Finally, I met Bono and The Edge!

I went to a U2 concert at the United Center in Chicago on September 20 in my belly dance costume. AGAIN. They missed me last time in May on Bono's birthday. But I couldn't give up. I was rewarded for my perserverence and insanity.

Let me repeat this disclaimer from my previous rant about the May 10 show. For the record: I am not a bimbo. I am not a homewrecker. I do not want to fuck Bono. I do not want to have his babies. I do not want to replace his good lady wife Ali. I simply want to belly dance with him. On stage. During a show. I want to shimmy around Edge and twirl my veil in front of Larry and flip the tassels on my red dance belt for Adam. I want to make the boys smile and laugh and feel joy in their hearts. I want to share the art of tribal style belly dancing.

First let me explain the security fence set up at the United Center and how that has changed. Up until the fall of 2001, the security fence outside the cargo entrance went parallell on both sides of the driveway. Fans could stand along the outside of the fence and the band would come out to say hi. After September 2001, the United Center changed the location of the security fence so that it runs parallell to the street. Now the driveway is only accessible through two locked gates at the driveway entrance and a gate in the adjacent parking lot.

At the May 10, 2005 show, it was a total mob scene outside the entrance. People were spilling out into the street and packed against the fence when Bono and the camera crews arrived. I was at that show in my belly dance costume, hoping to get Bono's attention and ask if he wanted a dancer for the show. Along with everyone else, I was squished between people against the fence. He worked the crowd from the inside of the fence and didn't have much time. I missed my chance to meet him as did many other disappointed fans.

At the September 20, 2005 show, the security guards were less strict about keeping people in line. A few of us saw the gate to the parking lot was unlocked and wide open. We walked under the marquee sign *INSIDE* the security fence to wait along side the driveway. This is nearly the exact location where I met Larry in May 2001. That's another long story for you to read. I had a photo pass to the concert and published an article about my experience. Here are links to the article and photos for reference.

Dreaming Outloud With U2 feature article.

Bono and Edge on the Same Spot Outside the Cargo Entrance of United Center in May 2001

Meeting Larry on the Same Spot Outside the Cargo Entrace of the United Center in May 2001

Back to the September 2006 show. The rebellious fans who snuck in through the other security gate stood along the curb of the driveway. Thankfully, the security guards were cool about it and let us stay there. As long as we stood behind the curb and didn't dash into the drive, we were alright. It had to be the magic location. Right there under the shadow of the United Center marquee. It's where I met Larry four years previously. It's where I met The Edge and Bono.

The security guard looked bemused in my direction. He was probably assessing my level of security risk. "There's a freak fan girlie in line. I have to make sure she doesn't try to dry hump Bono's leg."

The Edge arrived first.

I got really nervous as Edge got closer. I didn't want to scare him, nor did I want to be a selfish bitch and take too much time hugging him and taking photos with him. When he finally saw me, he smiled and his blue eyes sparkled. I asked if he was going to play "Mysterious Ways." He shrugged and said he wasn't sure. I touched his hand and said "Thanks for the music." It was a quick meeting and he moved down the line of people. I am still amazed at how soft his hands are.

And along came Bono. He's so generous with his time, even when he's late for sound check.

Again, as Bono approached, I was so nervous. Would I scare him in my hoochie mama tribal fusion belly dance costume? Would I be a selfish bitch and monopolize the man's time? No. I took a deep breath, centered myself, and decided to play it cool and go totally into Tinkerbell mode, my bellydance alter ego.

This is the costume I wore to the concert. The costume is hot, but I look knackered in this photo. Next, here's a better photo of the same costume and veil.

My veil is metallic two-toned red and purple with spirals. It's very striking under stage light. What better way to get the man's attention than to wave the end of my veil in the breeze. The first thing Bono saw was my veil and my hand with the huge tribal lapis ring. He looked up at me and smiled. Then he made that expression when he's feeling kind of sexy and his eyebrow arches up over the top of his sunglasses. I said, "Hi, Bono. Do you need a dancer for the show tonight?" and asked if they planned to play "Mysterious Ways." He said, "I don't know about that. But you're looking mighty fine." And he gave me the grin again. Yes, I was feeling mighty fine, too.

Flashback to May 10, A.J., Bono's personal assistant, saw me at the May show in my dance costume. He stopped to talk to me and took my seat number to see if he could somehow get me down front where Bono could see me. But that didn't work. So now at the Sept. 20 show, I tried my sales pitch again on Bono. I explained that I didn't have a genral admission ticket and asked if he wanted a belly dancer, that I'd give my seat number, then someone could come fetch me. He didn't accept it. Hey, I had to try!!!

I was on another mission, other than to belly dance with Bono. For the last four years, I've been carrying a blurry photo of Bono with me to U2 fan events and concerts, hoping to get his autograph. It's the blurry "money shot" photo of Bono from the May 2001 concert. I don't recall exactly what I said to Bono, something about, "I had a photo pass. It was my first concert. I was nervous and shook. The photo was blurry. Please sign it. Thanks." And he signed it! He doodled a little cartoon to go with it.

Bono gave the photo back to me. I took his hand and gave it a quick stroke. His cologne smelled intoxicating. I wanted to totally focus on this electric exciting feeling. I looked at his eyes and said, "Thank you." Bono is so remarkable when making eye contact, it feels like there's only two people in the world, you and him, and you have his whole attention.

Bono's handwriting is cryptic. I am not sure what it says. He was talking to another person in line after me, so I couldn't interrupt to ask, "Hey, what did you write?" The best guess is he wrote, "All of love to the dancer." The cartoon is open for interpretation. I think it looks like the elipse ramp, with three vague stick figures on stage, and a stick figure on the ramp, and a spiraly figure dancing on the ramp. I guess that would be me shimmying my hips.

The band did not play "Mysterious Ways" at the Sept. 20 show. Several women with "Dance With Me, Bono" signs were standing next to the elipse. But Bono didn't dance with any women that night. So I have no reason to feel disappointed by not dancing with him. My seat was up in the second level behind stage right. Bono wouldn't have seen me up there.

This autograph is more special to me than any slow dance with him could ever be. I kept a copy of that blurry picture in my cubicle at work at my crappy job, so I could remember how awesome the concert was, how exciting it was when I was in the photo pit, and how amazing it was when Bono sang to me. That photo has helped me get through some rough times. And Bono finally saw the picture and signed it.

Here are a few photos of the September 20, 2006 concert.

Back to Tinkerbell's Belly Dance Page

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