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Why are Bono and U2 a huge success? Don't ask Bono!

Irish superstar says his hair stands on end at every concert

KENNETH HAYNES

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Saturday, August 15, 2009, 10:15 PM

Updated Saturday, August 15, 2009, 10:49 PM

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Read more: U2, Bono (Musician), Business, Irish Economy, National Economy, Alternative and Contemporary Rock, Entertainment, Music, Pop and Rock Music, The Edge (Musician)

The Edge and Bono of U2

Photo by PA

There's just one person who has yet to figure out why U2 is the superstar band it is.

Bono.

The 49-year-old singer says something "very strange" happens when he walks into a room with bandmates Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr. and the Edge.

He explained: "There's something very strong when the four of us walk into a building. I'm pretty famous so I'm used to walking into a room and having people look up, but when it's the four of us the hairs on their necks stand up.

"What they don't know is that is what's happening to us as well, which is really the bit that I'd still like to figure out."

The Irish rockers have been writing hits for over three decades, but Bono admits they have only just got used to their worldwide fame.

He said: "It has never felt less weird to be in U2. We've come out the end of a storm. The thunder and lightning that fame feels like when you're 20 turns out to be a little bit of inclement weather that's not really worth hiding indoors from.

"You realize you don't actually have to have your life turned upside down, you can have a family, and you don't have to end up in rehab. There are more interesting viruses to catch than the common cold called self-consciousness."

Bono says he and his band-mates can anticipate each other’s onstage antics like a rehearsed dance routine.

"I’m acutely aware of what I, Edge, Adam, and Larry are doing, whether or not we catch each other’s eyes.

"It’s like some part of dance. There’s an element of which is much more mysterious, which is the way the magic happens to be working that night. And you’re only a small part of that."

A Trinity College professor who has studied the people of Ireland since the heady days of the Celtic Tiger said Bono's remarks don't come as a shock.

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As the Irish people have a genuine sense of fun, Irish entertainment can be found in every town, village, city and county. One of the most popular forms is the festival, which is used to celebrate all sorts of occasions &emdash; everything from literary pursuits to a love of oysters. Here are a few highlights of entertainment in Ireland throughout the year: Londonderry boasts the biggest Halloween Festival in the world with around 30,000 celebrating the ancient Celtic New Year every October. Grab a dodgy mask and join the party! / The Belfast Festival at Queen’s is Ireland’s biggest International Festival and boasts an eclectic mix of music, talks, comedy, exhibitions and film. / The Galway Races, the Rose of Tralee Festival, Puck Fair in Killorglin, and the Oul’ Lammas Fair in Ballycastle are world famous and offer a great chance to enjoy Irish entertainment, life and laughs with the locals. / Food festivals are now a big draw in Ireland with local produce scoring high among international foodies. Head to the famous oyster festivals in Clarenbridge in Galway, or Hillsborough, County Down. / Tune in to a spot of music with the Open House Festival in Belfast, the Waterford International Festival of Light Opera, or the Feile an Phobail in west Belfast. Or grab a pint and tap your feet to some cool tunes at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival. / If you prefer your festivals small and intimate, try the harp festivals in Roscommon or the rough and ready horse and pony fairs from Cavan to Cork. Even today, the horses are priced in guineas, and bought and sold with a spit in the hand. / At the other end of the scale of entertainment in Ireland lies the Wexford Opera Festival with full-scale opera productions, concerts, recitals, talks, cabaret, fireworks, and, of course, parties. / For something a little different, try the Magnus Barelegs Festival in Downpatrick offering a slice of Viking life, or the Eagle Wing Festival in Groomsport, County Down, which celebrates Ireland’s cultural links with America. / Theater fans should head to Dublin for both the Dublin Theatre Festival and the excellent Dublin Fringe Festival, with wildly exciting performances taking place in fabulous venues. / Around March 17, the country turns a shade of green for a host of St Patrick’s Festivals. All over the country, from the Saint’s hallowed burial place in Downpatrick to the more carnival atmosphere of parades and exceptional fireworks in Dublin and Belfast. / Literary lovers should head to Dublin in June for the intriguing Bloomsday Festival, where fans of Joyce’s Gargantuan Ulysses dress up in traditional gear and scoff old Dublin food like “nutty gizzards” and “urine-soaked kidneys”. Alternatively, seek out the delights of the Aspects Literature Festival in Bangor in September, an annual celebration of Irish literature with lectures, discussion and music. But festivals are just one aspect of Irish entertainment—let's not forget about music! From impromptu sessions in your local bar to the thrilling beat of U2, Ireland has always been home to the best sounds of music. Ireland’s massive successes in the Irish entertainment world include some bands and artists you may have heard of…U2, The Corrs, Enya, Westlife, Snow Patrol, Ash, David Holmes, Van Morrison and The Thrills, to name just a few. Unique and distinctive, the harp holds a special place in Irish entertainment and has come to symbolize the harmony of people and music in Ireland. It’s the earliest musical instrument mentioned in Irish literature and has been used as an official emblem for Ireland since medieval times. Today, it’s on Irish passports and stamps. But there's more: Fleadhs, or festivals, are a major part of Irish entertainment as well as cultural life, and impromptu trad sessions have become the stuff of legend at West Belfast’s Feile an Phobail, the Galway Racing Festival or Kerry’s Puck Fair. Rock and dance music festivals are also big news with the Oxegen Festival, Tennents Vital Belfast and the Electric Picnic held in summer.

Why are Bono and U2 a huge success? Don't ask Bono!

Irish superstar says his hair stands on end at every concert

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