PS, I just read Top Comedy Tour as Robbie Williams :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

 

:rofl: I did exactly the same on first read.

It's not beyond the realms of possibility tbh :lol:

 

 

(But in a good way :wub: )

 

U2 not splitting up: McGuinness ends speculation on band's future

 

It's official -- U2 are not splitting up. The band's manager, Paul McGuinness, last night flatly denied reports that the four school friends are going their separate ways after 35 years.

 

Known as the fifth member of U2, Mr McGuinness (60) has steered their career from local outfit to global superstars. Asked about the constant speculation that U2 have hit the end of the road, he said: "No, and I think I would have heard. Not all all. They are always working on the next record."

 

Fears of a U2 split began with an interview Bono gave to 'Rolling Stone' magazine last month in which he hinted that himself, Larry Mullen Jnr, the Edge and Adam Clayton may part company sometime in 2012.

 

"I'm not so sure the future hasn't dried up," said the 51-year-old frontman.

 

"It's quite likely you might hear from us next year but it's equally possible that you won't. The band may have finally run its course."

 

However, at the opening of a new stage version of Edna O'Brien's novel 'The Country Girls', Mr McGuinness said: "I'm not sure what was said, but I think it was a chance remark taken out of context. I would disregard it."

 

First published in 1960, Ms O'Brien's novel shocked the Republic of Ireland on its release and was promptly banned due to the frank approach its young female characters had towards sex. Her books were burned with the blessing of her own mother.

 

But half a century later, the writer, now 80, was being celebrated by a who's who of Irish theatre and literature who turned up at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin, including Nobel Prize winner Seamus Heaney.

 

 

Belfast Telegraph

From

http://www.nme.com/news/florence-and-the-machine/60393

 

 

Florence Welch: 'Bono taught me how to dance in high heels'

 

 

Florence And The Machine's Florence Welch has revealed that U2 frontman Bono taught her the art of dancing in high heels.

 

Florence And The Machine supported U2 on several live dates during their record grossing 360° world tour and Welch told RTE.ie that the frontman also opened up to her about the band's troubled performance at this summer's Glastonbury.

 

Asked about touring with U2, Welch replied: "Bono told me how to dance in high heels and he also told me about U2's Glastonbury performance and how everything that could have possibly gone wrong went wrong, including him ripping his trousers on stage. I think he was lunging and his trousers ripped! He was telling me how he had to find a new way of performing that didn't involve moving."

 

Well, he's had years of practice :P

U2 Fights to Survive - CD's

 

 

Nov. 16 (Bloomberg) -- U2 was almost splitting up as Germany reunified. The four Irishmen kept their rift secret as they flew into East Germany on Oct. 3, 1990, on a British Airways flight, the last before the country ceased to exist.

 

Bono's men saw the Berlin visit as a final chance to make an album. All this is revealed in full on a new version of “Achtung Baby,” which goes way beyond being a reissue. It adds Davis Guggenheim's documentary “From the Sky Down” and a wealth of songs that show how close they came to prematurely entering the pop graveyard known as “musical differences.”

 

It was only three years after U2 was branded as “Rock's Hottest Ticket” on the cover of “Time” magazine. The arguments between the ambitious “hats” (Bono and the Edge) and “haircuts” (the no-nonsense rockers Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jnr.) were thrown into focus by the underrated “Rattle and Hum” and attacks on its self-righteous stadium sound.

 

They decided to try something different, as Bono tells us in the film, even though it sounded like commercial suicide. This was “the sound of four men chopping down ‘The Joshua Tree,”' which has sold more than 25 million copies, he says.

 

U2 was determined to lighten up and do the unexpected, such as dressing in drag for a photo shoot, restlessly moving between Morocco, Ireland and Berlin, and developing an industrial rock sound on the opener “Zoo Station” and “The Fly.”

 

The song “Heaven and Hell” shows one approach, with a moody doo-wop style. “Even Better Than the Real Thing,” in various new mixes, improves on the version we know. The reunification visit to Hansa studios proved a success. Bono knew they had cracked it with “One.”

 

Rating: *****.

 

 

 

Source...Bloomberg.com

 

 

From

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-.../134523458.html

 

 

Robin Williams often gets mistaken for Bono by drunk fans.

 

The 60-year-old actor was recently approached by a man in Paris who thought he was the 51-year-old U2 singer, but it only happens when people have taken "a lot of medication" or are "completely s**tfaced".

 

Speaking at the UK launch of Warner Bros' animated movie 'Happy Feet Two', he joked to BANG Showbiz: "I had a guy come up to me in Paris saying, 'Are you Bono?' Then he said, 'Oh no, you're not, you're Robert Windsor'.

 

"I only really get mistaken for Bono by people who are really hammered. They have to be completely s**tfaced to think I'm Bono. I suppose when I put on the glasses I look a bit like him. It's usually from a distance and by people who've had a lot of medication."

 

Despite being mistaken for the Irish star, the 'Mrs. Doubtfire' actor - who is well known for being able to master a number of different accents and impressions - is unable to pull off an Irish accent to meet his high standards.

 

He added: "The Irish accent is one I just can't seem to get. I always start doing it and then it just f**king fades. It always ends up going into Scottish."

 

'Happy Feet Two' is released on December 2 in the UK.

 

 

:lol:

 

 

:lol: I wouldn't say Robin Williams looks like Bono.

We got some Bono interviews coming due to World Aids Day.

 

 

He'll start his morning with Alicia Keys on ABC's Good Morning America, then sit for an afternoon interview (presumably alone) on NBC's The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

 

Bono will take part in a live, online panel to mark World AIDS Day next Thursday, December 1st. The panel is called The Beginning Of The End Of AIDS, and will include former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, along with Alicia Keys and others. It's scheduled for 10:00 am ET and will stream on YouTube. You can ask questions for the panel for the next four days via The ONE Campaign's YouTube channel.

 

Maybe use pencil for now, but mark your calendar for next Wednesday, November 30 -- that's the date when, according to one website, Bono will be a guest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show. The info comes from Late Night Lineups, an unofficial site that tracks and lists guests appearing on a variety of nighttime TV shows. The officialDaily Show website hasn't posted next week's lineup yet, but the lineup for this week's shows are the same both the official site and Late Night Lineups.

 

UPDATE: This is now confirmed. Bono will appear on The Daily Show on Wednesday, November 30, and is listed on the show's website.

 

Source...U2.com...

:lol: I wouldn't say Robin Williams looks like Bono.

 

 

Oh I dunno. I think I can see a wee resemblance :lol:

 

Live performance of ONE Nov 28th

 

 

 

Bono and Chris Martin honor Anton Corbijn

 

Bono was in Amsterdam this afternoon, where he and Chris Martin honored photographer Anton Corbijn, who received a lifetime achievement award from a Dutch culture funding organization.

 

Bono and Chris Martin performed with the Metropole Orchestra, and Bono recited work by late Dutch artist Herman Brood.

 

Corbijn received the award for being an important role model to his generation's popular culture and an international example for photographers, designers and art directors.

 

UPDATE: We've since learned that Bono sang "One" with the Metropole Orchestra and recited Herman Brood's "Get Lost." You can watch a video of the "One" performance on Facebook, and watch the "Get Lost" recital below.

 

u2albumreview.com

Edited November 29, 201113 yr by Sacramento

Alicia Keys - Alicia Keys Scares Bono At 'Keep A Child Alive' Premiere

 

 

 

Alicia Keys had U2 frontman Bono 'shaking' in his boots when the two superstars met at the premiere of Showtime documentary 'Keep a Child Alive'. Also famous for her humanitarian activities, Alicia Keys has spoken out about making a huge impact on the lives of millions.

 

Talking at the premiere, Bono stated: 'I was terrified the moment I met her. I was shaking in my boots. I was very moved by her singing of course, but what was interesting were the hard questions afterwards, and I think it's those hard questions that she asks that lead her.' Keys recently donated her efforts to the documentary which focuses on children who battle with HIV and AIDS. The documentary follows Keys and five adults, who were chosen by texting Keys the word that best describes how they feel about Africa, as they visit the funded areas in South Africa to see how much a difference has been made on the lives of those affected with the disease. Talking to Cnn, Keys said: 'I want people to feel like you can do something about this epidemic, and that you understand it because you find a place inside yourself that connects to the love of another human being. A lot of times we feel like things going on in the world are so big and so massive and untouchable, and think, 'What can we do, and how can we do anything.' I think that when we see it from human to human . you will feel empowered and angered.'

 

Keys has recently shifted onto RCA Records after J Records, along with Arista Records and Jive Records, were all disbanded in October (2011).

 

 

Source..contactmusic.com

 

 

 

From

http://www.nme.com/news/u2/60733#

 

 

U2's Bono: 'I think I sound like a girl'

 

Singer says he can't stand the sound of his own voice

 

 

U2 frontman Bono has admitted that he can't stand to listen to his own voice and thinks he sounds "like a girl".

 

The Daily Express claims that the singer, who appeared on US TV programme The Ellen DeGeneres last night (December 1), told the chat show host that he is never satisfied with his vocal performances and tries to avoid listening to U2 songs.

 

"I do try to avoid it [listening to himself sing]," he said. "If I hear our songs on the radio I tend to turn them down. Not because I don't like them or believe in them. Actually, my voice annoys me. I always think I could have sang it better."

 

He went on to add:

 

I am sort of a macho, Irish guy and particularly in those '80s songs, I think I sound like a girl.

 

 

In October, Bono raised doubts over U2's future when he revealed he'd be happy to end the group's career now and said he had irritated his bandmates by questioning the relevance of the rock veterans in the current climate.

 

More recently he blamed the band's disappointing headline slot at this summer's Glastonbury Festival, partially, on his choice of footwear, claiming that he was wearing the "wrong shoes" for the occasion.

 

:D

The Year in Touring: U2's Mighty RoarThe Year in Touring: U2's Mighty Roar

 

 

http://i39.tinypic.com/zvzgb5.jpg

 

That mind-blowing sum is the final tally for U2's historic 360° tour, a three-year behemoth that shattered preconceived notions (and capacities) for stadium shows, forever changed the paradigms of concert production and moved more than 7 million tickets around the globe.

 

 

When it wrapped in July, 360° went down has the highest-grossing and biggest ticket seller in the history of the business. Of those totals, $293.3 million in box office and nearly 3 million in ticket sales were generated during the Billboard touring calendar, which ran from Nov. 1, 2010, to Nov. 8, 2011-and easily enough to make 360° the top tour of the year.

 

Months after 360° wrapped in Moncton, New Brunswick, the tour's significance was finally sinking in for Live Nation Global Touring chairman Arthur Fogel, global producer of the epic trek.

 

"As time moves on and we get further away from it, it actually seems more impressive than when you're actually in the middle of it," says Fogel, not a man given to overstatement. "It just leaves a tremendous sense of accomplishment, and is without a doubt one of the greatest experiences in the business that I've ever had."

 

While it was under way, 360° was a beast to execute, from its initial yearlong setup, to the postponement of the second North American leg due to Bono's back surgery, to the daily grind of pulling off the most ambitious tour ever mounted.

 

"It was a lot of pressure, even during the down times, because it was so big and so complicated," Fogel says. "The postponement issue was a lot to deal with, so when it ended and time goes by, it seems that much more impressive and an accomplishment to be incredibly proud of."

 

While 360° is in a class all its own in terms of scale and box office, the principals that made it a success-scaling, routing, showmanship and songs-are relevant across the entire live business. The fact that such numbers could even be achieved, let alone in a down global economy, is a testament to the power of live music.

 

 

Fogel dismisses the notion that 360° somehow is isolated from the realities of the rest of the touring industry. "I don't subscribe to the theory at all that somehow this tour is its own animal," he says. "This is what drives our business, this is what gets people excited about going to shows, this is what proves that we are the real deal as an industry. When you can capture the attention and imagination and enjoyment of 7 million people, that's what this business is all about."

 

 

[TAKE THAT, BON JOVI

 

Many other acts rang up big numbers in what turned out to be a resounding comeback year for the live music business. Chief among them was Bon Jovi, which, remarkably, put together the biggest tour in the band's history with the Circle trek. The tour ended up grossing some $265 million, including $193 million this year. A critical element of Bon Jovi's success is that, unlike many of its peers from the same era, it isn't a nostalgia band. New albums top the Billboard charts, new songs are played on contemporary radio, and new fans come onboard to sing along to those new tunes and the classics. Maintaining relevancy is an obsession for frontman Jon Bon Jovi and is critical to the band's ongoing success.

 

"We've been blessed by having had that cross-generational thing and still being accepted by the masses so that they make the records No. 1 all around the world," Bon Jovi says. "Unless we had two generations of fans, we wouldn't be able to sell out those stadiums, but with that we can."

 

The list of the Top 25 Tours comprises a healthy mix of genres and generations. Most of the names on the tally are familiar on a worldwide basis, but one group -- reunited British pop sensation Take That -- shocked many observers by ringing up box office to the tune of $185 million, with attendance of 1.8 million. Those numbers were primarily driven by shows in the group's U.K. home base and across Europe.

 

One person who wasn't surprised by Take That's staggering take is Simon Moran, managing director of SJM Concerts, promoter of Take That's shows in England. While conceding that the group's numbers are impressive, Moran says they shouldn't be totally shocking. "Their track record in the U.K. is second to none," he says. "You go through U2, Oasis, the Rolling Stones -- they outdraw all of them in the U.K. And the production is unbelievable. It's like Cirque du Soleil mixed with a rock show.

 

Another Brit in the upper echelon of 2011 is Pink Floyd alum Roger Waters, who launched his conceptual tour of landmark Floyd album The Wall last year and continued it this year to the tune of $150 million from 92 shows reported to Billboard Boxscore. The tour, which ventured into international waters this year and has been extended into 2012, was produced by Live Nation and booked by William Morris Endeavor.

 

"Live Nation basically bought that tour and drove it. [Live Nation CEO] Michael Rapino and his crew did this worldwide," WME contemporary music head Marc Geiger says. "It's a massive hit everywhere. The Wall is the gift that keeps on giving, and it's a testament to one of the biggest bands of all time."

 

Taylor Swift firmly secured her status as a member of the touring elite. Her Speak Now tour took her into international markets for the first time, and also to her first stadium shows in North America. In only her second headlining tour, Swift grossed nearly $97 million for the year-end recap period, and sold more than 1.3 million tickets, with dates still coming in as the chart year ended.

 

 

Once all numbers are reported, Speak Now will have topped $100 million and 1.5 million tickets sold in the United States alone, according to tour promoter Louis Messina, president of TMG/AEG Live. In addition to significant overseas work, Swift hit stadiums for the first time, with two nights at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., grossing more than $8 million and moving 110,000-plus tickets.

 

After taking 2010 off from touring, fellow TMG/AEG Live client Kenny Chesney returned with a vengeance on his Goin' Coastal tour, once again cracking 1 million in attendance (1.3 million, a personal best) at amphitheaters, arenas and NFL stadiums. Other touring country acts in the top 25 include Jason Aldean and Toby Keith.

Urban/pop sensation Usher solidified his status as an arena-level headliner in 2011 with the blockbuster OMG tour, produced by AEG Live. With Trey Songz as support, Usher enjoyed his biggest tour ever in OMG, grossing $75 million and moving almost 1 million tickets.

 

"This was a career-defining tour for Usher," says Randy Phillips, who played a dual role in OMG as CEO of AEG Live and Usher's manager. "When people were betting against him, he came back stronger than ever, which goes back to that old adage, 'Never bet against a star.'"

 

Other urban/R&B acts in the top 25 include Lil Wayne and the pairing of Sade with John Legend.

 

Pop remains solid, with Lady Gaga rapidly transitioning from upstart to global superstar during the course of her Monster Ball tour, which upped its total in 2011 by adding another $72 million in Boxscore reports.

 

Katy Perry also moved up in touring status this year, with her first arena headlining tour approaching $50 million in gross and selling more than 1 million tickets. Other pop acts in the top 25 include Justin Bieber, Glee Live!, the creative pairing of New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys, Kylie Minogue and Enrique Iglesias. The lattermost artist took in nearly $30 million on a tour produced by AEG Live.

 

The amount of money at the box office it took to make the Top 25 Tours tally was nearly the same as 2010. This year, it took $27.3 million to make it into the top 25 (Toby Keith), while last year's threshold was $28.6 million ( Tiësto).

 

billboard.com

Edited December 10, 201113 yr by Sacramento

Imelda and Bono tear it up as audience dances recession away

 

http://i44.tinypic.com/2enbyhh.jpg

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Imelda May is joined on stage by U2 frontman Bono at The O2 in Dublin on Friday night. Photo: John Dardis

 

 

By Barry Egan

 

Sunday December 18 2011

 

Looking like an Old Testament preacher on a festive jolly, Guggi was sitting next to me on Friday night at The 02 in Dublin. The artist smiled quixotically at me when I told him what was about to happen next was the worst-kept secret in Ireland.

 

Then, seconds later, Guggi's best friend, a messianic fella by the name of Bono, joined headliner Imelda May and her band onstage for an audacious version of Desire by his band U2 (the rumour that Larry Mullen was to play drums proved unfounded).

 

 

Full story here

 

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/mu...ay-2967002.html

U2’s Bono, Erdoğan converge on interfaith project

 

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U2 frontman Bono have discussed holding an interfaith event in İstanbul -- in an effort to bring the three Abrahamic religions together -- during a meeting at Dolmabahçe Palace.

Bono, who was in İstanbul as part of his band’s “360 degree” world tour, reportedly told the prime minister that İstanbul occurred to him to be an ideal host location. Erdoğan revealed the details of his conversation with Bono while making an appearance on a television program.

 

“They said they wanted to organize something with the Abrahamic religions -- Christianity, Islam and Judaism. He said that he wanted to do it in Jerusalem, but it might not be safe. I said: ‘What are you waiting for? Do it in İstanbul’,” Erdoğan explained. “He said that İstanbul had just occurred to him as well. Another member [of the band] suggested Cordoba.”

 

Infrastructure ready

Erdoğan also said: “We are a country in the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations -- it could be held in Cordoba, but İstanbul would be much more fitting. I told them that İstanbul is a city where the three Abrahamic religions come together and there are all manner of things here related to them -- and the infrastructure is well suited to it. They’re going to evaluate İstanbul as a potential site first. Whatever is required of us, we will do it.”

 

Erdoğan shared other details of his conversation with the U2 members, and said the musicians told him that after spending time in İstanbul, they were sorry that the nation was not yet part of the European Union.

 

State Minister and chief EU negotiator Egemen Bağış, meanwhile, asserted that while U2 had never traveled to Turkey before, they did so this time because certain things had changed in the country. He said that the İstanbul concert was of great importance. In response to the reactions towards him by members of the audience at the show, Bağış said: “Hissing youngsters are also our brethren, also our people. We love them, too.”

 

Recalling that it was U2’s first trip to Turkey, Bağış said: “Think about it; until yesterday, U2 would come as far as Athens, and from Athens return home. Now, the last stop is İstanbul. Turkey has managed to succeed in such a major event. We’re happy for that reason. We must hold similar large events, and events even larger -- our goal is World Cups and Olympiads.”

 

In response to a question over being booed and hissed at during the concert, Bağış added: “Bono performed an act of great courtesy by thanking me in front of tens of thousands of people. It was a great honor for me. Some people may have different sensitivities or prejudices; I invite them to take a stroll down the Bosporus Bridge. I think that’d be the best medicine for their prejudices. We represent not just those who love us, but those who do not love us also.”

 

Source...Todayszaman.com

U2 tour rock

’n’ rolls it in

 

 

Band's 360° tour was

highest-grossing

 

 

The 360° shows by Bono and the rest of the band grossed more than £180million at 44 gigs seen by almost three million fans.

 

Rockers Bon Jovi, top last year, fell back to second in the list compiled by US mag Billboard.

 

The band generated a little over £120 million from 68 shows, but dropped from their number one spot of the previous year.

 

Take That came third for the summer tour which saw them reunited with Robbie Williams for the first time in 15 years. The group's Progress tour around Europe took £117 million.

 

Another Brit was at number four in the list with ex-Pink Floyd star Roger Waters generating ticket sales to the value of nearly £96 million for his The Wall tour.

 

A surprise entry in the list was 80s soul star Sade who grossed £34 million for her shows over the 12-month period. She was seen by nearly 600,000 fans but only 21 of her 59 shows were sell-outs.

 

Dutch violinist Andre Rieu, who specialises in waltzes, was another surprise in the list, ranked at number nine.

 

Top ten: 1 U2, 2 Bon Jovi, 3 Take That, 4 Roger Waters, 5 Taylor Swift, 6 Kenny Chesney, 7 Usher, 8 Lady GaGa, 9 André Rieu, 10 Sade.

 

 

Source..SUN UK

Horse outside? No actually it’s Bono with Rubberbandits at U2 Christmas party

 

 

http://i43.tinypic.com/n2byc9.jpg

 

 

THEY may have sang about having their horse outside, but last night Limerick’s finest Rubberbandits were drinking in the Christmas air with Bono and pals.

 

U2 painted their hometown red last night as they threw a Christmas party for staff of the band's management company

 

 

Talented comedy rap duo The Rubberbandits and Bono's pal Gavin Friday were among those present at the Principal Management festive get-together.

 

Gavin's dogs Ralph and Stan arrived to the affair wearing Santa hats.

 

The event was hosted at Harry's Cafe Bar on Dublin's Hanover Quay.

 

The bar's owner, Harry Crosbie, also turned up for the festivities.

 

The band seemed to be in good spirits as they posed for pictures.

 

Meanwhile, new figures have revealed that the aging Irish rock stars had the highest-earning tour of the year.

 

The band's 360° shows saw them play 44 dates to almost three million people, taking more than €216m at the box office.

 

Second on the list in figures compiled by music magazine 'Billboard' was US rock act Bon Jovi.

 

The band, led by Jon Bon Jovi, generated a little over €144m from 68 shows, but dropped from their number one spot of the previous year.

 

Take That came third as the group's Progress tour around Europe took €140m.

 

At number four on the list was ex-Pink Floyd star Roger Waters who generated ticket sales of nearly €115m for his The Wall tour.

 

A surprise entry in the list was 80s soul star Sade who grossed €40m for her shows.

 

The top 10 highest-grossing acts, according to 'Billboard', were, from number one down: U2; Bon Jovi; Take That; Roger Waters; Taylor Swift; Kenny Chesney; Usher; Lady Gaga; Andre Rieu; Sade.

 

 

Source irishindependent

Edited December 24, 201113 yr by Sacramento

Famous buskers asked to move on

 

 

http://i54.tinypic.com/2q9xfzc.jpg

 

 

WHO wouldn't want a busking Bono for Christmas?

 

The U2 frontman joined some famous faces in Dublin city centre on Christmas Eve for a busking session for charity.

 

But because he had done something similar in previous years, fans were expecting him to show up and a large crowd was waiting on Grafton Street when he arrived.

 

It meant Bono, Oscar-winning musician Glen Hansard, Mundy, Declan O'Rourke and Hothouse Flowers rocker Liam O'Maonlai were repeatedly asked by gardai to move because of safety concerns.

 

 

 

Source.. Irish independent

Edited December 26, 201113 yr by Sacramento