November 21, 2003
Peter and the Wolf Auction
The night begins with Gavin. Gavin Friday is the person who conceived the "Peter and the Wolf" CD and book project to aid the Irish Hospice Foundation. His arrival at Christie's in New York City tonight (Nov. 21) marked the beginning of the end of the project: the auction of the book's illustrations, drawn by his friend Bono.
Dressed completely in black, Gavin arrived with musical collaborator Maurice Seezer and posed for paparazzi and fans lining the streets before making his way to the press area, where he spoke to U2log.com's Ruth Barohn. Speaking briefly about another project close to his heart -- the film "In America" by Jim Sheridan (Gavin has written a song for the film with Maurice and Bono, which is sung by Andrea Corr) -- Gavin said, "Go see 'In America.' It will make you cry."
Shortly after Gavin's arrival, Bono arrived with wife Ali and their friend Guggi. Paparazzi swarmed Bono as he attempted to make his way to the press area, where he conducted short television interviews with several media, one of which was "Access Hollywood."
Bono and Gavin together posed for photographers before entering the auction house. Friends Paul McGuinness and Keryn Kaplan of Principle Management were present to show their support.
Inside the auction house, Gavin Friday delighted an audience with a humorous tale about the "Peter and the Wolf" project before introducing Bono. The U2 singer paid tribute to Gavin and Maurice, calling them "two of his favorite musicians" and described their collaboration on "Peter and the Wolf" as an experience that he really enjoyed. Bono then spoke about the Irish Hospice Foundation, calling them "angels," and thanked the organization for providing services to people in need. In true Bono fashion, his speech was sincere, touching, and comical at times.
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This is only a partial report, compiled from information phoned in from the event. Please return to U2log.com soon for a complete report from Ruth Barohn and Chris Conroy. In their report, you will learn:
•who the duck is in "Peter and the Wolf" (Bono is Peter, Gavin the wolf, and Ali the pussy)
•who described his friend as a "total pain in the arse"
•who said he would stick his tongue in the ear of the person who would bid $30,000
•which drawing earned the most at $60,000
•and if someone special will be joining Bono at the Mandela concert.
Photos by Christopher Conroy for U2log.com and GavinFriday.com. Please do not use the photos that appear here on your website or forum without our explicit permission.