dsmith2904
ONE love, blood, life
By Tania Almeida
2004.05
It was considered just a rumor that the band would be in Spain, France and Portugal to shoot a video for the new single to be released in September. I can?t confirm their presence in the other countries but I can assure you that U2 were in fact here in Portugal.
U2 arrived yesterday night. It wasn?t official, no one was warned about it. Someone talked to the band, and they said they were here to make some pictures for the new album?s booklet. They arrived, and walked around Lisbon Thursday night.
They went to a club in Lisbon, LUX (something not confirmed yet) According to an employee of a restaurant in a beach named Praia Grande, yesterday they had a reservation for the band?s crew as well as the crew of a national channel TVI. The channel was going to shoot some program with the band but they canceled the reservation and the shooting.
Friday morning was the first time someone talked about the fact that the band was in Portugal. A radio station, Best Rock said U2 were in Portugal and may be in Praia Grande. I heard it and I couldn?t resist, I had to find the guys so I went looking for them everywhere I possibly could. I talked with security guards to find out something, but learned nothing, no one knew anything about it, everyone looked at me like, ?Sorry? U2 are in Portugal? I didn?t know!? In fact, no one knew about it, so I thought I have no places left to look for them.
Then something came up to me, the airport. The airport had to be a good choice because the band had to depart from there, so I went. When I arrived, at 2:30 pm, nothing special was happening, everything was normal. I talked with some more people in order to sort something out about the band but even in the airport no one knew anything at all. Finally I found a lady that understood I was really serious and that I really needed to meet the band so she made some phone calls and told me that the band would depart at 6 from Gate C. So I waited near Gate C. How hard could it be?
I waited three-and-a-half hours (and those hours seemed an eternity to me) and nothing, no sign at all of the band, I was becoming nervous about it. Soon two reporters arrived, I chatted a little with them, they were also waiting for the band. We waited a little longer and finally, at 8 pm, the band arrived. Smiling and waving to everybody, as always, they came up trough the airport corridor.
Larry was the first one to arrive. I said, ?Hi Larry? and he answered back! Next came The Edge, who also answered. They seemed a bit shy, and maybe a little nervous. Adam must have been disguised because I didn?t see him pass by, I just saw him later inside the departure gate. Very quickly all of them got inside the gate, except Bono, Bono kept with us, talking and smiling with me, more four or five other fans and the reporters. He saw me, smile at me, and came towards me. I kissed and hugged him and he hugged me back, really hard. I had some things for him to sign (?Pop? album and ?If God Will Send His Angels? CD), so I asked him to sign them. He smiled and said, ?Sure? but my pen wouldn?t write, so I gave him another pen. While he was signing my stuff, we talked a little:
Tania: So, how is it going the new album? Can we expect the new single in September?
Bono: Yes, for sure you can
T: And the album, will it be out in October?
B: Yes, it is almost done, it will be out by that time
T: Bono, can you promise us you won?t miss Portugal with the new tour?
B: Well, we have been talking with people, and we are trying really hard. Let?s see what we can make.
After this, Bono smiled and said bye, and went to the departure gate. He still had time to make some funny face to a photographer, though. After that, they vanished.
The event was covered by the national newspaper Correio da Manh? and a story will be in the paper on Saturday. They are about to make a nice article about the band and are going to interview me as a lucky girl that had the opportunity to meet the band, they want to know what it?s like for a fan to meet the band. The article will include some of the pictures taken at the airport Friday.
All that happened made me thing about just a few words, it is, in fact a beautiful day.
2004.05
It was considered just a rumor that the band would be in Spain, France and Portugal to shoot a video for the new single to be released in September. I can?t confirm their presence in the other countries but I can assure you that U2 were in fact here in Portugal.
U2 arrived yesterday night. It wasn?t official, no one was warned about it. Someone talked to the band, and they said they were here to make some pictures for the new album?s booklet. They arrived, and walked around Lisbon Thursday night.
They went to a club in Lisbon, LUX (something not confirmed yet) According to an employee of a restaurant in a beach named Praia Grande, yesterday they had a reservation for the band?s crew as well as the crew of a national channel TVI. The channel was going to shoot some program with the band but they canceled the reservation and the shooting.
Friday morning was the first time someone talked about the fact that the band was in Portugal. A radio station, Best Rock said U2 were in Portugal and may be in Praia Grande. I heard it and I couldn?t resist, I had to find the guys so I went looking for them everywhere I possibly could. I talked with security guards to find out something, but learned nothing, no one knew anything about it, everyone looked at me like, ?Sorry? U2 are in Portugal? I didn?t know!? In fact, no one knew about it, so I thought I have no places left to look for them.
Then something came up to me, the airport. The airport had to be a good choice because the band had to depart from there, so I went. When I arrived, at 2:30 pm, nothing special was happening, everything was normal. I talked with some more people in order to sort something out about the band but even in the airport no one knew anything at all. Finally I found a lady that understood I was really serious and that I really needed to meet the band so she made some phone calls and told me that the band would depart at 6 from Gate C. So I waited near Gate C. How hard could it be?
I waited three-and-a-half hours (and those hours seemed an eternity to me) and nothing, no sign at all of the band, I was becoming nervous about it. Soon two reporters arrived, I chatted a little with them, they were also waiting for the band. We waited a little longer and finally, at 8 pm, the band arrived. Smiling and waving to everybody, as always, they came up trough the airport corridor.
Larry was the first one to arrive. I said, ?Hi Larry? and he answered back! Next came The Edge, who also answered. They seemed a bit shy, and maybe a little nervous. Adam must have been disguised because I didn?t see him pass by, I just saw him later inside the departure gate. Very quickly all of them got inside the gate, except Bono, Bono kept with us, talking and smiling with me, more four or five other fans and the reporters. He saw me, smile at me, and came towards me. I kissed and hugged him and he hugged me back, really hard. I had some things for him to sign (?Pop? album and ?If God Will Send His Angels? CD), so I asked him to sign them. He smiled and said, ?Sure? but my pen wouldn?t write, so I gave him another pen. While he was signing my stuff, we talked a little:
Tania: So, how is it going the new album? Can we expect the new single in September?
Bono: Yes, for sure you can
T: And the album, will it be out in October?
B: Yes, it is almost done, it will be out by that time
T: Bono, can you promise us you won?t miss Portugal with the new tour?
B: Well, we have been talking with people, and we are trying really hard. Let?s see what we can make.
After this, Bono smiled and said bye, and went to the departure gate. He still had time to make some funny face to a photographer, though. After that, they vanished.
The event was covered by the national newspaper Correio da Manh? and a story will be in the paper on Saturday. They are about to make a nice article about the band and are going to interview me as a lucky girl that had the opportunity to meet the band, they want to know what it?s like for a fan to meet the band. The article will include some of the pictures taken at the airport Friday.
All that happened made me thing about just a few words, it is, in fact a beautiful day.