March 2006 Archives

Hollywood star Edward Norton has praised the 'humbling' efforts of crusading rocker Bono - because he can work with people he doesn't like.

The U2 frontman and anti-poverty campaigner is hailed for his ability to shed personal prejudices to progress the causes he champions.

And the Fight Club star insists Bono's courageous behaviour should be an example to all.

Norton says: "I've been pretty impressed with him. It's very enlightened to choose to seek as much positive connection as he does, even with the people who are the instruments of these terrible terrible policies.

"In essence it's 'turn the other cheek', 'hate the sin and love the sinner', which is a lot more forgiving - more Christian, more Buddhist - than a lot of these things these more radical people talk about.

"It's saying, 'You're still my brother, I still want you in on this with me, even if I disagree with you. I'm going to find some common ground.'

"It's humbling to realise the degree to which we all indulge in anger, in response to these things. It's humbling to realise that the people who have affected real change embraced their adversaries.

by Derek Paiva, Honolulu Advertiser

The final 10 shows of U2's Vertigo tour will be rescheduled for November, vocalist Bono told Australian television yesterday. But a fall date for Honolulu will have to accommodate football at Aloha Stadium.

According to U2's Web site, www.u2.com, the band hopes to make an official announcement on specific dates soon.

The Vertigo tour's final shows, including an Aloha Stadium date on April 8, were postponed last week when an immediate family member of someone in the band fell ill. Honolulu fans were advised to hold onto their tickets and wait for a new date.

Bono commented about rescheduling the postponed shows on Australian Broadcasting Corpo's Enough Rope TV show, saying that he didn't want to leave the country without confirming the band's intention to make up the shows.

"I can't really get into details why," Bono said, regarding the family illness that postponed the dates. "The good news is I think I can announce tonight we are coming back. Looks like November, and that's a great relief to me."

Bono did not say which U2 member's immediate family member was ill but said, "Our music does come out of (a) very tight community. So if one of us is going through it, we're all going through it."

Last week's postponement affected U2 shows in New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Hawai'i.

By Kathy McCabe

It was meant to be a short holiday with the family before the start of the final gruelling leg of U2's world tour.

But yesterday singer Bono was taking comfort from his wife Ali and their family, including sons Elijah and John, after the Irish supergroup put the Vertigo tour - including two sold-out Sydney dates - on hold due to the serious illness of one of the band's relatives.

As Bono and his family spent the day boating on Sydney Harbour, sympathetic fans speculated that the tour was halted by an illness affecting one of guitarist The Edge's children.

U2's international promoter The Next Adventure and local agent Michael Coppel said: "This action is unavoidable due to the illness of an immediate family member of the band."

TNA president Arthur Fogel said: "Any fan of U2 will realise that this decision has not been taken lightly.

"We will announce further details as soon as we have them."

Ten shows in Auckland, Australia and Hawaii, including the two Telstra Stadium gigs on March 31 and April 1, have been postponed.

Representatives of Michael Coppel Presents and the band's Australian record label Universal refused to confirm or deny reports about the nature of the illness or which band member's family was affected.

The postponement could cost many diehard fans thousands of dollars in non-refundable airfares and accommodation.