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I’ll spoil the surprise - this story ends with a front row, rail grabbing view of U2. Here’s how it begins;

I headed down to the Rodgers Centre for 4.45pm. I was making a good start mainly because I had to locate the Will Call and collect my tickets. Once that was out of the way I noted the horde who had assembled outside of Gate 15, the admission point for those heading to the floors. Sure there were thousands in line, but the stage was huge. Maybe I could find a comfortable spot a mere seventy five, eighty yards from the stage? The gates opened at 5.15pm and I was inside at 5.45pm.

Okay, here is the part where it gets weird. I’m scanning the grounds and, as you may know, there is an inner circle, which I presumed was restricted to VIP’s, and the outer, larger area. I’m talking to an usher and the dude volunteers look, they want the VIP section full, so if you ask for entrance now, they’ll let you in.

HUH?!

Let me reiterate, HUH?!

Like Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness, I’m moving like a shot. I get a special stamp and within seconds I’m on the freakin’ rail. Behind me, behind me, on the outer area, are thousands who have lined up for hours, some for days, and did not realize the inner circle was available upon request. I had been positive that my eighth row Madonna experience, with Avril Lavigne and Nelly Furtado sharing my immediate space, would never be topped. Friends, never say never! I’m holding…the rail..for U2!

Now the challenge. The wait. The lack of food and water. The lack of access to a washroom.

By 6.45pm I was bored out of my skull. I wasn’t sure I could wait it out until 9pm, the expected start time. It was time to take a chance. I struck up a conversation with the group around me and ended up engaging simply the nicest people I’ve ever met. One lady had moved to Scotland, from Toronto, and we immediately hit it off discussing the rowdy side of the world. We laughed at the decorum of folks in Toronto, the lack of pushing, the insistent politeness. Her brother and I discussed U2 and swapped some stories about the band. And…and, miracle of miracles, they held my spot while I ventured back into the stands to use the facilities etc. I had made some new friends and time began to fly, also helped by an engaging set by Snow Patrol. My little rambunctious group was in high party mode, whooping it up and dancing and screaming, and we were rewarded when the bass player marched up to us and gave us all picks!

I have watched all the U2 DVD’s. I had dreamt of being “right there”, in the mosh pit, in the madness. Once, in Cork, while a lad at the pub described being in the inner circle at Slane Castle, I literally turned green with envy. I thought of that as my hands rested on the barrier. Now I was “right there”. At 8.50 pm unconscious excitement began to rip through the crowd as the enormous apparatus roared to life, emitting smoke and channelling David Bowie’s Space Oddity. Then, well there they were. As a matter of fact, theywerethisclose.

It was a brilliant rollicking show. Highlights included Bono standing right in front of us doing a mock strip tease, laughing with us in delight. His charisma is overwhelming and being within a couple of feet of him just fills you with joy. Yep, my complaints of early in the week were washed away pretty damn quickly. At one point a moveable ramp stopped just to my left and, whoosh, Bono swung over the railing, reaching his hands down to us. I thought, if my sister could see me now, within inches of Bono, a mere 14 hours after her e-mail rebuked my hesitation to attend the concert. I really shouldn’t doubt my sister, right?

Bono referenced Toronto many times during the show. It was comical to hear Bono ask if we had taken the “TTC” down “Yonge Street”. Did we use the “Kiss N Ride” he asked. The crowd howled in response. It is a superb performer who can incorporate aspects of the local landscape seamlessly into the show.

After a performance of the classic “The End of the World”, it was full party mode for the congregation. Song after song raised the intensity until it truly felt that, as Bono had requested, the “spaceship” had taken off. By the time the band bellowed through a passionate “Walk On”, we were in orbit.

A night to cherish forever. And ever.

We’ll return to sports tomorrow…