When I made out with Bono...

That's a lie. I did not make out with Bono, I just thought it was a catchy line.

The real story...

We bought tickets months ago to the U2 concert here in O.K. Then last week got an email from the ONE campaign asking if we would help work the concert and of course we said yes! We ended up selling our own tickets because working the concert got us in for free. Glorious! We arrived at the venue at 2pm and met up with the other 15 or so workers, we all got (RED) laptops, ONE t-shirts and gear and went out to go talk to the masses in line for the show. There were already about 2,000 people waiting so there was much to do. Our mission: Get people informed and signed up for the ONE campaign. I'm sure most of you know about it but I was amazed at how many people didn't! FYI, ONE is a campaign that Bono started in 2004 to help eradicate hunger and poverty in Africa. They are basically working hard to hold our government accountable to what they said they would do for the people of Africa. It's a numbers game, the more people we can get to sign up (just their name and email address), the more voices we have to speak to our leaders on Capitol Hill and follow through with promises to get things done! SO! We were out talking to as many people as possible getting them signed up and informed. I somehow got chosen to be one of two photographers for the day as well. It was a blast! Bono's latest campaign is The Future Needs a Big Kiss, Kiss Poverty Goodbye so he wanted us to take pics of people kissing that were later showed on the jumbotron big screen during the show, they have also be seen here on ONE's blog . People LOVED being in front of the camera (knowing they were going to be on the big screen) so everyone was excited and wanting to know if I would take their picture. It was awesome to get to talk to so many fans, we got to chat and have some really good conversations with a few hundred very excited people. We did this for about 7 hours. Which, amazingly went by fast when you're just talking to people, getting them involved and having a good time. While we were waiting to get in to the show later and were in a backstage area, all of the guys (U2) walked right in front of us on their way up to the stage. I almost peed. That right there almost made up for a day of standing on my feet for 10 hours straight.

(I don't know why we felt the need to do this with out hands but the cool old guy with the leather jacket and bandanna next to us was doing it through the whole concert, so it felt like the right thing to do.)

Once the show started they gave us special passes to get us into the "inner circle"- the stage is 360 degrees around so it is as close to the stage as you can possibly get. IT. WAS. AMAZING. Bono was amazing. The show was amazing. By far, the best show I've ever been to or will ever go to. Not only is the music untouchable but Bono himself is so inspirational, the entire concert was very moving. There were quite a few times that Bono walked over right next to us (literally about 5 feet away) I may or may not have jumped and screamed like a little girl and tried to touch the hem of his garment. :)



Last nights show was dedicated to Aung San Suu Kyi, a 64 yr old Burmese woman who has been under house arrest for 14 years simply because she fights for democracy in her country. During the song, Walk On, me and about 20 others walked on stage carrying a picture of her face to honor her and her brave fight for justice. It was an unreal experience to be onstage with U2 but mostly to be a part of something so huge and moving, to look out and see people moved to tears... Powerful. Singing Amazing Grace with Bono and 60,00 others... Powerful.


(Props to my friend Kevin The Man DeShazo for taking this video from his seat and letting me borrow it)

Also, we were featured on ONE's blog today And they posted a bunch of pics of us durring the concert! Fun! Check it!

(Awesome pic, I know but we were working with a camera phoneIn the dark. In the smoke. )

Summary of the night: BEST.NIGHT.EVER. UN.FREAKIN.REAL.

And then I made out with Bono. .