U2 to award Suu Kyi top Amnesty honor

2009-07-27 17:12

DUBLIN (AFP) - Detained Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was to be awarded human rights group Amnesty International's highest honour Monday, during a concert by Irish rock band U2, Amnesty said.

The Nobel peace laureate -- whose trial in Yangon on charges of violating the terms of her house arrest is coming to an end -- will be named Amnesty's ambassador of conscience for 2009.

The largely symbolic honour has previously been awarded to the likes of South African former president Nelson Mandela and ex-Czech president Vaclav Havel.

It was to be announced by U2's singer Bono during a concert by the band in Dublin later Monday, Amnesty said. U2 have also previously won the award.

"This month marks the 20th anniversary of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s arrest and 20 years since Amnesty International declared her a prisoner of conscience," said Amnesty's secretary general Irene Khan.

"In those long and often dark years, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has remained a symbol of hope, courage and the undying defence of human rights, not only to the people of Myanmar but to people around the world."

Suu Kyi faces five years in jail if found guilty over a bizarre incident in which a man from the US swam uninvited to her lakeside home in Yangon in May.

Her trial began just days before the latest period of her house arrest was due to expire. She has spent most of the last two decades in detention since the junta refused to recognise her party's victory in 1990 elections. (AFP)

80,000 U2 Fans come to Dublin

U2.com

240,000 revellers from as far as Japan, Canada and America will descend on the north Dublin stadium - the equivalent to three All Ireland's finals back to back.

'One of the band's strongest ever live outings,' reports The Irish Times.

"A simply blistering set...' concludes The Irish Independent The Irish Independent.

'Safe to say that there was something magical about last night's triumphant return to home turf.' says The Herald.

Fans poured in from all around the world to see them play at home for one last time ? Ask Bono that's not the case at all. They came to be a part of something greater then their self. To see beyond what could not be possible before.

"In the words of our good friends the Corrs, we are so young," lead singer Bono, who turns 50 next year, shouted, at the start of Beautiful Day.

"As a nation I mean," he added pointing to the crowd.

U2 had been talking all week about Dublin being the shows to remember we can only hope that a DVD comes out of these few days. As expected the boys did not fail so far. Two of the three shows in "the can" they rocked them to the core.

Once they performed tracks from their latest album, the band launched into their greatest hits.

Bono also paid tribute to Ronnie Drew of the Dubliners, who died last year, by playing one of their tracks the Auld Triangle.

U2 dazzled fans from inside a giant steel claw that rose to 60 metres high above the crown - almost as tall as the stands surrounding it.

It took a week to construct the impressive setting, that included 550 tonnes of steel, 56 tonnes of video screens and spanned across a third of the pitch.

Music aside, the band's political allegiance was clear - with a dedication to jailed Burmese politician Aung San Suu Kyi, currently on trial charged with breaking a security law.

Thousands of concert-goers wore a mask bearing her image when the band played Walk On.

Ahead of the gig Bono told fans via a website link-up: "The 'rehearsals' have been going really well. We've been rehearsing in Barcelona, Milan, Nice, Berlin and Amsterdam, but we expect that the main event in Dublin will be better than any of them."

The Edge added: "It's not just another show, for us or for the fans. They travel from all over the world to see us perform in Dublin. Most of them believe it's the best gig for them to attend."

Before the steal packs up and the crew takes on the next city there is one more night in Dublin. Remember folks stage is already being set for another great show. What a wonderful way to end the week or start it.

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Dublin gets a heavy dose of U2 tonight !

From the streets of Dublin the fans are screaming AMAZING. Here is what we have learned so far. We will have videos, we will have more photos, we will have comments all of this coming. Stay tuned.

Check out these photos

http://www.zoeicaimages.com/U2Dublin

Main Set:

Breathe

No Line On The Horizon

Get On Your Boots

Magnificent

Beautiful Day - Here Comes the Sun

Mysterious Ways

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking for

Stand By Me

Angel of Harlem - Don't Stop Til You Get Enough

In A Little While

Unknown Caller

The Unforgettable Fire

City of Blinding Lights - Rain

Vertigo

I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Pride

MLK

Walk On - You'll Never Walk Alone

Where the Streets Have No Name

One

Encore(s):

Ultraviolet

With or Without You

Moment of Surrender

24/07/09 Set List Photo from Backstage


Just before we get ready to launch tonight's show news we get this photo from The Edge - Many say that the Tour has officially kicked off now that the boys have reached Dublin. Tampa Fla awaits their arrival. Where are you going to watch the show ?

Now could this be the same set for tonight ?

Bono, U2 rock Dublin Videos Prove it !

Videos are in and available for viewng, Thanks everyone today is another concert day, more postings to follow

By SHAWN POGATCHNIK (AP)

Bono and U2 rocked more than 80,000 fans in Dublin as the Irish supergroup's latest world tour hit new emotional highs Friday night on home soil.

A deafening roar welcomed the Dubliners as they launched their three-concert homestand at Croke Park, Ireland's biggest stadium and a cathedral to Irish nationalism. The band's "360" tour — featuring its underselling 12th studio album, "No Line on the Horizon" — switches from Europe to North America in September.

"We are so young — as a nation!" shouted the 49-year-old lead singer Bono.

Crowds braced for downpours threw their raincoats aside as an unexpected sunset gave way to a starry Dublin night.

All of the "360" concerts feature a stunning feat of engineering: the four-taloned "Claw" stage. The 390-ton, green cabana stands more than 10 stories above the band as they strut through the crowds on moving bridges and a ring-shaped stage with concertgoers inside and out.

The U2 touring juggernaut deploys three "Claws" — each costing euro100 million ($140 million) and capable of holding up more than 150 tons of lighting, pyrotechnics and giant TV screens — that are continually being assembled and disassembled in different concert locations.

Before taking the stage, Bono joked that the band's performances in Barcelona, Milan, Paris, Nice, Berlin and Amsterdam were just "rehearsals" for the Dublin concerts.

And in front of a crowd waving flags from as far away as Brazil and Japan, Bono said tens of thousands had traveled worldwide to Dublin. "You know the best place to see U2 live is right here," he said to cheers.

High school students Paul "Bono" Hewson, guitarist Dave "The Edge" Evans, drummer Larry Mullen and bassist Adam Clayton came together to form U2 in Dublin 33 years ago.

Set List 24th

Setlist

  1. Breathe  
  2. No Line on the Horizon
  3. Get on Your Boots
  4. Magnificent
  5. Beautiful Day (Snippets: Here Comes the Sun, Blackbird)
  6. Elevation  
  7. Desire
  8. Stuck in a Moment 
  9. The Auld Triangle (a tribute to Ronnie Drew)  
  10. One
  11. Until the End of the World (Snippet: Break on Through) 
  12. The Unforgettable Fire
  13. City of Blinding Lights
  14. Vertigo (Snippet: Do You Remember Rock n Roll Radio)
  15. Crazy Tonight (Snippet: O Come All Ye Faithful) 
  16. Sunday Bloody Sunday (Snippet: Rock the Casbah)  
  17. Pride
  18. MLK 
  19. Walk On (Snippet: You’ll Never Walk Alone)
  20. Where the Streets Have No Name (Snippet: All You Need Is Love)
  21. Bad (Snippets: Fool to Cry, 40) 
  22. Ultraviolet 
  23. With or Without You
  24. Moment of Surrender

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Croke Park is the biggest in rock music history

U2’s stage show for this weekend’s series of concerts at Croke Park is the biggest in rock music history, the band’s tour director has said.

The colossal edifice, which resembles a giant claw, is nearly 60 metres high and the same distance wide.

It is currently being put in place for the concerts which take place on Friday, Saturday and Monday nights.

Craig Evans said the band had spared no expense in putting the 360 tour together and the travelling party numbered around 500 people with 2,000 people in each city being involved in ancillary activities such as ticket sales and promotion.

Mr Evans said the band have been “thrilled for a long time” about the prospects of playing three concerts in their home town. However, he expressed regret that the full 360 experience of playing in the round will not be available to Irish fans because of the layout of Croke Park.

The audience will not be allowed on Hill 16 behind the main stage because of health and safety concerns.

“It’s a shame. we’re subject to the design and physical limitations of every stadium. With the power and access and safety requirement and sound requirement, this stadium just doesn’t allow it,” he said.

“We looked at every option we could to put people back there. We wanted to be able to utilise that. It is fantastic when you see it in the round.”

However, fans will be able to go to the pitch area at the back of the stage giving a semblance of the band playing in the round.

Tickets are still available for Friday and Monday night’s concerts. Promoter MCD’s spokesman Justin Green said fans were coming from as far away as Brazil, Japan, Canada and the US to watch U2 play their home town and the event was attracting 300 foreign media personnel.

He also said the Irish Hotels Federation was on the record as saying that this was one of the first weekends of the year where all hotels in the city are booked up.

Gardaí urged motorists to avoid the Croke Park area in the lead-up to the concerts especially on Monday when Ikea opens in Ballymun and Dublin city’s new bus gate at Trinity College opens.

Unfortunately, heavy showers are forecast for Friday, though Saturday should be a better day. Monday is likely to see more of the same so fans are asked to dress for the weather.

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