Bono Meets Buzz at the Rose Bowl

16 Jan Bono Meets Buzz at the Rose Bowl

It was really an amazing night. With our Round Room passes, we were able to go into the special tent set up just outside the Rose Bowl stadium.

We interacted with a number of people like Herbie Hancock (who has met Buzz on previous occasions); Pierce Brosnan (a friend of Buzz’s). I also managed to get a photo with Chris O?onnell and Ewan McGregor!

Tom Freston (one of the original MTV co-founders) introduced us to Paul McGuinness; U2’s manager. It just didn’t seem possible that we would meet any of the band prior to the show.

But then to our delight we were escorted by Susan Hunter from Principle Management to a small backstage room with about 30 people in it, including Hilary Swank, Barbara Streisand, Colin Farrell, Demi Moore.

This was Bono’s room where he would come and mingle prior to the show. Then he came in with his wife, and went around spending real quality time to converse with each of the little groups.

All of this was taking place during the 30 minutes just before the band came on stage to start their concert. I couldn’t believe he spent all this time with people right before the performance. Bono and Buzz had a wonderful exchange, and Bono was excited to tell Buzz about the live link up they did at their Houston concert with the ISS.

He asked Buzz what kind of music they played on the Moon trip, and specifically asked whether they played Fly Me to the Moon.

We shared with him how Frank Sinatra serenaded the Apollo 11 crew with a rendition of the song at the Houston Astrodome right after they got back from the Moon.

Then, during the concert, to our further amazement—right in the middle of the song, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”—Bono shouted out (to the audience and the whole world via YouTube), “BUZZ ALDRIN… OUR SECOND MAN TO WALK ON THE MOON!”

Buzz had quite the grin on his face when he realized Bono had called out his name.

Check it out! About 2:40 in…