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!

For the full set of photos from today, visit our @U2 flickr page.

Reports from the NYC Book signing provided by @U2’s resident photographer, Phil (via cellphone)

6:30: Still on way home, but uploaded photos to the @U2 flickr site. Overall, it was a fun day. A friend of mine who won his wristband graciously offered to let me tag along for the long drive to and from NYC. Chatting with some people in line, they said that while most of the fans were in good spirits, there were a group of people who did join the line who threatened fights if they didn’t get in, and after watching the line finish after the book signing, these were the same people who were handing their signed copies of books to a guy standing near an elevator on the first floor. At one point, he had 2 bags of books already collected, paying the people off $100 per book. Expect to see them on eBay very soon. At least there were only about a dozen of those people out of the 250 who were in line.

One book was signed on behalf of the African Well Fund (generously donated by a fan who was in line) and will be made available during their next “Build a Well for Bono’s Birthday” campaign next year. Bono even signed it acknowledging the AWF.

Bono took the time to make drawings in the books, and on the whole, he and Edge were quite engaging in conversation. Good thing they were last at the table.

Congratulations to everyone who’s dreams were realized. It was fun covering it for @U2.

2:15: Larry, Adam, Bono and Edge make their way to see everyone. Those in line were chanting “U2…U2…U2″ as they were waiting, and then started yelling and screaming once the band became in view. Photogs shot for about 10 minutes, and then the line started moving. Signing should take about 2 hours given the long line. Also present were Paul McGuinnes, Dennis Sheehan and many from Principle Management. Photos and fan perspective to come later today. Watch all the major entertainment and news shows tonight and tomorrow for video coverage.

2:05: Band is in building, not able to be seen. Apparently, they are doing special meet/greets and interviews for national media in an adjacent room. From hearing chatter in line, it appears that there’s at least a dozen or so people who will be putting their signed books on eBay. Chatter among others in line is along the lines of disappointment that people would blatantly do that. What are you gonna do - it stinks it’s happening, but can’t stop it.

1:17: Fashionably late…no sign of band…at least everyone’s where they need to be…everyone…everyone…every one. (couldn’t resist)

12:50: Five minutes to go before the band arrives (can someone start up Arcade Fire?)

10:40 a.m.: The scene outside the Barnes and Noble’s in Union Square is a peaceful one as everyone who needed to go inside has since gone inside. In all, there are 250 wristbands that have been given out: 150 to U2.com members, and 100 to the first ones who queued up overnight. If you were number 101, sorry - you didn’t get in. As a result, there’s only 5 people (give or take) waiting outside with the hopes of seeing the band as they arrive - or perhaps being allowed in at the last minute should some of the U2.com winners not show up. Seems odd - the crowd was far bigger, but unlike in other cities, when the Barnes & Nobles people said “sorry - no more bands,” people just left - what’s up with that? Perhaps they’ll come back after getting some food or sitting on a soft seat (that pavement is quite hard). I dunno - seemed odd.

People were given bracelets and green cards with numbers on them to indicate where in line you’d be. The signing is taking place on the 4th floor of the bookstore, and customers are allowed inside the bookstore, but not allowed to the 4th floor.

Security can be found throughout the building, as well as outside the building. There are signs on the doors of the bookstore stating that all bags, cameras and cellphones must be handed to a Barnes & Noble staff member prior to entering the area. Photos are allowed to be taken from the floor, but cameras and cellphones must be handed to a Barnes & Noble staff member prior to going on the stage when you get the book signed. The authors will not be available to pose for photographs.

Also seen on the streets of New York City: people walking around in U2 by U2 promotional tshirts.

More info as it comes along….

Check your mailboxes if you entered the contest for the U2byU2 book signing in NYC for tomorrow - U2.com has sent out the notices.

Glad to see they also sent out “sorry, you didn’t win” emails too…that’s the one I got today. Oh well - best of luck to those who won…and blog here to tell us about your experience in NYC!

By the way - U2.com will be giving away signed copies of the book in the upcoming weeks, and their email said to continue to check U2.com for details…so there’s the second chance lottery!

(photo courtesy of the Associated Press)

Awww…doesn’t it look like Li’l U2 at storytime? There’s another great idea for an Achtoon Baby feature

A fun time was had by all with the book signing today in London. U2.com has some photos up, and the folks at Yahoo! have photos too.

Congratulations to all the fans who were lucky to score a wristband. Blog here to tell us about your experience at Waterstones!

Yes, the reports were true…it was absolutely bone-chillingly cold in Hartford yesterday, but not *as* cold as Montreal (so I’m told). Despite the below-freezing temperatures and the occasional snow squall, fans (myself included) waited patiently by the back entrance of the Hartford Civic Center to greet the band as they arrived. After hearing about Bono’s Christmas list for Santa in Boston, two fans were able to personally deliver Edge’s train set to Bono. As we all shivered, Bono was kind enough to greet the fans, sign a few autographs, all the while keeping a scarf around his neck and mouth to protect his throat as best as he could. (He’s always overly generous to fans, and on behalf of the 30 or so of us out there, thank you for sharing our shivers!)

As for the show - it was *the* tribute to John Lennon, with several references to the tragic day 25 years ago when he was taken from this world. It was as if they had used the Boston 12/5 show to practice for Hartford. When Bono and Edge went to perform Norwegian Wood, there was a great deal of feedback during the first 20-30 seconds of the song, as if the spirit of Lennon came into the room to tell Bono something. After the song concluded, Bono let everyone in on a secret that there was more to come later on in the show. Sure enough, both Help and Instant Karma made it into the set. Earlier in the night, he sang a little bit of Happy Christmas (War is Over.) As mentioned on U2Tours.com, Bono’s introduction to Original of the Species was more of an ode to John Lennon, saying, “Everything tonight is in the memory of John Lennon. Here is a song we stole from him.” During Pride, he sang “Sing this song for Martin Luther King….for Rosa Parks….for John Lennon.”

Before performing Help, Bono congratulated Edge on all of the work he had been doing on behalf of Music Rising, to benefit the hurricane survivors in Louisiana. He also thanked all of the One volunteers for their work down there and then introduced Help as “a show tune.”

Most of the fans who have submitted reviews on U2Tours.com hit the nail on the head about the show - it didn’t match the intensity of Boston, but then again Hartford is a smaller market. Many in attendance had seen the show either in New York or Boston as Hartford is in between both major cities. The audience did sing its hearts out during Pride, Mysterious Ways, and even hitting the high notes in Original of the Species. The breakout performance of the evening went to Jacob, a young boy brought up on stage to sing “No More!” during Sunday Bloody Sunday. He really got into it - screaming it at one point (I forget how high pitch a young boy’s scream can get). Bono’s genuine laugh and amazement when he said his name was Jacob was priceless, saying “he IS a son of Abraham!”

Bono thanked Connecticut’s Governor Jodi Rell, and a whole bunch of other politicians on behalf of the work he’s doing, as well as a few poets and other special guests in attendance before breaking into One. He also said, “Seven more dates to go. I’m gonna miss it - 20,000 screaming people greeting you as you get out of the shower.” You know they’ve got the countdown going for the end of this leg of the tour.

This is it ’til Portland for me, but we have other @U2 staffers picking up the torch to bring you updates from the other locations. For photos from last night, visit here.

Oh by the way…if you’d like to buy the keyboard Adam and Larry use,…Amazon.com sells them - but you’ll have to put the key markings on there yourself.