U2 planetarium show entertains, inspires students

Following a request from the student body to have a show dedicated to the Irish rock band U2, Gerardo A. Perez, Director of the Lamar Bruni Vergara (LBV) Planetarium, granted their wishes.After weeks of being closed due to renovations, the LBV Planetarium re-opened on Sept. 6 with the inauguration of "U2: A Digital Dome Experience."Four shows were offered, starting at 5 p.m. and followed by shows at 6, 7, and 8 p.m."The planetarium has 87 seats, and the five and six o'clock shows were sold out," said Cynthia Neira, a student employee at the planetarium.The rock band U2 came together in 1976 and received their breakthrough in 1980 by signing a contract with Island Records. U2 was later inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.According to their official website, http://www.u2rockband.com, U2's songs are "rich in social and political themes.""I love U2 because they talk about real issues; they're a humanitarian band," said Mario Andrews, a senior psychology major.The planetarium show featured several of U2's famous tracks. Audience members listened to songs such as "Where the Streets Have No Name," "Sunday Bloody Sunday," "Pride (In the Name of Love)," "I Will Follow," "With or Without You," "Bullet the Blue Sky," "The Fly," "It's a Beautiful Day," "Mysterious Ways," "Elevation," and "Vertigo."The show "U2: A Digital Dome Experience" attracted viewers of different ages."It surpassed my expectations; I didn't expect much moving, visual motions, but they were there," said Veronica Duenas, a United High School student who takes concurrent enrollment classes on campus.Although viewers expected the actual band to appear on the screen, the show contained other types of visuals and lighting. For example, during "Pride (In the Name of Love)," a song dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King, a statue of King was shown along with one of his quotes.King's quote read, "Hatred darkens life... love illuminates it."Mark Guerra, an alumni from Laredo State University and a teacher at United High School, said, "I love U2's music, but I truly admire how he [Bono] uses his fame to achieve great things for Ireland and call attention to the troubles of Africa."Guerra won $125 for placing first in the Bono look-alike contest. Afterwards, he continued to express his enthusiasm for U2."Most groups come and go, but U2 provides quality music that lasts forever; they've been around for 30 years and are very humble," added Guerra.Other students who enjoyed the show and look forward to future shows are Paulina Mora, a foreign exchange student from Chile, and Elizabeth Munoz, a Chile exchange student and education major."I thought it was very relaxing," said Mora.Munoz had expected to see the band on screen; however, she did say she enjoyed the show."U2: A Digital Dome Experience" will continue to show throughout the semester. Upcoming shows include "Noche en Espanol" on Sept. 12 and the "The Great Space Race," "Seven Wonders," and "U2: A Digital Dome Experience" on Sept. 13.