I just posted some pictures of Bob's concert in Diksmuide in the thread someone started in the other section. I wasn't just there for the show. I wanted to meet the man, and get his signature. But not just on anything. 

I have been a U2-fan for over 20 years. And for about a year now, I've been working with pple all over the world to spread the word on ONE - MPH ...

The whole world knows how Sir Bob and Bono have been working together to end extreme poverty. Last year, Bono has used some of his time onstage to campaign for ONE - Make Poverty History. Along with 6 other U2-fans, we used our time at the door waiting for the show to convince 4.000 people to join the campaign. The warm reactions and support from so many amazed me, and lead me to create 'a banner'. A piece of fabric that says : 'zootopians united against poverty'. I started collecting the names of U2-fans who were campaigning for ONE elsewhere in the world and wrote those on it. After the last European show I attended in Lisbon, I send the banner itself out, finding  new people to carry it to the shows, some of them finding inspiration in the things we did, and starting up campaigns locally themselves.  And as we had build up some experience in running campaigns, we could give some back-up to the new ones who joined us.  Meanwhile building beautiful friendships.

How far it has travelled ? Pretty far : Amsterdam, Lisbon, Toronto, Chicago, Milwaukee, New York, Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Atlanta, Ottawa, Montreal, Boston, Buffalo, Salt Lake City, Portland, Koksijde, Rotterdam, Monterrey, Mexico  City, Santiago de Chile, Buenos Aires.

The rest of the tour has been postponed, but the banner continued its journey to Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney. After that, 2 Italian girls brought it with them to Rome, where I went to pick it up 2 weeks ago. It's been signed by Bono, Edge and numorous fans and people who help spread the word on ONE - MPH and the Millennium goals.

With the banner home, Bob Geldof's scheduled show in the town where I was born and raised, was an irresistable opportunity for me to try and his signature on it.  The man who started all this humanitary work for Africa with Live Aid over 20 years ago, and who continues to do so ... Here's how things went.

 A week ago, I send the concert organisation an e-mail with my request to meet Bob Geldof. Well, I didn't send it from my account, but from the account hubbie uses for his work (journalist - it sometimes helps to open doors). Hubbie actually knows the man in charge, but not really in a good way. Let's say he wrote a piece about him for the newspaper when he had to go to court. ahum.
Because I feared that man would recognise Pascal's name and say, no way, I also send a mail to Sir Bob Geldof's official website. I thought, if none of those respond, there still are other ways. (OK, how hard can it be in the city where you grew up, where I worked at the city hall for 6 years and know everybody I 'have' to know to find a backdoor).

The very same day, hubbie gets a phone call from the organisator. Says that he'll try to set up a meeting, and tells us to come to him friday at 12.30 noon. I take the afternoon off from work ...

Friday, I come to the fruitcake club on U2's forum Zootopia (hence, Zootopians of course), and what do I find there ? A post from a Mexican friend of mine, Max, with Bob Geldof in his siggy. First thing I think is : ooooo, those weird coincidences have arrived again. I learn it's for Cindy's birthday, who is this huge Boomtown Rats fan. At that point, I relax, because I know things will work out somehow.

At about 11 in the morning, we get another call from the organisation : Bob Geldof won't arrive that early, we have to call him later to know more. As I'd already taken the day off, and it's a beautiful day, I come home anyway. Sit in the sun, to some reading. Forgot to put sunscreen on, so by the end of the day, I have a bit of a lobster look. Wonderful ! grrr.

We call again at 5. No more news, actually, we hear that the manager is giving people a hard time to meet Sir Bob. At 6, we finally hear that we have to go to a certain area after BG's show, and will most likely get to meet him. We have dinner, and head to Diksmuide.

Hubbie takes the camera he uses for work (so much better than the small one we can take to U2-shows), as he's there with his press card, and quite frankly nobody checks anything anyway. We have a few beers and a few chats, and head for the front to watch the concert. For the first few songs, hubbie goes to the press area right in front of the stage, and takes some really beautiful pictures. After 3 songs, he comes back to where I am. We really enjoy the show

Some 10 minutes before the end of the show, we leave. We were told to be at the entrance of the Yser tower immediately after the show. Amazing really, I saw that tower from the backyard of my parent's home. Never thought I'd be there to do this

A few more pple from the press have arrived, I also see Rik Stael, one of the guys who works for Stageco (and who worked at U2's show in Brussels - said it's a great crew to work with - yep, have heard that one before lol). He's there to deliver a 6.000 euro cheque to sir Bob. Some 15 - 20 minutes later, the manager lets us know we can go in. We're all there at the door, they pick me to go as first. There I go ...

Me : It's such a pleasure to meet you. I have something to show to you, and I hope you'll be willing to sign it. (Someone helps me to open the banner)
Sir Bob : wow, what is this ? Zootopians ? what is that ?
me : Zootopians are U2-fans who are on the board of the official U2-website. What you see, is the signatures of people from all over the planet, who have joined ONE - MPH, and many of those have been running a campaign locally to spread the word. Bono and Edge singed it too, and I hope you'll add your signature.

Sir Bob : Bono signed it ? I'm not signing this, and he starts laughing.

me : I start laughing too, and reply : You know what, this whole thing is a story of inspiration. You are the very source of that inspiration. If you don't belong on this banner, I don't think anyone does.

Sir Bob : I'll be happy to.

I give him the red pencil I brought. Put the journal (that has writings from all those who carried the banner on its journey) under the part where he chooses to sign and read : 'they learned everything from me y' know' and he added an arrow pointing to Edge's en Bono's signature. I burst into laughter. Good one

Me : Thank you very much, and I give/get a hug and 2 kisses.

I suddenly remember I had printed a picture of Sir Bob, to have him sign it, to send it to Sammi. So I tell him : one of my friends in the Zoo, she lives in Seatlle .... she's been part of our group who has been campaigning for ONE for over a year now. She's a huge admirer of your work, both musically and humanitarian. Would you please sign this picture, so I can send it to her ?

Sir Bob : what's her name ?
me : Sammi Fredenburg

I give him another pencil, one that won't rub off from a picture. I open it, but one part sticks to the pencil. Hihi, I take it back and take the rest of the top off, so he can actually use it to write. he's of course laughing again too.
(I seem to have this thing with pencils, when I was in front of Bono with my pencil and Ipod in one hand for him to sign it, I wrote all over his hand as I was pulling it back through the fence, ahum.)

anyway, he writes 'for Sammi, Love, Bob Geldof X'
and I thank him again. I turn to go, and then change my mind and turn back to him. I grab his arm gently, look him in the eyes and tell him 'please, don't ever stop fighting for Africa'. He grabs my hand an replies 'I won't' and smiles.

he was so kind, what a sweety .
I was quite calm, but my brain did slow down a bit. I forgot to say I really enjoyed his concert and I also forgot to ask him to sign my copy of the DVD from Live Aid. *bangs head against the wall* Brilliant.