Scatter o' Light

Scatter O' Light Has Moved To Scatterolight.com

2009-09-08T13:00:00.001-04:00

It's Official - Scatter O' Light has a new address: scatterolight.com

ALL new Scatter O' Light content will be on scatterolight.com going forward, so update your bookmark / rss feed if you so desire and hopefully we'll see you on the new site ...

In Development (scatterolight.com)

2009-09-06T14:58:00.007-04:00

Scatter O' Light is moving off of blogger and to its own domain: scatterolight.com

Nothing fancy. And layout/visual theme still in development, but the Scatter O' Light development team (ha) will make it more official in the next day or so and then there will be no more new posts on this blogspot address. New Scatter O' Light content will be on scatterolight.com going forward, so please update your bookmark / rss feed or whatever it is that brings you here ;)

U2.com > News > Day 9 And Counting

2009-09-03T23:09:00.003-04:00

u2.com video: day 9 and counting

also:

countdown to 360 north america video: sam

countdown to 360 north america video: joe o'herlihy

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quick links

2009-09-03T10:48:00.005-04:00

via atu2blog: there is a new documentary on anton corbijn called shadow play.

"the" u2 marathon is on all day today (thursday) on wbwc - listen online here.

u2 will be on saturday night live on the season debut on september 26. (what will they play? remix version of crazy? regular version? what else?)

variety says the bono is involved with a film project called the virgin of las vegas.

Parallel topper Alan Moloney is also producing "The Virgin of Las Vegas" with U2 frontman Bono. Liam Neeson is attached to star in the $14 million project, which affectionately recalls the Irish pop culture phenomenon of show bands. Show bands, which became popular across Ireland before the onslaught of TV, used to play cover songs in the early days of rock 'n' roll and amassed large followings across the country. Neeson will play an aging show band singer, prone to drink and living in Vegas, who finds his life turned on its head following the arrival of a mysterious stranger. Barry Devlin is penning the script.

later ...

why is u2 not playing the song stand up comedy on the 360 tour?

2009-08-30T19:23:00.007-04:00

like a little old lady: Stand Up Comedy - U2

Q: why did u2 not play the song stand up comedy at all on the first leg of the u2 360 tour?

a) because it stinks
or
b) they are saving its live debut for the usa since they think we have really ~~questionable~~ awesome taste
or
c) they are waiting for will.i.am to drop some hot beatz on it so they can play it remix style
or
d) other reason

why did they bother even writing that song, finishing that song and putting it on the album if they didn't plan on playing it live?

(i do realize they have forever to still decide to play it and there are lots of songs they recorded and have never played but this song is so irritating to me. it started out as a killer riff and they neutered/tried to make a pop hit out of it. and now they don't even play it? live? where it will for sure be better? the fact that u2 hasn't yet played it makes me think u2 might not like it so much. conclusion. jumped.)

here is a complete listing of all 35 songs u2 played during leg 1 of the 360 tour.

unRELATED: somebody track down apple cheeks and let him know that friday night is now wednesday night at giants stadium!
SPIN Magazine: Muse - Pomp and Circumstance

It's midnight on Manhattan's Lower East Side, and the apple-cheeked guitarist in the baggy tank top doesn't know what's coming. "Yeah, we've got another show in Brooklyn in a couple days," brags Apple Cheeks to Dominic, a skinny blond Englishman in a black leather jacket. It's early summer and the two are standing outside the front door of a small club/bakery called Cake Shop. The musician's band finished playing a few minutes ago, and he's still feeling flush. The sidewalk is lousy with well-appointed degenerates who look as though they've also got another show in Brooklyn in a couple days.

"We're playing a place called Bruar Falls," he says, arching his eyebrows above his thick glasses. "I'm pretty sure we're headlining." Bruar Falls is the size of a rich man's bathroom.

Dominic looks up from his iPhone. "My band's playing New York. Not till September, though."

Apple Cheeks isn't impressed. "Oh really?" he asks. "Where?"

A goofy grin spreads across Dominic's face. "Giants Stadium."

Apple Cheeks' jaw goes slack. "Wh -- what band are you in?"

...

[more]

U2 BONO GLASGOW

2009-08-27T23:23:00.008-04:00

U2 BONO GLASGOW 180809
Originally uploaded by misterpunk2003

U2 Bono and Adam Wembley

2009-08-27T23:22:00.000-04:00

U2 Bono and Adam Wembley 150809
Originally uploaded by misterpunk2003

U2 WEMBLEY 2009

2009-08-27T23:21:00.000-04:00

U2 WEMBLEY 2009
Originally uploaded by misterpunk2003

crazy

2009-08-25T11:30:00.001-04:00

there is a u2 - i'll go crazy if i don't go crazy tonight mp3 single available on amazon (u.s.) today for $1.81. it includes the single version and the redanka remix and the dirty south remix.

there is also a live from somerville version of crazy tonight on amazon (u.s.) for $0.99.

itunes has an i'll go crazy "album" for $7.99 that includes the single version, 5 remixes and the 2 videos.

my favorite version is the live remix version. which too badly is not being sold anywhere. but actually i think it isn't captured that well when i see it on video or hear the bootlegs. it's an in-person you have to be there to fully appreciate it thing.

but you know what's crazy awesome? this:

no, i am not talking about bono, people.

(i'm talking about that thing his hair is doing at the front top middle.)

later

love the intro and outro

2009-08-24T23:39:00.002-04:00

beautiful day in cardiff.

next stop: chicago. i'm trying not to go to chicago. but who knows.

puffles

2009-08-22T09:45:00.001-04:00

pic from friday: suit and tie bono

audio rip of the u2 in sheffield concert that aired on the radio on thursday is available at u2start (free registration required). the band sounded pretty damn good.

our friend northern star has a post on her blog that includes a bono meet up, chit chat and wembley 2 report
...Debbi said that his voice was really good at the moment to which he replied, (something like this anyway)"Thanks, I thought I was singing good." He then asked us how the sound was "Because the sound was bouncing back at me". We told him that it was good where we sat. He asked whereabout we were, Debbi said that we were in seats to the side of the stage to which I added, "On Edge's side in the lower tier." Bono nodded and said he was glad the sound was ok for us because he "Was worried about that." [more]

finally, sorry but the intro to this grizzly bear review made me laugh so hard.
In the week that U2's supposedly democratising '360 degree' staging initiative turned out to be a transparent ruse to facilitate charging roughly a third of a huge stadium crowd full price for the opportunity to watch Bono's backside perform, evidence was urgently required that pop's promises to dissolve existing hierarchies can be more than just hot air.

New York-based foursome Grizzly Bear supply that evidence, with a show at Camden's Koko which makes an elegant mockery of the idea that the only functional structure for a life-changing rock 'n' roll band is one messiah and three disciples... [more]

no wait, really finally, look, rosie just went clammin' and got some CLAMS:

later

disappearing act

2009-08-21T12:23:00.003-04:00

youtube: u2 - disappearing act (fragment) / alt audio link

this unreleased unforgettable fire era track has been "worked on" and a fragment of it was played a few days ago while bono and edge were being interviewed by edith bowman on bbc radio. more info plus interview links on atu2.

placeholder

2009-08-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

chuckle

2009-08-18T13:07:00.003-04:00

Gwyneth Paltrow Makes Chicken Goop.com with Abby Elliott (via)

yeah.

so last night we went to see brendan benson play the first show of his tour supporting his new album. he didn't seem so ready. he was nervous and kept wondering why everything was moving so fast. one guy booed when brendan started and stopped his first song and explained he hadn't played any shows yet except for one mini one in nashville. this dude in the crowd booed and brendan was like, "fuck you man booing nashville. that's music city. what the fuck. get out of here. why don't you go blog? go blog your boos." i laughed, but i don't really like that insult. his album is streaming on npr. and this article on brendan in the independent is good. "There's a big distinction between being a fan of music, and making it. It's frustrating and sad sometimes, listening to something so good and so beautiful, and thinking, 'I want to write a song like this'. But writing music's more like being seized or possessed, and being asked what a song's about afterwards is like remembering a dream. And sometimes, it's just a song."

unrelated:

the single uprising is on muse's new album that will be out on september 14. the album will probably be ridiculous.

later.

XX + SVIIB

2009-08-17T18:30:00.001-04:00

i went to see these two bands on friday: the xx and school of seven bells. mostly i went because it was free and there was cold beer. but also because, as the crazy high girl next to me said, "the blogs are all about to be sucking the xx's dicks."

the xx are two boys and two girls, 19 0r 20 and one of the lead singers/guitarist is a girl named romy and she has a pretty great voice.

and benjamin curtis from school of seven bells, well the edge likes him (and his effects). and vice versa. (while he was still in secret machines, benjamin curtis also played guitar on the bono version of i am the walrus from across the universe.) not that i view things through this u2 jaded prism. or anything.

anyway, the guardian says the new xx album is quietly, utterly electrifying. and if you've seen this video, you get an idea of what they are like, live too. they just stand there like they are hypnotized. it's not really for me.

school of seven bells is slightly more animated live. benjamin curtis sort of spends all the time twhirling around and making space rock guitar sounds that alternate between having a hook and going in circles. the deheza sisters stand pretty still with their instruments and sing their harmonies. live it was a bit muddled for me (maybe i was too close to the stage), but the record has lots of atmospheric beauty to it:

dudes in the crowd spent a lot of time during the school of seven bells set figuring out which deheza sister is hotter. (apparently the keyboardist because the guitarist is "too perky.")

web: school of seven bells / the xx

london

2009-08-16T13:12:00.003-04:00

above pics are from night 1 of u2 at wembley stadium. more here: ineedmyfix.com

last night u2 played night 2 in london. this video jumps out at me:

bono is singing the song in a bizarre tempo for the first few minutes. when he did that in dublin i was thinking it was a screw up. like how he has decided on this tour to change the way in a little while ends and end it with a second scatter of light verse. or how he refuses to sing certain verses of ultraviolet (i guess it's the price of love... is now, "i guess that's the something something something something something it ain't cheap.") the first time you hear it you are dumb enough to think it is a slip up and then you realize he is doing it on purpose.

london 8-14-09 setlist / london 8-15-09 setlist

also, this image of bono's note to the sun that u2log posted is funny (click to enlarge):

and finally, here are some cute pics from on the way out of the u2 after party in london last night.

peace

it might get loud: do not wait for the dvd

2009-08-15T18:00:00.001-04:00

seriously, you MUST see this in a theater. one with a very good sound system if at all possible.

i saw the movie it might get loud yesterday. the edge, jack white and jimmy page. yeah, yeah, you know all about it. i have read some people commenting on such intellectual sites as ONTD! and YouTube arguing about why certain members of this group shouldn't be included in a documentary about the electric guitar. as if maybe they weren't all worthy. edge uses effects you know! and jack white ain't no derek trucks. (so .. and so?) seriously, i don't know if i want the people who make these comments to see the movie and have their minds altered or if i just want them to die. tough one.

this movie is well done and it focuses on three very worthy individuals. it has some scenes that made me cry. not because of anything that was said but more just because of the feelings of awe inspired by the music and the images coming at you very big and loud. i literally had an internal conversation with myself at one point. "cara, why are you crying? i don't know, maybe because you love the edge so much? maybe because your popcorn ran out? who knows." [end conversation]. really, maybe it was little things like, oh, i don't know, jimmy freakin page standing next to the edge powering through i will follow. i really enjoyed this. i also had to literally bite my hand to stop from saying "OH MY GOD" too loudly when edge was walking us through (and jumping up onto) one specific location at mount temple.

i did think parts of jack white's segments dragged near the end and i wish jimmy page could articulate some of his feelings a bit more clearly. even though he is the most well-known and highly regarded (i'd say) of these three, jimmy comes across as having the least interest in crafting his own narrative. meanwhile, jack, who i really do like, is amusingly all about the struggle and keeping it real, yet his persona is clearly the one with the most artifice. as a u2, um, psychotic, i'd be lying if i didn't admit i wanted more edge. if the movie was called it might get edge i'd be happier. but it was really cool. the other two guys ain't so bad;) it is an amazing gift to u2 fans to have the edge as one of the featured stars in a movie such as this one. i hope the dvd comes with many many extras.

more info: it might get loud website

related:

U2.com > News > 'Friend and Mentor'

2009-08-15T17:17:00.002-04:00

Eunice Kennedy Shriver by Bono.

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2

2009-08-11T14:14:00.006-04:00

(:58 - 1:06), below.
screamer: "bono, it takes a second to say goodbye."
bono: "it takes more than a few minutes it turns out."

love bono's intro to one in croatia, below, (2:08-2:20 ).
"tonight we want to play it for everyone in this region whose had their warm hearts broken by cold ideas*"

* (or maybe he said ideals?)

u2 just played two nights in zagreb, croatia and have five dates left on this leg of the tour.

2009-08-14 - London, England
2009-08-15 - London, England
2009-08-18 - Glasgow, Scotland
2009-08-20 - Sheffield, England
2009-08-22 - Cardiff, Wales

have fun if you are going peeps! and please tell bono to bring his white pants to the u.s next month. it's okay if it is after labor day when he gets here, i won't hold it against him.

gary lightbody's fanboyism is endearing and real

2009-08-09T13:49:00.004-04:00

u2.com: something i've never seen before

... I have never in my life seen a crowd reaction like that of Katowice last night. Right from opener Breathe there was a daft magic in the air. Insanity everywhere you looked. People's faces clothed in the kind of joy I've only seen in gospel churches and then only on the TV so to see this religious fervour up close was overwhelming. The city outside the stadium could have been under heavy fire from alien spacecraft and I don't think anyone would have heard, saw, or indeed cared that much.

Then The Edge takes to the piano for New Year's Day (playing it guitar pick still between his fingers!) and the place is bathed in red and white instantly. Red cards held aloft by the people on the floor and white cards in the seats to make a giant Polish flag you could probably see from space. It took the breath clean out of me. By the end even Bono was speechless, for a few seconds anyway. The things he said next are lost to me verbatim but what I won't forget is the tears that came to me then. In floods. And when I turned to check if anyone had snared me for blubbing I realised that every single person around me also had tears in their eyes. We were sharing something that simply never happens at rock shows anywhere. A collective emotional and spiritual surrender of epic proportions. This was majesty and tenderness married and that is a rare thing indeed.

Last night was something I've never seen before and I can't quite fathom it. Not sure I ever will or even want to. It will sit alongside the greatest nights of my life and I thank U2 and Poland for that. Also thank you to the Polish U2 fans for giving us the best reaction to our own set we've had on this tour so far. All in all then a night of triumphs...

more ...

related:

in honor of the edge's birthday

2009-08-08T18:39:00.003-04:00

here's a photo of bono's freckles

photo via + click for more

and i'm totally going to go see the edge's movie this friday. can't wait.

later

found sounds

2009-08-07T18:38:00.004-04:00

stephe sykes contributed to the scatter o' light super-awesome book list series. (see: a list, part 7: from the blue eyed devil). stephe is way cooler than me. his band is called heroes of popular wars. the new album is called church and mcdonald. these are some of the new songs...

[mp3] a bus called further - heroes of popular wars
[mp3] it's a doozy - heroes of popular wars

more info on myspace

bono should lie down more often

2009-08-06T00:00:00.003-04:00

i am still slowly stumbling upon all these things i forgot to look at:

i haven't been able to sit down and get my head straight and explain my summer so far. even to myself. one thing: there was simultaneously so much and so little u2 happening for me when i was in europe. i mean, we did go to 5 u2 concerts. so i know the previous sentences sound weird. whatever. it's just that i detached from the internet a little bit. sorry bono, i didn't read ALL the nasty and nice stuff people wrote about you. i'm still not! (and it feels good.)

later

so my sister felt like barfing during the coldplay show

2009-08-05T15:30:00.005-04:00

we went to see coldplay on monday in massachusetts and halfway through my poor sister almost passes out. plus she asked me for my extra earplugs. at coldplay!

i realize this is a cliche thing. to make fun of coldplay. and i am not doing that. we don't dislike coldplay! or we wouldn't have gone to their concert. i think she may have felt like puking not because of the guys on the stage, but more because she has spent all summer getting up at 5 a.m. and working all day and coming home and working all night at being a mom while her brat little sister has spent the summer traipsing around europe without a care in the world.

we have seen coldplay live two times. once on their last tour. and then this time. after this show, my sister said, well, it was pretty much the same vibe as the last one. and i said, yeah it was the same, except with ~~crappier~~ different songs. and she said, and crappier outfits. the audience seemed to enjoy it, though.

anyway, since i haven't really been paying attention to coldplay, i was not aware they'd be doing this:

i will let you deem for yourself whether that is good or not.

my favorite parts of coldplay's catalog all come from their second album, a rush of blood to the head. i think it is darker and more complex of an album than most people give coldplay credit for. but since they do have songs like viva la vida and fix you i can see why people don't give them credit for the stuff that is, well, not like that. like this:

elbow opened the show. i missed some of elbow. cause we were getting all fucked up and stuff in the parking lot. in a minivan! ha ha, maybe not. but, damn guy garvey has such a voice. one of the best.

anyway, that's that.

latez

up close and personal view of u2 guitar player's unique style

2009-08-04T18:21:00.002-04:00

love this shot

2009-08-01T22:09:00.004-04:00

from dublin 2. more

edge in hot press (carbon footprint, next album, rubbish blogs, etc.)

2009-07-31T16:15:00.003-04:00

okay, i am way behind on posting any thoughts on anything. trying to juggle a lot of things at the moment.

in the meantime, ~~and sorry i can't post the whole thing as my scanner is in storage, along with much of my life~~, i read this article in the july 29, 2009 issue of hot press magazine where they interviewed this guy named the edge.

update: for scans of the whole article, click here.

(yeah, that's right, the interview is with the edge, yet the cover features bono. that's the way it works, yo.)

THE EDGE has this to say to Olaf Tyaransen in Hot Press about the U2360 tour's carbon footprint:

"Well, there's no doubt that it's substantial, and we would be the first to admit that. We are looking into ways to mitigate it, but there is no getting away from the fact that, from a carbon perspective, it is a costly thing. Certain things cannot, ultimately, be carbon neutral. It just doesn't work like that. So you have to ask the question 'Do you not do it at all?' I guess we think that touring is something that reaches a lot of people and ultimately is very worthwhile, and if you look at things to try and attack, I think that rock and roll tours, while they may be an easy target, there's much better things to target. I'd say most of the carbon produced from a tour is actually people going to the shows, and then you're into all kinds of questions; every single piece of entertainment or culture creates carbon because people have to travel to see it, so where do you draw the line?"

here are a few other snippets from the hot press interview with the edge:

What are your thoughts on Michael Jackson's death?
The Edge: It's terribly sad. I mean, it is sad for so many reasons. There is no doubting his incredible talent, and that I hope is what people will ultimately remember - just the great music he made. I wouldn't want to judge the guy, I don't know enough about his situation, but it does seem, as a casual observer, that he had huge problems and his own personal life was a bit of a mess, and that's really a shame.

What's your opinion on blogging?
The Edge: I think it can be great but the majority of it is utter rubbish, and that's kind of the problem with the fact that anyone can publish their thoughts, ideas, feelings. Quite honestly, most people shouldn't bother! So I would say that there's some gems, there's some great stuff out there, but it is hard to find. That's the real problem. (laughs)

Do you think U2 get an unreasonably hard time in Ireland?
The Edge: I think we, at times, get a very hard time but I'm not sure I would say it's unreasonable. I think sometimes it's probably perfectly fair, and I would say it's probably mostly a question of scale. We are a very, very successful band and we live in a fairly small country. So, people probably give us way too much attention, that's probably the truth. Sometimes I get annoyed by articles, but mostly I don't take it too seriously: it's just one person's opinion on any given day. Who knows what was happening that week at the paper, or in their own lives? I think in the last year people have been very grumpy in Ireland, particularly in the media, but there has been a lot of bad news around, so you don't really need to be a genius to figure out why.

There was talk of a possible new U2 album before the end of the year. Is that on the cards?
The Edge: It is still on the cards, but we don't really have plans that we can sign up to that far out. We would love the idea of the next record being sooner rather than later. We certainly have the material for it, but it's about whether we have the time to finish it. It depends on how the touring progresses. And there's the Spiderman musical which will be early next year, starting in New York, so Bono and I have a fair amount of work to do on that early in the year. It'll be a first for us. We are very excited about it, but it's a steep learning curve ...

---

on another note - this article in the guardian today is also sort of interesting: ego warriors. u2 speak out on rock star hypocrisy. i wish bono would have really defended himself instead of just halfway, but whatever. he does as he does. always.

(plus, he looks great in purple.)

later

view from above

2009-07-29T14:44:00.003-04:00

night 3 dublin:

the scene from my seat on the upper level (cusack stand) next to the stage in croke park on monday, july 27 for night 3 of u2 in dublin. my vids are just clips melded together (i still haven't found, crazy tonight, pride, streets, bad, ultraviolet) and not the greatest sound, but they offer a glimpse of what the place felt like and looked like from up top. if nothing else, watch the intro. i love bono's words before i still haven't found. the beginning is cut off, but bono was thanking the neighbors, including carol from clonliffe road (read this if you don't know who that is) and making a joke about a blue opel kadett (possibly left with its lights on? ;)

during the clip of streets you can hear bono mentioning terry and joy (ali's parents) and larry mullen senior. later in the show (not in my clips), he thanked jo and brian clayton, too. well, he eventually thanked everyone he knew, i think. he is bono, after all.

cool pics here / and very good vids here.

more later.

home

2009-07-27T03:49:00.003-04:00

flying home tomorrow a.m. after tonight's third u2 show in dublin. looking forward to what they have up their sleeves. so far it's been as great as you can imagine. being here and watching it all happen. it's such an infantile game that the press plays here with u2. so as a fan you end up showing up here more to root for them than to to do anything else. and they are slaying it. musically, definitely. but also with bono's really perfect pitch in his comments on stage. to ireland and to us. also, i really appreciate the new pirouette edge has added to his on-stage moves during the crazy tonight remix. and when adam and edge plow down the ramps and rock out at the center of the outer ring during get on your boots, well, it's pretty awesomeamusingawesomeawesome. oh and that larry mullen, he sure is swell;) will have a real write-up once i get home.

my vids have some not so great sound, but below is a clip of beautiful day and here comes the sun. as you can see, our lower level seats had a claw in our sight line, but it didn't really obstruct our view. and the sunlight is waaay up, which makes the claw slightly less awesome for much of the show here. note the ladies rocking out a couple of rows in front of me:

some of my not so great flickr pics here: dub 1 / dub 2.

peace!

on the way to dublin

2009-07-24T03:12:00.004-04:00

seeking metaphysical peaks don't you know.

will be at all 3 u2 shows this weekend. will tweet probably a little, maybe a lot. maybe not. we'll see.

scatter o' light on twitter

later!

i think it has a chance

2009-07-18T19:24:00.006-04:00

after a couple of weeks in barcelona and a few days in london, we arrived in cork tonight and plan to drive over there and then up there and then down there and in a circle or two before eventually getting to dublin. apparently u2 is playing some concerts there. who knew.

xo

irish rock singer bono spotted in outfit that seems pretty awesome to me

2009-07-16T18:37:00.005-04:00

(photo via + click for more)

mw

2009-07-13T13:48:00.003-04:00

mysterious ways, abbreviated, played last night, first time added to setlist so far on this tour. maybe a song from pop soon come.

backstage before u2 show last night

2009-07-12T04:12:00.002-04:00

video:

(via)

u2 played show # 5 of the 360 tour last night in paris. setlist is here. 5 more shows until we see them again in dublin.

my friend k. and i only have a couple days left in spain before we move on to some other nation where (possibly) people don't giggle at us when we speak their language.

we love barcelona.

later

we checked out the tour de france this week

2009-07-11T09:47:00.004-04:00

stage 6 ended here in barcelona on thursday and stage 7 departed from here on friday. we watched some of the buses pull in and a few of the riders walking around before the start on friday. this guy was on the team francaise des jeux (FDJ). it may be christophe le mevel. or maybe yauheni hutarovich. i have no idea, really.

i was very much fascinated by the washing machines on the team buses. really.

later

hug

2009-07-09T04:16:00.005-04:00

u2 milan 2 last night, tour debut of stuck in a moment:

after seeing 2 shows and seeing the setlists and video clips of the next 2 shows, this little part of the set right after bono's nightly michael jackson snippets would be one of my favorites. rotating desire, angel of harlem, in a little while, stuck in a moment. these would be u2's "motown" songs. soul songs? van morrison songs? whatever. party girl just fits there, too, if it wants to.

i'm not really paying attention

2009-07-08T04:53:00.002-04:00

but ... from milan 1 last night:

setlist and details are here.

more vids here.

i briefly was following along with setlist twitter updates last night and realized i am not really super interested in following along like that. oh well.

hanging out here today.

later!

barcelona nights 1 & 2

2009-07-06T20:00:00.002-04:00

my article for atu2

moral: more of this please:

later

view from the left claw leg rail, bcn 2

2009-07-04T07:18:00.004-04:00

BCN 2 from scatter o'light on Vimeo.

also on youtube if above isn't playing for you.

B

2009-07-03T12:28:00.002-04:00

B
Originally uploaded by {cara}

a couple more pics on flickr here.

night 2 in barcelona was awesome. details forthcoming.

xo

camp nou, view from the side

2009-07-01T16:16:00.009-04:00

a few snippets from u2's first show in barcelona. magnificent, still haven't found, crazy tonight. have a few other vids and pics and many THOUGHTS. (loved the show. had a blast. but it was definitely a bit bizarro/not "normal" u2, at least for me.)

waiting 'til after show #2 to let the complete thoughts out.

recommended: these vids

(above view is from our seats on lower level, side stage, 15 rows up.)

u2 barcelona night one setlist is here.

more to come ...

it is widely assumed that none of the people pictured below are behind this whole wear the mask idea

2009-06-28T17:24:00.009-04:00

it seems from what i have read here: the official "bitch about the stupid mask thread." and the poll at the bottom of the page here, that the majority of u2 fans are not going to wear the mask.

what mask? this one:

from u2.com:

Print it off.
Cut it out.
Attach some elastic or string to the sides.
Try it on for size.
(If you're really clever print it on card or laminate it
Or tape on a little handle to hold it in front of your face.
Wear it to work or college. Wear it on the bus or the train. Wear it in the pub or at the shops.
And don't forget.
Bring it to a U2 show.

scatter o' light sidenote: um ... who exactly wrote this up? dr. seuss?!

Put it on with thousands of others when the band strike up the opening bars of Walk On. Wear it to to show the world that you have not forgotten. 'Please use your liberty to promote ours,' says Aung San Suu Kyi.
Use your liberty to promote hers. And the liberty of the people of Burma.

WEAR THE MASK.

as has been pointed out elsewhere, there is precedent for wearing the mask. and certainly aung san suu kyi is a woman *most*(many?) fans understand is worthy of our support. but on many levels, fans seem offended by this above mask order/suggestion that u2.com has posted. it is "stupid." "embarrassing." "patronizing." "bloody ridiculous." etc.

i'm not blaming this on bono. i'm blaming larry. because ~~either he is for this. or he is bono's bitch~~ i can if i wanna.

we're off to barcelona in the morning. and i just may be printing a mask out right now.

i am going to stick it on some unsuspecting shmoe's back on the train.

(or the pub.)

chocolate con churros

2009-06-26T19:00:00.001-04:00

i'm not even sure how great this was, but after eating it, we know for sure we are in madrid.

i wonder what we'll find when we get to barcelona? oh ... right. ok.

we were in dublin for, like, a half of a day on thursday. it was kind of awesome but kind of a blur. look forward to going back next month.

later

we're on our way

2009-06-24T10:38:00.005-04:00

double denim and his peeps having a drink here by the sea. (via)

you can follow the guy on the right on twitter.

you can follow scatter o' light, too, if you like.

okay, i'm leaving tonight for europe. stopping in dublin on the way to madrid. since we are ending our trip in dublin at the end of july, our round trip is through there. we'll get to dublin tomorrow a.m. and have the day before we fly to madrid. hopefully we'll get a chance to do some damage in dublin tomorrow. will report back.

peace out -

siete

2009-06-23T20:14:00.003-04:00

below vid is a teaser for a documentary that will air on tve2 in spain on june 28.

extended version of this previous bono and adam interview below:

later ...

that's better bigger

2009-06-22T12:02:00.003-04:00

this is interesting

2009-06-21T21:17:00.005-04:00

bono: the shades come off
a lengthy article about bono. it's not the kind of snarky the headline would lead you to believe.

some sweet pictures are here, too.

BONO:
"When you are a singer in a band you stick your neck out for a living, you get used to knocks. And I’ve noticed that the spleen and ire of your enemy usually take them out, not you, so you don’t have to do anything, almost."

EDGE:
"If you’re working on a project for a long time you probably struggle with it, because I’m the guy working most closely with the music, initially on my own. So what I really love is being able to hear it through Bono’s ears.”

The Edge and Bono are that close. It’s not a problem for him to hear through his ears. They choose to spend time together, even though they get to spend less time together now... Has your relationship with him changed? “No. We are very close. He is my best friend.”

more ...

bono ens ensenya el nou escenari de la gira d'u2

2009-06-21T21:13:00.002-04:00

video interview with bono (silent adam also present)

a tocar de bono

2009-06-21T09:56:00.002-04:00

bono/fans video from tv3 televisió de catalunya

larry's mind is numb. boo hoo.

2009-06-21T09:45:00.003-04:00

u2: access all areas
the irish independent has a lengthy piece on u2, with interviews with all 4 band members. it's pretty much spolier free, i skimmed over a paragraph in the middle that started to refer to some songs, but most of the article is more about the state of mind of the band members. mainly larry and then bono. edge and adam at the end. the reporter meets with a larry mullen jr. who comes across as his typical chipper self. heh..

Today, Mullen himself seems like a slightly reluctant member of the biggest band in the world. "I'm very so over the business and the amount of stress that goes on with the whole business of being in this band. It bores me to death, I so hate it," he says. But then, he comes to the point that all four members of U2 will speak most enthusiastically about over the next few days: "The only thing that keeps me hanging on is those moments when you come together as a band and play. One of the things that frustrates me more than anything else is that there are a lot less laughs now. It is not the same. Except when we make music together there are a lot of laughs. It is only at those times that you really understand why you do it, because otherwise it is mind-numbing."

Indeed, Mullen says that for him, the music is the main element in the relationship between the four band members now. "I mean, when you bring children into the equation and when people are moving around, you know, we don't all live here all the time now because of the way the touring schedule is. You know, Edge is married to an American lady so he spends time in America with her family so it's not like the gang that it used to be."

Bono will vigorously dispute this too, saying this is Larry projecting because he never goes out, and Adam Clayton will point out, not unreasonably, that even when they were all one gang in a transit van it actually wasn't that much fun. Bono will also make the point that the four members of the band all have houses next to each other in France and regularly holiday together.

But Larry keeps doing it for the "belly laughs, the feeling of camaraderie and generosity" he gets in rehearsals. And for the escape. Lipton Village, he says, wasn't the escape for him -- the escape was playing music, and always will be. This too, is a common theme with all the band members over the next few days.

Mullen, like the others, is nervous about the new tour. The 360 tour employs a revolutionary stage concept never before seen in stadia. It basically means that U2 will play on a round stage, in the middle of the stadium, with fans all around them. There is, as Bono will say more than once, "jeopardy". Or, as Mullen puts it: "The first night can be amazing, but it can be a washout ... that's the way the shit goes."

more ...

fotos bono

2009-06-20T11:59:00.003-04:00

here and here. that sweaty litle denim getup screams "throw your babies at me. please."

spoiler avoidance intact. just looking at photos of the bono meeting fans each day will get me by.

oh, these don't count as spoilers (u2 barcelona)

2009-06-19T15:49:00.003-04:00

more clandestine type shots from u2 rehearsing at nou camp here and some bono with fans pics on u2eastlink.

the tour

2009-06-18T00:00:00.002-04:00

claw. schmaw.

i'm somewhat more interested in these things than i am in the claw:

and this:

u2 is in barcelona. spoiler mania is ready to kick off. the obsessed fan stalkerazzi has details on everything they're doing.

i really do want to go to the first show on the 30th in barcelona and be surprised by as much as possible. so i guess i have to unplug a little bit for the next 12 days. at least unplug from twitter and u2 fan sites. i don't even know if that is possible.

my main curiosities are:

1 - what will the claw/lights/multimedia/spinning?stage aspect be like
2 - what will the setlist be like
3 - please sound good
4 - what will bono go on and on about? because i don't really think we're getting vertigoafricatour part 2 on the speech front.
5 - also bono please don't try to climb on anything

I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW THE SONGS THEY ARE REHEARSING. NO NO NO.

so, please don't post any spoiler-ish stuff in comments here :)

next wednesday my friend k. and i are flying out of new york. when we get to spain we are heading to madrid first. we won't arrive in barcelona until the 29th. we are not going to try and stalk the u2 or go see the u2 play a rehearsal show before the real concert on the 30th. we have seats lower level, side of stage for the 30th. for the july 2 concert in barcelona we are going to go GA, but we are not going to wait in line during the day, so we'll see where that leaves us on the pitch/field. we'll be in barcelona for a few weeks after that, then london, then ireland. not seeing u2 again after barcelona until dublin on july 24. we are lucky and we know this.

(k. is a teacher and did you know those fuckers get the whole summer off? and me, well, i am putting an inflatable doll at my desk, home office, like, wait i don't have a home, hmmm, anyway, hopefully my boss will deposit all my paychecks before he notices i am gone.)

xo

15

2009-06-17T00:00:00.001-04:00

also: 14

and: los demás días

but who's counting ...

well, you convinced me

2009-06-16T16:22:00.000-04:00

this is good.

master shortie

2009-06-15T18:45:00.000-04:00

master shortie rapping over the u2 get on your boots justice remix. get the master shortie mp3 here. if you, uh, want to.

master. shortie. bono so wishes he came up with that name first. master shortie is all electro grime wonky pop. dude is a brit rapper who just might be about to blow up. i read that. on the internet. so back the eff off.

master shortie has a new album (a.d.h.d) coming out soon.

peep: mastershortie.com

the album

2009-06-14T00:00:00.003-04:00

this is an interesting thread on the atu2 forum: why hasn't no line on the horizon sold a million copies yet?

i like this album. i don't personally care how much it sells. (sales figures are not necessarily a reflection of quality.) and i don't think no line on the horizon's sales so far have been as "OMG it's a flop" as some in the media have suggested. very few artists in 2009 would be disappointed in 900,000+ u.s. album sales after just 3 months. (even though eminem has apparently just about equaled that in just 3 weeks).

yet ... i think there some interesting replies in that above thread. you can bet that u2 expected (wanted) this album to sell better and expected (wanted) the first two singles to be received better. if u2 inc. had a different stance on content distribution on the internet, would it have helped their poor lil meager 900,000+ u.s. sales? (i don't pretend to know the answer).

anyway ... i asked my mom "why do you think this U2 album is not selling as much as their previous ones?"

i gave her multiple choice options:

A) It isn't very good.
B) People don't buy music, they steal it.
C) It wasn't marketed properly.
D) Bono is a douche bag.

Mom: "Who says Bono is a douche bag?"
Me: "A lot of people say that."
Mom: "I don't agree with that."
pause
Me: "So, why is the album not a big hit?"
Mom: "Marketing."

so there you go.

later

i know a girl

2009-06-13T22:19:00.002-04:00

U2 on iLike - Get updates inside iTunes

countdown 360.

previously: day 21 / day 20 / day 19 / day 18

um

2009-06-10T11:14:00.003-04:00

via

the batcave (clayton)

2009-06-10T11:09:00.001-04:00

clayton (countdown)

2009-06-09T22:43:00.002-04:00

video:

U2 on iLike - Get updates inside iTunes

stickers on mailbox

2009-06-09T19:20:00.006-04:00

the mystery of bne is like, so 2006. yo. or something. whatever it's b & e here.

saw that somewhere near chelsea piers.

video: bono and the edge talk about spider-man

2009-06-09T00:00:00.002-04:00

1:00 to 1:51 = aww.musing.

more info: spider-man turn off the dark website / ticketmaster ticket presale

it might get loud: movie trailer

2009-06-08T22:52:00.006-04:00

thanx to the mad hatter for the tip.

the documentary featuring the edge, jack white and jimmy page will (finally) be in theaters august 14.

it might get loud movie website

previously:
it might get loud q&a, fan reviews, videos and more
it might get loud (premiere)
the edge + jack white + jimmy page in a guitar documentary

blue jacket (i'm not really sure that's called a) beard

2009-06-07T09:13:00.005-04:00

bono leaving his local polling station carrying his voting card and passport to vote in the local and european elections. dublin, ireland. -

government parties suffer heavy election losses

someone lost their license and some people left their rings in the ballot box. i wonder what this guy lost in the box:

this is the best part of the picture tag on belga picture - Keywords: Singer band musician U2 sunglasses navy blue jacket beard celeb famous rock

replace beard with boots and you are gold keyword generator person.

ooh la la

2009-06-06T20:28:00.003-04:00

the claw, camp nou stadium, barcelona, june 6, 2009. photos via u2barcelona + click for more.

OMG look out dude there is a giant eagle on your back and i don't know where it's headed

2009-06-04T14:44:00.011-04:00

... maybe for your wallet. or it's trying to escape because its wing is caught in that highly unnecessary collar zipper. or it was trying to pick you up and fly away. but yeah this took place so long (a while?) ago that obviously you survived.

[mp3] freak out - stellastarr*
okay i loved this band's first album. yes they have that so obvious 80s vibe, but their songs also have a lot of layers and build into swhirling synth and guitar soundcsape type deals. this is a tune from their (upcoming) third album, civilized [pre-order], out in july. [myspace]

later

i think that's it for him (stereoized?)

2009-06-02T10:30:00.000-04:00

this has nothing to do with anything. flashback.

u2 on late late show

2009-05-30T15:10:00.005-04:00

u2 appeared on the late late show on rte tv in ireland on friday night. it was the last show for host pat kenny and u2 played magnificent, gave him presents and did a full-band interview.

part 2 with larry and bono discussing bono's political pals is pretty excellent.

also, this may be the tannest version of u2 ever.

video: magnificent + interview part 1

video: interview part 2

audio: mp3 of magnificent on late late show is here

u2 performed at the island records party last night (videos + photos)

2009-05-29T10:03:00.006-04:00

irish times seems to confirm u2 will be on the late late show tonight as well:

U2 MADE a surprise appearance on stage in London last night in support of the record label that first offered them a recording deal. Island Records has been celebrating its 50th anniversary with a week-long series of gigs in London and U2 made an unscheduled appearance at the Shepherd's Bush Empire venue in between sets by Baaba Maal and Cat Stevens, who was introduced on stage by Bono.

The band joined Sengalese singer Baaba Maal for a version of their One song before performing a cover version of Bob Marley's One Love.

The band then played a version of their hit Vertigo.

U2 have often spoken of their huge debt to Island, which signed them in 1980 after a series of other labels turned them down. The band's success in the mid-1980 largely kept Island afloat. The venue they played in only fits 1,000 people but they received an ecstatic reception.

U2 will make an appearance on tonight's Late Late Show before beginning their world tour in Barcelona at the end of June.

--irish times

there is a photo gallery here:

larry: "when did adam grow that beard?" note bono's peace train outro in vertigo vid above. actually, 2 minute mark of vertigo and on saves it. with that dance move...

pic via + click for more

later

zap

2009-05-28T16:06:00.006-04:00

"ultimately free is the enemy of good, " - paul mcguinness

someone zap that guy with a laser. (in his defense, he may have been listening to coldplay's leftrightleftrightleft at the time of that statement).

also: u2 to perform on ireland's late late show on friday? (yes please).

i don't know

2009-05-27T18:43:00.002-04:00

saint. of course.

lasers. maybe.

very

2009-05-26T11:27:00.007-04:00

brian eno launches luminous. okay maybe now i believe the luminous times thing, hee.

anton corbijn is directing a movie starring george clooney. go anton.

this is the bass player:

Adam Clayton on stage at Slane Castle in the first ever concert at Slane Castle in 1981. U2 were the support act while Hazel O'Connor topped the bill Photo credit:Andy Spearman
more here. (via u2log).

later

37 days

2009-05-24T09:24:00.006-04:00

no

2009-05-23T10:00:00.003-04:00

related:
round 1 of the people of montauk vs. the surf lodge
round 2
but, hmmm, they DO have some interesting concerts booked for this summer
still, no tee pees for you, ha ha.
rogan gregory and dude from the beastie boys. we hate you all. apparently.

long story short: this place opened last year in montauk (where my parents and the world's awesomest dog, rosie, live) and i am just generally amused by how much people here don't like it. the other day i saw rosie in the back room making the above bumper sticker.

anyway ...

[mp3] now it's on - grandaddy
i spent one summer really enjoying the dreamy chilled out vibe of this band. loved their cover of the beatles' revolution, too. they broke up in 2006. [buy]

[mp3] our final role as birds - all smiles
from ex-grandaddy (and modest mouse) guitar player jim fairchild's second solo album "oh for the getting and not letting go." [more]

i'd totally buy this but i'd just have to put it in storage

2009-05-21T10:41:00.008-04:00

oh, plus, i can't play guitar.

mansons guitar shop: official manson/bellamy signature guitars now available.

Master luthier Hugh Manson, and guitarist Matthew Bellamy, the 21st century’s first real guitar hero, enjoy world recognition from the unique creations Bellamy has used to front the powerhouse trio, Muse. Under a long standing agreement, these guitars have remained special one-off creations only available to the Muse guitarist, songwriter and frontman. Incorporating unique finishes and electronics such as MIDI controlling screens, Fuzz Factory internals, many of these instruments have become famous in the band’s live set with several earning themselves unique identities. The “DeLorean” and The Bomber are now legendary instruments.

i really hope the edge and the bellamy get some alone time with each other's guitar effects when they, um, tour together this fall. maybe muse can show u2 how to use twitter? (der)

and ... arctic monkeys going full on black sabbath for new album. (well that is not what the actual quote says, just the headline, but yeah.)

can we add these arctic monkey guys to the u2 opening act list? maybe?

later

lame (?)

2009-05-20T15:49:00.012-04:00

GQ: BUILT FOR THE BEACH
This summer, it’s all about the ‘70s…short-cut swim trunks, So-Cal-style tank tops, and zip-front windbreakers. NFL rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez heads to the shore (photographs by Carter Smith)

okay, granted, you are hot, mark sanchez. but are you going to be the quarterback or the team mascot? please complete one actual pass in one actual nfl game before ever doing this again. sanchez, you are on the jets, not the yankees. come on. seriously, you are interrupting my bono time.

though, it is more than a little amusing that you do shoots like this and the quarterback on new york's other team does commercials like this:

related

not related ... other guy, please leave the bono out of this. thanx.

[mp3] so it seems - blackbud
these guys have that epic, melodic, guitar rock thing down pat. new album out june 8. [myspace]

later

early warnings

2009-05-20T00:00:00.002-04:00

[mp3] early warnings - foreign born
new tune from foreign born's upcoming album person to person [pre-order].

these guys got compared to baby u2 in a review from pitchfork back in 2007. kind of a bizarre reference for this band. but i ended up chatting briefly with the band's singer matt popieluch way back when because, well, the pitchfork thing was funny.

2007 flashback:

Pitchfork just gave your album On the Wing Now a very fine review and included Arcade Fire, R.E.M. and several U2 and Bono references. Be honest, those U2 references freaked you out just a little. Didn't they?
Matt: No! They were right on the money! Just like always.

People also like to compare you guys to Echo and the Bunnymen. But I feel like you have a jam band aura about you, too. If you had to pinpoint a few bands as influences, which ones would you highlight?
Matt: U2, U2 and umm U2, for sure.. anything they did. What kind of question is that?!!

Who was the first band or artist you ever really loved as a kid and why?
Matt: Whatever Bono was up to, I was completely dialed in, even at 5 or 6. If he sneezed I was blown away. Sometimes it's not easy having him as your "rock guardian angel laureate."

more ... september, 2007 q&a with matt from foreign born

i like this band.

(photo via)

later

u2 magnificent (remixes) ep

2009-05-19T14:15:00.003-04:00

is now on itunes (u.s.)

lebrono

2009-05-19T00:00:00.001-04:00

woah, lebrono has been working out. woah.

is this the best photoshop job ever? no. it's not. only because it is not photoshop. it is muckrosoft paint. and if you mock it, you will only be reinforcing my negative image of you.

yeah, that's lebrono james. and i made it. and it took me, like, a couple of seconds, so if you don't like it, well okay then.

below is from this blog: clevescene.com

Simmons/Gladwell on LeBron and Definitions of Success

If you haven't read the epic Bill Simmons/Malcolm Gladwell email conversation, do so. It's fascinating stuff, even if, at times some of the theories espoused are maddening, far-fetched, and ill-conceived. There's also a lot of brilliant discussion and thought-provoking ideas.

Among the many topics they tackle is LeBron James. Namely, what drives him, is he the NBA's Bono, and just where is the King going?

Here's a snippet of the Sports Guy's take:

But you mentioned watching a documentary about the Police and realizing that Sting carried that band; the others were talented in their own right, only it bugged the hell out of them that Sting was better, and he was a blowhard to boot, so that led to many of their problems (and the band's ultimate demise). Then you look at U2: same four guys grow up together with a natural pecking order in place; everyone understands their own limitations; everyone gets that Bono is the alpha dog; and really, over everything else, that explains why they have chugged along for three solid decades without ever breaking up. (Hell, none of them ever even made a solo album. They were and are a band. Period.) Well, I thought about this. I analyzed it from every angle. And in my opinion, LeBron has a chance to be U2 or Springsteen in Cleveland. Now that he's winning, and now that the Cavs know how to build around his personality — in a nutshell, finding complementary players who won't be threatened by him, enjoy basketball, enjoy life and aren't afraid of failing — this could just go on and on for as long as he wants. Other stars will take less to play with him. Older players will take the minimum just to play with them for one season. Basically, it will be like Bruce deciding, "Hey guys, we're going on tour again," and the rest of the E Streeters dropping whatever they were doing to join him. Why? Because you don't turn down Bruce Springsteen. I don't believe LeBron can replicate Jordan's force of personality, and I don't think he can match his ferocious day-to-day competitiveness, because nobody can. But he's more fun to play basketball with, and he's more fun to hang out with. Like a cross between Jordan and Magic, if you will.

To which Gladwell responds:

And that's the thing I worry about with LeBron. You say that this could go on for as long as he wants, but the truth is these things rarely go on for as long as anyone wants. U2 is a weird exception. In most cases, John turns on Paul, Axl gets fat and Kurt Cobain commits suicide....

more ...

edge talks to rolling stone about the u2 tour (scan may 28, 2009 issue)

2009-05-18T15:21:00.003-04:00

as has been posted previously on several fan sites, yes, in an article in rolling stone, the edge did mention "luminous times" as a possible candidate for the set list on the upcoming tour.

What will the set lists be like?
Edge: We're talking about resurrecting songs we haven't played in a long time. 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.

i don't think most rational people would read that and assume that u2 will play that particular song, but certainly we can assume that this means, genuinely, any song from u2's catalog could be in the set list mix at this stage. considering that the band played songs such as the ocean (not very well. bono.) and an cat dubh on the last tour, this revelation about unlimited possibilities is not surprising, but is reassuring.

here is the scan of the article:

(click image to enlarge)

How much will the show change night to night?
Edge: Our shows start to kind of connect in a very emotional and organic way, and those connections between songs, the segues, start to become like mini-movements or acts within a play. So one or two songs will be different per night, but not like eight songs per night.

so ... do we think that this one or two different songs per night will just be a rotation of three or four songs or so? or will they have more than that in the mix? we'll see.

not that i, like, *care* or anything ...

pop star pants thing update

2009-05-17T19:36:00.002-04:00

what is this?

seriously. i need to know.

related

you know i don't care anymore

2009-05-15T16:00:00.001-04:00

it cant be so bad
what you want that you do not have

duh, i know you know, but:

there is a new wilco album that leaked and is now streaming here. i wonder what would happen if u2 released a song with these lyrics: "u2, u2, u2, u2 will love you baby." yeah.

there is a free live coldplay album here.

there are two mp3s from the just out pearl jam 2008 christmas single over here.

apparently neil mccormick's i was bono's doppelganger (killing bono) book is being made into a movie. i liked the baby u2-ish details in that book, but i wonder about a movie. it's really neil's life story. we'll see how much u2 gets in and who plays them.

i am a bad u2 fan because i'm not getting too amped up about what a semi-put together stage looks like or what songs edge claims they are thinking about possibly playing. it's not that i am in "no spoiler" mode, i honestly just ... am going to wait and see what happens in barcelona. baby. 46 days! (i think.)

these two remind me of each other

2009-05-12T21:39:00.004-04:00

b.

2009-05-11T19:05:00.005-04:00

scans of u2 cover story in the spring 2009 issue of fordham magazine. via + more scans here.

or you can read a digital version of the magazine online on fordham's website.

previously: it's f.u. time!

not really related: mess with the fordham ram, you get the horns

this photo is sort of old

2009-05-10T18:30:00.000-04:00

it's from 2007.

happy mother's day to the moms and happy 49th b-day today to the b-man.

51 days until barcelona :)

look at the claw now, still making progress.

- later -

woah

2009-05-08T19:00:00.001-04:00

off topic. this vid is awesome.

[mp3] the funeral / band of horses

happy weekend -

apparently some people think this random butt shot is out of place in the magnificent video

2009-05-07T17:29:00.003-04:00

it doesn't really bother me.

"he's now wearing eye shadow, so it's getting a little scary."

2009-05-07T00:00:00.002-04:00

-says ali. ha ha HA. (3:15 in.)

Socially Conscious, Rock & Roll Fashion from EDUN from Sonja Shin Hodgkins on Vimeo.

via

related: bono eyeliner q&a

if a video falls in the forest and only the band's fans even really care, did the forest really exist or are we on planet ... wait, huh, whaa?

2009-05-06T10:12:00.006-04:00

nothing against this video. i like it fine. i don't get the white sheets. YET. i'm sure they are there for a reason and someone will enlighten me.

magnificent video is out. see it here or here or here:

i am a way deep thinker, so mostly i like the videos where the members of u2 walk around looking all hot and shit. this one qualifies.

my initial reaction to this song way back when, was "fuck yeah." still pretty much feel that way.

also, FUCK YEAH, BONO!

later

purple socks >> red carpet

2009-05-05T11:03:00.002-04:00

at 'the model as muse: embodying fashion' costume institute gala at the metropolitan museum of art on may 4, 2009 in nyc. article / photos

vidz

2009-05-02T13:28:00.003-04:00

u2.com: pretty cool behind the scenes vid of making of magnificent video

also, this adam vid is another behind the scenes look

the bono interviewing george clooney: extended video on cnn.com

bono also wrote this short piece on george clooney for time mag

bobble head vs. bo bo head

2009-05-01T13:00:00.000-04:00

wilco is offering up a download of their version of the woody guthrie song "the jolly banker" on wilcoworld.net - worth a look just to check out the purchase (or not) options :)

coldplay is giving away a free live cd. details here.

the bono-clooney ~~smug off smack down~~ interview is tonight on cnn.

[mp3] battalions - loxsly

late - o

shoot

2009-05-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

photographer ben baker shot a bunch of corporate power players, including the (red) board for a story in the current issue of fortune magazine.

brief behind the scenes timelapse-type video here and more photos + details here.

"You can imagine the PR work to get a rock star’s schedule in line with the whole board, and not wanting it all about Bono, but that is the hook ...

...We shot them before they went to dinner in NYC and made sure plenty of drinks were available."

i wasn't gonna buy just anyone's dancing cockatoo that is a backstreet boys fan (would you?)

2009-04-30T14:15:00.005-04:00

vid:

A dancing cockatoo named Snowball is proof that humans aren't the only species with rhythm, a team of neuroscientists in California is reporting.

Snowball bobs his head and lifts his feet to songs from Queen and the Backstreet Boys and can keep time when the music is sped up or slowed down. The rocker bird offers clues about the evolution of the human capacity to make and enjoy music, say the researchers, who have published their findings in the journal Current Biology.

Until Snowball, it was widely believed that the ability to move in time to a beat was something uniquely human, says Aniruddh Patel, who studies music and the brain at the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego and who is lead author of the paper.

Other primates don't dance, and some scientists had theorized that dancing, or even foot tapping in time to a song, is a unique specialization of brains that evolved to recognize, produce and enjoy music. But the grooving cockatoo challenges that notion, Dr. Patel says.

“It favours the idea that music is an invention built from brain systems that have other day jobs. It's not that we have circuits in our brain that evolved for musical functions, but that we draw on other brain regions that perform other roles.”

Dr. Patel learned about Snowball in 2007, when someone sent him a link to a video of the bird dancing on the Web site of Bird Lovers Only Rescue Service in Indiana.

“I had never seen anything like it.”

He contacted Irena Schulz at the rescue service, and asked her if she wanted to collaborate. She agreed.

Snowball's previous owner, a retired steel worker and huge Backstreet Boys fan, left the bird because he could no longer cope with it. His daughter had left for college, Snowball missed her, and became increasingly difficult to manage.

Dr. Patel had interviewed the man, who said Snowball was about six years old when they bought him. He noticed the bird would bob his head in time to the Backstreet Boys. His daughter began dancing with the bird, which may be how Snowball learned to move his feet.

Dr. Patel and his colleagues put Snowball through his paces with music played at a variety of tempos to show that he was, in fact, moving to the music.

Dancing appears to be something Snowball picked up on his own, they say, not something he was trained to do.

“It is remarkable. This is not an animal that has trained the way you train an animal in the zoo or a circus … He developed this spontaneously,” Dr. Patel says...

- the globe and mail

(thanx cameron)

oh wait, maybe not

2009-04-29T14:29:00.001-04:00

u2 stage set up.

related: the claw, and the claw in progress.

i like this

2009-04-28T21:17:00.002-04:00

bono included.

playingforchange.com

- via

the face of larry mullen jr. says he really and truly enjoyed this bono massage

2009-04-27T22:00:00.001-04:00

oh, sally, too.

that's from way back on february 27.

why the new york jets drafting mark sanchez is awesome news: let me break out the telestrator (+ other stuff)

2009-04-26T08:00:00.004-04:00

have you seen the head of hair on this kid? sweeeet.

(still, i voted wait and see on this, i'm not that crazy).

watch your back, david lee.

anyway ...

tunes:

[mp3] halfmast - the dears
b-side that didn't make it onto their last album missiles. these guys are touring with eulogies in may. both tres good live bands.

[mp3] i'm gonna try - kid bombardos
it's three french dudes, 21, 18 and 16. they are calling it garage/indie but it is funkier and more interesting than that. song turns punk rock half way through.

[mp3] true love will find you in the end - headless heroes
daniel johnston cover. it's hard to screw up this song. it is a spooky song. i like the guitar on this version about halfway in.

[mp3] cold is - dish
[mp3] i'm so sick of the 21st century - radical sons
[mp3] invisible cities - nomo

also:

video clip: bono interviews george clooney. full interview will air on friday on cnn. bono the journalist. demands. a. clipboard. love it.

photos: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 and more here, bono and ali in venice on saturday at this. EXCESS.

rhetorical

2009-04-24T10:49:00.001-04:00

is it inappropriate to say i like bono's shirt if he is wearing it at a funeral?