Just flipping through the latest edition of Vanity Fair, and caught a brief U2 mention in the Fairground section of the magazine. There’s a full-page photo of Bono kissing the hand of Italian acress Claudia Cardinale, as well as a small black and white photo on the opposite page of the entire band along with Daniel Lanois. They were attending the Vanity Fair celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2007.

Others in attendance at the shindig: Leonardo DiCaprio, Paul Allen, Roberto Cavalli, Barry Diller, Marie-Chantal and Prince Pavlos of Greece, Diane von Furstenberg, and Minnie Driver (as well as many others).

The channel SkyArts did a programme last week about the support slots that the Scottish band Franz Ferdinand did with U2 during their South American leg of the Vertigo tour. U2 spoke/were spoken about in four different segments, which you can see here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp5uxACIqB8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GswUyZpyMX4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7reSIurCanE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeaXkrFnGew

The videos were taken on my camera phone, so I’m sorry that the picture quality is so appalling. The sound quality isn’t too bad though. You can hear what they’re saying at any rate, which I guess is what matters….

(Photo courtesy of Berklee College of Music website)

Today marks a historic occasion for The Edge as he receives an honorary doctorate from the esteemed Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.

Last night, Berklee students gave their traditional performance at the Agganis Arena in Boston to honor those receiving the honorary doctorates. Joining The Edge with this accolade are Gloria Estefan (Berklee’s Commencement speaker) and Jazz pianist, the late Andrew Hill. According to Berklee’s website, the students performed Van Diemen’s Land and Pride.

The Edge is in some pretty good company - check out the full list of honoraries from Berklee here.

If anyone happened to be at that performance, please let us know if any other U2 music was performed, and what you thought of it.

Formed in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in September, 2005, Music Rising supports the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast’s seminal music community following this environmental crisis.

Last year saw their mission dramatized by U2 and Green Day’s powerful video and their live performance for the reopening of the Superdome. On April 21, Music Rising co-founder The Edge rallied his colleagues in New York City to donate instruments and memorabilia for a special “Icons of Music” auction that raised $2.4 million. MSN Entertainment was there for exclusive interviews with The Edge and other participants, conducted by veteran music journalist Alan Light.

See videos: http://music.msn.com/music/musicrising?GT1=9988

Well, it looks as if the rumors are true. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Bono was indeed present at the famous festival in Park City, Utah last week.

He took in a screening of Son of Rambow, surprising fellow guests and even some of the filmmakers. You can listen in on an interview with Director Garth Jennings that Filmspotting’s Sam Van Hallgren conducted here (fast forward to the 20:20 mark for the discussion) and hear his reaction to Bono’s attendance.

Apparently, B-man also had time to stop and help Sundance volunteers solve a jigsaw puzzle. Wish we had a photo of that.

If you live in the New York City area, watch your inbox today as U2.com has sent out a special email only to fans in the area:
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Bono and Edge will be appearing on a new HBO Music Series to be
broadcast in November.

The interview is being filmed in New York City this Thursday,
October 5th, and we have 50 invitations to the recording available
exclusively for our New York subscribers.

If you can be in New York City this Thursday from 11am until 4pm,
please enter our draw by clicking the link below.

We will select 50 of the entrants at random, and we’ll let the lucky
winners know by 6pm on Wednesday evening.
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This is probably the taping for the new Dave Stewart musicians-themed show.

Good luck to those who enter - if you’re lucky to get in, please share your experience with us on the blog!