Do you think Bono ever performs while intoxicated?

[Chizip]

We all know Bono likes to drink, we also know he gets really nervous before shows, do you think he ever puts a few back to help him relax?

Or maybe he just likes to party a bit before some shows?

The reason I ask is I saw this quote in a review for the Wednesday night show in Toronto...

"Generally speaking, Bono was not really tight, forgetting a lot of lyrics, and his speeches between songs were often going nowhere"

they didn't play any songs they hadn't played a million times before. How could he be forgetting lyrics? If they had played Mofo or Discotheque or In a Little While or Fast Cars, then yeah, a few missed lines would seem reasonable. But they didn't play anything that they haven't been playing for months now.

So what do you think, do you think Bono, or anybody in U2 really, likes to have a few drinks before the shows?

 

[Jamila]

I don't know if this another attempt at humor or if the question is seriously asked, but the answer is unequivocably: NO !!

The reason why Bono has ALWAYS had a problem forgetting lyrics or appearing disjointed in thought on stage probably has a whole lot to do with his sense of "stage fright" which has been well documented by others and expressed by Bono himself. (most recently in some of his interviews at the time of Live8)

When you are projecting a professional image on stage but are inwardly constantly not sure if you are being effective in getting your message and music across, you get extremely nervous and begin to forget lyrics, song progressions, etc. which can lead you to REALLY begin doubting yourself .... which can only make matters worse.

This isn't speculation - as I said, Bono himself has alluded to the fact that he is extremely nervous, sometimes sick to his stomach and full of concern before he goes onstage. This has apparently gotten better on this tour, but it is still there.

And habits don't change easy.

I really feel for Bono when I see him struggling with this on stage.

After all is said and done, he is simply a human being with all the self doubts and "phobias" as the rest of us.

And it is his complete humanness and fallibility that makes most of us love him.

BLESSINGS NOT JUST FOR THOSE WHO KNEEL....LUCKILY.

 

[Chizip]

So you don't think he's evvvvvvvver gone on stage while under the inluence?

He isn't shy about enjoying the sauce.

 

[financeguy]

I don't know if this another attempt at humor or if the question is seriously asked, but the answer is unequivocably: NO !!

Are you for real? Seriously, how would you KNOW Bono has never performed intoxicated? I'd say chances are he probably has.

 

[LJT]

I think he was a bit intoxicated in the Amsterdam boot i have from ZooTV...some of the speech seems a bit slurred especially Wild Horses...but it does lead to an insane performance of Bullet the Blue Sky as he gets very into it. Also he calls Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World a Dutch drinking song....

...me thinks he was tipsy then...but i do not think it is a very frequent occurrence for him to be so on stage.

 

[Chizip]

but look at this setlist:

1. Vertigo
2. The Electric Co.
3. Elevation
4. Beautiful Day
5. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
6. City Of Blinding Lights
7. Miracle Drug
8. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
9. Love And Peace Or Else
10. Sunday Bloody Sunday
11. Bullet The Blue Sky
12. Miss Sarajevo
13. Pride (In The Name Of Love)
14. Where The Streets Have No Name
15. One

16. The Fly
17. With Or Without You
18. All Because Of You
19. Yahweh
20. Bad / 40

how could he have forgotten the lyrics to any of these songs???

and lets look at the other evidence...long speeches that never went anywhere, supposedly he tried to do a backflip, he tried to find Mrs Edge during WOWY but forgot where she was...

 

[yimou]

It would be pretty damn exceptional if Bono and the rest of the guys never played a concert being atleast semi-drunk. They must have done it lots of times especially on the first tours. I know some of you like to think that Bono is a nice little boy, but c´mon He is still a rock´n´roll guy.

 

[Axver]

I'd be willing to bet it definitely happened on ZooTV.

Toronto II - I think someone who was actually there and observed Bono's behaviour first hand would probably be most qualified to speak.

 

[Down Under]

Shit yeah

 

[The Disciple]

Xanax and WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!

 

[matt76]

he was definitely drunk on the Zoo TV tour this is well documented!!

 

[JOFO]

isn't he irish?

 

[Queen Bee]

I think he was a bit intoxicated in the Amsterdam boot i have from ZooTV...some of the speech seems a bit slurred especially Wild Horses...but it does lead to an insane performance of Bullet the Blue Sky as he gets very into it. Also he calls Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World a Dutch drinking song....

...me thinks he was tipsy then...but i do not think it is a very frequent occurrence for him to be so on stage.

What's the date of that show?

 

[yimou]

Also he calls Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World a Dutch drinking song....

He says that on all the Zootv boots ( more or less ), In Sweden then its a Swedish drinking song,, In whatever country, its a whatever country drinking song. And he sounds drunk on all the boots ..... Not saying that he is drunk but if he was

 

[Dulce de Leche]

I would say it is nearly impossible that in 20+ years and so many shows under their belt that it hasn't happened at LEAST once or twice that one of them was.

 

[ClaytonMan]

Beautiful Day 2001 MTV awards, in stockholm i think? he def was, it was well documneted that he'd been on the drink in the afternoon before the show,

 

[Chizip]

ok so can anyone who went to the show Wednesday confirm if he was or not?

 

[Sken]

I don't know for sure, but would a normal person get in front of 20,000 people and pretend to be a cat?

 

[Chizip]

I don't know for sure, but would a normal person get in front of 20,000 people and pretend to be a cat?

good point

 

[Souly]

this thread is awesome!

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

I'm quite shy myself so sometimes when I have to speak in front of people my speaking becomes weird, a little slowed down, almost like if I was drunk. I can also forget some stuff no matter how much I have rehearsed it. I think the effect would be bigger if I was in front of 60 thousand people and had all of that stuff to remember. However I would understand if Bono drank a little before a show, it does get you at ease more but I don't think he would actually get on stage drunk or drink an entire can of beer. I mean that would be a bit irresponsible I think. And the band seems to care and respect their fans too much to do that. Plus I remember Bono saying in an interview on TV that he likes to be in control of stuff when he is performing. So that makes me think that he would not get on stage drunk no matter how big is the audience or how nervous he is. I can’t believe people think he actually was drunk on stage during the Zoo TV tour. Bono IS a great actor after all.

 

[U2Man]

He was definitely drunk during the 1994, I think it was, MTV Europe music awards where he was supposed to receive a "Free Your Mind" award. He nearly ate the mic. An embarrasing moment in U2 history, really. Do you remember this, yimou?

 

[Bono's Doll]

He can come over to my house and perform intoxicated.

 

[Chizip]

what about the award show where edge went on about the female orgasmatron?

they all seemed a little then

 

[Souly]

That was the Grammys a few years back. They snuck Vodka in their water bottles.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I don't know if this another attempt at humor or if the question is seriously asked, but the answer is unequivocably: NO !!

The reason why Bono has ALWAYS had a problem forgetting lyrics or appearing disjointed in thought on stage probably has a whole lot to do with his sense of "stage fright" which has been well documented by others and expressed by Bono himself. (most recently in some of his interviews at the time of Live8)

When you are projecting a professional image on stage but are inwardly constantly not sure if you are being effective in getting your message and music across, you get extremely nervous and begin to forget lyrics, song progressions, etc. which can lead you to REALLY begin doubting yourself .... which can only make matters worse.

This isn't speculation - as I said, Bono himself has alluded to the fact that he is extremely nervous, sometimes sick to his stomach and full of concern before he goes onstage. This has apparently gotten better on this tour, but it is still there.

And habits don't change easy.

I really feel for Bono when I see him struggling with this on stage.

After all is said and done, he is simply a human being with all the self doubts and "phobias" as the rest of us.

And it is his complete humanness and fallibility that makes most of us love him.

BLESSINGS NOT JUST FOR THOSE WHO KNEEL....LUCKILY.

look now... bono's a great dude. and i really admire what he does for the less fortunate, yadda yadda yadda, whatever. been said a million times, done not need to say it agian.

but you really need to get off this bono is holier than thou kick.

this is from the new york times article, the statesman, which is to be in new york times magazine this upcomming sunday, regarding a meeting the writer of the article had with bono on the afternoon of their may 21st MSG concert...

In late May, U2 made a swing through New York for the Madison Square Garden concert. Bono insisted on having lunch at Balthazar, the downtown bistro, where the staff welcomed him as an old friend. He ordered half a dozen oysters, the filet mignon and a half-bottle - and then, sometime later, another half-bottle - of a Clos de Vougeot.

so the answer to chizip's question is most certainly yes. the man likes to drink... he's not an alcoholic, but he enjoys having a good time. there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. heck, even jesus drank wine. he was a pretty good guy, too. tons of artists knock a few back on stage. who cares! i'm knocking a few back in the crowd, so why should i hold them to a different standard? eddie vedder brings out a full bottle of wine to the stage. heck... when i saw billy joel on new year's eve one year he got so smashed that he tried to do a back flip off the piano and ended up hitting his head on the side of the damned thing like he was greg luganis or something. he picked himself up and kept on playing. it was friggin awesome.

frankly, the only one who probably doesn't tip a few back before a show from time to time is adam, because he's clean and sober now.

and lastly... we know that u2 doesn't hang around back stage for long. so here's a zootv rider... what the hell ya think they're doing with all this stuff if they aren't drinking it?

 

[JOFO]

but I don't think he would actually get on stage drunk or drink an entire can of beer.

an ENTIRE can of beer?????












oh man, if you are serious, that is the funniest thing I've heard this week..........
who gets drunk from one can of beer?

 

[Pop Artist]

Beautiful Day 2001 MTV awards, in stockholm i think? he def was, it was well documneted that he'd been on the drink in the afternoon before the show,

Well the band have been pretty well sauced at every Grammy Awards they've been at, as a whole or in part, since at least Achtung Baby if not before. They weren't so obvious at the last one because they got cut off a couple of hours before the ceremony and had a little time to sober up.

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

an ENTIRE can of beer?????












oh man, if you are serious, that is the funniest thing I've heard this week..........
who gets drunk from one can of beer?

You must drink a lot to find this so hillarious. Maybe I didn't express myself correctly, I didn't say he gets drunk from drinking a can of beer. I just don't think he gets on stage drunk or would even drink an entire can of beer. Is that better?

 

[bigwali]

The liquor and beer requirements for the Rock Stars are for the entire entourage including the roadies. Whether or not the band partakes is individual perferences. In theory, a person could get intoxicated on 1 beer if they lack the enzyme in the body that metabolizes the alcohol.

Human bodies have enzymes within their bodies that help them to metabolize alcohol at a certain rate, to get the alcohol out of both the bloodstream and the body. Spreading throughout one’s body, alcohol is almost completely metabolized in the liver where enzymes begin to turn the ethanol into CO2 and water. For a white of normal weight and normal height, the amount of time it takes for 1/3 an oz of alcohol (approx. one beer) to leave the body is about an hour. However, depending on location, different ethnic groups have a higher or lower toleration of alcohol due to the amount of time it takes to metabolize.