Loaning his voice for the day
It was the best dressed general admission line I had ever stood in as a few thousand mortgage bankers and associates filled the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts today to hear Bono give the keynote address at their annual convention. The buzz was going through the building about Bono’s appearance very early on.
The doors to the general session room did not open until 8:15 a.m., and yet people were lining up well before the sun came out around 7 a.m. One woman standing in line said she received a phone call from a colleague at 7:15 a.m. who said that there were already 20 people in line waiting for the doors to open. As people were arriving and lining up for the doors to open, there was that same, familiar vibe in the room as if it was a concert and those in GA weren’t sure if they’d be able to get the position they wanted. The only things missing were sharpie numbers on hands and wristbands. Well, we all had to wear a namebadge, so I suppose that’s similar.
Bono’s remarks to the Mortgage Bankers Association can be seen as another opportunity to tell the story of what’s going on in Africa. The hardest sell was to convince mortgage bankers to forgive the loans - you think asking governments to do that is hard? Try mortgage bankers! Over Bono’s 45 minutes, he kept on message and dazzled (as he usually does) those with the thickest skin on issues that impact everyone in one way or another.
It was just surreal being in a room with roughly 2000 people in their business suits holding out their cell phones and cameras as if it was a U2 show - snapping photos throughout the remarks. There were a few people wearing their ONE Campaign or (RED) shirts, but the majority of the room was dressed in either black or navy blue.
Even Bono was in a black suit with his trademark shades, thick-soled shoes, mild 5 o’clock shadow, and deep greenish blue business shirt (half buttoned, mind you).
I was fortunate enough to get a question asked and answered at the end of the Q&A session - you’ll be able to hear that in our October podcast.
Andrew said,
October 17, 2007 @ 7:11 am
you were the woman shouting the 1 question?
I was there, for the record with no suit jacket and no tie, 4th row left aisle. I was there a half an hour early, for the record. The people who surrounded me were big fans, I could tell. They ran into the front like it was a concert and even bobed their legs to the intro music (which was classic mid to late period u2)They were almost showing emotion at time, weird for the group.
After 24 years in mortgage banking and a dozen of these conventions, this was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen. And I’ve seen 4 presidents and countless astronauts, billionaires, senators, ad nauseum. He was moving. He captivated an audience of oft-cold people that are at times both the best and worst of the american dream. I will never forget it. Its almost the Orpheum 1983…