a Minolta 35mm SLR loaded with 1600 speed film and a 58mm lens. There was no way this camera going to fit my shorts so I wrapped it in clothes and hid it in my backpack. I almost got caught when the security guard asked me to open the backpack, and pull the clothes out! I grabbed the camera, wrapped in my favorite jacket, before it was spotted.
While we got ready we spotted many fellow Wirelings: Aingeal and David NYC on the other side. Melissa "The Belly Dancer" and family, Luis Munoz-Fernadez (who sold us our tickets) and David Zidek. Our Wire tags drew lots of questions: "Is that a backstage pass?" "Were did ya'all meet?" "How many shows have you been to!?"
The show was incredible! The smallest audience I've seen yet, but one of the most powerful performances. The setlist was the same as night one Toronto and Montreal. Bono didn't let the small crowd go unnoticed during the intro to Even Better Than The Real Thing. He said "So you're the diehards? That's why we're here. Thanks for coming!"
Then before I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For Bono said "We've made it hard to follow this band over the years... We have to keep it interesting for us, so it won't be bullshit to you."
Once again they've taken All I Want Is You to even greater heights. Edge's guitar playing at the end was unreal, and Bono's voice soared.
Where, oh where, has Miami gone?
Bullet was amazing! Bono starts out on the b-stage, moves to the main stage, gets the umbrella, then works his way back to the b-stage. Since there was no roof on the stadium the lights shined into the night sky again, cool.
The Lemon opened right in front of us and they rocked on the b-stage. Heidi and Deseree were in Heaven as the band descended the stairs, right in front of us! Bono added at least two verses from The Fly during Discotheque!
During If You Wear That Velvet Dress Bono pulled a young girl on stage, held her in his arms and spun her around while singing the rest of the song.
The highlight of the evening was Mysterious Ways. Melissa, the Belly Dancer, was brought on stage to dance with Bono! She was dressed in fully belly dancer gear, waving a sign at Bono that said "On Your Knees Bono!" They started on the far left of the stage and slowly made their way out to the b-stage. She danced for Edge and Adam too. She ran to the b-stage with Bono chasing her as it started to rain, almost on queue. Perfect!
After the show we headed around back to meet the band, but the were already gone. Rumor has it that they're staying in Miami all week. We ran into some of the truck drivers from last night, they were really cool. We even got a picture with one of them.
When we got back to the hotel it was off to the hottub to unwind. The water warm, just what we needed to unwind after an incredible day.
Well, not quite. After about an hour we realized we were going the wrong way, but instead of turning around we decided to take a shortcut through rural Florida. Unfortunately Rand McNally has not checked his maps recently, so we ended up seeing more orange groves then we ever wanted to as we struggled to find our way. The trip was enjoyable thanks to the music of U2 and many great stories about the science fiction movies and television series that Rhonda and I follow.
If you're planning a trip to Disney World in the future you should come this time of year, there was almost nobody here. A long wait was five minutes! Thanks to Deseree, our leader and master of Disney knowledge, we went to many of the great attractions including: Spaceship Earth, The World of Energy, Body Wars, Cranium Commander, Journey Into The Imagination, Honey I Shrunk The Audience, and the Norwegian pavilion. One thing we noticed was how we got wet during most rides. In The World of Energy it was two dinosaurs spitting, ala Jurassic Park, in Honey I Shrunk The Audience it was the dog sneezing, at the Norwegian exhibit it was a flume ride. It was great! The last time I was in EPCOT was over ten years ago, and this was Heidi and Rhonda's first visit. It was like being a kid again, swept up in the excitement of the rides, the wonder that is Disney.
At 9:00 they had a great fireworks and laser light show accompanied by music. Anytime you mix Beethovian's 9th Symphony with fireworks it's incredible, and the show ended with the Ode to Joy. Amazing!
Next stop, Pleasure Island for some shopping and food. They have a huge Virgin Megastore and we didn't walk out empty handed. We grabbed the last two copies of "The Race Of Angels" by John Waters, and a copy of the POP Mart issue of Music & Computers. Rhonda and I picked up Enya's latest "Paint the Sky with Stars" (have to keep our Enya collections complete too).
As we headed for the stadium it started to rain, and would continue off and on for the entire evening. I have this theory about U2 concerts and rain: whenever it rains U2 put on their best shows, and tonight definitely proved that theory for me. It was, by far, the best show I've ever seen, and the most fun I've ever had at a U2 concert! A big part of this was due to LuAnne, Deseree, Heidi, Rhonda, and I getting lined up against the rail along the left side of the b-stage. Bono was singing right in front of us many times. Don't worry we got lots of great photos, including the allusive Larry shots.
The set list was the standard show, again no Miami, but with some nice surprises. The audience was small, the local paper said around 20,000, not bad since the count was at 12,000 two weeks ago.
Edge didn't let the small crowd go by unnoticed, during the intro to Last Night On Earth he said: "Can you hear me in the back, all two of you?" When Bono went into the crowd they almost pulled him in completely, and Brook got to touch him.
They played another wonderful version of All I Want Is You, but this time Bono's vocals were much higher, and he was screamin.' The sound throughout the entire show was incredible, I could hear everything Bono said and all the instruments we're at the right level. POP Mart is definitely designed to be experienced in a stadium without a dome.
We were right in front of Edge during Sunday Bloody Sunday. He kept his eyes closed almost the entire time, pouring his heart into it. He only opened them when he got distracted by a group of fans singing really loud, and way off key, behind us.
During Where The Streets Have No Name Bono danced out to the b-stage while "singin' in the rain."
When the Lemon opened the band looked different: "What are they wearing!?" They each had on a Jacksonville Jaguar football jersey, but instead of numbers it had U2 in large letters on the front and back, and their names on the back. The roared through Discotheque having a great time in the rain. Every time Larry smashed the cymbals water flew everywhere!
During If You Wear That Velvet Dress Bono gave his jersey to the lucky girl he pulled onstage, but after the song the crew asked for it back. I guess they're one of a kind.
With Or Without You was great, everyone singing "Oh, oh, oh, oh" but no extra verse.
During Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me Bono pulled a guy up onstage who was wearing a muscle shirt (just like Bono's) and a pair yellow shades. He was jumping up and down and dancing away. So guys now we know how to get up on stage without shaving our legs and putting on a dress ;-)
Then as One started Bono pulled another guy up on stage and let him stay for the entire song! He started out sitting at the base of the arch near Adam, who brought him a cup of water. As the song progressed he danced his way over to center stage, Bono said something to him and hugged him.
For the grand finale it wasn't Wake Up Dead Man, or the Unchained Melody, it was Rain! Everyone was rockin'! I was disappointed that I missed the second Foxboro show and this made up for it, amazing!
After the show we headed back to LuAnne's for the night. Eight of us spread out on every available bed, couch, and floor. She's so cool, another proof that the spirit of Wire is to bring fans together.
We got all our Jacksonville film developed. Wow! Wait till you see these, even better than Tampa!
Kelly, the wonder driver, led us to the Kennedy Space Center in the Lemonmobile! She was driving at 70mph, in the pouring rain, while talking on the phone, searching through her bag, and working the radio. She's got a small disco ball hanging from the rear view mirror! Rhonda and I have been talking about this for months: the chance to see and maybe even touch something that has gone into space! Traveling through space has filled my dreams since childhood when I first saw Star Wars and today we would come as close as, currently, possible to seeing it.
It was still pouring rain, with threats of lightning and thunder, when we arrived, but that couldn't dampen our spirits. Rhonda, Heidi, Deseree, and I got on the bus tour while everyone else shopped and explored the exhibits. The first stop was the Apollo/Saturn V Center. They showed two films, one was inside an exact replica of the mission control center for the Apollo VIII mission. The film showed the minutes leading up to take-off and the launch of the rocket, complete with the floor and windows shaking. They have an actual Saturn V rocket lying on its side in the exhibit hall. Standing below it was an incredible feeling. I was in awe at its size and its power to break the pull of Earth's gravity and launch people toward the Moon. The other film was of the Apollo XI moon landing, with a lunar lander descending to the stage. The moment they land and first set foot on the soil of another world always gets me.
The bus then took us past the Space Shuttle processing facilities and out near the launch pad. They were preparing a shuttle for launch next week so we couldn't get too close, but it was amazing to see it sitting on the pad, ready to blast into space.
It was getting late so after cleaning out the gift shop we pressed on, through the rain, to Miami. We didn't have a hotel for the night but Kelly's friend Gail was kind enough to offer us space on the floor for the evening. After sleeping on the floor last night my back revolted, Rhonda's was in similar condition so we split a hotel room at the Holiday Inn, while everyone else headed to Gail's. This was the type of hotel that would be featured in a drug bust in the ol' Miami Vice days, Rhonda was armed with pepper spray. I started reading "Race of Angels" looks like it will be a fascinating book.
We picked Brad "Sweet Bad Ass" Grantham up at the airport and headed to the hotel, Clarion Suites in Miami Beach. The hotel was right on the ocean and the suites we huge. After our troubles with ETS and the tickets were glad to see they came through on the hotel. We met up with Dave Zidek and cruised down the strip looking for the band and a place to stop near South Beach. We stopped near the tip of South Beach to get our first dip in the ocean, and some pictures. Unfortunately the sky ripped open and the rain poured down so we headed back to the hotel.
Today's Wire party was at Wet Willy's in South Beach. It was also time to celebrate Mike Conway's birthday, complete with a cake cover with lemon drops. The Wire turnout was great, met lots of new people, and saw some old friends again. Otto made it and had his great picture collection.
By the time we got to the stadium the rain had stopped, and would be gone for the rest of the night. Mike didn't have a ticket yet, but picked up an S section seat from the box office, we were set. As we headed inside security didn't search anyone. I had my backpack stuffed with extra clothes, and my camera, but could have smuggled in a video camera. Pro Player Stadium is huge! We heard it seats 80,000 people and around 60,000 tickets were sold. Finally another large turnout, this had the makings of an incredible show. Our seats were in section C, row 28, right next to the b-stage! Finally we wouldn't have to move. We got Heidi and Mike up to our section, and dozens of fellow Wirelings positioned themselves along the b-stage in preparation for the show. Smash Mouth opened and were surprisingly good (we heard lots of bad things about them from the earlier shows.)
As Howie B's set finished up we got into position, unfortunately many other people had the same idea. Throughout the show we were crushed along the rail. Dave Zidek and I managed to keep Rhonda and Makako, from Japan, from getting squashed. I'm not sure if it was the heat, the excitement of seeing the band in Miami, or just a group of drunken fans, but the crowd in our area was, by far, the worst I've ever seen at a U2 concert. Of course I'm not grouping any Wirelings into this, as we all fought hard to keep from loosing our spots and getting trampled. The low point of the evening was a fight directly behind us during Bullet. It looked like about 10 people were involved and almost turned into a mosh pit. Sadly, all this ruined the long awaited Miami show for me, it was hard to enjoy a show when I was getting jabbed in the back constantly with people trying to climb over, under, and around us. Oddly, the Jacksonville show, probably the lowest turnout of the tour, ended up being the best show for me.
Due to technical difficulties with my "equipment" I was unable to shoot photos tonight, but Rhonda snapped away.
Even with the crowd troubles the show was great, the same basic set they've been playing this fall, and they played Miami! It was better than ever, Bono running around, swinging his umbrella at the boom-cam, screaming "Miami!" as Miami flashed on the screen. The Miami girl was good, but didn't want Bono's cigar.
Some of the other highpoints were:
At the end of Pride the crowd sang the "Oh, oh, oh" part, the band started I Still Haven't Found, and then Bono had everyone continue the chant for another minute or so. At the end of I Still Haven't Found Bono sang "Don't worry about a thing. Every little thing is gonna be alright." All I Want Is You was incredible, with the whole audience singing along. During Discotheque Edge had a new, orange, guitar. Bono added some extra lyrics at the end, I think it was "Stayin' Alive" and Sparky was having a great time, smiling away. He even noticed Deseree's Sparky dog, and Brad's "U2 Is Bad Ass" sign. The show ended with another long version of Wake Up Dead Man.
After the show we headed around back to try and meet the band. Due to the chaos in the crowd many of us got separated, but we finally made it. They had an area protected by metal barriers, this seemed like the ideal way to control the crowd and allow everyone a chance to see the band, get an autograph or a photo. Unfortunately they quickly took these down, and informed everyone the band had left. Rhonda spoke to one of the truck drivers they met in Tampa, he thought they were flown out on a helicopter right after the show. The rumor was that this was all an attempt to get people to leave and that there band were still inside, so we decided to wait it out. The crowd slowly thinned. At 2am Bono emerged, to be promptly attacked by the unruly crowd. This was so sad to see, most of us just stood back and watched in horror as fans swarmed around him, flashes going off, people screaming, crying, and pushing. This didn't last long as Bono retreated to his truck. As we were preparing to leave Edge's truck drove out. He stopped, but was smart enough to stay inside, just leaning out the window, thanking everyone for coming, and shook a few hands. Larry and Adam then followed through the gate, not stopping.
Kelly dropped us at the Clarion and headed off with Heidi and Mike. In the morning we heard that they saw Edge getting out of his truck as they drove by the hotel, talk about luck. They got out and Kelly, the biggest Edgeling in our group, got to meet him. She handed Edge a gift for Morliegh and the newest little Edgeling, we were all thrilled at the news.
I've lived on Long Island all my life, been to the beach countless times, swam in the Atlantic, but never have I felt sand so soft, seen water so clear, and been on a beach so beautiful. Mike and I ran into the ocean, dived into the waves, and swam out a hundred feet from shore. The water was as warm as a bath, and waves gently rolled in. We floated in on the waves, collect shells, and coral, then relaxed on the beach. The combination of warm sun, and the sound of the waves breaking on shore sent me into a meditative trance, an incredibly relaxed feeling for hours. As the sun began to set it was off to the hotel hottub for some further relaxation. A Wire tag was seen floating around the tub, and our picture will be featured on the January page of the 1998 Wire calendar ("Wish You Were Here")
We met up with Deseree, Kathy, and Tina and heard about their shopping adventures while watching the the 6/3 Giants Stadium video with Edge singing "New York, New York" and Liz as the Miami girl. Heidi, Rhonda, Mike, and I were knocked out from our day, and incriminating photos and video were taken.
Kelly arrived with the Lemonmobile and we headed back to Wet Willy's for some more Chocolate Thunder. The roads were packed, and Heidi needed to arrange for a rental car so Mike, Gail, and I picked up the drinks while the Lemonmobile cruised the strip.
The Lemonmobile dropped Rhonda and I at the hotel, we said goodbye to Heidi, Mike, Kelly, and Gail. After hearing how nice the beach was at night we decided to stroll along behind the Clarion. As we approached several people were sleeping on the stairs, and made some strange comments. This quickly spooked us, but we found another entrance. The beach is really peaceful at night, and it was a full moon. My goal of seeing lots of stars in the night sky was finally fulfilled as we relaxed on the sand, listening to the waves, armed with pepper spray. I briefly thought of sleeping on the beach and waking to see the sunrise, but there were enough strange people, and cops, to quickly change my mind.
The plane touched the ground at JFK at 3:05pm and the moment we all dread in every vacation arrived, the end.