(11-30-2005) Bono Speaking in Washington DC in February -- Interference.com*

[dsmith2904]

[SIMG]http://www.asaenet.org/files/images/Bono_book.jpg[/SIMG]
Bono Speaking in Washington DC in February

Got plans for February? If you're in the Washington DC area, or feel like flying out, head over to the Washington Hilton and Towers on February 3rd to hear Bono give a speech titled "The Future in Front of Us: Living a More Involved Life."

The speech is presented by the American Society of Association Executives who describes the event as follows:

Award-winning lead singer and front man for U2, one of the most successful and highly regarded rock bands in history, Bono uses his immense popularity and influence to draw attention to the crises of poverty worldwide and HIV/AIDS in Africa. Gaining access to the world’s most powerful politicians he has almost single handedly drawn public attention to debt burdens in the poorest of countries, helping to get wealthier nations to forgive billions of dollars of debt. He also works tirelessly to build greater worldwide response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic facing Africa. Join this legendary rocker and extraordinary activist for a powerful evening focused on the impact one can have by choosing to live a more purposeful life.

Tickets for the event are $95 and can be purchased here.

Thanks Gail!

 

[michelleontheair]

This really sucks. You have to be a member of the ASAE to buy these tickets (from what I can tell). Membership starts at $245... I'll have to pass this time.

If you're a student though you can join for only $30 bucks.

mishka
It's all about the bass, baby... BASS!

 

[biff]

So, if you're a student it costs $30? Why does that suck?

 

[LyricalDrug]

I love Bono and everything, but this career move is kind of cheesy. I hope it doesn't become a regular thing. I'm sure he's being paid heaps of money for this, and lots of former politicians and celebs make big bucks speaking at conventions and corporate functions, but still...

I'm surprised he's doing this, frankly. It's one thing to give speeches at universities and for charity groups, but this, I don't know...

 

[michelleontheair]

No dude. It sucks that you have to buy a $245 membership (if you're not a student) to join the ASAE BEFORE buying the $95 ticket.

If you're a student $30 is better than $245 and this does NOT suck. (Though students may disagree lol)

Verstehn?

mishka

 

[Carek1230]

That sorta sounds like the mad rush fans did a year ago buying up U2.com memberships so they could get presale codes for tickets

 

[achtungjulie]

That sorta sounds like the mad rush fans did a year ago buying up U2.com memberships so they could get presale codes for tickets

yes.... and reeeally, i'm sure anything bono is going to say is something we've heard 97468232325 times before. no offense to bono - we all love him - but he is quite repetitive, and i hardly think it's worth $300+...

 

[RademR]

exactly. if it was only $50 i might check it out but buy a membership and then pay $95. i'll pass.

 

[editorinchief]

Can you be a student anywhere? I am a grad student at Harvard. I dont know if that qualifies or not but I would be willing to get a membership and buy tickets for people. If 5 others want to go in with me the membership portion would only be $5 each.

 

[editorinchief]

email me at safarian@fas.harvard.edu if you are interested.

 

[U2Girl1978]

 

[Jono]

I would enjoy hearing it and i have no problem with Bono using every venue possible to share his mission. i bet every penny that i have that he is not doing this for the 50k or whatever they are paying him for it...

also on a quick side note... i am attending my first GA on this tour in Boston on Sunday...how do they work?
I know they scan and if it sends you into the elipse do you get to bring somebody with you? or can you leave the elipse to visit your group in GA? can you loan them the bracelet to go in for a few songs?

 

[Jono]

also just found out that they announced the opening act for the Boston shows...
http://www.institutemusic.com/main_b.htm

 

[U2democrat]

I'm confused...I was just able to download a PDF order form for individual Bono tickets to see him speak, so does this mean I do NOT have to register with the organization?

 

[skjuls]

Ok, I bought tickets on 11/21 and am not a member of the organization.

They aren't sending the tickets until January.

But I am a member of the site.

As I recall, the original ad for the paper listing the entire series of talks indicated that the talks were open to the public........ Thus, you could buy them even if you weren't a member.

If there is a question, I would call them up and ask.

I have a receipt, so I hope it goes through.

They send me stuff all the time on email and I'm not a paid member but I do have a username and password.


Also, if you look at the bottom of the purchase page I believe it indicates registration: it says if you are a member or customer of the org...

 

[U2democrat]

Thanks for that info

I'm SO going to go

 

[skjuls]

Thanks for that info

I'm SO going to go

Hey where do you live!?

I finally vote for someone who wins (aka Tim Kaine!)

 

[U2democrat]

Home is Richmond, now i'm in the hampton roads area for college. There are a lot of Virginians here it's great

 

[skjuls]

Ok, I just checked my order status on their website and they said they shipped my tickets 11/29.

I didn't get any tickets in the mail yet so................and it's 12/1.

And remember I'm not a member!!!

 

[BOCAGATOR]

Dont worry. I called them and you DO NOT have to be a member. I am up in Tyson's corner from South Florida for a 3 month project so I am going to go. How long do you think he will speak for?

 

[ShellBeThere]

I haven't read thru everyone's comments about this yet, and I can understand feeling that it's a bit odd sounding on the face of it...it seems a self-help/motivational speaker 'your best life now/the purpose-driven life/ seven habits of highly effective people' type thing,lol!
But given the blurb's focus on africa and such it seems more like another potential opportunity to do his appeal thing, and in DC to people in possible positions of power to make a check-writing sort of difference maybe?
It'll be really interesting to hear the speech and see what the pitch is like, what new elements he might add, what his addressing this particular audience will sound like. My initial guess is that it would look similar to the 'motivational' aspects of his world-leader type speechs, but the title and photo seems so sort of soft-focus halo-y and decidely unrocknroll.
It seems also like an attempt to do at a different level what he's been trying to do with the ONE campaign...to attack the 'emergencies' of our day from not only the grassroots people-power level, but also from the top, to convince the elites they need to act.
I was putting labels on my myriad VHS tapes and came across the very end of that PBS thing Get Up Stand Up: Pop and Protest, where some streetfighting-type advocates of the disenfranchised were saying no way, Bono's fucked in the head, you can't ever get the elites to change things, you can't ever expect that the people in power will be motivated to change the system that keeps them in their positions. And Bono goes on about how he's lost his vanity in this regard and is shaking hands with Putin as needed. To some degree I see this as the same sort of thing--putting aside the rockstar vanity to work at motivating in a 'personal' way those people who can change things for the better from the 'top'. I don't think for a second that the way it 'looks' is lost on him--he's clearly brilliant at analyzing that sort of thing. And I kinda doubt he's decided he wants a gig as a motivational speaker, or a mirrorballman preacher doing a lecturecircuit. This is different from doing a charity event, or a speech at a humanitarian award presentation, sure.....it'll be interesting to hear it!

cheers...

edit: D'OH! sorry...
I should actually try to understand what the group is before I hypothesize about it!
It seems that the sponsoring agency, the American Society of Association Executives, is a professional organization for *people who run non-profit agencies*, presumably like DATA, and other non-profits Bono is affiliated with. So, really, this is a speech for his fellow non-profit organizers!
It's like a professional convention then...I guess I heard 'executives' and flashed on corporate/elite etc...
Maybe this speech will be a tales-from-the-trenches and very personal deal then, for his fellow organizers.
so, sorry, never mind all the crap I spewed above

here's a link to a nice description I found on the ASAE website titled something like "A note to lawmakers on the importance of Associations", where they focus on their work as a link between citizens and government...
cheers!

http://www.asaenet.org/GeneralDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=8005
cheers again!

 

[skjuls]

Dont worry. I called them and you DO NOT have to be a member. I am up in Tyson's corner from South Florida for a 3 month project so I am going to go. How long do you think he will speak for?

I would only think 90 minutes. there is a private reception afterwards so...................they probably have to keep on schedule for the bigwigs!

 

[U2Girl1978]

I have to take care of some money but I am going to try to go.

 

[randyna74]

So hold on, let me understand this. The reception afterwards will not be open to everyone attending, so it's not like attending the speech will be any sort of guarantee that you can at least meet the man and shake his hand. Is that correct? I'm debating on going but would like to know what to expect from the evening...

 

[skjuls]

So hold on, let me understand this. The reception afterwards will not be open to everyone attending, so it's not like attending the speech will be any sort of guarantee that you can at least meet the man and shake his hand. Is that correct? I'm debating on going but would like to know what to expect from the evening...

we know the reception is private.

But wait around, you never know......

I am not going to just to try to meet him (again) but to listen to him as well.

 

[Carek1230]

I would go to listen to him first of all, hoping to meet him would be secondary. I wanted to go hear Bono speak in Portland last Fall. I'd love to go to DC. I also wanted to see Morleigh Steinberg dance in LA.....so much to see, so many things to do!

 

[U2Girl1978]

Well, for some reason the link is not working anymore.

 

[skjuls]

Well, for some reason the link is not working anymore.

just do google search of the talk.

Keywords: Bono DC Larry King

this always brings up the webpage!

 

[U2Girl1978]

Thanks!

 

[Carek1230]

I am happy to know some folks who will be attending cuz then I am at least assurred a more personal review and play by play with pictures, etc. of the event rather than just reading about it on the news. Of course I still wish I could go!