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U2 Greeted By Dutch Air Traffic Controllers
Ed. Note -- Our friend Maaike has written up an account of the amazing exchange Bono had with Ann, an Irish, Holland-based air traffic controller today. Below is an excerpt. Enjoy!
Dutch air traffic control and Dutch radio station Yorin FM have organized a remarkable welcome for U2 today. As the group entered Dutch airspace (in two separate aircraft), they were greeted and interviewed by an air traffic controller. On their approach to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, hundreds of fans prepared a sunny surprise. And all this was broadcast live from the control tower at Schiphol by Dutch radio station Yorin.
Ann (controller): If we could talk to Bono, that would be great.
Captain: Bono’s on board, we’ll get him to say hi.
Bono: Vertigo 2005 I’m ready and waiting
Ann: Hi Bono, welcome to Amsterdam.
Bono: I’m very happy, it’s been a long time I’ve been waiting for this.
Ann: Are you looking forward to the concert in Amsterdam tonight?
Bono: Yeah, we haven’t played here for, gosh, probably maybe fifteen years, so can’t wait. I’m gonna be on the radio in a few minutes, is that right?
Ann: you’re on the radio live right now.
Bono: Wow, oh dear, how am I gonna fly the plane and do an interview…
Ann: You’re doing great, I have a few questions actually from the listeners from Yorin FM, eh, would you like to answer them for me?
Bono starts singing: Come fly with me, come fly, let’s fly away, from the south of France to Amsterdam, there’s nowhere else we’d rather play…shoot, fire ahead, I’m ready.
Ann: 50000 people will watch your show tonight and the viewers want to know what they can do to make it unforgettable for you.
Bono: falling asleep is not a good thing…that would certainly upset the drummer.[long piece about how happy he is to play in Amsterdam again] I just hope that the roof that they have on will stay on.
Ann: viewers said that Live8 two weeks ago was a great statement. Are you satisfied with the results?
Bono: You know, people got out on the streets, people turned up all over the world, it’s never enough for me, you know, delayed gratification is not a rock star thing really, is it (smiles). But 50 billion dollars is an incredible sum of money. I think with the bombs in London, this achievement is oveshadowed of course, but it’s a very real achievement. Take something like malaria, which really personally I find offensive that in the 21st century, 3000 Africans, mostly children are dying every day of a moscito bite. Well, by 2010, we think the money is there now to all but eradicate malaria. That’s just one of the items. So, it’s not perfect, it’s not everything we want, there’s still work to do, but it is a result and I’m very pleased with everybody who got behind us, thank you very very much.
Ann: and the last question was: within 30 minutes, you’ll be in a limousine driving to Amsterdam. What song would you like Yorin FM to play to get you in the right mood?
Bono: a U2 song or somebody else’s song?
Ann: This isn’t specified, so you decide for me.
Bono: There’s only one song for me, and it goes something along the lines of “I’ve been driving all night (I’ve been flying all night) my hands are wet on the wheel. It’s half past (what time will it be) five and I’m shifting gears (something like that). I think the DJ on the ground knows what I’m talking about, it’s Radar Love. That’s what I’d like to hear. By the way, your accent sounds a little not Dutch. Where might you be from?
Ann: I’m from [didn’t get that] in county Meed. Don’t laugh.
Bono: And what’s an Irish girl like you doing…eh…having a vertigo experience at the top of a control tower?
Ann: they’re having a slight problem getting people in the Netherlands to be controllers, so there’s two Irish controllers here, there’s one right next to me.
Bono: wow, yes, it’s strange, we Irish people love the fear of heights. I wish you luck, can’t wait to see everybody tonight. And I have done lots of strange interviews; I’ve done interviews naked, I’ve done interviews in odd places; I’ve spoken to people sitting on the john, but I have never done an interview whilst trying to fly an airplane. Thank you for the experience. I’m going down now, there’s a scene from Baywatch apparently on one of the beaches. We’re going to see if we can find some U2 people on the beaches. So…eh…if we [lots of noise here] over your head, I’m flying with one hand. God bless.
Many, many thanks to our friend Maaike who will have more information and pictures at their site http://maaike.schrijft.nl sometime later this week.
Ed. Note -- Our friend Maaike has written up an account of the amazing exchange Bono had with Ann, an Irish, Holland-based air traffic controller today. Below is an excerpt. Enjoy!
Dutch air traffic control and Dutch radio station Yorin FM have organized a remarkable welcome for U2 today. As the group entered Dutch airspace (in two separate aircraft), they were greeted and interviewed by an air traffic controller. On their approach to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, hundreds of fans prepared a sunny surprise. And all this was broadcast live from the control tower at Schiphol by Dutch radio station Yorin.
Ann (controller): If we could talk to Bono, that would be great.
Captain: Bono’s on board, we’ll get him to say hi.
Bono: Vertigo 2005 I’m ready and waiting
Ann: Hi Bono, welcome to Amsterdam.
Bono: I’m very happy, it’s been a long time I’ve been waiting for this.
Ann: Are you looking forward to the concert in Amsterdam tonight?
Bono: Yeah, we haven’t played here for, gosh, probably maybe fifteen years, so can’t wait. I’m gonna be on the radio in a few minutes, is that right?
Ann: you’re on the radio live right now.
Bono: Wow, oh dear, how am I gonna fly the plane and do an interview…
Ann: You’re doing great, I have a few questions actually from the listeners from Yorin FM, eh, would you like to answer them for me?
Bono starts singing: Come fly with me, come fly, let’s fly away, from the south of France to Amsterdam, there’s nowhere else we’d rather play…shoot, fire ahead, I’m ready.
Ann: 50000 people will watch your show tonight and the viewers want to know what they can do to make it unforgettable for you.
Bono: falling asleep is not a good thing…that would certainly upset the drummer.[long piece about how happy he is to play in Amsterdam again] I just hope that the roof that they have on will stay on.
Ann: viewers said that Live8 two weeks ago was a great statement. Are you satisfied with the results?
Bono: You know, people got out on the streets, people turned up all over the world, it’s never enough for me, you know, delayed gratification is not a rock star thing really, is it (smiles). But 50 billion dollars is an incredible sum of money. I think with the bombs in London, this achievement is oveshadowed of course, but it’s a very real achievement. Take something like malaria, which really personally I find offensive that in the 21st century, 3000 Africans, mostly children are dying every day of a moscito bite. Well, by 2010, we think the money is there now to all but eradicate malaria. That’s just one of the items. So, it’s not perfect, it’s not everything we want, there’s still work to do, but it is a result and I’m very pleased with everybody who got behind us, thank you very very much.
Ann: and the last question was: within 30 minutes, you’ll be in a limousine driving to Amsterdam. What song would you like Yorin FM to play to get you in the right mood?
Bono: a U2 song or somebody else’s song?
Ann: This isn’t specified, so you decide for me.
Bono: There’s only one song for me, and it goes something along the lines of “I’ve been driving all night (I’ve been flying all night) my hands are wet on the wheel. It’s half past (what time will it be) five and I’m shifting gears (something like that). I think the DJ on the ground knows what I’m talking about, it’s Radar Love. That’s what I’d like to hear. By the way, your accent sounds a little not Dutch. Where might you be from?
Ann: I’m from [didn’t get that] in county Meed. Don’t laugh.
Bono: And what’s an Irish girl like you doing…eh…having a vertigo experience at the top of a control tower?
Ann: they’re having a slight problem getting people in the Netherlands to be controllers, so there’s two Irish controllers here, there’s one right next to me.
Bono: wow, yes, it’s strange, we Irish people love the fear of heights. I wish you luck, can’t wait to see everybody tonight. And I have done lots of strange interviews; I’ve done interviews naked, I’ve done interviews in odd places; I’ve spoken to people sitting on the john, but I have never done an interview whilst trying to fly an airplane. Thank you for the experience. I’m going down now, there’s a scene from Baywatch apparently on one of the beaches. We’re going to see if we can find some U2 people on the beaches. So…eh…if we [lots of noise here] over your head, I’m flying with one hand. God bless.
Many, many thanks to our friend Maaike who will have more information and pictures at their site http://maaike.schrijft.nl sometime later this week.
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Good stuff!
