Believe it or not, in between the Detroit concert on Oct. 25th and the Houston concert on Oct. 28th, U2 spent their time in Los Angeles. (!) Seems like that is going to be home base for all of the upcoming shows west of the Mississippi.
“Adam3000″ has shared a couple photos, and some back story, from U2’s brief visit to Ellington Field in Houston.
But rather than click the photo at right, you should START HERE where the story begins.
Thanks for the pix Adam (and Mark)!
In USA Today’s “Pop Candy” column, Whitney Matheson lists men she thinks ought to be named People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive.” (Warning to sensitive readers: the column contains some mild Jude Law bashing.) Our pal Bono is Whitney’s number one pick:
1. Bono. He sings! He unites! He wears leather pants! In my mind, People’s pick should be a no-brainer this year–and the fact the mag has never named a rock star the sexiest man alive makes it all the more reason why his time has come.
…Not that I spend my break time at work reading this kind of stuff.
With Halloween on Monday, folks have started emailing me their artistic creations as they design their pumpkins. This one, from Jason and Emily, really capture the iPod ad essence. I’m especially impressed at the attention to detail with the microphone cord! Nicely done.
I really hope you didn’t miss the Bits & Bytes post about this Press Release announcing the Mother Goose Rocks DVD. It has an animated Bono “sound-alike” singing “Heads, Shoulders, Knees & Toes” backed by a gospel choir and an all-star band (you can see the video itself from a link on the front page of @U2)… well apparently this absurd tidbit didn’t escape Bono’s notice either. One of the snippets thrown into last night’s show in Detroit? Humpty Dumpty. Who says you can’t mix work and family?
Last night was another outstanding evening at the MCI Center in Washington DC. The arena was louder than the city of Boston when the Red Sox won the World Series last year, and the concrete was shaking like a scene in a Rushdie book (reminds me of a song…but I digress).
Despite Bono’s voice being a little sore (he told us himself outside while driving in), his voice was in fine form through the 2-hour and 10 minute show. He didn’t attempt the high note during Sometimes, but he pulled off holding the note in Miss Sarajevo, which was good going! It was a pleasure to sing Happy Birthday to Pavarotti, something Bono would send to him “on film” afterwards - after which Bono joked that he better get the Italian right in the song.
Before that, Bono had challenged the audience at the start of I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For to have a different experience with the songs tonight, and told us to stick around as this is only the start. Taking his cue, I tried something I had never done before - sitting through an entire U2 show…not standing or dancing - just sitting there and taking in the visuals. Where I was it was easy to do, and it was a delight to see how the show continues to evolve since the departure of Willie Williams.
Unlike the previous night, Bono thanked senators, congressmen, and other politicians for making history in helping the people in Africa. Before Miracle Drug, he said: “…We were in a white van with our gear in the back, playing our second ever US show. It was a while ago. This is a city that has been so very good to us. Later, I arrived as an activist, and as usual, with the usual cliches and ideas about politicians and the problem of political progress. We discovered just how hard the people in this city work. And I want to say that here now - as a toast to the town. You people work so hard, and you get stuff done. I’ve been angry. I’ve been frustrated. I’ve been as annoying as I’ve been annoyed. This evening, I have some great news to tell you…a lot of you have worked on the AIDS emergency. I can tell you your voice has been heard.
Thanks to America, nearly half a million Africans this year have been put on life saving antiviral AIDS drugs. I want to thank people from both sides of the aisle - the right and left; House and Senate. I want to especially thank the Secretary of State who is here tonight. Tell her thank you. You let us into your office in 5 years with the President’s AIDS initiative, and I want to thank you….This is a very big night for us here. Thank you. This song is called Miracle Drug.”
Amazing joy could be felt from Bono as he shared that with the audience. And the audience shook the rafters with applause.
What a great show - what a great night - what a great audience! You all know how to rock the house (and the senate)! For photos from the 400s sections, click here.
The arena was absolutely rocking last night - and dare I say it…it was louder than either Boston show on 10/3 or 10/4. This was the first show to hit the Baltimore/Washington DC area on the tour, and the fans were pumped for the gig.
A few things to note that didn’t get reported elsewhere about last night’s show:
1) Sam O’Sullivan saved the day for Bono before Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own by personally delivering a bottle of water to him out in the middle of the ellipse. After taking a swig of water from it, he handed it to a local security guard who promptly handed it to a woman inside the ellipse. Bono had another water moment before the 2nd verse of Miss Sarajevo too, lengthening the keyboard intro into the 2nd verse. It must have been all that talking at the White House and elsewhere in DC.
2) Bono’s intro to One thanked all of the volunteers with the One campaign, and they were out in full-force. I was able to hang out with some of them in the ellipse, and they were really touched when Bono thanked all their efforts from the stage. Bono also reminded the concert goers that the One campaign volunteers are also in Mississippi and Louisiana helping to rebuild down there. He thanked Jamie Drummond and Bobby Shriver personally.
3) One person Bono did not mention AT ALL was Senator Clinton. There was a lot of news about how Hillary’s HilPac was hosting a fundraiser at the show in one of the private balconies. There was no mention of her in any of Bono’s speeches from the stage. What Bono did say was that eliminating the debt of the 38 nations in Africa is only the start of what needs to happen in Africa - now it’s about getting the malaria vaccines and the AIDS medications brought into communities, getting schools built so the children can be educated, and rebuilding the countries now that they have their own funds to do it. He talked about some of the global initiatives that he has been heavily campaigning for in DC over the past couple of days and how it’s important that the US leads in this effort. Although Bono did joke that Larry was timing the introduction to One and said later that Larry clocked it at 15 minutes, it really wasn’t that long…but longer than most nights.
4) Adam Clayton still looks like he’s thoroughly enjoying being up on stage and performing to the audience. Yay Sparky!
5) DC Security and CSC Event Staff - they didn’t have their communication together AT ALL. The GA line was not split until midday, and the U2.com line was told by at least one staff member that they’d be let in 10 minutes before the other line, which simply wasn’t true. While fans were waiting by the band’s entrance, security barriers were brought in, so fans positioned themselves peacefully and with good cheer. Then a security guard (who looked like he needed some xanax and wine, to be honest) came and threatened to remove people from the area because we were standing on private property - all this after 6 CSC event staff people decided how they were going to corral the fans waiting. We were told to move over to the other side of the driveway, which we all did…then we were told about 4 minutes later that those on a concrete barrier would have to move because that was also deemed as private property. Now you’ve got a situation with upset fans who don’t know what is what - taking a peaceful and easy-going vibe and completely turning it into one opposite. At least Rocco, U2’s stage manager, came out and explained to the fans that the band were doing runners and would not be stopping for autographs as they’d be arriving around 6:30 that night. He said, “Look - those who know me know I don’t bullshit the fans. I talk straight. Here’s the deal…”. When Rocco says something, it’s true - he is honest and tells the fans the score - listen to him! Needless to say - I was not impressed at all with the CSC staff or their security.
6) I’d like to say thank you to the cool people I met in the ellipse - especially the couple who have seen U2 since the Unforgettable Fire tour, and another couple who was there as their anniversary gift to each other. It was awesome to share a concert with you 
And to the 2 ladies with the Irish flag who won their way in through the 2nd chance lottery - the joy and excitement on your faces is the reason why I love being a U2 fan - that’s what it’s all about…sheer joy!
Oh - for the photos I teased about in my last blog post…Phil has them up now. Check them out here.
@U2 was able to talk with TNA’s Craig Evans after the October 19 show in Washington DC about the tour officially continuing past Portland, Oregon, as well as about Larry’s armbands.
Evans was unable to confirm that the tour was continuing, however, he did say that an answer should be made “in short order.” It is anyone’s guess as to what the definition of “short” is.
He also said that Larry’s armbands were “a preventative measure” and that “Larry’s feeling great and is in fine form.” The armbands could be seen on both arms during the show. This photo was taken by Phil R. during Yahweh. More photos from Phil of the DC show will be available soon.
Thanks to Phil for taking some great photos of last night’s show in Philadephia. There’s one photo that struck me as neat. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen ladies of this age following around U2 - and what’s nice is to see they didn’t let us young whippersnappers beat them to a rail outside the ellipse. Click here for Phil’s photo set.
I was kicking myself last week for not thinking of recording Conan O’Brien the night after U2’s appearance, like Kelly did (see post below). So after that, I started recording every episode of Conan hoping it might be replayed. Well it hasn’t yet, but at 3:35 a.m. Friday they replayed the U2 episode. So I’m guessing that in the next half hour, they’ll be replaying the episode with “U2 Secrets.”
However, I also was lucky enough to record this gem: a second installment of “U2 Secrets”! (I may never stop recording Conan.) Friday night’s episode featured the following, although I don’t have the screen shots to accompany:
Edge: When Irish people talk really fast, I don’t understand them either.
Larry: The only reason I joined U2 was they promised me I’d get a chance to meet Jackie Chan. Well that was a load of bull****.
Bono: I mean, we didn’t get into rock ‘n’ roll for the money. We got into rock ‘n’ roll for the things you can buy with the money.
Edge: Bono hits us. (Looks around) Sometimes really hard.
Thanks so much for the post last week, Kelly. And if anyone missed the second installment of “Secrets,” it seems like they’re replaying the episodes a week later at 3:35 a.m. CDT.
When you have the nation’s top conservative talk show host communicating to millions of Americans on a daily basis, one would hope that there’s some truth involved. I got a phone call from a friend yesterday about the remarks that Rush Limbaugh said regarding Bono. Today’s New York Post (Page Six column) reported on it with a reply from U2’s publicist:
“October 12, 2005 — RUSH Limbaugh seemed a little irked yesterday he wasn’t named to a list of “ubersexuals” put out by an ad agency that decided “metrosexuals” are passe. The radio motormouth doesn’t generally engage in scurrilous gossip (that’s our purview). But yesterday, Limbaugh cited Pierce Brosnan, Jon Stewart, Ewan McGregor, Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and Bono as making the list - and then declared out of the blue that Bono has a mistress. The U2 frontman has been married for 23 years to high school sweetheart Ali Hewson, the mother of their four children. When a caller demanded to know what basis Limbaugh had in making his accusation, he replied cryptically: “You people are just going to have to trust me on this.” U2’s publicist told us: “This is so absurd it doesn’t deserve a response. However, Bono and Edge have been spending a lot of time together in New York lately . . .”
Anyone who’s been following Limbaugh for years knows Rush has never had anything kind to say about Bono. In 1994, just after Bono dropped the f-bomb after accepting the Grammy for Best Alternative Album for Zooropa, Rush went on TV the next night and went on for 13 minutes without commercial interruption on how much Bono was a “maggot-infested scumbag” and talking about what right does he have to tell Americans how to live their lives. So, Rush’s comments yesterday about Bono having a mistress are mild in comparison.
I’m just surprised that no one’s complained to the FCC for the clear case of libel here against Bono.
