Go Ali Go!!!

Ali Hewson(sometimes known as Bono´s wife) and fifty student gardai are abseiling down Ireland's tallest building today. They're raising funds to create 'Homes of Hope' for children whose lives continue to be devastated by the Chernobyl disaster of 23 years ago.

The abseilers will be coming down the Elysian in Cork, which stands at eighty three metres and 17 storeys high. Ali, a Board member of Chernobyl Children's Project International (CCPI), which the band have supported for many years, explained how the idea came about.

'Student Gardai organised this abseil to raise funds so that Olya and Kristina who came to Ireland unable to walk, can return to Belarus and walk into a real home - a 'Home of Hope. If a lot of people can give a little it can mean so much'.

Olya and Kristina, two brave young girls from the heart of the zone affected by the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl in 1986, have been in Ireland for critical surgery. Both girls have spent their young lives living in an orphanage, but the student gardai want children like Olya and Kristina to have a 'Home of Hope' of their own.

Each 'Home of Hope' is a foster-type home for up to 10 children. To date, CCPI has purchased 23 Homes of Hope to give children, who were previously abandoned into state orphanages and institutions in Belarus, the shelter and comfort of their own home.

'Chernobyl Children's Project International develops sustainable community-based solutions and provides medical and humanitarian assistance to the victims and survivors of Chernobyl.' Read more here and donate online here.

source:www.u2.com

Late Late Show: Between Revelations & Gifts

The band were guests of Pat Kenny last night, his final night presenting The Late Late Show. As well as playing Magnificent and presenting Pat with some leaving gifts, they also had a revealing conversation which touched on the upcoming tour production, how they once nearly parted company with Paul McGuinness, what it's like to bring a tour home to Ireland and how U2 is a 'family business' built on disagreement.

Edge presented Kenny wiht a guitar made by Gibson. "There's only 300 of them in the world and it's in aid of a charity that I co-founded for New Orleans, for the musicians of New Orleans. So it's very rare.' he said.

They were asked about the new show and Edge remarked:"For a long time we said to people within our production team we love it when we have people all around us, which we do sometimes indoors, but we never had it outdoors. Can you help us figure it out?"

And Bono added:"People used to say that outside of Ireland the best place to see U2 was Madison Square Gardens and that's where you play in the round up at one end and our audience say that's the best seats... and it feels like you're on stage sort of thing. And so we wanted to see could we apply this outdoors. Of course how do you hang the gear from the sky so to speak? So the engineering is to allow us to do that."

Edge:"We haven't seen it yet but we've seen some footage of it as it's been built in Belgium and I have to say I looked at it today and thought, 'Oh my God we've actually designed the Eiffel Tower!' It's this huge thing. It's pretty amazing.'


Larry talks about their expectations about playing in Croke Park: "'Epectations are always high, particularly in your homeland, but you know that's what we do. We fly the flag wherever we can. And nowhere prouder than in our homeland. So you take the pressure on, understanding that your family and your friends are expecting great things. They hear about all the stuff you do around the world and they want you to come home and show that you can do it for them as well."

Bono talks about "co dependence":"Just having the loudest voice and the most persuasive tone does not mean it's the best idea, sadly. And that's why we're a band. We very much depend on each other and what we've learned to do is... the individual egos are sort of subservient to a band ego which is pretty big. But that's the way it works, so if the idea is a great idea we soon forget who had it or where it came from, and I would say all four of us win the day on different things.'

And Adam, strangely, talks about U2 & politics (you would expect this from Bono!!)I:" think U2 was always interested in politics. I think that's where we came from. In 1976 Dublin was a very different place than it is now. It was in a recession... and when we heard punk music that was an opportunity for us to do something, to get involved and to be part of a thought process that was about changing your world and changing the ideas in your world and that is something we've carried through over the last 30 years. And Bono's activism is something that we all support and we all stand behind him. We might be in the studio finishing a record and he's off doing something else but it's something that he does very much on our behalf as much as his own."

Larry explains how the band agrees to disagree: 'U2 is built on disagreement. I mean, it's always been like that and it is a democracy, to an extent and you know, you have to be allowed express your views. And I have to. It's my duty to.'

source:www.u2.com

A Magnificent Late Late Show

Irish Broadcaster Pat Kenny could end up with a 'Magnificent' send-off when he ends his run as 'the Late Late Show' presenter with U2 performing their new single on the show, The Irish Independent reports. The show will be broadcast tomorrow.

RTE insiders are remaining tightlipped on this week's line-up, but sources say the rock group and actor Gabriel Byrne will star as Kenny ends his 10-year run fronting the show.

A spokesperson for the group said that there was "nothing confirmed", but insiders say that U2 will be appearing on the show ,which will also feature a barbecue in the grounds outside the studios.

U2 were due to appear on 'the Late Late Show' some few weeks ago to promote 'Magnificent', which is the latest single to be taken form their 'No Line on The Horizon' album. But it's understood they agreed to postpone that appearance to feature in Kenny's grand exit.

When Gay Byrne retired from the show 10 years ago, Bono and Larry Mullen turned up in the studios and presented him with a Harley Davidson motorcycle. But there is no indication, so far, as to whether the band is preparing a major gift for Kenny.

source:www.independent.ie

Random U2 Quote

"They say, 'Oh, you can't get these [HIV treatment] drugs to the farthest reaches of Africa.' Yet we can get cold fizzy drinks there. You know, let's talk to Coca-Cola about using their infrastructure and their refrigerated trucks."

Bono, 2002

U2 backs campaign to raise awareness of MS

Rock group U2 will this week support the first global awareness campaign to spotlight multiple sclerosis.
World MS Day, to be launched on Wednesday, will involve more than 160 events in 51 countries.
U2's contribution is their hit song Beautiful Day, which is providing the campaign soundtrack.

The aim is to highlight the plight of people with the disease, raise donations for patient charities and research funding, forge links between MS organisations, and urge action from politicians.

MS is an auto-immune disease in which nerves are attacked by the body's own defences.
The incurable illness affects around 85,000 people in the UK. It can cause symptoms ranging from mild tingling sensations and loss of balance to full blown paralysis. Up to 60% of sufferers will face long term disability.

Among the planned activities for the campaign is an attempt on Mount Everest by two American women with MS, Lori Schneider and Wendy Booker.
In Ireland, eight people will climb six mountains in 72 hours, while Roll for MS cycling and motorcycling events are being held in Belgium, Canada, France and Luxembourg.
Concerts will take place in Greece and Cyprus, and human chains formed in the Indian cities of Mumbai and Delhi.
The MS Society charity will also open its first office in Palestine.
The US National MS Society is rallying more than 850,000 individuals to press politicians to support affordable health care for sufferers.
U2's Beautiful Day will be featured on a global campaign film highlighting different aspects of MS.
One of the sports celebrities backing the campaign is Argentinian and Barcelona FC football star Lionel Messi.
Peer Baneke, chief executive of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF) which is organising World MS Day, said: "No matter where they live, people with MS, their families, friends and the wider community, need to come together to help fight this disease and allow people in any country to discuss their MS openly."

Donations and more information:www.worldmsday.org/


source:www.theherald.co.uk

U2: Big Stage, Big Energy

Rolling Stone´s new May issue reports on its Summer Tour Preview.

U2
Openers On Select Dates: Snow Patrol, Muse, Black Eyed Peas
Tickets $30-$253


WHAT TO EXPECT:

Other artists may be scaling down for the recession, but not U2: Their first U.S. stadium tour since 1997's PopMart will be dominated by the largest set ever built for a rock concert, a monstrous stage nicknamed the Claw that will allow them to play in the round. "The crowd will be all around us," says the Edge, on a break from tour planning. "That energy will just make the performances fly." The band is selling some seats for as cheap as $30, as a nod to tough times and to make the shows accessible to young fans.

"We're talking about resurrecting songs we haven't played in a long time," Edge says. "I have a list of every U2 song — some I can't remember anymore — even some of the B sides that we've never played live. We were thinking how much fun it would be to play something like [Joshua Tree outtake] 'Luminous Times.' Certain songs from the last couple of tours, we may not play again. We want to find songs that feel fresh and valid."


source:www.rollingstone.com

Random U2 Quote

Question: ‘Why does the world need U2 in 2009?’



Bono: “Well … we have joy. We have rage. We’re unreasonable. We can take a punch. But we can throw one too.”



(Q magazine, Feb. 2009)