The lead singer of U2 has been in the upmarket Swiss resort this week. But he was spotted more in the restaurants than on the slopes.
First it was outside the Vieux Verbier restaurant at the bottom of the main Medran lift in the middle of the week. It was during the day and he was not in his ski wear.
With his trademark dark glasses and scarf pulled over his face many of the diners and skiers had no idea they were in the company of high rock celebrity as he holidayed in the resort.
Then at 3.45 on Friday afternoon when most people are putting in their final turns of the holiday, he emerged from Le Cristal restaurant at Les Ruinettes.
Fresh lobster is a speciality of the establishment.
It was half way up the mountains but again no sign of any ski wear despite the good conditions.
And as he came out with his entourage he headed straight for the lift down to the village rather than the slope.
Many skiers and snowboarders couldn't quite believe who it was as we told them that Bono was in town.
"Bono in town here in Verbier? Wow! He is a god," was a reaction from a big fan.
Others were less interested.
"Who cares he is just another person out in a ski resort," was how another person put it to us.
Bono has been staying at Chalet Kernow in Verbier. It is one of the luxury chalets and rivals The Lodge, owned by Sir Richard Branson as the favourite holiday spot for the rich and famous.
Chalet Kernow has a long list of celebrity guests.
Bono has been skiing before and so has the lead guitarist of U2, The Edge.
The Edge skied in Val d'Isere a few years ago and his instructor from the time said afterwards "I taught The Edge to edge!"
Hope he had a great time and a deserved holiday before re-starting the tour towards South America...
On Johannesburg's Talk Radio 702, Bono confessed Redi Tlabi, the show´s hostess, that he had written some additional lyrics to "Breathe" that didn´t make it into the song. These lyrics were written from Nelson Mandela´s perspective, Bono said that while he was getting ready for theinterview, he remembered them and found it appropriate to share them with her and her audience.
Here they are for us to enjoy:
18th of July on the banks of a not well-known river,
I started a journey to where I am now.
Troublesome, troublemaker,
guided by the drums of my creator towards a rhythm,
a rhyme, a melody line of a song called freedom,
which once heard will never leave your head.
Rolihlahla, on a day like this, it's love that gives us courage to resist.
Agape love forged like steel in the fire.
Agape love like a whisper that calls us to walk out into the street
with your arms out and the people you meet are neither down nor out,
hey there is nothing you have that I need. I can breathe. I can breathe.
All those who stand together, fist in air, now know this --
that real division is not a scar on the land,
but in the hearts of every man who began as a kiss not to resist,
and not a fist. Now an open hand, an open face,
an open page where history might rewrite its rage.
Agape love forged like steel in the fire.
Agape love whispering to us to walk out into the street,
sing your hearts out to the people you meet, neither down nor out,
hey there is nothing you have that I need. I can breathe, I can breathe.
"Killing Bono"s original soundtrack album will be released on March 28th ,Sony Music has announced.
"Much more than your average movie soundtrack, the Killing Bono OST features eight unique new arrangements written by Grammy-nominated song writer Joe Echo, which have been performed and recorded by Ben Barnes and Robert Sheehan, the actors who portray Neil and Ivan McCormick in the film. The album also includes an exclusive and previously unreleased track entitled Street Mission, written by U2’s first incarnation, The Hype, and performed on the Killing Bono OST by Martin McCann (who plays Bono) and the band portraying The Hype in the film.Killing Bono documents the rise of U2 from their first concert as The Hype to the peak of their fame as the biggest band in the world, and Street Mission is followed on the soundtrack by U2 classic I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, from 1987’s landmark album The Joshua Tree, the release of which drives the climax of the film.
Other tracks include the original 1987 recording of Stop The World by Shook Up! (Neil and Ivan’s band portrayed in Killing Bono), former Live lead singer Ed Kowalczyk’s The Great Beyond, taken from his debut solo album, and music from the film’s score, by Academy Award winning British composer Stephen Warbeck. Two songs, Some Kind Of Loving and Sleepwalking, feature original Shook Up! lyrics, with musical re-workings by Joe Echo. Joe Echo is an acclaimed up-and-coming Irish singer/songwriter, whose collaboration with Madonna on the track Celebration earned him a Grammy nomination in 2010. His song On All My Sundays features on Paul Oakenfold’s #1 Dance album Perfecto Vegas, and he has recently worked with Blur and The Verve. He will release his debut solo album later in 2011. To coincide with the theatrical release of Killing Bono and the CD & Digital Download release of the soundtrack album, a re-issued version of Neil McCormick's memoir I was Bono’s Doppelganger will be released on Thursday March 31st, featuring brand new cover artwork and additional material; the book will be repackaged as Killing Bono. Directed by BAFTA winner Nick Hamm, Killing Bono is based on journalist Neil McCormick’s best-selling coming of age novel I was Bono's Doppelganger, with a screenplay by BAFTA winning writers Dick Clement and Ian LaFrenais, with Simon Maxwell. Its young cast boasts some of the UK's most promising acting talent, including Ben Barnes (The Chronicles of Narnia) as Neil McCormick, Robert Sheehan (Misfits) as Ivan McCormick, and Martin McCann (Clash of the Titans, The Pacific) as Bono. Killing Bono is also the legendary Pete Postlethwaite's last ever screen appearance. Ian Flooks, one of films producers, was U2's agent from 1980 till 1997.
Hein Koegelenberg, La Motte managing director blogged about U2`s visit to that restaurant in Cape Town last Friday.
"Larry Mullen, drummer for U2, took time out of the band’s world tour to visit La Motte."
Following the visit by U2 drummer Larry Mullen, U2 vocalist Bono and guitarist The Edge visited la Motte with a group of friends for lunch at the Pierneef a La Motte restaurant enjoying Cape winelands cuisine and our Shiraz Viognier, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blancs. Above are photos of myself and Hanneli with Bono and The Edge. Stunning musicians and wonderful guests..."
U2 frontman Bono says that the band’s new album, rumored to be coming out in the Spring, will be a marked departure from the band’s last release, No Line on the Horizon. The singer toldBillboard.com that the album, which features production work from Danger Mouse, will be more streamlined.
“We were trying to write an album with No Line on the Horizon that had a kind of narrative and if I look back on it now, it’s probably too long. Maybe just by one song or two,” Bono said. “It’s incredible that people think, ‘Oh gosh, I can put 17 songs on this’ … it’s like more corn flakes in a better box.”
In the meantime, the band are continuing to criss-cross the world on their 360° Tour. Bassist Adam Clayton shrugged off the idea that touring was becoming more important to U2 than creating new music.
“There’s a mythology within music is that you have to be young to create it,” Clayton said. “As musicians, I think we’re getting better. As a band we are getting better. We’re better at editing ourselves and performing so we’re in a much better place than we were when we made those early records.”
Last Sunday, at the ONE symposium in Johannesburg, you said: "This feels like the future." What did you mean?
We are all aware of our ancient pasts and this continent has a rich and extraordinary tradition. But the thing that excites me more is thinking about Africa's future – as the continent of the 21st century. It's one of the richest continents on Earth in terms of natural resources. If these resources are allowed to benefit the people above the ground, then they can pay for Africa's future.
Africa is also rich in terms of its human resources, with such a young, vibrant population. We have this image of Africans being the poorest people on Earth, but Africa itself is so rich. That is what makes the affront of poverty all the more stark. And sometimes we do have to raise the alarm and call the fire brigade, like when Aids is ripping through parts of Africa, but it's better if we can prevent the fire in the first place and build on the positives.
You listened to successive speakers talking about their ideas and the inspiration that was driving them. Then you said: "We have to change the story about Africa – or at least get out of the way of the real stories coming out of Africa." What do you mean?
It's about getting the balance right... a new entrepreneurial class here in Africa can find people like me irritating because we have tended to dramatise what is wrong with the continent to make things happen. But meanwhile they are making things happen and writing a new African story. Investment and private equity is booming in Africa. They're excited. I'm excited. Things are changing. Ory Okolloh, who spoke at the conference, said that there was a new train leaving the station in Africa – and that people in the west had better get on board or they'll miss out. This is the story, the train, that is coming out of Africa. We need to tell this story.
In terms of the story of Africa for the 21st century, we all need to be aware of the balance between growth and the remaining need for smarter aid.
Most people are saying that the 21st century will be China's. You say that it will be Africa's. Why?
Well, go talk to the Chinese. Why are they pumping so much investment into Africa? Why are they creating such a huge presence in Africa? They know where the future is. Ask them.
You know, these African lions are going to be a match for the Asian tigers. If the right economic plans are made and civic society can keep the vision honest, it will make our interest irrelevant. I never felt so good to feel so useless. These African lions will put us out of business.
I look at Mo Ibrahim and, although he might be an elder statesman, I see him as the new voice of Africa. People like him, they are drowning out our voices and so they should.
And so the future of aid in Africa is?
We mustn't forget that in general aid budgets are under threat, although thankfully not in the UK. And we mustn't forget that people's lives are dependent on it in the near term. And smart aid gets great results. A global alliance for vaccines has averted more than 5 million deaths this last decade and the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria saves more than 4,000 lives a day. It's just about getting the balance right for the future and ensuring our smart aid today builds self-sustaining systems for the future .
And in terms of aid, let's remember the good stories that came out of debt cancellation and the Gleneagles promises. Let's not forget these success stories. In most cases, as verified by the World Bank, Africa's governments spent that money wisely and pulled millions of people out of poverty and despair. And that has helped destroy the mythology that money is wasted.
But we mustn't forget that there are concrete things we can do to speed Africa's path to the future, things that don't involve money. As part of the global grassroots Publish What You Pay coalition, ONE has lately been focusing on the extractive industries. We've seen the rush to extract oil, gas and minerals from poorer countries across the world. Our concern is how best to protect those countries and ensure citizens benefit. How to stop them going down the road of other countries suffering from the resource curse. How can you do that?
So the movement we're part of lobbied for an amendment to a finance bill in the US last year, to make legally sure that companies that are taking resources out of Africa have to disclose what they pay governments for the right to do that.
Now we're seeing leaders in Europe catching on, with Sarkozy telling me he'll push this at the EU. We're also looking for British leadership on this. Our mission is to make this a global requirement. So eventually there'll be no place to hide, and civil society groups will be able to challenge their government if the money they are making from the nations' resources isn't being used in the right way. Mo Ibrahim has said that this deal is bigger than debt cancellation for Africa. I'm proud to support the "publish what you pay" campaign that has been leading this issue for years.
There was a lot of talk at the ONE symposium about "transparency and technology" helping to change Africa. Are they?
You know, I think "transparency" is just a different way of saying "justice". And technology is helping people access this justice. That's what we've always been about. ONE is not an aid-giving charity, this is not even really about aid – it is about justice. It has always been about getting justice – that has always been the driving force.
And looking at what has happened in Cairo, it's clear that, in this new information age, people want justice. They don't just want to be heard, but they want to be able to hear as well. They want to know what is being done in their name. The direction of information technology, with more and more openness, is good for everyone.
You have been coming to Africa and working here over the past 20 years. You hadn't played South Africa since 1998. How did it feel?
Well, I said that it feels like the future. It was a big deal for me to be on that stage on Sunday night after working here on and off for 20 years. It is an incredible place. Many African cultures are a bit like the Irish – they enjoy and benefit from creative chaos being unleashed. The flexibility of Africa is a bonus for the sort of entrepreneurs and software kids who are creating the future. But don't listen to me – listen to their stories.
Another interesting article about Africa and its future, here.
The South African press is blooming with articles about the historical concerts in that country...
City’s Friday, rocking Friday
Cape Town fans roared a welcome to Bono and U2 as they bounded on to the giant Claw stage at Cape Town Stadium last night as part of their 360º world tour.
As cameras flashed around the stadium and Bono clapped his hands above his head, the sound of whistles, cheers and the unique U2 sound hit Cape Town.
The lifting of the turf to enable fans to occupy the field meant that last night’s concert accommodated 72 000 people, 8 000 more than any of last year’s World Cup matches.
Earlier, thousands of people stood along the Fan Walk, boogying to the sounds of U2 being blasted from speakers along the route, marching alongside the minstrel troupe and laughing at the antics of the U2-style stilt walkers.
As people streamed towards the stadium, bars along the route were packed, spilling out on to the pavement, while vendors moved among the people selling U2 caps and T-shirts.
Inside the stadium, people streamed to their seats awed by the enormous claw stage imported in 200 shipping containers.
Fans were still pouring on to the field as Arno Carstens and the Springbok Nude Girls electrified the crowd, dwarfed by the huge circular screen above them forming part of the Claw.
As they left the stage, the massive crowd erupted in applause. - Saturday Argus
U2 give Cape Town, fans all over the world a concert to remember
U2 outdid themselves again last night, as they performed a truly memorable show in Cape Town for not only the fans cheering inside the stadium, but also the fans cheering from their homes.
U2.com gifted subscribers with a live stream of the entire show, which I think is fantastic. To unite fans from all around the globe and the audience rocking out in Cape Town to share in the same special moment of hearing U2 live is very generous. Let's hope they do it again for the shows coming up!
As for the concert itself, the band didn't disappoint and they also paid tribute to some honorable people. "Pride" was dedicated to Nelson Madela, as it was in Johannesburg. "To our brothers and sisters in Libya," Bono announced during "Sunday Bloody Sunday". Aung San Suu Kyi was celebrated before the band performed "Scarlet". Singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka joined U2 on stage for "I Still Haven't Found", which I'm hearing was amazing.
Bono was once again his comedic self during band introductions. Naming Edge the "ring tailed lemur and spider-monkey of U2", Adam the "llama", and Larry the "meerkat", he got a taste of his own medicine when Edge dubbed him the "wildebeest"!
As surprising as that sounds, another curveball the band threw was playing some of the stellar "Fez-Being Born" from "No Line" before they went into "City of Blinding Lights". The beautiful "North Star" was in the set, as was "I Will Follow", "Hold Me, Thrill Me", and a full version of "Stand By Me" with Yvonne Chaka Chaka. I'm hoping that little "Fez" tease turns into an actual performance of it this summer!
U2 are back on the road in a little over a month, when they start the South American leg in Chile on March 25th.
Fans gathering in Cape Town for the U2 concert, 18 February, 2011
U2 in Cape Town media:
Several U2 fans said Friday night’s performance at Cape Town Stadium was a “life changing experience”.
The Irish super group wowed over 72,000 screaming fans for the band’s final leg of the 360 Degree Tour in South Africa.
Special appearances by Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Miriam and Amadou had the audience chanting for more.
Fans told Eyewitness News that U2’s giant stage “The Claw” was the main draw card of the show.
They added that the whole experience was breathtaking.
Other fans enjoyed the moving screens and said the performances “blew them away”.
www.eyewitnessnews.co.za
Cape Town rocks to U2 concert
Tens of thousands of Capetonians flocked to see popular Irish band U2 on Friday, 18 February at the Cape Town Stadium. The fans seemed to thoroughly enjoy the show, with glowing comments on social networking sites abounding. “It’s fantastic!” said Kerry Macdonald from inside Cape Town Stadium, before the concert actually began. “It’s well organised and there are 70-odd-thousand fans waiting in anticipation. Lots of refreshments available and no loo queues (very NB!). Awesome Fan Walk too!” “It was mind-blowing! #U2”, said Lyla Willow on Twitter. “That concert was phenomenal… even more of a fan than before,” said Tim Vieyra.
What time is in the world… and where are we going?' asked Bono, as U2360° took off again in Africa. 'Egypt, Tanzania, Ghana, South Africa…'
The show itself didn't stay in Cape Town. It went out live on radio stations right across the continent of Africa - and live online through U2.com to fans on every other continent. Tonight felt like a truly global event.
Here's a sample from the live text stream as people tuned in from all over.
'Ireland hearing Cape Town now - Yeeessss'; 'Streaming at Japan, Now I hear, thank you sharing us.' 'Working Well@Buenos Aires, Argentina.'; 'Loud and clear in New Zealand - thanks U2!'; 'Finnish lapland. Close to -30 degrees outside. Me in my warm apartment listening U2:)'; 'The sun is shining here in Brazil, but its already a night to go crazy!'
The voices of The Soweto Gospel Choir on the 'Rainbow People' remix gave way to Beautiful Day and as the band arrived on stage the Cape Town Stadium exploded with anticipation. 'The world just seems to have shrunk,' said Yardie, listening in to the crystal clear audio feed. Or to put it another way, as Ricardo in Brazil chimed in, 'Tonight we are all Africans...'
It was one particularly iconic African, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, who made a surprise appearance for Still Haven't Found performing a majestic duet with Bono - staying on stage as the song ran into Stand By Me. Bono followed that with one of the more surreal band introductions in a sequence on this tour which has tested the bounds of the surreal several times: tonight it featured 'the Llama of U2' (Adam), 'the meerkat of U2', (Larry), the 'ring tailed lemur and spider-monkey of U2' (that'll be Edge then) and finally, 'feet barely touching the ground, elegant, graceful...' Edge was invited to name this exotic creature. 'The Wildebeest,' he suggested.
For two years U2360° has featured one of this country's most famous sons, Archbishop Tutu, up on the screens every night as One arrives. But in Cape Town, as in Johannesburg, Pride (In The Name of Love) focussed on another South African living legend, Nelson Mandela. The audience reaction was spine-tingling.
'February 13th, nineteen-ninety
words ring out under a southern sky
Free at last, to live your life
The lion of Africa and his pride...'
'In the name of love,' tweeted ncamerondavies, 'rededicated to dada Madiba - the father of this nation South Africa! God bless you Madiba.
'For Madiba, Nelson Mandela,' added Bono. 'In our thoughts and prayers this evening...'
Sunday Bloody Sunday went out 'to our brothers and sisters in Libya' before Scarlet provided the musical bed for a rap celebrating the release of Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma, passing on her thanks to those who campaigned for her freedom - and asking one more thing.
''Don't forget about my sisters and brothers,' she says, '2300 political prisoners still in the jails of Burma for the crime of believing an election result.' So we will not forget...''
Walk On, One, Streets.... it was like no other show.
'Thank you for listening in from all over the continent, listening online, listening in to the mother city Cape Town...' said Bono. 'Thanks to everyone who has signed up to the One Campaign.
'I don't want to go home... take out your phones, let's do a little magic trick, you'll have to picture this on the radio, online, across the continent, we're turning this beautiful stadium into the milky way right now, all the lights are out, just the spirit of Africa lighting up the sky...'
And with that everyone gave in to A Moment of Surrender..
Set list :
Beautiful Day,
I Will Follow,
Get On Your Boots,
Magnificent,
Mysterious Ways,
Elevation,
Until the End of the World - Anthem,
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For,
Stand By Me,
North Star,
Pride,
In a Little While,
Miss Sarajevo,
City of Blinding Lights,
Vertigo, I
'll Go Crazy (remix) - Relax - Two Tribes,
Sunday Bloody Sunday,
Scarlet,
Walk On - You'll Never Walk Alone
Encore(s): One,
Amazing Grace - Where the Streets Have No Name - All You Need Is Love,
Rock star Bono from the rock band U2, left, listen to South African President Jacob Zuma, right, after a meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011.(AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)
Bono met South African President, Jacob Zuma, in Cape Town on Thursday 17th. Bono said on Tuesday that technology is key to solving Africa´s problems and urged other stars to come forward and promote good causes.
President Zuma shows the NANO Ipod gift he received from Bono.
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma proudly holds up a tiny, red object and the assembled group of journalists strain to see what is in his hand.
The iPod was a gift from U2 singer Bono, Zuma explained.
Bono said it was an iPod nano from his own Product Red brand created to raise awareness and funds to combat HIV/Aids in Africa.
The statesman and frontman met yesterday morning in Cape Town at Genadendal, the president’s official residence.
After talking for some time inside the house, the pair strolled out to the gardens to greet journalists for a photo opportunity.
Bono said the meeting with Zuma had gone well and he was encouraged by Zuma’s work to eradicate “the scourge of HIV/Aids”.
Bono called Zuma’s efforts “remarkable”.
He had been involved with work on the African continent for some years and had fallen in love with it, Bono said.
Zuma said he was “very pleased indeed” to have had an opportunity to meet Bono, whom he described as a “star”.
He said Bono had raised some very serious issues and had shown he was concerned about the continent and passionate about Africa.
The singer said he had been impressed with Zuma’s warmth and had been made to feel so relaxed in his home.
And then, with a wave from Zuma and a peace sign from Bono, they were gone, with no time for questions permitted.
Bono has been surrounded by media scrutiny since arriving in South Africa.This intensified after an article appeared in the Sunday Times which said the singer supported ANCYL leader Ju-lius Malema’s singing of the controversial Shoot the Boer.
Bono has since cleared the air in an interview with Talk Radio 702’s Redi Tlhabi, saying it was irresponsible to use struggle songs to stir up hate.
Tonight, more than 72 000 people are set to make their way to the Cape Town Stadium and pack themselves into every available seat for the Irish super group’s concert.
The U2 360° Tour is an ongoing worldwide concert tour which started in Spain in June 2009 and is set to end in July this year.
Production director Jake Berry yesterday showed journalists around the stage built for U2 at Cape Town Stadium.
He explained how The Claw, a gigantic structure which allowed the massive stadium to feel intimate, was constructed there over the past week.
The City of Cape Town will be activating the 2010 World Cup “park-n-ride” and “park-n-rail” services, and these will be free for all U2 ticket holders.
The Fan Walk will also be open from 3.30pm.
More tickets are expected to become available today and will cost between R800 and R1 000.
