Magnificent guilt
November 23, 2009 by Shannon
One of my dreams has come true.
I AM GOING TO SEE THE U2 360 TOUR.
I wasn’t sure it would really happen. I mean, the 360 Tour is so huge, so massive…and Seattle wasn’t even on the schedule for the first leg of the U.S. tour. And really, that’s the most feasible place for us to go to see them. But then word got out that the band would indeed stop in Seattle, and the rest — as they say — is history.
AND I FEEL TERRIBLE ABOUT IT.
Why, you ask? I’m not too upset about the pricetag (which I admit is pretty hefty) but I feel HORRIBLY guilty that my little boy won’t be going to the show.
I know — who takes two year-olds to rock shows??? Well, we do. (We’re always trying to be one of the cool kids.) Admittedly, most of the shows we take Kellan to are free. But this one? In our little family, a U2 show is the holy grail of rock concerts. And I know Kellan is going to be devastated when he finds out he’s not going to the show.
Oh, I just feel awful even thinking about it.
But even if we did take him (which is pretty unlikely now since the tickets are purchased) I can just picture how the show would go. He would be absolutely enthralled!!!
And then…the questions would come. Dozens and dozens of them in rapid-fire succession.
“Where is Bono’s microphone stand? I can’t see Edge! Where did Edge go? Why aren’t they playing on the B stage? Why Edge giving that man his guitar? Where’s Edge’s keyboard? Where are the cords? Why doesn’t Adam have a microphone stand? Why is Bono running? Is Larry going to drum with his hands? Does Larry sing into a microphone stand or a headset? Where is Bono’s microphone stand?”
These kind of questions are pretty tolerable during a free outdoor concert. But not when you pay upwards of $100 a ticket.
I was actually pretty confident in our decision not to take Kellan along. Then, out of the blue at dinner the other night, came the question that sent me into guilty mother overdrive:
“Can we go see U2?”
Michael and I just looked at each other, and I swear I could hear each of our hearts break just a little bit. I liked to think we were cool parents. Now I think we’re just a couple of great big jerks.
All photos contributed by good friend and fellow U2 fanatic, Lucus Kevan.
Comments (3)


Even though he watches all the concerts on tv already, why don’t you make it a “concert night” at home for him? have someone take tickets, get your “soda”…find your seats…have an opening act that everyone talks through & of course don’t forget you “bic”…aka: your cell phone light when they sing a ballad.

-jen
@jenharris09
Don’t feel guilty! Take him when he’s older and can remember his first concert experience! Plus, we’ll be documenting the whole thing with pics and recordings on our phones and cameras…you and Mike and re-enact the concert for him!
Heart. Hurts.
For those who know what U2 nerds Shannon and I are, Kellan is 10x as passionate. Thankfully, he’s starting to love a couple of our local favorites, Finn Riggins and ReVoLt ReVoLt, almost as much as U2.