On March 27th, 1987 the band U2 closed down a section of downtown Los Angeles and performed a short concert on the rooftop of the Republic liquor store on 7th st. And S. Main st.
Bono doing Bono stuff
The event was planned to shoot a video for the song Where the Streets Have No Name and was a reference to the Beatles last live performance which was also set on a rooftop in Central London.
The Beatles (1969)
Republic liquor store
Now a Mexican restaurant
As with the Beatles event, too many people showed up and was shut down by the man (as hoped).
Before the Internet you had to hear about concerts and such on the ‘radio’ and go ‘wait in line’ at the ‘mall’ to buy ‘tickets’.
One day I was going somewhere with someone when the DJ on the radio station we were listening to came on the air with a special report.
U2 had just announced a special rehearsal concert in Hershey, PA to prepare for the outdoor portion of their ZOO tv concert tour.
Tickets went on sale right that moment at the Ticketmaster outlet at the Park City mall in Lancaster, PA. It was located in either Bon Ton or Boscov’s. I can’t remember which one or the difference in general between those two outlet brands.
We just happened to be driving by the mall at that very moment. We shrugged and pulled in to the parking lot, effortlessly purchasing tickets in minutes without any crowds.
It sold out just a few hours later.
I remember the show pretty well. It was just as you might remember ZOO tv. Flying euro cars, lots and lots of screens, intimate moments with the band on a small island stage in a sea of fans.
Bono even made a phone call or two.
The only thing that set it apart from an actual concert as opposed to a rehearsal was that they performed Pride (in the name of love) twice.
Not really a U2 fanatic or anything. Just one of those once in a lifetime moments that we are sometimes lucky enough to fall into.
