Tag: u2

Bono takes the pulpit at Georgetown University

Bono sings Ultraviolet in Houston, TX during the 360 Tour (Oct. 2009). Photo by Jonathan Blundell.

Bono rocked another sermon recently at Georgetown University – calling the students (and the rest of us) to action to alleviate the suffering in the world around us.

“I don’t know if this is a lectern or a pulpit,” Bono told the crowd, folding his arms on the wooden podium in front of him, “but I feel oddly comfortable. It’s a bit of a worry, isn’t it? So … welcome to Pop Culture Studies 101. Please take out your notebooks. Today we are going to discuss why rock stars should never, ever be given access to microphones at institutes of higher learning.

“You will receive no credit for taking this class,” Bono joked, “not even street cred — it’s too late for that. I will, of course, be dropping the occasional pop culture reference to give the impression that I know where your generation is at. I do not. I am not sure where I am at.”

I was really impacted when I heard Bono speak in Dallas several years ago — and this was no different.

And this latest sermon follows a great line of other sermons he’s given in recent years – spreading the Good News to those that have ears.
Continue reading Bono takes the pulpit at Georgetown University

10 U2 workout songs

U2
U2 in concert at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX | Photo by JDN

atu2.com has offered a list of their Top 10 U2 songs to workout to.

And it’s a great list… but I like my playlist better. 🙂 Which, I haven’t really used much lately… Guess I’d need to actually work out more frequently to really put it to use.

10. Zoo Station – I always picture Bono walking on stage doing his “Bono kick/dance” during the ZooTV tour when I hear this song. The hard beat works great with fast repetitions like a rowing maching.

9. Even Better Than the Real Thing – It’s hard for me hear Zoo Station without it being followed by Even Better.

8. The Fly – Hard for me to hear this song without thinking of the goofy videos we made for this video while running around Pleasant Grove… and my friend Brandon doing the “Bono dance” in a tree and then falling to the ground when the branch broke. DOH!

7. Elevation – This song gets me jumping and boppin’ my head every time I hear it. atu2.com suggests listening to it while on a trampoline. I’m picturing it more while using a punching bag or shadow boxing… or maybe even jump rope.

6. Sunday Bloody Sunday – Perhaps the ultimate anthem? Hard not to get energized listening to it.

5. Bullet the Blue Sky – I usually go with the Joshua Tree album here, but if I really want to get angry and fired up about something for inspiration, you can’t go wrong with the live version from Rattle and Hum.

4. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me – “Who’s afraid of a big black bat?”

3. Vertigo – I don’t run much, but this song and #1 are always great tracks to get me moving.

2. Stand Up Comedy – “Love is evolutions very best day.” Truly my favorite song on NLOTH and just a great jam to do just about anything to.

1. Get On Your Boots – OK. We agree. This is #1.

Who’s your favorite artist/band to workout with?

What songs did I/we miss?

Aung San Suu Kyi and Grace, a thought that changed the world

Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi

In 1990, after her party swept the majority of the Burmese elections, Aung San Suu Kyi was expected to become the next democratically elected Prime Minister of Burma.

Instead of a peaceful transition to her leadership, she was denied the results of the election and she’s faced oppression from the ruling regime and spent 15 of the last 21 years under house arrest.

She was released earlier today.

20+ years of oppression and today she walks free.

“The release of political prisoners is the most important thing for all those who truly wish to bring about change in Burma.” – Aung San Suu Kyi (via e-mail from Amnesty International)

During their U2 – 360° Tour, U2 has been dedicating their song, Walk On, in support of Aung San Suu Kyi and those living under oppression everywhere.

With her release, U2 has issued a statement regarding the release of Aung San Suu Kyi today…

I thought they beautifully summed up the ideas behind a Love Insurgency…

“For a life denied the basic freedoms, she has lived so vividly in the minds of her people and supporters and accomplished so much. By putting the people of Burma’s interests above her own, she has lived in stark contrast with her oppressors. Her struggle has become a symbol for all humanity, of what we are capable of – best and worst. Her very grace so infuriating to the bully government whose brutish gorging of the country’s rich resources have left the people of Burma poor and hungry.”

May we all lives that put the interests of others above our own.

May we live lives in stark contrast to our oppressors.

May we all live lives so full of grace and love that we infuriate those who wish to oppress us.

And may we all live lives that prove, beyond a shadow of doubt, that love wins!

U2 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup

U2 in Houston, Texas Oct. 2009 :: City of Blinding Lights
U2 in Houston, Oct 2009: City of Blinding Lights | Photo by Jonathan Blundell

I’ve really been enjoying the U2/South African mashup videos during ESPN’s coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The videos feature footage from U2’s Rose Bowl concert last year, mashed up with the Soweto Gospel Choir.

Billboard.com reported earlier this year…

After teaming with ESPN for its coverage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, Bono pulled aside ESPN senior director of sports marketing Seth Ader and said, “This is just a warm-up for the one that really matters: South Africa.”

One of my favorites so far has been the Get On Your Boots mashup…
Continue reading U2 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Top 21 Albums of my Youth

Jonathan and Matt (6th or 7th grade)
My best friend Matt and I with our cool Rayon shirts (circa 6th or 7th grade)

The Search shared a great list of the top CCM albums of the 1990’s today. I think I owned every album on the list at one point or another — some of them I still have.

It got me thinking back to my own youth… primarily the 1990’s and the music I listened to. It was primarily a mix of CCM, Rock, Country and a few others thrown in. So without further ado, here are the Top 21 Albums of my Youth… (ranked primarily in order of how much time they spent in my single disk CD player)
Continue reading Top 21 Albums of my Youth

This week’s earworm :: Window in the skies

U2 - Window in the Skies

I’m not sure when I actually heard it last, but U2’s Window in the Skies has been playing in my head a lot lately.

Such a beautiful song and video…
Continue reading This week’s earworm :: Window in the skies