(first published as a facebook note, June 5th, 2011)

U2 in Seattle

I achieved one of my life goals this weekend. I attended a U2 concert. The rapture can happen now and I’d be fine with it.

U2 is my favourite band. It’s interesting that I say that because I don’t really like all of their music, whereas I legitimately like all of Coldplay’s music (my #2). But U2 is the biggest band in the world for a reason. And I was sucked into their giant fan base more than a decade ago when I started seriously listening to music.

These guys are still at the top of the world. You just have to watch a Beyonce, Coldplay, or Muse live show to see how U2′s live show has influenced all of them. Argue that if you like but U2 are the band to use all of that technology first, and no one does it better, they just do it different.

U2 has brought social consciousness to the masses. Seriously millions of people who likely don’t give a crap about world hunger and human rights the other 364 days a year come to realize that they just paid $150 to listen to a 2.5 hour sermon on justice and loving the poor. I pray it changes many of them, including myself.

The Edge. Oh The Edge. That man is at the top of the family tree for modern guitar playing along with maybe only a handful of others. Reverb, Delay, Octave, Whammy, Fuzz, Grit. That beautiful pristine Vox sound that everyone in my line of work pursues, but never quite achieves. He is the pioneer and we owe so much to his ingenuity. Thank you, The Edge.

And lastly. You know that we all love singing “WHOOOOOOAAAAAA” at the top of our lungs with a bunch of other people at Pop-Punk, Folk-Rock, Americana, and Worship Concerts. Bono taught us to love that.

Every member of U2 played with flawless precision. Bono can still sing as well as ever. Amazing. I’m so grateful that I could take in that experience and I hope it makes me a better, more thoughtful, musician.

Thank you U2

Caleb