On Friday night, Tim & I went to see the U2 Vertigo concert. All I can say is "wow". U2 haven't forgotten how to perform live, and I wasn't disappointed.

It's been quite some time since I went to a concert, and honestly, the last big, outdoor concert I went to was probably last time U2 were here for their Zooropa tour back in the early 90s. I mean, I've been to indoor concerts, and concert festivals, but there really just aren't that many bands anymore which can pull off an outdoor stadium concert on their own. U2 still know how to "bring it". The concert was great - described by a friend as "high tech - low tech". It didn't have as many of the bells & whistles as Zooropa, but the use of screens & lighting was fabulous, especially for those of us at the back.

We bought these tickets last year, for the concert which was originally scheduled for March this year - long before I was pregnant. Luckily, I anticipated that I was old at least, and we opted for seats, rather than the general admission tickets. Although I was watching the mosh-pit jealously at several points during the show, I have to admit that at 32wks pregnant, I was certainly grateful for the seat!

Best of all - it was almost a "best of" tour, with songs from just about every U2 album making it into the line-up. Given Bono's political fervour, it was also pleasantly mostly about the music, with only a couple of interruptions for political messages. Obviously the "Make Poverty History" was pushed, along with a new "CoExist" message - an attempt to encourage religious coexistance (Muslim, Jew & Christian only - I guess all the other religions are considered to already coexist?), but both messages were tied neatly into songs, so it was handled pretty well.

One fun thing to note - although the tickets clearly said "no cameras or recording devices", as soon as the band came on, you could clearly see the tell-tale white lights of mobile phone screens/cameras lighting up the stadium. This was welcomed, and acknowledged, by the band during the "Make Poverty History" portion by turing all the lights off and getting everyone to hold their phones up to create a "Milky Way". It was pretty amazing actually - I guess holding up the cigarette lighter at concerts has been replaced with technology!

Yep, it's that time of the year again - the day which traditionally represents the first of the "end of year" festivities - Melbourne Cup Day.

Once again, I have spent more money than gives me any hope of "winning", but the traditional rule for "the race that stops the nation" is that any horse can win, so you might as well back them all!

My bets:

1. Maybe Better (23) each way
2. On a Jeune (11) each way
3. Yeats (1) each way
4. Box Quinella: Pop Rock (12), Ice Chariot (15)
5. Box Trifecta: Tawqeet (4), Pop Rock (12), Maybe Better (23)
6. Box First 4: Yeats (1), Delta Blues (2), Mahtoum (10), Maybe Better (23)
7. Mystery Pick Trifecta: Yeats (1), Delta Blues (2), Zipping (13)
Plus 4 mystery horses in the work sweeps (as yet unknown) - 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 13th & Last place pay.

UPDATE: Well, the classic lesson applies for me - when you say "I was thinking about putting a bet on...." you should follow up with the bet. As it stands, I couldn't manage better than 3rd (in both a each way bet, and the office sweeps). I haven't collected all my winnings yet, but it will end up somewhere less than a third of what I spent. Oh well, fun all round anyway - and a good way to break up the work afternoon!

Results:
1st - Delta Blues (2)
2nd - Pop Rock (12)
3rd - Maybe Better (23)
Last - Zabeat (17)
Full List