All it takes to be a hero is to do the right thing...

As you may recall, we were in New Orleans just 12 weeks ago. Little did we know that New Orleans' days were numbered. Below are some of the sights from our trip. We can only hope that future generations will once again be able to enjoy what was a fantastic city.


This is the bridge that goes over Lake Pontchartrain. This bridge was washed away in various places and alone will be a great challenge to rebuild.


Above is the world famous Superdome where U2 performed at the Superbowl a couple of years ago. It will be a great day when U2 takes the stage there once again...


Above is the St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest Cathedral in the United States. It was built in 1720.



Here's an inside shot of the Cathedral. It is amazing, and hopefully wasn't terribly damaged.


Above is a night shot along the banks of the Mississippi River.


A blue colored grave at one of the many cemeteries in and around New Orleans. Graves are above ground in New Orleans.



A shot of one of the scenic streets in New Orleans' French Quarter.


Another shot down one of New Orleans' many scenic streets.



The St. Charles Streetcar (do not call it a trolley!). According to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, it is the oldest continuously operating street railway system in the world.

A couple of New Orleans' street performers. Note: her eyes are closed.

If you think the pictures are interesting, we ask that you do what you can to ensure that New Orleans is able to rebuild. Remember, all it takes to be a hero is to do the right thing. Below are some links that the Vertiblog endorses where you can make a charitable donation that will make a difference.

Thanks.

Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund
FEMA Advisory and contact list
Craigs List New Orleans Family Finder
Report Katrina related spam/scam to The FTC
Mennonite Disaster Service Home Rebuilding Effort
Salvation Army Donation Link

U2, New Orleans Needs Your Love...

If anyone in the U2 camp reads this, please consider performing to benefit those suffering from the wrath of Hurricane Katrina.

MTV Vertigo Music Awards...

U2 is nominated in five categories for this year's MTV Video Music Awards being held tonight in Miami.

The categories in which the are nominated are:

• Best group video
• Breakthrough video
• Best direction in a video (artist, director)
• Best special effects in a video (artist, special effects company)
• Best cinematography in a video (artist and cinematographer)

Keane for U2

Keane to open for U2 at MSG...

they're also on SNL tonight on NBC...

Dasboard Confessional Going on tour with U2!

From the Dashboard Confessional site: We will be with or without you from September 12th to September 25th. Many thanks to U2 for the opportunity!

Dates will cover the first eight shows of the 3rd leg, in Toronto, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee.

Thrills to be had in Toronto...

The Thrills are slated to open the first few shows of the 3rd leg of the Vertigo Tour...

We'll be there to document the whole thing, so stay tuned!

Vitamin Records to Release Piano Tribute Disc to U2...

Desire: Piano Tribute To U2

Catalog #: VIT-8937

Release Date: 8/2/2005

Details:
U2 is a state of being. A life force. And a stadium-jolting, ass kicking rock n� roll band. Bono�s towering vocals, The Edge�s cascading guitar-scapes and the rhythm section of Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. brought passion and integrity to a rock world hungry for more than plastic, packaged pop stars. Hyper-creative and forever questing, U2 has led us on an exhilarating voyage of discovery, from post-punk to anthem rock, from American roots music to dance club electronica. The Piano Tribute to U2 is music of majestic simplicity. No digital frills or diamond-naveled MTV babes (sigh). Just the power and emotion of U2, flowing from the keyboard in cool, clean cadences. As these piano covers prove, behind the activist swagger and fashion emergency sunglasses, Bono and company are simply great songwriters. Their hits are a perfect balance of epic and personal and their hooks, once heard, seem to code directly into our rock DNA. The Piano Tribute to U2 is an intimate, instrumental portrait of a band that belongs to the world.

Artists:
U2

Songs:
1 Sunday, Bloody Sunday
2 New Years Day
3 Pride, (In The Name of Love)
4 Where The Streets have No Name
5 I Still Haven�t Found What I�m Looking For
6 With or Without You
7 Red Hill Mining Town
8 All I Want Is You
9 One
10 Desire
11 Beautiful Day

Available here.

Another shot of the Stones' stage...

OT: Stones to Rock Boston... A Different Kind of Monster at Fenway

Rolling Stones Stage pics @ Fenway Park via www.iorr.com...

U2, me too?

By Pico Iyer
Published: August 19 2005 10:26 Last updated: August 19 2005 10:26

The night is very dark in Dharamsala, the small hill station in northern India where the Dalai Lama lives, and the shops are so few that after 9pm you can see more stars than lights. Internet connections are always a gamble here, not least because the phones tend to go down as soon as the electricity comes back on, and it's not often I can access AOL in less than two hours flat (in the land that produces many of the world's greatest software engineers).

Yet at 11.17pm, a figure is hunched over two computers (the only two) in the Tibetan government-in-exile's guesthouse. Tickets for a U2 concert in Los Angeles seven months later are about to go on sale (at 10am in California), and this fool is trying to get online the moment they become available at www.ticketmaster.com. He clicks away frantically while a night-watchman shoots him baleful glances and wild dogs bark across the hills.

They're a global band, I tell myself - for the fool is me - not sure I can persuade even my only listener of the virtue of such madness. U2 speaks for some of the same possibilities of the one-world order offered by the Dalai Lama across the way. I will fly from Japan to Los Angeles on November 1: how better to celebrate the convulsions of a 10-hour flight backwards across the date line than by jumping into a rental car and driving to a local basketball arena to see Bono sing 'City of Blinding Lights'? If the elevation and intensity of the band talking about African debt statistics doesn't transport me, the jet-lag surely will.

I go online 40 minutes in advance, to be safe, and play my fingers lightly over the mouse, as Vladimir Horowitz on his keys. I check the clocks on the screen, the clock on the wall, the watch and the alarm clock I've brought from my room. At 11.26pm, I slip into the site early - and there, miraculously, appears a box inviting me to the best seats the Staples Centre has on offer.
'Do you want these now?' it asks me.
'Yes,' I click. 'Fill out the boxes in the next three minutes,' it adds. I do as required. 'Password?' it asks.
I don't have a password to a website I've never used before. My bank password, my credit-card password? I type them all in.
'Sorry,' says the message. 'Your time has elapsed.'
On the second screen, some of the almost-best tickets the Staples Centre has on offer are suddenly available. I fill out the boxes in the requisite three minutes and then see, 'Password?'
I try again. The one password I use for everything. 'Sorry, your three minutes have elapsed.'
Then, taking pity on me: 'Would you like to be reminded of your password?' Of course I would. 'Yes!'
It is e-mailed to my AOL account, though of course the one machine that occasionally accesses AOL now declines to do so. The box blithely announces, 'No tickets available at this time.' (And the next seven weeks would be spent entering the hitherto unimaginable universe of eBay, and wiring hundreds of dollars to a suspicious-sounding Irishman in the East End of London who promises me deals not available 'through the regular channels'.)

I am not, by most people's reckoning, a fanatic. I'd actually sneered at U2 when its first album was pressed on me by a guitar-playing intellectual with whom I was teaching Shakespeare in 1980. But I live these days in rural Japan, with no bicycle, no car, no news or magazines, and barely room for six or so CDs in a two-room apartment (population four). Two of those CD's are by U2. So seeing the band, and sending all my money to criminals, came to seem more important than actually thinking about all the people U2 is singing for, who live, often, on less than a pound a day.

As the days in Dharamsala turned into eternities - me furiously engaged in on-line bartering while elderly Tibetans walked past to pray for long life for the Dalai Lama - I began to wonder what globalism really means. In the Current Event cafe, young global villagers were singing 'One', the bitter (Bono's word) song the band composed for a Tibetan freedom concert. Exile comes in as many flavours today as cappuccino. And three weeks ago, I flew from Los Angeles to Denmark to stand in a thunderstorm for three hours. U2 were singing of 'one love, one world' - in Copenhagen.

Pico Iyer is a travel writer. Born in India, educated in England, naturalised in the US and now living in rural Japan, his latest book is 'Sun After Dark' (Bloomsbury).

Why Kanye?

Kanye West is rumored to be opening for several U2 shows on the fall leg of U2's Vertigo tour...

U2 at Fenway in '06?

By Carol Beggy & Mark Shanahan, Globe Staff August 18, 2005

Before Mick Jagger has even set foot on the stage at Fenway Park, the whispering has begun about next summer's boffo shows at the ballpark. How do you follow Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Buffett, and the Rolling Stones? How does U2 sound? Word is the Irish lads, who are on a never-ending tour to promote ''How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb," are nearing a deal to occupy the outfield next summer for two nights. Neither the Sox nor Clear Channel would comment yesterday, but the band has demonstrated it's a big fan of Boston. In May, Bono and the boys played three sold-out shows here, and they're returning for two more at TD Banknorth Garden Oct. 3 and 4.

The Arcade Fire to Open for Vegas Gigs on Leg 3?

It has been recently announced that The Arcade Fire, whose music has been featured in pre-concert loops on the Vertigo Tour, will be opening for U2 live at some Canadian dates on Leg 3 of the tour this fall.

We found it interesting, that not only is The Arcade Fire's schedule open for the November run of U2 shows in Vegas, but they actually will be in town the weekend before those shows playing at the Vegoose Halloween festival the weekend of October 29 & 30.

You read it here first!

What is Vegoose?

Vegoose is a Halloween festival extravaganza that will draw inspiration from its Las Vegas location and, of course, the spirit of Halloween. In addition to an eclectic group of music performers, there will be interactive attractions, performance artists, and art installations - including elements of the Las Vegas entertainment and performance community. Don't forget to bring your costume.

Have you checked out the new Vertimap?

We just put up on the right side of the page a new mapping product that is going to be plotting where Vertiblog visitors come from on a daily basis. This morning's map is the first update and if you click on the thumbnail to the right, you'll be able to see a larger image of the map and perhaps see a red dot where you live! I see Iceland! Anyways... we thought this was pretty cool, so we wanted to share it with you.

Yahweh video screen caps...

You can view the video here: http://spon.com/design/mov/U2_Yahweh.mov

I'm Back!

Busy month for me and I regret that I haven't been feeding the Vertiblog as I normally do. Thanks for sticking with me over the past couple weeks.

A couple of things have happened that temporarily took me away from the site. One is a new project I'm working on and the other personal:

1. New website... I just bought a new Jetta and as a result found that there is a huge VW community out there that likes to customize (aka 'mod') their cars. Well, the new Jetta is considered VW's 'MK5' platform. Hence, I created a site called mk5mods.com. If you have a new Jetta, feel free to join! (You may notice a similarity to the Vertiforum in style...). But it's taking off, already 50 members and over 100 posts. So I've been busy with that....

2. Went on Vacation to Boston/Cape Cod... Saw David Gray at the Avalon in Boston. He's doing a small pre release tour for his upcoming album. Songs sounded great and Boston is a great town. I'm really regretting not seeing U2 at any of the Boston gigs. Had tickets at the very first Ticketmaster online sale before the whole ticket fiasco (remember those days?) but opted for MSG in October. Anyways, I didn't bring my cell phone to the David Gray show, but wish I had. We were very close and a great show over all, although he did drop the f-bomb with the many technical difficulties his crew could not iron out. No Babylon either, but definitely check out the new disc as it will be pretty solid. He played the whole album and you could tell there will be a few new classics...

So anyway, I'm gearing up for the Fall Tour, I can't believe in a couple weeks it'll be September already. Just to remind you, the Vertiblog will be at Toronto, MSG, Las Vegas, and Buffalo shows, so we'll be sure to do what we can to get you up close and personal at those venues.

Again, thanks for sticking around for the past few weeks!

U2 Vertigo Tour Setlist 8.9.2005 // Anoeta Stadium, San Sebastian, Spain

Main Set:

Vertigo
I Will Follow
The Electric Co.
Elevation
New Year's Day
Beautiful Day
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
City of Blinding Lights
Miracle Drug
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
Love and Peace or Else
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bullet the Blue Sky
Miss Sarajevo
Pride
Where the Streets Have No Name
One

Encore(s):

Zoo Station
The Fly
With or Without You
All Because of You
Yahweh
Vertigo

U2 Vertigo Tour Setlist 8.7.2005 // Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain

Main Set:

Vertigo
I Will Follow
The Electric Co.
Elevation
New Year's Day
Beautiful Day - Sgt. Pepper's - Here Comes the Sun
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
City of Blinding Lights
Miracle Drug
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
Love and Peace or Else
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bullet the Blue Sky
Miss Sarajevo
Pride
Where the Streets Have No Name
One

Encore(s):

Zoo Station
The Fly
With or Without You
All Because Of You
Party Girl - Get Up Stand Up
Vertigo - Happy Birthday

U2 Allow 'Kite' to Be Used Fee Free for South African HIV/AIDS Commercial Campaign...

U2 has agreed not to charge DDB South Africa for the use of their song 'Kite' which will be used in an Nkosi's Haven television commercial. They have also wavered usage rights because the commercial is for South Africa's first care centre for HIV/AIDS mothers and children. The commercial was the work of DDB's creative team Derek Postmus and Nicole Scanlan and was directed by Dominic Black from the production company Fade2Black

U2 Vertigo Tour Setlist 8.5.2005 // Charles Ehrmann Park, Nice, France

Main Set:

Vertigo
I Will Follow
The Electric Co.
Elevation
New Year's Day
Beautiful Day - Sgt. Pepper's - Here Comes the Sun
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
City of Blinding Lights
Miracle Drug
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
Love and Peace or Else
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bullet the Blue Sky
Miss Sarajevo
Pride
Where the Streets Have No Name
One - Everybody Hurts

Encore(s):

Zoo Station
The Fly
With or Without You
All Because of You
Yahweh
Vertigo

U2 Vertigo Tour Setlist 8.3.2005 // Olympic Stadium, Munich, Germany

Main Set:

Vertigo
I Will Follow
The Electric Co. - Singing in the Rain
Elevation
New Year's Day
Beautiful Day
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
City of Blinding Lights
Miracle Drug
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
Love and Peace or Else
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bullet the Blue Sky
Miss Sarajevo
Pride
Where the Streets Have No Name
One - Rain

Encore(s):

Zoo Station
The Fly
With or Without You
All Because Of You
Party Girl
Vertigo

On vacation!!!

New post on Monday.

South African Fans Set Up Website to Petition Band to Play There...

Makes sense that U2 should play Africa this time 'round, eh?

Cape Town - U2's Bono has definitely made his voice heard to give Africa a helping hand.
Now a group of fans want Bono and his bandmates to do one more thing... Jet over to South Africa and make some music.
Sven ten Bokkel Huinink and a few other fans - web designer Bernard Fourie and David Rozovsky who offered the server on which the site is run - decided to set up a website to get "those four Irish oakies" here.
Sven, a Dutch fan who has been living in South Africa for the past seven years, told News24 he has seen two of U2's concerts and that once you've seen one, you're hooked for life.
So why chose to build a website? "Well, calling Bono is a bit difficult. Asking Madiba is no option either (the old man deserves his time and rest). So what was the only option other than pitching up in Dublin with a bag full of Euros?
"I guess a sign from their fans showing how much we want them to come over. So that is why we made a 'virtual' petition," Sven added.
The website has been up and running since Wednesday morning and the response so far has apparently been positive, but if you want to add your voice - surf over to www.wewantu2.co.za and sign your name.
U2 last performed in South Africa in March 1998 when they concluded their world-wide PopMart tour in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Note: we were #1781 :-)

U2 tipped for NZ concerts

from: http://www.stuff.co.nz

In the name of love – and big ticket sales – Irish supergroup U2 are likely to play Wellington next year as part of their world tour.

Music industry sources in Australia told The Dominion Post that U2 were seriously considering playing New Zealand early next year once the band confirmed dates in Australia. U2 are touring Europe till late August, then the United States for the rest of the year. They plan to play Japan and Australia in January and February. The band has the pulling power to fill Wellington's Westpac Stadium, which sold more than 30,000 tickets to Neil Diamond's show in March. But sources said U2 had preferred indoor venues on their tours and this was likely to influence their decision. Wellington's biggest indoor venue, The Events Centre, can hold about 5000, which could mean more than one concert. Centre manager Neville Brown said he had had no contact about U2 playing at the waterfront venue. The boss of Auckland's planned 12,000-seat Vector Arena said in May that there was "more than a chance" U2 would play Auckland next year. Industry sources in Wellington said contracts had been signed in New Zealand to supply sound equipment for U2 shows in the capital. Westpac Stadium chief executive David Gray said he had not been directly contacted about U2 playing there next year. But it was possible promoters – without mentioning U2 by name – were considering bringing the band here. "There are a lot of inquiries about dates. It's the usual story, you get calls from promoters (and) you don't know what the act is. "We are not in direct negotiations with anybody, but we're aware that U2 is a possibility of touring this part of the world." Pacific Entertainment Promotions director Ian Magan had heard nothing about U2 appearing in Wellington, neither had U2's last down-under tour operator, Australia's Dainty Consolidated Entertainment. U2 last played Auckland and Christchurch in 1993, but Wellington did not have a big enough venue.

U2 Vertigo Tour Setlist 7.31.2005 // Copenhagen, Denmark

Main Set:

Vertigo
I Will Follow
The Electric Co.
Elevation
New Year's Day
Beautiful Day - Sgt. Pepper's - Rain
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
All I Want Is You
City of Blinding Lights
Miracle Drug
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
Love and Peace or Else
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bullet the Blue Sky
Miss Sarajevo
Pride
Where the Streets Have No Name
One - Rain

Encore(s):

Zoo Station - Singing In the Rain
The Fly
With or Without You
All Because of You
Yahweh
Vertigo - Enter Sandman