U2 elevates Northwest through passion, soul
■The stripped-down stage
isn’t stopping the legendary
band from selling out arenas
for Elevation Tour 2001
By Roman Gokhman
for the Emerald
There were no giant screens,
hanging hydraulic automobiles,
or 40-foot mirrorball lemons, and
most of the hit songs were played
with the house lights on. But the
self-proclaimed “best band in the
world,” U2, played the concert of
a lifetime in the Great Northwest
... twice.
Playing to sold-out crowds in
Tacoma, Wash., on Thursday and
Portland on Sunday, Bono Vox,
The Edge, Adam Clayton and Lar
ry Mullen Jr. walked, danced and
sprinted around the huge, heart
shaped catwalk, which extended
halfway into the crowd from the
stage. It was all to the delight of
the 300 fans who showed up at six
in the morning, myself included,
for the chance to be admitted in
side the catwalk and stand only
inches away from the rock-and
roll legends.
The band got down to the ba
sics of stage production, at least
compared to their famous “Zoo
TV” and “Popmart” tours of the
1990s. No one cared. The concerts
were not about the show, but the
passion and soul of the music that
has carried a meaning for the last
20 years. A sea of cigarette lighters
provided all the lighting needed.
The set lists included U2’s ear
ly hits “I Will Follow” and “Sun
day Bloody Sunday,” current ra
dio singles “Beautiful Day” and
“Walk On,” and everything in be
tween from their brilliant 20-year
career. “Bullet the Blue Sky” was
jazzed up with a little bit of Led
Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”
and David Bowie’s “Young Amer
ican.” Bono and The Edge per
formed a cover of Elvis Presley’s
“Unchained Melody” in Tacoma,
while in Portland, Bono devoted
“One” in honor of Joey Ramone,
who passed away earlier that day.
“We're one, we carry each oth
er/Joey Ramone, my big brother!”
he lamented.
In between songs, and during
them as well, Bono mingled with
the fans, pulling star-struck, wide
eyed girls up onto the catwalk to
dance and sing along with him.
However, the Portland show got
out of hand when fans managed
to pull Bono off the catwalk and
onto the floor headfirst — a six
foot fall. While Bono was being
rescued from the mob by security,
Adam, Larry and The Edge kept
the show going with “The Fly.”
The band has remained down
to-earth, despite their worldwide
fame. After Bono pulled up in his
jet-black Lincoln limousine in
Portland, I and 15 other lucky
concertgoers got the chance to dis
creetly meet and chat with him
for more than 15 minutes. It was a
special moment for me. It’s true,
the band is all about the fans.
U2’s “Elevation Tour 2001” is
supporting their 12th studio al
bum, “All That You Can’t Leave
Behind.” It has been viewed as a
return to the band’s roots and
their best album since “Achtung
Baby” in 1991.
British singer P.J. Harvey
opened both nights and energized
the crowd with a mix of alterna
tive and grunge rock, but it was
evident that the fans came ready
for U2, as a majority of the seats
remained empty until U2 took the
stage.
..A...._ A
A A\
Roman Gokhman for the Emerald
U2 frontman Bono makes his way from his limousine to his fans before the soundcheck for
Sunday’s show at the Rose Garden in Portland.
CRIME
WATCH
Vandalism
Wednesday, April 11,1:31 a.m.: An offi
cer witnessed a person vandalizing
bicycles at racks near 13th Avenue and
Kincaid Street.
Thursday, April 12,2:06 p.m.: A caller
reported a fire in the barkdust in the
grassy area in front of Grayson Hall.
Friday, April 13,6:45a.m.: A caller
reported damage to a parked vehicle
at the University Inn.
Friday, April 13,10:34p.m.: A caller
reported a fire behind Agate Hall,
possibly in the parking lot, near the
breezeway.
Sunday, April 15,5:14a.m.: An officer
reported a firework explosion in the
Bean West Courtyard.
Suspicious
Activities/Disorderly
Conduct
Friday, April 13,4:30 p.m.: A caller
reported a missing computer from the
Knight Library.
Saturday, April 14,12:17 p.m.: A
female caller reported a male taking
pictures of the outside and inside of
her house just east of campus.
Threats/Physical
Violence
Friday, April 13,5:07 p.m.: Officers
received a report of an attempted
rape near the Autzen Foot Bridge.
Sunday, April 15,2:13 a.m.: A male
caller requested assistance after an
assault near the Knight Library.
Alcohol/lllegal
Substances
Wednesday, April 11,9:03 p.m.: A
caller reported a large group of
subjects with alcohol in the Pioneer
Cemetery.
Wednesday, April 11,11:57 p.m.: A
male caller reported four suspicious
‘Jenna’s Bill’would
battle school bullies
EUGENE — Some parents say
teachers and administrators don’t
know how to handle reports that their
children are being intimidated or ha
rassed by other students, and they’re
pushing for stricter rules against bul
lying.
Several parents and students visit
ed the Capitol last week to urge state
lawmakers to pass legislation that sets
clear guidelines for dealing with
school bullies.
Rep. Richard Devlin, D-Tualatin, is
sponsor of HB3403, which has been
dubbed “Jenna’s Bill” for one of his
constituents, 14-year-old Jenna Her
bison.
Her mother, Elisa Herbison, says
that when Jenna told her principal
she was being taunted and intimidat
ed by older girls, the principal did
nothing. When her mother got in
volved, she was advised to transfer
Jenna to another school.
Marilyn Nersesian of the Eugene
School District said it’s not uncom
mon for school districts not to have a
defined solution for bullying.
“They often don’t know what else
to do unless they’ve done some train
ing to prevent this kind of behavior,”
she said.
The bill, which received its first
hearing before the House Education
Committee last week, would require
all school districts to prohibit harass
ment, intimidation and bullying. Dis
tricts would have to define such be
haviors and set up consequences for
students who bully. Procedures for re
porting, investigating and responding
to cases would also be required.
The Associated Press
Recycle • Recycle • Recycle • Recycle
subjects smoking marijuana near the
EMU.
Thursday, April 12,10:33 p.m.: An offi
cer contacted three Watson Hall
residents for possession of less than an
ounce of marijuana.
Saturday, April 14,12:40a.m.: A male
.caller reported peoplesmoking
marijuana in Collier Hall.
Theft
Thursday, April 12,4:08 p.m.: A caller
reported theft of items from his or her
vehide.
Thursday, April 12,6:55 p.m.: A caller
reported his or her bicycle had been
stolen from the bike racks near the
Knight Law School.
Miscellaneous
Monday, April 9,6:29 p.m.: A caller
reported two females in a tree outside
Cloran Half.
Wednesday, April 11,5:21 p.m.: A
caller reported losing a dog in the
Straub Hall parking lot.
Wednesday, April 11,11:26 p.m.: A
male caller reported another male
student was having a seizure near
Thornton Hall in the Bean East Quad
area.
Friday, April 13,5:50 p.m.: A caller
reported a smell of natural gas at
Columbia Hall.
Sunday, April 15,3:42a.m.: An officer
reported an explosion near parking lot
29B near Gerlinger Hall.
Bucks
Do you have an idea
that will benefit a
large number of
students at the
University?
The ASUO has a 100
grand and wants
your ideas on how
to spend it!
Projects of all
sizes with a cap
of $100,000 will
be accepted!
Ideas due April 20th
Applications available in the ASUO