This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune.

NEW YORK — I’ve been excited about the March 3 release of U2’s No Line on the Horizon since last spring, when the album was first reported to drop onto store shelves in the fall of 2008. That excitement reached even higher when the band announced they would be appearing five nights in a row on David Letterman’s “Late Show.”

I purchased airfare as soon as I won a ticket to a David Letterman taping, in hopes that I would also get to attend Good Morning America’s U2 concert, which was to be held at a secret location on Friday, March 6. “Check back to find out how you can be in the audience,” ABC announced on its Web site. U2 fan site message boards were lit up with rumors, and it appeared that the GMA show would be a private event at Fordham University, a Jesuit private college.

Still, I was not deterred. In the end, I and hundreds of other fans turned to Fordham students and security guards who realized they had an opportunity to make some quick cash. More on that in a minute.

U2 began the week Monday, March 2 by taping two Letterman shows, the second being the show that aired Friday. U2 broke the Beatles’ record of three consecutive nights at the Ed Sullivan Theatre, and all five shows elicited standing ovations. Here’s what they played:

Monday: “Breathe.” The band also filmed a skit where they shoveled snow behind the Ed Sullivan to help New York recover from the monster snow storm the previous weekend.

Tuesday: “Magnificent.” The album was released that day, and the band also appeared with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg at the rededication of 53rd Avenue as ” U2 Way,” but just for the week.

Wednesday: “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight.” The band also did the Top Ten List.

Thursday: “Beautiful Day” with snippets of “Rock and Roll High School” and “I Remember You,” by the Ramones; and “Vertigo,” with a snippet of the Beatles’ “She Loves You.” The first song was for the show, the second was just for the studio audience. This was the show I attended. The band also did a six-minute studio interview and taped another skit where they performed the Late Show’s on-hold music. The theater itself is much smaller than it appears on your television, and the backdrops are much more beautiful in person. From my spot in the first row on the balcony, I could look right down on the band and Dave. If you’re curious, during the commercial breaks the orchestra performs covers, and Letterman stands up to stretch and take off his jacket.

Friday (filmed on Monday): “Get On Your Boots.”

I knew that getting into the GMA U2 show would be tricky, but I hoped it wouldn’t be impossible. A week before GMA’s U2 show, ABC told me the show would be held at Fordham University in the Bronx , and only students and faculty would gain access. This is something I found out by myself from the band’s label a full week before the gig, but a full week after I — and hundreds like me — purchased airfare or train tickets to New York . Fans came from as far away as the West Coast and even from Europe . I hope they didn’t give up and were able to get inside the concert.

Getting in to the private gig was a challenge. The rumors were you needed a student ID, or you had to be staff. A thorough search for press credentials proved fruitless. No media allowed, and that was final, I was told. (Someone forgot to tell MTV, the New York Times and Rolling Stone, who all had “reports from the ground.” I call East Coast bias.)

At first Fordham students tried selling their IDs on Craigslist, and one student actually got in trouble for attempting to forge fake IDs. The university caught wind of this and shut the Craigslist listings down. Then the students figured out they could bring up to four friends onto the campus with visitor passes, and they began selling them like crazy. I paid $100 to my new best friend, who hooked me up with a visitor pass. I spoke to some people who paid as much as $300, and to some who got by with a bribe to a security guard or a polite smile and pleading.

And that’s all it took. When the gates opened, I was pushed to the very front of the crowd and had one of the best spots in the field.

Here’s a little about Fordham University, or, F! U!, as the students like to chant. It’s a Catholic school with three campuses in New York. The Bronx campus is surrounded by buildings from about the 1850s, including the castle-like Keating Hall. The concert was held in front of Keating Hall.

It’s also a party school. The night before the GMA U2 show, there was a “drink-a-thon,” which apparently meant no last call at all the bars. This equaled a drunker than usual U2 concert.

Here’s the set list and a few quick thoughts. Only the first four songs aired on the television show.

“Get On Your Boots.” First thoughts were correct. It’s a mash-up of “Vertigo” and “Fast Cars.”

“Magnificent.” After listening to the album version, I assumed this would be the weakest song on the album. I was wrong, and I’m sorry. It will be one of the highlights live.

“I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight.” One of U2’s best pop songs. Ever.

Interview

“Beautiful Day.” Still beautiful.

“Breathe.” Bono will eventually get tired of the fast delivery on this one, and it won’t be performed as much, so catch it early in the tour.

“Vertigo”

U2360°, the band’s next tour, was announced Monday, and will arrive in the U.S. in September. A Bay Area date remains unknown, but you can expect either Oakland Coliseum  or Candlestick Park. Tickets will go on sale at the end of the month or in April.

Follow editor Roman Gokhman at Twitter.com/RomiTheWriter.