U2360° TOUR Leg 3: 2011

Show Report

'I went out walking under an atomic sky
Where the ground won't turn and the rain it burns
Like the tears when I said goodbye.
Yeah, I went with nothing, nothing but the thought of you.
I went wandering....'

Over two years and 100 shows we've had no shortage of surprises on this tour - from the reinvention of 'Real Thing' to the return of 'Zooropa' - but tonight we had two unexpected moments to rival them all. We had the first performance at a U2 show of The Wanderer, the song the band wrote for - and performed with - Johnny Cash, for Zooropa in 1993.
On a hot night in Nashville, the first time the band have played the city in thirty years, it was a spine-tingling moment as 'Still Haven't Found' ended and Bono, accompanied by Edge, segued into The Wanderer - the first performance at a U2 show of a song the band wrote for - and performed with - Johnny Cash, for their 1993 album Zooropa.

And there was a second special moment - right at the end of the show - when one fan came up on stage and led the band and stadium in 'All I Want Is You'. Something else!

Looking across the twittersphere tonight, you didn't even need a ticket to enjoy this show.
'Listening to U2 live from the porch at home. Who needs tickets to the concert when you only live blocks away :)' as BeksAdams put it. 'Eating pink berry in the park,' tweeted erinredmond, 'listening to the U2 concert. #cheapticket'

If you were lucky enough to have sight as well as sound, inside the Vanderbilt Stadium the atmosphere was electric with the stage almost covering the whole field and the audience packed to the rafters.
'Where you gonna take us Music City?'
Soon enough The Fly took us to Berlin, circa 1991 but it wasn't long before the 360 spaceship took us even further back - to Underwood Auditorium on December 2nd 1981.
'Wow, that's a hard fact to take in...'
'Well, we're here now, some things remain the same: my name is Bono and we're a band from Dublin.'
Larry, explained Bono, is the man who gave them their first job and rendered them unemployable: 'He's handsome - and he's had that haircut since 1981!'
Adam is a 'prince of a man, one of the most 'gifted rock'n'roll bass players of all time' while without us Edge 'would still be in his bedroom twiddling knobs.'
'In a city of masters, we are students - will you sing with us?'
Nashville said Yes to that and Still Haven't Found became The Wanderer which led to memories of 'some special times with Johnny and June here in Nashville over the years.'

Big thanks to the crew tonight, on the occassion of the 100th 360 show, shout-outs to campaigning politicians and country music folk and special mention of a visit to Nashville in 2002 when Bono hooked up with Charlie Peacock and Jars of Clay - credit to the USA for the role it is playing in fighting HIV/AIDS in the poorest countries.

'You've heard of the miracle of the loaves and fishes? We're going to try to make this spaceship disappear. Let's turn this place into the milky way and think of our little planet spinning around the sun... Thank you Nashville.'

But this show had one last surprise and a moment one fan will never surrender. With the band about to walk off stage, Bono started talking to someone on the front row: 'You want to play what?'
Before you know it, this dude was up on stage, wearing Bono's Irish Falcon guitar and being introduced to Music City.
'My wife's name is Andrea,' he explained. 'I'm kinda nervous man!'
As he starts playing, the band backing him, Bono starts singing, 'All I Want Is You' and the nerves disappear.
'You say you want diamonds on a ring of gold
You say you want your story to remain untold....'
A spine-tingling moment and when it was over Bono hugged him and gave him his guitar - something to pinch when he wakes up from his dream. (We caught Andrea's husband (don't know his name yet!) before his big moment, holding the sign in our photo).

Were you at the Vanderbilt Stadium tonight? As well as The Wanderer and All I Want is You what took you by surprise, what was the moment when you left the ground? Add your own reviews and upload your photos below.

U2360° FANCAM in Nashville!