PGP - are you too good to show us your bloopers??

[The_Edge89]

Looks like fun.

Shit, that looks scary!
And on them shutting down booths and arresting people. I hope U2 stay out of there in the future if this is what will happen.

 

[zuropa_fit]

I hate to say it, and feel free to agree with me, but if the booths go against "the way things are done" in Russia, it's their right to shut them down and I would hope that, like playing in Sarajevo w/o agreeing with or supporting what goes on there, U2 would be able to separate music and politics for the good of the fans and not stir things up more.


or maybe I'm just tired and cranky

 

[corianderstem]

I'll be curious if the band says anything about it later, but they're not going to say/do something about it mid-show.

 

[The_Edge89]

I hate to say it, and feel free to agree with me, but if the booths go against "the way things are done" in Russia, it's their right to shut them down and I would hope that, like playing in Sarajevo w/o agreeing with or supporting what goes on there, U2 would be able to separate music and politics for the good of the fans and not stir things up more.


or maybe I'm just tired and cranky

You know, I suppose you're right about leaving it for later and not spoil the show the fans but as a fan of a great band who is known for their political issues and human rights activism (Vertigo Tour anyone?) this just feels very awkward.
I hope they speak out at some point, but they shouldn't do so tonight.

 

[VintagePunk]

I hate to say it, and feel free to agree with me, but if the booths go against "the way things are done" in Russia, it's their right to shut them down and I would hope that, like playing in Sarajevo w/o agreeing with or supporting what goes on there, U2 would be able to separate music and politics for the good of the fans and not stir things up more.


or maybe I'm just tired and cranky

No, I completely agree. I'm not tired, but I am cranky (PMS ). And with that, I think I've reached my setlist thread tolerance for today.

 

[corianderstem]

Protesters being arrested, okay, I get that.

But I do wonder about the booths being shut down - I can only imagine there was a lot of preparation between U2's camp and the Russian folks, and they would have let them know what would be going on before and during the show.

 

[VintagePunk]

Protesters being arrested, okay, I get that.

But I do wonder about the booths being shut down - I can only imagine there was a lot of preparation between U2's camp and the Russian folks, and they would have let them know what would be going on before and during the show.

I also agree with that, and I'm not sure why it would have happened. I'm sure they'll look into it though.

Just...are people that culturally unaware that they're all up in arms about this?

 

[corianderstem]

I think it was the picture of the guards holding back the crowd that got the biggest reaction. I can understand that, at least until you hear the explanation that it's the norm.

I think after the initial knee-jerk reactions to the news and picture, it hasn't been a big uproar in the thread (excepting one or two people).

 

[Thora]

Having spent time in Russia (not Moscow, but St. Petersburg), that kind of police presence is not out of the ordinary. There were police EVERYWHERE we went, and we didn't even go to a huge event.


Oooh - yay for UV!

 

[VintagePunk]

Yeah, that was odd to see at first, all the military, but like you said, it's the norm there. Maybe it's an age thing, being old enough to remember when Russia was actually a scary place. Or maybe I'm just being a cranky-pants today.

 

[VintagePunk]

It was also all the "oh noez, is Bono going to say something on stage? He should say something, he should protest! Is he going to get arrested?"

He's more diplomat than rebel these days, I'm sure it'll be fine.

 

[corianderstem]

Someone mentioned there was a Get Up, Stand Up bit after SBS? If that's the case, that might have been it!

 

[Thora]

It was still a bit scary when I went 8 years ago. At least the neighborhood we lived in was scary. The building had several former KGB agents living there, and there was gunfire occasionally late at night, etc. Everything else was completely fine. If we were a little too noisy or obnoxious out in public we'd get disapproving looks from the police, but we'd shut the hell up pretty quickly.


And on being cranky today. I'm the same. PMS sucks.

 

[VintagePunk]

Someone mentioned there was a Get Up, Stand Up bit after SBS? If that's the case, that might have been it!

Ah, he's fine then. The Russian military can't understand English song lyrics.

 

[corianderstem]

 

[VintagePunk]

It was still a bit scary when I went 8 years ago. At least the neighborhood we lived in was scary. The building had several former KGB agents living there, and there was gunfire occasionally late at night, etc. Everything else was completely fine. If we were a little too noisy or obnoxious out in public we'd get disapproving looks from the police, but we'd shut the hell up pretty quickly.


And on being cranky today. I'm the same. PMS sucks.

Yeah, being under that kind of scrutiny, you'd soon be on your best behaviour in public, wouldn't you?

 

[corianderstem]

 

[Thora]

Yeah, being under that kind of scrutiny, you'd soon be on your best behaviour in public, wouldn't you?

Umm, yes. We got into enough trouble trying to exchange money at a bank because we hadn't declared it at the airport. Nobody told us that we had to declare every dollar we had - we had just assumed it was excessive amounts that you had to declare. They were SO pissed off at us, and even our translator was worried for us. When a local gets scared, that's NOT a good thing.

Ahh, memories!


ETA - oooh pretty pic!

 

[corianderstem]

Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail ....

 

[bonocomet]

 

[bonocomet]

cori

 

[Thora]

Oooh - something different!! Damn, I love this song!

 

[VintagePunk]

Umm, yes. We got into enough trouble trying to exchange money at a bank because we hadn't declared it at the airport. Nobody told us that we had to declare every dollar we had - we had just assumed it was excessive amounts that you had to declare. They were SO pissed off at us, and even our translator was worried for us. When a local gets scared, that's NOT a good thing.

Ahh, memories!


ETA - oooh pretty pic!

So what happened?

See? The military were just there to protect the eyesight of the concert-goers!

 

[corianderstem]

 

[bonocomet]

 

[Thora]

So what happened?



See? The military were just there to protect the eyesight of the concert-goers!

As far as I can remember, after about an hour or so of us sitting in their waiting room not knowing wtf was going on, they came back and exchanged it. But we were told they were making an exception for us just once, never do it again, you need to obey our rules, yadda yadda. I know I was freaking out the entire time, as they had left with our American money (we couldn't even bring Canadian $$ for some reason ), and I didn't know if we'd even get THAT back. I'll have to search for my journal that I kept during that month and see if I'm remembering correctly. It was pretty crazy.


Time for lunch. Thank god - I'm so hungry!

 

[WildHoney]

Maybe Bono can get a codpiece

 

[corianderstem]

I know. I waited to eat until the show was done.

Now, FOOD.

 

[VintagePunk]

As far as I can remember, after about an hour or so of us sitting in their waiting room not knowing wtf was going on, they came back and exchanged it. But we were told they were making an exception for us just once, never do it again, you need to obey our rules, yadda yadda. I know I was freaking out the entire time, as they had left with our American money (we couldn't even bring Canadian $$ for some reason ), and I didn't know if we'd even get THAT back. I'll have to search for my journal that I kept during that month and see if I'm remembering correctly. It was pretty crazy.


Time for lunch. Thank god - I'm so hungry!

Wow, you must have been sitting there thinking "gulag" and "Siberia." Or maybe I've read too much Solzhenitsyn.

 

[bonocomet]

for a moment there I thought the rain was actually bouncing off of... nevermind.

ARRRRR!!!!!!