Will U2 play Springhill Mining Disaster in Moncton?

[Maoilbheannacht]

Springhill seeks U2 tribute to mining disaster
CBC News, July 26, 2011



Moncton is not the only Maritime community planning a U2 concert this weekend as people in a small Nova Scotia community are preparing to celebrate a special connection with the iconic Irish rock band.

U2 is stopping in Moncton on Saturday for its final North American show in its 360 Tour and early projections estimate 100,000 people may attend the outdoor concert.

The concert is less than 100 kilometres from Springhill, N.S., a town of roughly 4,000 people.

U2 used to perform the "Ballad of Springhill" during the 1980s during its Joshua Tree tour. The song, which was written by folk singers Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl, is about the town's 1958 mining disaster.

With Moncton being the last stop on the band's latest tour, U2 will not come closer to the former mining community.

There is growing speculation that the band will bring back the song and play it during the Moncton concert. But some people in Springhill are organizing their own concert on Sunday and have welcomed the legendary rock band to visit their town.

John Alderson, a member of the town's Mining Heritage Society, said the band, and all concertgoers, are invited to his community for a U2 tribute day on Sunday.

"U2 may just show too, we don't know. You know if there's 300,000 people who show up in Springhill on Sunday, we will be able to accommodate that," Alderson said.

The band hasn't said whether they will show up, but have acknowledged the invitation.

Alderson said fans who attended U2's recent concert in Montreal think the band is getting ready to play it again in Moncton.

"The popular rumour is that during the warm-up, someone heard them playing the 'Ballad of Springhill.' So, we're hoping that that its true, and we're hoping they're preparing to actually sing the 'Ballad of Springhill' during their concert in Moncton," he said.

SPRINGHILL RALLIES FOR U2

Even if the band doesn't perform the song, people in the northwest Nova Scotia town are going to sing it at 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Alfred Legere, a longtime U2 fan in Springhill, said he's rallying people to give U2 a show of their own.

"And we're all going to sing the song together in honour of U2 and the publicity and hope they have given to the town of Springhill," he said.

Springhill is known for a series of deadly mining accidents.

In 1956, an explosion at one of the town's mines killed 39 workers.

However, the largest disaster came two years later.

On Oct. 23, 1958, a seismic shockwave tore through the tunnels of the No. 2 colliery. The "bump" trapped 174 miners underground and 75 miners died in the disaster.

The miners who failed to get to the surface were trapped more than three kilometres underground in a nine-metre-long chamber that was only 1.2 metres high. There was no food and only half a can of water.

Rescue crews managed to find 12 miners six days after the accident. Three days later, crews found another seven miners.

© CBC, 2011.

Springhill seeks U2 tribute to mining disaster



‪Rare U2 Springhill Mining Disaster Live From Dublin‬‏ - YouTube

 

[prbiker15]

If it ever occurs to them, it would be nice for the fans that are there - maybe it could be Bono & Edge acoustic, or a snippet (biggest possibility). I'm doubting it, but we shall see.

 

[corianderstem]

I am skeptical of the report that U2 was rehearsing it. I have heard no reports of that other than this newspaper, and unless they're rehearsing somewhere in secret (and that doesn't seem to be the case here), we all know that someone will hear it and report it all over the internet.

I wouldn't be surprised if it gets a mention or maybe even a snippet, but jeez, can you imagine what a downer it would be if they pulled that out in the middle of the set?

 

[Blue Room]

I am skeptical of the report that U2 was rehearsing it. I have heard no reports of that other than this newspaper, and unless they're rehearsing somewhere in secret (and that doesn't seem to be the case here), we all know that someone will hear it and report it all over the internet.

I wouldn't be surprised if it gets a mention or maybe even a snippet, but jeez, can you imagine what a downer it would be if they pulled that out in the middle of the set?

Correct!

 

[digitize]

They should do something weird and end the tour with that song.

 

[corianderstem]

yes, with a snippet of Bad at the end.

 

[IanIinTheSky]

I could see them doing a bit of it at the end ISHFWILF ala The Wanderer in Nashville.

 

[Galeongirl]

I have NOT heard about this rumour at all, and I was in Montreal! So I'll regard this as a typical internet thing, someone posted something and people took it for truth.

I doubt U2 even remember that song. It's been played maybe 15 times on the JT tour.

 

[theu2fly]

I am skeptical of the report that U2 was rehearsing it. I have heard no reports of that other than this newspaper, and unless they're rehearsing somewhere in secret (and that doesn't seem to be the case here), we all know that someone will hear it and report it all over the internet.

I wouldn't be surprised if it gets a mention or maybe even a snippet, but jeez, can you imagine what a downer it would be if they pulled that out in the middle of the set?

They should play it before Moment of Surrender...

 

[bono_man2002]

‪My Wife and Kids - Michael Kyle 'Ehh.. no!' compilation‬‏ - YouTube

 

[IanIinTheSky]

I could see them doing a bit of it at the end ISHFWILF ala The Wanderer in Nashville.

Good call, you!

 

[cobl04]

‪My Wife and Kids - Michael Kyle 'Ehh.. no!' compilation‬‏ - YouTube

I don't mind this show...

 

[sniggirb]

I could see them doing a bit of it at the end ISHFWILF ala The Wanderer in Nashville.

You may collect your door prize.

 

[corianderstem]

It was a good place to do it. A group of people next to us in the pit had a banner referencing Springhill, and they were over the moon to hear it.

 

[IanIinTheSky]

It was a good place to do it. A group of people next to us in the pit had a banner referencing Springhill, and they were over the moon to hear it.

That was probably the only location in the world that where the people would go nuts for a song about miners brutally dying underground.

 

[corianderstem]

Blood on the coal! WHOO!

 

[mellow moog]

I went to the Springhill U2 day on the way back to Halifax with KEVIN51269. We met the chairwoman of the event Valerie Alderson whose father was one of the miners who died in the disaster. Her and her husband John (quoted in the above article) were great people and very welcoming. She recognized me from my interview on CTV news on Saturday!!!
It was pretty emotional to be there singing the Ballad of Springhill with half the town's population!!!

 

[last unicorn]

^ That's a very touching story

It's great the band rememberred that song and I was really impressed by Bono's performance. I had totally forgotten what it sounded like.