Bono needs to plan a full scale DATA Concert.

[TiaraGurl]

send the letter it is really good.

I agree with what someone said about bono and geldof maybe those two are up to something...

 

[Katey]

I agree too.. an have a slight feeling Bono has something up his sleeve.. must be the irish in me. But how great would it be for us those who are not only fans but truly care about this emergency to do something.

 

[U2Soar]

?Ubuntu: United For Africa? Concert?(a Live Aid-like Part ll Concert ? this time literally attracting billions of viewers/supporters)

I saw both the live broadcast and the edited TV special of the 46664 Concert and I believe it was a success. I found that the entire event went very well and it was broadcast worldwide on the net and on TV! Yet ? I cannot but happen to think that it could have much more successful > a larger awareness of its existence and therefore having a larger audience. I would have thought that the 46664 organization would have released a single and music video either in late October or in early November in order to promote the concert i.e. 46664 (Long Walk To Freedom). Did a good portion of the general public even know about it and tune in? A single getting radio airplay and music video receiving heavy rotation on TV could have generated an interest and built a momentum for the concert. Sure ? it?s going to take a while to edit / mix / and produce the audio and the DVD of the concert but I also would have thought that the album (of new and studio songs) would have been released during the first week of December in order to capitalize upon the Concert itself! / World Aids Day week! / the Christmas spirit! / and the Christmas shopping season! In fact ? wouldn?t it have a good idea to release a second single and video (i.e. American Prayer) during the first week of December for the same reasons and to push the album. Then January they could have released a live track single and video to promote the DVD and live album in February = a 4 month intensive campaign (let?s not forget about the January release of the U2 Tribute album by Christian music artists - In The Name Of Love: Artists United For Africa. The cover version of Beautiful Day has already been released and I?ve found it to be very impressive. ?A portion of the proceeds from it will go directly to help fight the African AIDS crisis. In addition, the CD will be enhanced and will feature written excerpts from Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2 (Relevant Books) and The aWAKE Project: Uniting Against the African AIDS Crisis (Thomas Nelson).? (Manhunt.com) Good song selection: Where The Streets Have No Name / Pride / One / With Or Without You / All I Want Is You / Mysterious Ways / Beautiful Day Love Is Blindness / Sunday Bloody Sunday / Gloria / When Love Came To Town / Grace / 40. Hopefully this particular album can further awaken the Churches (and maybe even some in the general public) to this Campaign.).

?Former EMI Records U.K. president/CEO Jean-Francois Cecillon executive-produced the event. Cecillon is now chairman of U.K. marketing firm the Music Matrix. He estimates that the show would have reached 2 billion viewers and listeners when an edited version was broadcast Dec. 1 (World AIDS Day) by MTV, the BBC World Service and others across 166 territories - claiming the biggest TV and radio audience for any single music event. "The concert is just the start," Cecillon says. "In February, we'll release a double live CD and a DVD of the event in Cape Town. Then in June, we'll follow it with an album of new tracks specifically recorded for the 46664 campaign." According to Cecillon, 14 tracks have already been recorded for the second "46664" album. It may grow to a double CD, he adds.? (Star-Packed Event Boosts World AIDS Day - Billboard - 12-06-2003)

I?m thinking ? I?m guessing - that the 46664 organization / Artists United Against AIDS / DATA / etc. are going for a ?slow boil? approach where there various projects are released over a long period of time ? that the 46664 Concert was simply a ?kick off? / a beginning of much more that will follow. I can see the merit in that strategy. As a side note: we already know that Paul McCartney and Sting are involved on the album and no doubt their star power will help the album.

However ? I can see the need and the benefit of this particular event and its related ?releases? as setting up something much bigger like a Live Aid-like Part ll type of concert sometime next summer. Coldplay and Elton John (along with Macy Gray / Shaggy / Nelly Furtado / Deborah Cox) were scheduled to perform at the 46664 concert originally planned for early February 2003 before a major sponsor backed out at the last minute. I just can?t imagine all of them deciding to become suddenly uninterested! I suspect something big is in the works. I imagine that we will see the involvement of Radiohead / Bruce Springsteen / Bob Dylan / Bruce Cockburn / Neil Young / etc. somewhere? Would they ?sit out? of this entire campaign for Africa? Afterall ? Live Aid was about a specific crisis in one African concert. DATA is about the transformation of an entire continent. Doesn?t it demand something bigger than the 46664 concert and even the Live Aid concert?

There is the story reported on November 6 at u2log: ?The News of the World reports Bob Geldof is organizing a follow-up concert to Live Aid. ?America for Africa? is supposedly being planned for March 2004 in Hollywood. Geldof told the taboid the concert will be ?bigger than Live Aid? and noted that Bono and Beyonce have agreed to appear.? We?ll see what happens with this report.

The opening line of American Prayer is: ?And this is the time to finish what you started? may not be referring to finishing what Band Aid / Live Aid / We Are The World / etc. started but it could serve as an excellent rallying cry to the music community and to the millions of people around the world who responded to the Ethiopian crisis to do just that ? finish what Live Aid started!

 

[U2Soar]

(continued)
?Ubuntu: United For Africa? Concert in Toronto during the Summer of 2004? "Archbishop Tutu introduced me to a word: ubuntu. Essentially, what it means is 'I am because we are.' And it's about the interdependence, how we need each other and we have a stake in each other. One part of the community can't thrive truly while the other part of the community is in the dirt. "In tending to them, we will be better off ourselves. It's that simple. Ubuntu." ? Bono [BONO CREDITS CHURCH FOR LEADING AIDS FIGHT - Cathleen Falsani - Chicago Sun-Times ? December 5 / 2003]). (?There?s No Them, There Is Only Us? ? Bono 2003)

In mid-November Bono was invited by the future Prime Minister of Canada ? Paul Martin - to address the Liberal Party convention in Toronto about the African emergency. Bono?s 25 minute speech was broadcast live on every major Canadian TV channel. The speech was excellent and it received high praise from the TV commentators / newspapers / etc. I am sure it impressed many Canadians who watched it. Bono spearheading such a concert in Toronto taps into the good will that he has established! Paul Martin owes him and if he supports this concert it will demonstrate his commitment to Africa.

Downsview Park ? this time at least 1 million people - city of Toronto has the experience for this type of event (Pope?s visit there 2 years ago and the SARS Concert last year). Each event drew a few hundred thousand people! Both events were successful (no major problems / difficulties / incidents = no burning down the facility / no riots / no rapes / no crime / etc.). The ?Canadian factor? = the reputation of being friendly and well-behaved people (who could lead by example and who could themselves deal with ?bad behavior? from spiraling out of control). Less chance for terrorism in Canada because of its world reputation. Therefore more of a likelihood of visitors from other places around the world. Parents feel more comfortable allowing their children to attend and adults feel more comfortable too. The currency exchange makes it more affordable for Americans and people from other countries (transportation / hotels / restaurants / etc.). Great location in North America (half a day travel from Montreal / Detroit / Cleveland / Upper New York State. And a day?s travel from Chicago / Philadelphia / New York / Boston.

4 stages ? the back of each stage faces the back of the other ? a circle of 4 stages - 250-000 for each concert stage ? I imagine a sound proofing wall system could be constructed in order to prevent the sound from each stage ?leaking? into the other stages

A fenced or barricaded laneway that circles the venue half way back ? a fenced laneway running up the center of each stage area ? access for people to exit and hop on a trolleys that transport people around from stage to stage throughout the day ? laneways allow the musical artists to enter and exit

4 TV channels ? one for each stage - pay for view (fees going to the Fund) or soliciting donations?

Audio CDs and DVDs of the event released in time for Christmas.

12 acts per stage and 1 ? hour concert each?

Thinking of artists with a history of social justice commitment and involvement (or some sort of social message). Haven?t given much thought to the last 2 stages.

The Rock Side / Stage - The Who - Pink Floyd - Bruce Springsteen - REM - U2 - Pearl Jam - Radiohead -Coldplay

The Folk-Country-Rock Side / Stage - Bob Dylan - Neil Young - ?Cat Stevens? - Bruce Cockburn - Elvis Costello - Willie Nelson - Emmylou Harris & Daniel Lanois

The R&B-Soul-Blues Side / Stage ? Stevie Wonder - Quincy Jones - BB King - etc.

The Pop & Rock Side / Stage - Elton John ? I imagine a number of artists for the youngsters

It could also be a combination of serious and fun acts?

It could also have this combination but with 2 separate locations. The fun acts could be located at downtown Toronto = using the CNE grounds / Ontario Place / SkyDome / Air Canada Centre (=500-000+)

A rally / vigil / prayer gathering in conjunction with the concert? The day before or the day after the concert? Bono knows these leaders. These leaders know Bono. Wouldn?t these leaders come to support this campaign? Wouldn?t they respond to Bono?s invitation? Social & Political leaders: Nelson Mandela / Kofi Annan / Stephen Lewis / Oprah / Jeffrey Sachs etc. Religious leaders: Pope John Paul ll (last influential public act?) / Bishop Desmond Tutu / Billy Graham (last influential public act?) / Coretta Scott King (wife of MLK) / etc.

 

[Katey]

I like it .. the start of a plan.. lets get ahold of Bob/Bono//////

 

[jick]

Pointless ...

Bono will make more money for Africa rubbing elbows with politicians.

That is precisely why Bono decided to go rubbing elbows with politicians (aside from the publicity mileage of course) - Bono realized that Live Aid was a joke. You have a big production and do a lot of stuff just to raise 200 million and that amount is only good to service one week's worth of debt for the African nations. So Bono thought to himself he can do more rubbing elbows with politicians.

If he can get a 200 million debt cancellation from a mere courtesy call, why bother with a large scale concert that requires so much planning and equipment just to raise the same 200 million?

Bono would never organize a DATA concert and I can guarantee you all that. Besides, do the people in this forum really want the concert to help Africa or just for their own selfish intentions which is a new U2 concert appearance, which mean a new live DVD and CD to own? If they really cared about Africa, they do know that what Bono does jumping around from country to country does more help than a concert will ever do.

Cheers,

J

 

[Liesje]

Wow, this is the first time I've agreed with jick on matters of Bono's humanitarian work!

I think a protest to cancel debt would do more good/free up more funds for Africa than a concert. But then again, a concert is always a good way to get people who feel like they have no power or nothing to contribute involved....

 

[Katey]

QUOTE]Bono would never organize a DATA concert and I can guarantee you all that. Besides, do the people in this forum really want the concert to help Africa or just for their own selfish intentions which is a new U2 concert appearance, which mean a new live DVD and CD to own? If they really cared about Africa, they do know that what Bono does jumping around from country to country does more help than a concert will ever do[/QUOTE]


Dear Jick

I have and do much work towards the crisis in Africa so to my own selfish motives I want to turn the tide on this emergency and could rightfully care less if U2 were to particpate ( not that I do not love U2) . As Bono has been quoted as saying , "I would have dinner with the devil if it would help this.. and I probably have"

As for the concert, concerts do not oftenmake money you are right. DATA though is not about making money, it is about creating grass root movements an raising awarness .. mobilizing the troops so to speak. Hence for the monetary effort why 46664 had the give the one minute of your life to aids.
SARS concert in Toronto in fact lost money there intention met thought was to increase tourisim and bring money in that way and that they did.

So a concert then my friend would be purely awareness which as well can be very effective there are ways too that you can make money off of it which require more thought but sometimes the publicity etc.. is just as effective

As some one who organizes grass roots movemnets on this issue you can be a U2 fan and care about this emergency in Africa as well my friend ,, in fact truth be told it has probably given me a greater admiration for Bono and the Band..not the other way around.

As for other people . well we all have to deal with our own conscience and answer to ourselves . If there motives are true I applaud them for at least doing something.. At the end of the day ask ouselves what have I done to make this world better..
Remember all the people who were getting on about Bono's critics .. take a good look in the mirror friends you are doing the same to his fans