Quick Update

Last night was the U2 concert and it rocked! Ashlee and I had a blast, even though we had to stand on our tippy-toes trying to see over the 10,000 or so Dutch giants standing in front of us.

The opening acts were the Killers and Snow Patrol. What is strange about the Amsterdam Arena is that is has a glass retractable roof. Since the sun doesn't go down until very late this far north, when U2 started up after 9pm it was still light inside the stadium. The other strange thing is that I forgot that you can still smoke everywhere in Holland-- including at concerts. It was tremendously smokey... so much so that it looked like there was a fog machine perpetually running on stage!

I stupidly followed the rules printed on my ticket which said I should not bring my camera. Of course I see when I get there that everyone and their mother has either a digital camera or camera phone. Dammit!! Oh well, the images in this post are borrowed from U2.com.

They played many of my favorites and of course the popular classics but also a few lesser-known oldies. I wish they had played more from their last album, like Walk On or In a Little While. I guess I have so many favorite songs that it would be impossible for them to play all of them in a 2 hour set. Bono and The Edge did a fantastic acoustic rendtition of Desire the last time I saw them, I wish they had done something similar this time around.

Here is the playlist as reported by U2.com:

15.07.2005 Out of Control Again in Holland Vertigo Out of Control Electric Co. Elevation New Year’s Day Beautiful Day I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For City of Blinding Lights Miracle Drug Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own Love and Peace Sunday Bloody Sunday Bullet The Blue Sky Running to Standstill Pride In the Name of Love Where the Streets Have No Name One Zoo Station The Fly With or Without You All Because of You Yahweh Vertigo

I think my favorites were Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own and of course Sunday Bloody Sunday (sorry to be so predicatable).

In other news, the trip is going so well. I rented a bike yesterday so I feel like a native again tooling around town on my 1-geared, back-pedal bike with a dodgy headlight. Tonight most of the gang is getting together for a semi-reunion. I can't wait! There will be people there I haven't connected with in several years, so that is really exciting.

It is bittersweet being here.... as much as I try not to, I have romanticized what it was like living here and visiting just for a few days reinforces all those positive memories.

Well, Matthijs and I are off to go to the center to do a little window shopping (that is, if I can tear him away from Tour de France coverage). I'll try to send another update while I am here and hopefully upload some of my own photos.