Reply #28: U2 in 1983 [View All]

[givemebackmycountry]

In May 1983 I was standing in line trying at a Denver area King Soopers (a local grocery store) to get tickets to see the Pat Metheny Group at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado.
They were touring to promte their new release "OFFRAMP".

There were hundreds of kids surrounding me, most of them dressed in punk garb, who were in line to snatch up tickets to see some band I had never heard of before.
The band U2 was also slated to play Red Rocks on June 5th.

I dismissed them, knowing I was going to see the better concert.
And maybe I was right, because Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays put on a truly amazing concert.

However, I feel I missed a "once in a lifetime" event by passing on seeing U2.

For many fans, the enduring image of U2's early days will be the band's June 5, 1983 concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre -- the show made famous on the Under a Blood Red Sky video release and featured on the album.



On the day of the show, it started raining early.
By showtime the temperatures had dropped into the 40's.
In June, mind you.
But, that's Colorado and stuff like that happens.

I may see U2 in concert eventually, but I will never have the opportunity that I had back on that day.
I could have purchased tickets for both shows.
Sadly, I did not.

I missed a classic.