May 31, 1980 - Manchester, England - Polytechnic

Fan Review:

By Brian Markie

I was then an 19yr old student in Manchester, an original punk rocker. i’d seen almost every band around and with the punk era coming to its twilight years i was hungry for more original music. I was an avid supporter of live music and always will be i suppose. I’d already heard about U2 i had infact bought the record ‘11 o’clock tick tock.’ Yes! i couldn’t believe it they were coming to Manchester, i’d already heard about them touring London. but like all students couldn’t afford the travel. I was buzzing on the night, all decked in my leather jacket drainpipe pants and a handful of beer money. So off to the polytechnic i trotted. The bar was as usual not to busy not to packed, With 2 pints in hand off to the stage n pitch myself right in front. i forget who supported not sure now if it was the Fall, can’t quite remember. The atmosphere was building, U2 had walked on stage the static electricity was buzzing, Then jesus Adam’s bass was ringing in my ears the title song was struck up, fans were pogoing at the front, my beer was sloshing around fantastic i was here in front of what by now was my fav group. bono was in good voice he played to the audience like a maestro. Larry was fresh faced little boy thumping away on what i remember as a Tama drum kit, in perfect time with Adam, who was this blonde curly haired geezer with thick rimmed glasses, he didn’t look the part but certainly played it. Then The Edge is guitar work was the best i’d heard from that genre of music, well maybe slightly behind Hugh cornwall of the stranglers. anyway he was fantastic. The set continued with other great songs unfortunatley i cant remember all but certainly ‘I will follow’ was rattling around the room. I knew then that this band were going to be big, really big. Anyway the band continued into the night, every one was up for it, the music out of this world, then Bono announces the last song. Unfortunatley like all good nights it must end sometime. so off to the student bar for another couple of beers, unlike today who would be standing next to me ‘Bono’ then adam ,followed by the edge n larry. not wanting to miss an opportunity to appraise the situation and give my opinion of a fantastic night. sometime later i bought the LP boys along with other singles to which i still have in mint orignal condition. think they’re on island record label, not quite sure. shows how sad i am about my music i suppose. anyway along comes Oct i think and YES!!!! U2 are back again, at the poly, Yes i was there again, but thats another story, i do know for sure however that i was remeberd from our previous meeting and i didn’t pay for ‘one’ of my pints, it was bought for me. not too many peeps can boast that nowadays. I do remember telling the Edge though that they’ll be big one day. Hey! the rest is history. I have just seen there vertigo tour in Manchester, i was stood right next to him at the end of the extended stage, infact he looked right at me, dont think he remembered, well we all have to age sometime. would be nice to say to a fantastic group ‘I told you so’ hey and maybe buy them a pint back.