Melbourne was my last chance. Who knew how long it would be before the band came back to Australia. It was now or never. Sean and I arrived in Melbourne very late Friday night, headed to our friends’ apartment and I hit the sack in the hopes of waking around 5am to get to the stadium for a long day of lining up.
I arrived at Telstra Dome around 5.30am, after early morning SMS’ telling me it was already chaos down there. I was ill prepared, but had my letter in my bag. I’d made a point of writing “To BONO” on the envelope this time, as he may have it confused with something I wanted him to sign. I met some amazing people in line, one of which was Tim. Tim is an online U2ey friend from Perth I’ve ‘known’ as long as I’ve been online. We had never actually met so this was finally our chance. He came over with his lovely girl Morgan for the shows. After texting each other in line for 10 minutes, we discovered that we were in fact sitting right next to each other the whole time. It was quite bizarre. One of the first things he said to me was, “So what are we going to do about this letter?”
Tim then took on the role of making sure I got my arse into gear and helped me get a game plan sorted. We decided to head to the ‘driveway’ before sound check. However, how the hell does one find out where the ‘driveway’ might be? Thats where the beautiful Carly comes in. I have so many amazing people to thank for making this happen. Carly is one of them. Without her fine Bono tracking skills and kind heart, I would never have found him.
Around 3pm, Morgan helpd the fort while Tim and I went searching for The Bono. We found a group of sad looking people holding markers and album covers so we figured we had the right spot. We waited for about an hour while my stomach churned more and more. It was getting far too close to cut off time for getting back to our spot in the line and there was no sign of any band members. We decided to call it a day, which of course meant another chance when slipping away. There was only Sunday left after that.
A little dejected we walked back and listened to Bono sound check One Tree Hill. I found out the next morning that we had missed him by 10 minutes. Of course we did!
I felt sick most of the afternoon, fed up and tired of lining up after 5 shows, sick of not eating properly, not getting any sleep and generally feeling like crap. As awesome as the first melbourne show was, I went home feeling like I couldn’t possibly do it all again in a few hours. So I made the conscious decision for the final show to just relax, get there when I got there, get some rest, food and I even decided to leave my camera at home. SEE HOW NUTS IT MADE ME!!!
I got up on the Sunday and made my way leisurely to the stadium. I for once stopped panicking about how many people would be ahead of me in the queue, I stopped thinking about how I was going to get my camera into the show, I stopped freaking out and just made my way slowly to the show. On the way I spotted a U218 billboard poster in a deserted street. If it had been any other show day, I would have smiled and kept walking. But that morning, I took out the dodgy little digicam I borrowed from my mum, crossed the road and took a photo of the poster. Then emerged a man from a van asking if I wanted one. I thought he was about to pull them down, but he actually meant a new one. I said I had to line up to see them all day and he gave it to me anyway. I told him he was awesome and he said he could tell I was someone who’d really appreciate a prized item like that. So I walked to Telstra with my giant 2 part poster under my arm.
I arrived at ‘Pen A’ to find Tim, Morgan, Daniel and Brad already well in line. I didn’t panic and went to the next pen. Found Carly there and chatted about Bono type things. Later in the day the gorgoeus Kate joined me and we spent the day chatting to people around us about the shows and other fans. At 2pm, Tim made his way over for our last try at finding The Bono.
We waited in the same spot with a couple for a while. They had confirmation that the band had left the hotel already. No sign of them anywhere. Down the steps comes Bono’s dancing girl from the night before to tell us that we were actually in the wrong spot as Bono had accidently come through there yesterday. So she lead us around the corner to the next driveway.
I was much calmer. Not sure why. About 10 minutes later, up pulls a black BMW 4WD and stops. There were about 12- 15 fans there. A man got out but I was sure it wasn’t Bono’s car as I could only see 2 women. The man was John, Bono’s body guard. He told us to stay calm, not to crowd “him” and “he’ll” come over. I started losing breath, getting butterflies in my stomach and feeling rather nervous, when a well dressed man in black stepped out from behind the car and made his way over to the line of people waiting patiently. I was so Bono-struck that I could hardly move. All of a sudden, there he was, that man I’d seen in so many forms on a daily basis for the past 15 years, standing right in front of me, smiling and talking to people like they were his old friends.
It was a very surreal moment. He giggled a lot and asked questions, he looked at their books and flipped through the pages of the U218 singles special edition all while seeming perfectly engaged in the conversations he was having with these ordinary people. I nervously took photos of him, to then realise it was my turn next. Oh crap, I hadn’t thought of what to say. I had thought of this moment quite a few times and never figured out what I’d say. Its not like I never had long enough!
I held out the blue letter like an idiot, my hands shaking, as he looked straight at me. All I could say was “thank you for everything”. He looked at the letter and asked,”Is this for me?”. I told him that I had been trying to give it to him for a very long time. He thanked me and I thanked him again and then I was this vapid airhead with nothing intelligent to mutter. He shook my hand and moved onto Tim.
I didn’t want an autograph, I couldn’t muster up the courage to ask him for a photo or a hug or a kiss. I froze and could think of a million things to say as soon as he walked away. I should have told him that the letter was about losing my father and how I had had this life changing moment in the rain on my Dad’s birthday anniversary at his grave while I heard Kite play for the first time. How I then thought Kite was a song my father sang to and wrote for me and thought this for a year, while Bono himself didn’t realise thats what it was about. How a year later, I saw his band play in London and happened to be there the night his own father passed away..how I stood there a metre from him while the opening chords of Kite started and he said the words, “I used to think this was a song I wrote for my children, now I know this is a song that my Dad wrote for me.”
And that…was what I had known for a year before Bono did. I could have told him some of that at least, but I didn’t. I let him go on to hug his dancing queen again, while I stood back in the shadows and watched from afar behind my camera lens.
As soon as he left, I felt this amazing rush of emotional baggage leave my body. It was incredible. I did a happy dance with Tim. I rang Sean and cried like I’ve never cried before…and as I write this, Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own has just come on.
Bono is an amazing, kind, caring man. He stood there and spoke to all those people individually, made them laugh, conversed with them like old friends, did everything they asked and seemed to enjoy every minute of it. John continued to pull him away,”we’ve got to go boss” to which Bono ignored and kept on talking to his fans.
It was one of the greatest and best moments of my life. I don’t care if he never reads the letter, I don’t care if I never find out what he thought of it, I’m just so happy I finally got to share my story. One thing that left me feeling extremely happy was that the whole time he spoke to all those people and signed their pictures, he held onto my letter. He could have given it to a bodyguard or PA, but he didn’t. He just held it in his hand and that made me feel really good inside.
24 responses so far ↓
1 myla // Nov 23, 2006 at 10:32 pm
A. what a beautiful story. I am so happy for you — and can only imagine how you must feel, knowing that your mission is finally accomplished. Wow. I am sure that after he reads your letter (my hunch is that he read it in the car right after he left you), Bono will be moved beyond words and it will mean more to him then he can ever tell you. And that someday you’ll bump into him again and he will remember you (how could he not?) — and thank you — for what you wrote. Trust me. xox
2 Andrea // Nov 23, 2006 at 11:16 pm
Oh, Bella!!! I can barely breath reading this. Knocked the wind right out of me. I’m so glad you finally got your moment, my sweet
3 Chuck // Nov 23, 2006 at 11:31 pm
Wow! That’s such an amazing story! Such luck to get to meet him and shake his hand!!!
4 tiffanie // Nov 23, 2006 at 11:47 pm
Thank you for sharing. I’m all choked up and i don’t even know you or like the band as much as you do. But this journey you’ve had has been amazingly captured in your photos and words. What a great way to finish it off. I hope he writes back to you. Or at least someone will tell him about this entry
5 susan // Nov 23, 2006 at 11:59 pm
I liked reading this article. I waited for 2 days outside the Versace on the Gold Coast to meet the band, but really it was only BONO that I wanted to see. I got their autographs, but I felt like you, I was just happy to be in the same space as BONO and to look into his eyes! It sounds ridiculous, but having been a fan for 26years….well I think this whole experience may have been life changing for me. I feel I need to do more for the world!
6 nikki // Nov 24, 2006 at 12:27 am
oh my bella cowgirl…it’s not so much a ‘dream come true’ but rather, like you said, the release of an emotional void. i’m so happy you were able to make things come together. i bet he did read your letter…i don’t think you’ll have to worry about that…
7 kel // Nov 24, 2006 at 7:44 am
How very amazing for you this would have been, I saw Bono on the Gold Coast and didn’t get his autograph or even get to talk to him, but to see him taking the time to spend with his fans who had been waiting hours was great. I agree totally, he is a genuine and caring man.
8 Jasmin // Nov 24, 2006 at 7:55 am
Oh, Manda, what a heartfelt story tinged with love and pain. I’m glad you got to meet Bono, hand him your letter and let the burden fall away. I remember reading your earlier post about Kite and its significance to you, a few months after my father passed away. I listened to Kite again after reading your post, and its meaning has completely changed.
9 tracey // Nov 24, 2006 at 8:12 am
I’ve just cried my eyes out, that’s awesome Amanda. I’m so HAPPY and excited for you that I’ll probably cry for the rest of the day.
10 nicole // Nov 24, 2006 at 8:25 am
wow, what a story…i have goosebumps from reading this! i am really happy for you that you finally got to meet Bono after all this time. and i’m sure he did read your letter
11 Vanessa // Nov 24, 2006 at 9:36 am
very, very cool!!!
awesome story…I am always so happy when other U2 geeks get to meet them
12 Paul // Nov 24, 2006 at 10:05 am
Hi Amanda,
That is quite a story.
I didn’t realise that the London show meant so much to you – so I feel especially glad I managed to get you that spare ticket all those years ago.
(> That night is still by far my U2 highlight!
How did you go with your SLR at the shows. I was told very firmly to put my camera away (Melb night 2).
You must really feel like the vertigo tour was complete!
Paul
13 drew // Nov 24, 2006 at 10:23 am
awesome…you are so lucky
14 Amy // Nov 24, 2006 at 10:55 am
What a wonderful story amanda! I am so happy for you, for FINALLY getting your dream to come true, it must be an amazing thing. Also to know that Bono has your letter (and read it! – a friend of mine says bono always reads letters given to him, she gave him one an when seeing him the next day he talked to her about the contents of the letter!)
I was at melb both days, but never thought about waiting to meet Bono (or Adam who I really want to meet – so loving your pics of him!
) but on the Sunday in Melb we saw a guy with a slushie and he told us where to get them, so we walked down there and straight past where the “driveway” was. There was a little crowd, a loud man telling us ‘you just missed bono!’ hahahaha
So i might have walked past you!
Anyway, congratulations on meeting Bono – I love reading stories like this
Amy
xx
15 Angelica // Nov 24, 2006 at 11:29 am
Hi
I´m very happy for you, If your dream come true, my dream will come true one day, I´m never meet Bono so close, I´ll go to Hawaii, and I hope that maybe I will meet Bono.
Thanks for your history, Is very inspi(red) for me:-)
Bye
Angie
16 Amanda // Nov 24, 2006 at 4:18 pm
Aww guys. ALl your comments mean a lot to me.
Its been a very special week.
Im not coming down yet.
17 Amanda // Nov 24, 2006 at 4:25 pm
Oops I didnt realise there were so many comments here.
Paul! Hi stranger!
Yes, you getting me that ticket was like fate or something. That was the first time I saw them after I had all that happen with Kite. That one show.
It was a really weird moment in my life.
So thank you again SO much.
Thank you to everyone for leaving comments. They’ve made me happy knowing that my little story has touched some people.
Bono is an amazing man simply because of what he has accomplished in his life, but more importantly I think he is amazing because he is so humble, so down to earth, so ordinary.
18 Natt // Nov 24, 2006 at 9:34 pm
Hi Manda
:):)
We’ve never actually met or spoken or anything but I’ve just read your post of meeting Bono and I just had to leave a message – it brought tears to my eyes! What an amazing experience!!!!
I met him in ‘98 after Popmart, I have no idea what was said (I had a moment of OH. MY.GOD and think my brain went to mush, I don’t even have photo’s because my camera ran out of film, but I still get chills thinking about it.
I hope this doesn’t sound silly coming from a complete stranger but I am so very happy for you that you got to live your dream – they really do come true sometimes!!!
I also wanted to say thank you so much for all the awesome work you’ve done on the Lypton Village site, I’ve been a daily visitor for the last 12 months (since I discovered it) and it’s just brilliant – so thank you for being such a huge, dedicated U2 fan and for sharing it with everyone else too! Thank you also so much for posting the pics from the Melbourne 1 concert, I was there but didn’t bring my camera in but your pics are brilliant – an awesome momento!!
I’ll stop rambling now, but I just wanted to say thank you very much for everything!
Cheers
Natt
19 Carrie // Nov 24, 2006 at 11:21 pm
Glad you finally posted the rest of the story!! I was very excited for you just reading it. Congrats!
And I totally understand the fate thing…I didn’t believe in fate at all until the day I met Bono in Dublin (at a Radiohead concert). I know that sounds totally cheesy, but it has more to do with the events of the entire day just to get to that point (meeting him technically wasn’t even in my thoughts). If you ever want to hear about it, pop me an email and I’ll send you a link to the story.
Congrats, again…must’ve felt amazing!
20 Leonie // Nov 25, 2006 at 11:40 am
Wow…that is one amazing story…Good on you!
21 Emma // Nov 28, 2006 at 11:43 pm
Hey
Congratulations on finally meeting the B Man, do you want to hear something really funny though, i was there aswell, i met Bono on that same sunday arvo at about 3pm at the service entry at Telstra Dome. The top photo you have of Bono, i have the front of, I met him too, and i probably met you, especially if you were with the dancing queen because i spoke to her for a while, Bono is an angel, and the joy that he gives to his fans with just kind words, and smile, or look, just fills you with love and hope (sorry getting a bit soppy) but i asked Bono for a photo and i got more then i ever could of dreamed of, i got a hug, a kiss and a photo.
feel free to email me at sazzy12@hotmail.com
I’d love to share photos & see if i did meet you, and find out if you know the name of Bono’s Dancing Queen, i cant remember it, but i do remember she is from Venezuala
22 gracie // Dec 27, 2006 at 12:28 pm
Great story Amanda,
My daughter and I were there too and I remember seeing you with the blue envelope in your hands and tears in your eyes even before Bono arrived and I knew you had something special to tell him. I also watched as you gave him the envelope and he was truly listening. I am sure he read it.
We didn’t get a photo with him either but he asked if he could sign my daughter’s t-shirt. (so cute) and she was soooo happy to let him
(soon to be framed and hung on the wall)
“Oh crap, I hadn’t thought of what to say. I had thought of this moment quite a few times and never figured out what I’d say. Its not like I never had long enough!”
exactly how I felt…after being a fan for years and finally getting to meet him I just went blank! Oh well maybe I should have written a letter too!
I am so pleased you got your moment with Bono. Thanks for your story and the lovely pics.
23 Liana // Dec 31, 2006 at 3:16 pm
Hey Amanda,
Congratulations on finally meeting the man himself!!!!!! I loved your story, thanks so much for sharing it. Your photos are fantastic!!
I hope Bono has read your letter and was touched like I was after reading your story (it brought tears to my eyes – it’s a beautiful story). I’ve actually met you. We met after the Saturday concert in Sydney at the driveway. I was with my friend, who was the masive U2 and Bono fan – just like you. Congratualtions again. I’m so happy for you and I’m glad that he was everything you expected him to be. xx
24 baja gal // Mar 16, 2007 at 5:00 pm
Dear AndyPI.
Yep, its an old blast from the past who found your site quite by accident.
Reading your blogs, I felt like I was there with you shaking and waiting. I am so thrilled for you that you finally got to meet Bono. Shorter meeting than you would have liked, but delightful just the same. I wish many more for you in the tours to come
The photos are awesome !
Baja
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