Well, to put it simply, our trip was amazing. If you're interested in reading my thoughts and impressions on the U2 exhibit, In the Name of Love: Two Decades of U2, at the Rock Hall of Fame, read on.

The Rock Hall is a stunning building with an excellent collection. The U2 exhibit, In the Name of Love: Two Decades of U2, was full of artifacts that traced their journey from forming at Mount Temple school all the way through the Elevation tour. They had everything from the very first U2 tshirt to the costumes worn by Bono as MacPhisto, The Fly, and Mirrorball Man. I particularly enjoyed the graphic design exhibit, which included samples of album covers, posters, and tour books. It was fascinating to see the commentaries on these items by the graphic designers and the bands. Also exciting was the U2 theatre, a movie theatre within the Rock Hall that showed U2 films all day. We were able to watch Under a Blood Red Sky, Classic Albums: The Making of The Joshua Tree, Zoo Tv Live from Sydney, and Elevation Live from Boston.

I was absolutely blown away by the sheer genius of Zoo Tv. It was a conceptual and visual feat -- full-on sensory overload -- and in the middle of it all, like the "baby Jesus under the trash" Bono later sang about on Pop, I caught glimpses of the earnest, spiritual U2 that they've always been. I could feel it as the organs and guitars of "Where the Streets Have No Name" rose to the skies, and I could see it in Bono's eyes as he sang "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "Love is Blindness." In stark contrast to the scale of Zoo Tv was the raw emotion and intimacy of the Elevation show. I didn't really notice the lights or the video screens, it was just U2 doing what they do best -- play powerful songs from their hearts. Watching the youthful exuberance of Under a Blood Red Sky showed me why U2 rose to popularity -- the strength of their live shows. It was also a treat to hear them play songs that don't make the setlists too often these days, such as "Gloria" and "Seconds." Finally, listening to Bono, Edge, Adam, Larry, and "Batman and Robin" (Eno and Lanois) discuss the making of The Joshua Tree gave me new insight into one of my favorite CDs. The songwriting process is fascinating, and I have even more appreciation for the songs on that album.