my pics of meeting Bono and Edge in Seattle 4/25/05

[love2bmama]

Ok, I'm finally getting a chance to post my pics. I didn't crop them down so hopefully if you were there you might be able to find yourself in them.
The concert the night before was my first and was such an awesome experience, I was on the rail outside the ellipse and words cannot describe how great the concert was for me! But, fast forward to metting Bono and Edge....

I met my sister in Seattle later that night and we spent the next day (4/25) downtown shopping, etc.

In the afternoon we were headed back to the hotel when I decided to cruise by the back entrance at the arena and just see what was happening. I had to really drag my sis along with me as she is not a big u2 fan and didn't want to wait around on the sidewalk in the hot sun for a chance to "maybe" meet Bono. But I made her go, and I'm so glad I did!

It wasn't too long after we got there that I saw John Sampson and told everyone around me "That's John Sampson, that's Bono's security guard, something must be happening!".

He left for awhile and then came back out (minus the suit jacket!). There were basically 2 groups of people, one on each side of the driveway, so he spend somet time talking to each group, telling us that Bono would be there in about 10 minutes. He said if everyone stayed calm and stayed on the curb then Bono would have time to meet everyone, but if people started crowding around too much then he would get Bono back in the car and they'd go inside.

John seemed like such a nice guy, and he answered everyone's questions and even posed for this pic with me:

to be cont'd....

 

[love2bmama]

Of course from that time on everytime an SUV with tinted windows came down the street we all thought it was Bono. Then finally one came up and stopped, and out came the Edge! We had no idea he was coming, at least those of us in the area I was in didn't. It was a total bonus!
You can't see Edge too well in this pic, he's behind his security guy w/the green shirt on:

Here's where Edge got mad at the professional autograph seeker and took his records away, you can see him giving the guy what-for!

I think that's Kellyahern taking a picture in this pic:

I hadn't even thought about what to say if I met Edge, so I had nothing planned but I had him autograph my ticket from the concert the night before and told him thank you. My sister didn't have anything to sign so she just asked if she could shake his hand, which made him smile!

Right after he went past us in the line a big semi came up and started backing up, I swear it came within a couple of feet of running over Edge! It was almost surreal, lol.

to be cont'd.....

 

[love2bmama]

Ok, so Edge escapes being run over with the semi and gets back in the SUV and goes inside, smiling and waving. I have no idea how long it was, but not long after another SUV pulls up and out comes Bono!!

In the purple shirt!!!

It seemed like for a minute he was acting like he was just going to wave and then get back in the car, I don't know if he was just being a tease or what but then he got out and started greeting everyone. I have to admit that I started crying as soon as I saw Bono and didn't really stop the whole time, it was just incredibly moving and emotional for me! I wasn't hysterical or anything, just overwhelmed.

this is the girl who's birthday was that day:

I have to, I will come back later to add the rest of my pics of Bono and finish my story!!

 

[dsmith2904]

Very cool pictures. I so love Edge for giving that guy what for. Autograph sellers like that totally ruin it for the rest of us.

It's so pretty by the arena, much nicer than the downtown industrial feel of Staples Center.

 

[BEVERLY56]

Please come back and finish posting! I love the way you're telling the story, followed immediately by the picture!

 

[bret6262]

Great story/ pics! Don't leave us hanging hahahah.... Congrats!

 

[swandiver]

Molly! That must be the "in" shirt to wear to see U2 ... because I wore one just like it 5/9 in Chicago!

 

[kellyahern]

[/IMG]

I think that's Kellyahern taking a picture in this pic:

Yep that's me . . . and my really pale legs

Thank you for the pictures

 

[U2SJ]

Awww i love all the pics!!! Congrats! Bono and Edge are the greatest!!

 

[love2bmama]

Sorry to leave you guys hanging, I had to go pick up kids from school and boring stuff like that, lol. I'm back to finish my story now!
Swan, that is too funny that we wore the same shirt. I HATE how I look in the pics but I'm sharing them anyway because that is me and I am just happy to have some pics that show I was there, lol!
It was such a gorgeous day, and the area we where at really was pretty with all the trees and stuff. I didn't realize until later that the space needle is right there at the top of the street, that is pretty neat too!

Anyway, here are more photos of Bono and the crowd that was there:

this was right before the now-famous "Anthropoligists are sexy" comment Bono made, lol!

I remember being surprised for some reason at his accent, I guess because you don't hear it as much when he's singing.

This one is right before it was my turn, leave it to Bono to be signing autographs with his eyes closed, lol!

When he was signing my ticket (The same one Edge signed!) I told him "Bono, your music has changed my life. Thank you.". He said "heyyyyy". Whatever that means, lol! I'm just glad I got to meet him and talk to him. Here's him as he goes past me:

This last picture is someone else's, I think I found it in the gallery at u2tours. Anyway, after Bono finished with the autographs as he went back by on his way to walk into the arena he was grabbing a few hands as he went by and I reached out and got an awesome, strong handshake. It was cool! I had NO idea until I saw this pic that I stepped WAY off the curb, no wonder he grabbed my hand! I thought it was so funny, because the security guys had been telling us for hours to not step off the curb. Ooops! That's me in the khaki pants, I'm the one taking a giant step off the curb, lol!

So, that's my story of meeting Bono and Edge. What an awesome experience! It took me forever to write this, I will hopefully soon getting around to posting all my concert pics too because I got a lot of awesome ones especially 4.24 when I was right on the rail outside the ellipse!

 

[susanp6]

Great to read your story bmama!

That was ruff he said that to about anthropoligists!

What a lovely woman she is!

 

[arw]

Here's where Edge got mad at the professional autograph seeker and took his records away, you can see him giving the guy what-for!

what happened here?

 

[kellyahern]

what happened here?

Edge caught an ebay/professional autograph seller. The guy (seller) was a jerk too

The seller had about 3 or 4 vinyl albums for Edge to sign (big tip off, who brings 4 albums to get autographed ). Plus I read somewhere else that Edge mentioned that he recognized the guy from Denver, but I didn't hear that part. After the bodyguard took the albums, Edge just went back to happily signing other autographs for people

 

[arw]

Edge caught an ebay/professional autograph seller. The guy (seller) was a jerk too

Yeah I got that part, but how did he catch him?

 

[arw]

The seller had about 3 or 4 vinyl albums for Edge to sign (big tip off, who brings 4 albums to get autographed ). Plus I read somewhere else that Edge mentioned that he recognized the guy from Denver, but I didn't hear that part. After the bodyguard took the albums, Edge just went back to happily signing other autographs for people

that's better! Thank you

 

[kellyahern]

that's better! Thank you

Yeah, I realized I didn't explain that very well at first

 

[arw]

Yeah, I realized I didn't explain that very well at first

I think my reaction to your first post was then

 

[Schmeg]

Great story and very nice pictures! Love the giant step off the curb!

 

[Kariann]

Really great pics!

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Love your pics Molly! So great hearing about your U2 experience!

 

[love2bmama]

A couple funny things that happened that I forgot to include in my story...when Edge was there signing autographs on the other side of the crowd from where I was this guy came down the street, he obviously just happened by and he decided to plant himself right in front of everyone else. John (Sampson) wasn't having any of that, he came over and told the guy to leave, he said "These people have been waiting here for 2 hours, you think you're just going to walk up and cut in front of them? Get outta here, Buttmunch! I'm watching out for my crew here!".

Then right before Bono came over to our side one of the other security guys spotted another professional autograph seller who had just got there. This guy had a huge stack of stuff, it looked like records and pics. So John came over and at first he was nice to the guy, he said "Look, this is for the fans, Bono doesn't have time to sign that much stuff for each person, we aren't doing any pro stuff today". The guy got really belligerant and said "I paid $200 for my ticket, that makes me a fan, I have as much right to be here as anyone else...." So then John says "I recognize you, you've been at other shows, we know who you are". And the guy says "if you know me, then what's my name?" John's answer:
"Asshole"
rofl!

 

[bigwali]

A couple funny things that happened that I forgot to include in my story...when Edge was there signing autographs on the other side of the crowd from where I was this guy came down the street, he obviously just happened by and he decided to plant himself right in front of everyone else. John (Sampson) wasn't having any of that, he came over and told the guy to leave, he said "These people have been waiting here for 2 hours, you think you're just going to walk up and cut in front of them? Get outta here, Buttmunch! I'm watching out for my crew here!".

Then right before Bono came over to our side one of the other security guys spotted another professional autograph seller who had just got there. This guy had a huge stack of stuff, it looked like records and pics. So John came over and at first he was nice to the guy, he said "Look, this is for the fans, Bono doesn't have time to sign that much stuff for each person, we aren't doing any pro stuff today". The guy got really belligerant and said "I paid $200 for my ticket, that makes me a fan, I have as much right to be here as anyone else...." So then John says "I recognize you, you've been at other shows, we know who you are". And the guy says "if you know me, then what's my name?" John's answer:
"Asshole"
rofl!

Good One!

 

[marik]

HEY! i was at this meeting as well. i have some pics of it, and you might be in them (cuz i was on the opposite side as you) i don't know how topost pics. i could e-mail them to you and you could post them here...

 

[starsgoblue]

Buttmunch and Asshole!


Love it!

 

[U2Girl1978]

I love B's bodyguard!

 

[Niamh_Saoirse]

LOL...John is such a great guy!

 

[love2bmama]

Marik, definitely email me and I will post them! Did you see yourself in any of my pics? I'm having a blast looking for me in other people's pics, it's like Where's Waldo, lol!
dufrane6@msn.com

 

[kellyahern]

I'll go through mine too (I was also at the opposite side of the street ).

 

[love2bmama]

that's great, Kelly, I'd love to see yours! I saw some that were posted here.