100 Concerts / Concert #8

Headline Act: U2

Touring Album: The Unforgettable Fire

Opening Act: Red Rockers

Date: May 3, 1985

Venue: The Hollywood Sportatorium. Hollywood, FL
Ticket price:  $14.50

Red Rockers (John Thomas Griffith at far right)

Do you remember Red Rockers? I didn't think so. Like U2, they started out with a Punk Rock attitude, then crossed over into pop success with their MTV hit, "China". Their core fans felt alienated by their mainstream airplay, accusing them of selling out. At the peak of their modest success they disbanded and disappeared into the ether, just another '80s group never to be heard from again.

There are many differences between hundreds of bands with fleeting fame like Red Rockers and those bands with staying power like U2. Talent may be the most important difference, but there is a mysterious gumbo of timing, luck, chemistry, good management, and sheer perseverance that combine to separate the greats from the shoulda-woulda-coulda groups.  Unlike Red Rockers, U2 were laying the foundation for immense worldwide popularity in 1985. U2 were touring in support of its fourth album, "The Unforgettable Fire", but it was too soon to think that they would be around for decades.  "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" was a radio/MTV hit single for Bono and the boys as they carved out their post-"War" sound. The new album was produced with David Bowie's partner in crime, Brian Eno, and featured spacey, atmospheric songs unlike anything in their previous catalog.  It was a new, more mature sound.

In 1983, it felt like an adventure to see the relatively unknown U2. Less than two years later, they were the "flavor of the month" and it was easy to assemble a group of 8-10 friends for their show. We were high school seniors, only weeks from graduating. Any excuse to gather together, have a few beers and catch some live music sounded like a great time. 

The arena was packed with thousands of newly converted fans, including many young women who saw Bono (power mullet and all) as one of rock's sex symbols. The big show-stopper was "Bad", Bono's emotional rant about the evils of heroin addiction. Bono has commented in other shows that the song is about a friend of his, Gareth (later name-checked in the U2 song "Peace On Earth"), who overdosed and died from a night of shooting smack. Bono's extended ad-lib on "Bad" gave him room to take command of any venue (such as "Live Aid" just months after this show). His 1 and 2-line snippets from Classic Rock songs ("Ruby Tuesday", "Walk On The Wild Side", and others) were a very non-Punk tip of the cap to those rock pioneers who had helped pave the way for U2. It also served notice that U2 saw themselves on the same path, with a similar attitude as The Rolling Stones, Lou Reed, and some of their heroes. They weren't content to pay homage to their rock gods. Bono was serving notice that U2 were coming to stand along side them. Eventually.

Unforgettable, that's what you are...

My second U2 show was bittersweet.  There was a brief window of time after the 1983 U2 concert when I felt like I had my own super-cool secret band, and now suddenly they were popular. As the albums, tours, and years have rolled past I learned to let go of that misguided sense of ownership. They never were actually "my" band. I realized I had to share. 

Some fans abandon their favorite artists as soon as they get too popular, like dumping a girlfriend who was once subtly cute but has now blossomed into Homcoming Queen. These fans ("dumpers") break up with their band/girlfriend so they can discover that "first kiss" moment again. They move on to next hidden treasure band and start to date them, only to dump and repeat. For me, U2 always felt like a long-term relationship. I've never had the urge to "Walk On". 'Til death do us part. 

Cowboy Mouth (JTG on the far right)

It turns out that John Thomas Griffith, the lead singer and lead guitarist of Red Rockers, went on to form Cowboy Mouth. The Louisiana-based band has had a solid career wth over a dozen albums and a rabid following for their southern-rock-party-blues-band style. No matter his recent success, I'm guessing JTG (as his fans call him) doesn't mind letting some people know that back in the day, a generation ago, he and his band opened for U-fricking-2. Now that's truly Unforgettable.

Unofficial setlist: 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, Seconds, MLK, The Unforgettable Fire, Wire, Sunday Bloody Sunday, The Cry, The Electric Co., A Sort Of Homecoming, Bad, October, New Year's Day, Pride (In The Name Of Love), Encore: Knockin' On Heaven's Door, Gloria, 40