A U2 Concert Survival Guide: From parking to earplus

If you go

Who: U2 with Muse

When: 7 tonight at Scott Stadium (Charlottesville)

Tickets: $32-$252

Info: (800) 745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com

Everything you've heard about
U2's stage and the production
of its 360º Tour is not an exaggeration.

It's massive and
breathtaking and a
little ridiculous --
but unlike any spectacle you've ever seen,
even if you're a seasoned concertgoer.
Trust me, I've seen
the show twice, and
it's a staggering sight.

But I'll save the actual reviewing
for tonight's performance at Scott
Stadium in Charlottesville since the
band keeps tinkering with its set list;
last week's first Giants Stadium show
featured a birthday present to Bruce
Springsteen -- U2's take on his
"She's the One" coupled with the first

U.S. appearance of their "Desire" --
along with a brief Michael Jackson
tribute for attendee Quincy Jones.

For the second Jersey date, the
band tossed in several Rolling Stones
snippets and swapped out "New
Year's Day" for "The Unforgettable
Fire" among other changes.

But as structured as this show has
to be for certain production elements,
U2 has enough latitude in the middle
chunk of the concert to rotate songs
-- now if only they would choose an
opener other than the comatose
"Breathe."

How is it that "Pride (In the Name
of Love)" hasn't appeared since the
U.S. kickoff Sept. 12 in Chicago, yet
the band has selected one of the most
musically lifeless songs from "No Line
on the Horizon" to open all but one
date of the tour so far?

Oops. That's getting a little too
close to review territory. Tomorrow.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow.

But today, I want to give you a few
tips if you're heading to C'ville.

1. Parking. Let's hope you paid
heed to that e-mail sent by Ticketmaster last month and purchased a parking pass for one of the lots surrounding Scott Stadium.

What? You're going to wing it?
Guess you didn't attend The Rolling
Stones concert there in 2005 and experience the migraine-inducing challenge of maneuvering through
60,000-people's worth of snail-crawling traffic that seemed to always wind
up in the same place: someone's lawn.

It's too late to purchase a prepaid
parking ticket, but cash spaces will be

available for $20 in the John Paul
Jones Arena surface lot and garage.
Also, only concert patrons and residents with parking passes will be
allowed to access the Alderman Road
and Scott Stadium areas tonight.

2. Security. Use some common
sense, folks, and it will cut down on
any aggravating lines. Limit your possessions -- like, leave the backpack in
the car, and everyone around you in
line will be much happier.

Also, if you're holding field/
general-admission tickets, you must
enter through the North Gate. If
you're holding a reserved seat or any
other type of ticket, you must enter
any gate but the North Gate, where
you will be denied entry.

And, if you're intent on taking photos of the ant-like figures in front of
you, feel free to bring a typical, nonprofessional point-and-shoot (no
lenses more than 3 inches).

3. Tickets. Though the concert is
close to sold-out, there are -- as of
press time -- some tickets available
that will be sold today at the Scott
Stadium West Box Office.

If you've purchased seats behind
the stage and are worried you'll see
nothing but Larry Mullen Jr.'s backside for two hours, well, you will. But
don't sweat it, because the circular
video screen that envelops the stage
provides the best vantage point, regardless of where you're sitting.

If you've ever attended a stadium
concert, you know that no seat is particularly great, but U2 has managed
to design a stage that really does provide unfettered sightlines.

And, kidding aside, Bono makes
frequent romps around the circular
stage and, thanks to moving bridges
and other apparatus, the other band
members occasionally pop around the
back, too.

4. Earplugs. So you forgot them in
the pocket of the other jeans you
thought you were wearing, or they're
in a different purse that didn't match
the rest of your ensemble.

What to do? Normally, I would say
seek out the medical office, as the
EMTs on site can usually provide earplugs. And, as someone who always
wears earplugs and is an almost irritating advocate of protecting one's
hearing, I will still suggest you do
that.

However, in the event that you
schlep twice around Giants Sta ... I
mean, Scott Stadium, and can't find
the medical folks, don't panic. U2's
sound system is so stellar and the music mix is so clean, you won't have the
slightest ringing in your ears on the
drive home.

But still, if you happen to cruise by
a drugstore, spend the four bucks on a
pack of Hearos and save yourself any
concern.

5. Showtime. Opener Muse has
been taking the stage 15-20 minutes after the
7 p.m. ticket time and playing for
about 45 minutes. Expect U2 to arrive
between 8:45 and 9 p.m.

How will you know it's time to
ditch the drink line and race back to
your seat? When you hear David Bowie's "Space Oddity" crank up. Midway through the song, dry ice will
start spewing from the legs of the
stage. That's your cue to strap in for
the two-hour ride.

Contact Melissa Ruggieri at (804) 649-6120 or
mruggieri@timesdispatch.com. Follow her at
http://twitter.com/MRuggieri