Barbecue with Lula

Bono had lunch with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday. The two first met in Davos last year, where they discussed social and economic development in Brazil. On that occasion, the president himself requested Bono’s visit, and the U2 singer flew to Brasilia to meet the head of state. This time talked about the same subject, and Lula explained to Bono the details of a new program for unemployed farmers.

After their meeting, Bono flew to Sao Paulo to prepare for U2′s Tuesday night’s show at Morumbi Stadium, which will be broadcasted live by Rede Globo.

Bono’s schedule for the rest of U2′s South American tour is filled with political meetings. On Feb. 25th, the singer will meet with Michelle Bachelet, the new Chilean President, a very brave woman and human rights activist who survived Pinochet’s concentration camps on 1974. On March 1st, Bono will receive the distinction “Huesped de Honor de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires” from the Argentinean government, in recognition of his fight against poverty.
(Photo: Reuters)

Merry Christmas, Boston!

Tonight’s show in Boston had U2 feeling a little ho-ho-ho, and it was all Santa’s doing. Early in the show, Bono spotted a fan dressed as Santa Claus, which inspired the U2 frontman to sing a snippet of “Baby Please Come Home” during “Beautiful Day,” shout out Christmas caroles and messages (Jingle bells, war is over), and then tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas: 5 million people to sign up for the One campaign, a fire truck, more time to spend with his children, and for The Edge to get a train set.

Santa was later pulled on stage, as was Elvis, during “Mysterious Way.” The strange trio — the U2 singer being the strangest one of them all — danced around the ellipse while wishing the audience “Merry Christmas.”

Bono and Edge Attend Rally

While U2 fans enjoyed the MTV/VH1 broadcast of the 46664 concert on World AIDS Day (Dec. 1), Bono and Edge attended an AIDS Day rally organized by the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) in Cape Town, South Africa, where Bono addressed a small audience comprised of HIV-positive people and AIDS activists. The U2 singer acknowledged the inititatives that TAC has taken on, saying he was “overwhelmed” by the organization’s work, and paid tribute to the true heroes of the fight–those living with AIDS/HIV.

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.

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