U2 wakes up Fordham University (3/6)
In reality, U2’s appearance at Fordham University early Friday Morning was nothing more than the band’s latest marketing ploy. In a week that featured a stint on Letterman, rooftop gigs, interviews, and even the christening of U2 Way - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg temporarily renamed part of West 53rd Street in Midtown Manhattan in celebration of the band’s achievements - the band’s descent onto the Bronx campus was just the latest publicity stunt in support of its brand new album, No Line On The Horizon. Yet despite the frigid temperatures, early morning time, and the fact that by the end of the whole shindig, U2 performed just 25 minutes of actual music, those 25 minutes made for a lifetime of memories.
To be fair, the only reason Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen, Jr. performed at Fordham University’s Rose Hill Campus in the first place was because Good Morning America needed a spot where they wouldn’t have to worry about a herd of over obsessed fans mobbing the stage/creating chaos in Midtown Manhattan. Fordham University offered an appealing alternative; a secluded, closed campus where the most noteworthy event in recent years was the band Yellowcard threatening to sue after having an apple thrown at them during a “Spring Weekend” performance. So, at some point last week, someone from Good Morning America called someone from Fordham with a chance of the lifetime - to serve as host for U2’s upcoming appearance on the ABC morning program.
By last Friday, the rumors began a flying. By Monday, the campus was a buzzing. By Wednesday, a crew of 100 men and women were a working, converting the steps of Fordham’s Keating Hall into a full-fledged performance area. And by Friday morning at 8:00 a.m., Fordham was a rockin’…to one of music’s best acts.
In many ways, it’s a surreal performance. The band appearing from closed doors amidst the cheers of 4,000 college students, faculty members, and the fortunate few U2fanatics who somehow managed to sneak on campus overnight. Bono introducing his “small band called U2″ with the same youthful energy that first caught our attention way back when on Boy and has yet to let go since. The familiar rifts of set opener “Get On Your Boots” waking up the entire campus in one furious moment. It was too perfect.
Renditions of “Magnificent” and “I’ll Go Crazy” follow, and reality finally begins to set in! U2, yes U2, is a mere 50 feet away!
A short break for commercials and an interview with Robin Roberts later, U2 heads back on the stage, kicking off what will be another 12 minutes of music, and much like the first half of the performance, the latter is equally pleasing. The band kicks into “Beautiful Day” before segueing into No Line’s strongest track, “Breathe”. Five songs in, what else could one ask for? “Vertigo”, maybe? You got it!
Six songs later, Good Morning America is over, and thus, U2’s set is over. Any hopes that the band would give Fordham a private performance are dashed upon Bono giving a way of good bye. Yes, there are groans, even boos, but it was not out of displeasure or anger. In this case, it’s out of respect - the nearly 4,000 onlookers are in a state of daze, or at least awe. We had just witnessed one of music’s greatest bands performing some of music’s great songs. Sure, it was a publicity stunt. Sure, it would never have happened if someone from Good Morning America hadn’t called someone from Fordham. Sure, it was just 25 minutes of performance time, a mere 10% of what the audience would get at a normal U2 concert. But in the end, it felt like something more - a performance that was not only intimate, but also ours. And in the end, life can’t get much better than that.
Setlist:
“Get On Your Boots”
“Magnificent”
“I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight”
—
“Beautiful Day”
“Breathe”
“Vertigo”
———
Additional photo support via WFUV.
Alex, I really thought your article was one of the best I read on this event - reality. I read it and many others because my daughter is a freshman at Fordham. She was there and she felt the excitement of something very special. I think you captured the moment and the event. I even felt the buzz many time zones away. It recalled for me a similar ’secret’ event in inner-city Dublin in the early ’80s when they played on the roof of a public toilet. By the way,I left that concert early after a cynical publicity stunt by Bono to promote the Boy single. U2 is a business and always has been. This was a win/win situation and I think you captured how this mutual benefit played out.
Alex,
You did a great job!! I missed the concert but having read your article and watched the videos, I did get a sense of what Friday Morning March 6th was like. You told it like it was. I think that we all have to remember what makes Fordham or any other university are the students. Past and Present. As a freshman I’m glad that you chose my alma. Go Rams!!!
Jeanne-FCRH ‘84
Oh, c’mon, people! I’m also a proud Fordham grad — RH ‘82. I see nothing in Alex’s article that denigrates our fine institution. Can you say, in all honesty, that U2 hasn’t been a marketing machine since the release of this album? Nothing wrong with it — they want to sell records — but they wouldn’t have played at Fordham if the didn’t have an album to promote. Nor would they have done 5 consecutive nights on Letterman that same week.
This a music blog, not a Fordham blog. If you want to read fawning reviews, go over to fordahmfans.com and check out their U2 thread, which is filled with glowing reviews written from the perspective of proud alumni. And, again, there’s nothing wrong with that perspective — I contributed a few fawning posts myself. But this blog is a different animal, with a different POV.
To be honest, I’m a bit embarrassed by the ad hominem attacks made by Fordham alumni against a current Fordham student. We can do better than that.
These comments from the alumnus remind me of Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite. “I bet ya, I bet ya I could throw a football over ‘dem mountains. If I could go back, I’d win states…no doubt, no doubt of my mind.”
Get over yourself.
I too am a Fordham alumni,and I have a son that is currently a student at Fordham. When I read Alex’s article, my thoughts were that he was unseasoned and defensive in some of his statements. Unfortunately, such comments can be perceived as immature and ungrateful. I really doubt this is how Alex meant this article to be perceived; but those of us who went to Fordham and got to earn life experiences as well as a great college education appreciate U2 and GMA’s choice of Fordham for the right reasons. When my son considered college in NYC we discussed the fact that location alone would bring opportunities not found anywhere else. This concert was literally one of those extraordinary opportunities. I thought Keating never looked so beautiful, and know that most of the students there didn’t carry any cynicism - my son considered it a once in a life “AMAZING” event he will never, ever forget and an opportunity that he is completely, wholeheartedly grateful to have experienced. Thanks U2, Thanks GMA and Thanks Fordham for making it happen!
Forgive me, but my job is to critique a performance, not to publicize an event. I’m sorry if you disagree with my viewpoints, but I stand behind them. That being said, never once did I say anything negative about Fordham - in fact if you actually read my piece, which I sincerely doubt you did, my “cynicism” is direct toward U2’s over obsessive publicity push.
The saddest part of the two above comments however, is they make no mention of the performance, nor just how memorable it turned out to be - two things I dedicated 95% of the piece on. Instead, your comments are close minded views on how I apparently feel a sense of entitlement and how I don’t understand how fortunate I am. In response to that, believe me, I do. It was indeed a once in a life time experience and the performance’s effects on Fordham’s notoriety will likely be astronomical.
But again, this review is not about Fordham, and to think that’s the case is inaccurate. Of course, if it’s any comfort, I don’t speak for Fordham, the student body, or administration. This website has and will be 100% independent of Fordham.
Uuuhhh guys calm down. He just said it was a marketing ploy, which it was. Pull your head out of your alumni asses. U2 needed a place to play and host the interview that wasn’t far from the studio for the morning show. Also what’s U2 hardest demograph to tap into? The college kids, duh! Also what cynicism do you see in
“Sure, it was just 25 minutes of performance time, a mere 10% of what the audience would get at a normal U2 concert. But in the end, it felt like something more - a performance that was not only intimate, but also ours. And in the end, life can’t get much better than that.”
or
Yet despite the frigid temperatures, early morning time, and the fact that by the end of the whole shindig, U2 performed just 25 minutes of actual music, those 25 minutes made for a lifetime of memories.
Christ maybe you both should head back to school…
Thank You Carolyn - as a fellow CBA alum (80) I too was very proud to see Keating in national TV - The event was the talk of the weekend - Fordham probably just became the University of choice for thousands more applicants.
Alex before you ask me to re-read my comments, I would ask you to re-read yours “In reality, U2’s appearance at Fordham University early Friday Morning was nothing more than the band’s latest marketing ploy.” gee thats a positive opening line.
Your second paragraph starts “To be fair, the only reason Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen, Jr. performed at Fordham University’s Rose Hill Campus in the first place was because Good Morning America needed a spot where they wouldn’t have to worry about a herd of over obsessed fans mobbing the stage/creating chaos in Midtown Manhattan”
I guess GMA had to use Fordham because no other parcel in all of the NY Metropolitan area was available or suitable. With an attitude like maybe you will get your wish and the next time Fordham won’t be “asked” to host such an event.
I can only hope you are not a Marketing Major because if thats the way you express what “was one of biggest highlights in life thus far.” I would hate to see how you express ambivalence!!!
Alex,
I am horrified by your unqualifed sense of entitlement and cynicism!
Given that I am CBA class of ‘89 alumni I must bring to your attention that you personally will benefit by the ‘publicity stunt’. I have worked in my career all over the US and Europe in banking and finance in the 20 years since garduation. When people ask where I attended undergraduate the percentage of those who knew of Fordham was certainly lower than those who do not, around the world. You are going to find in your future life/career that you will have to answer questions like ‘Fordham, where is that?’, unless you plan on living in the Bronx for your entire life.
I do not beleive that the campus, namely Keating Hall, was ever shown on national TV for as long as it was last Friday. I have always told people in my life how Fordham in an undiscovered gem in The Bronx. It was a thrill to see my university on national television with the band who I loved while attending Fordham playing on Keating steps. There are many Fordham memeories that I have which include music from U2 being there.
As an alumni who donates to Fordham I am rather upset but your lack of gratitude and excessive cynicism. I will certainly try not to think of you when I write my next check to the school.
How about showing us your Fordham pride and gratefulness for all the free publicity for the school you attend which like it or not will increase the value of a Fordham degree. A Priceton, Yale, Harvard or Penn etc. student could afford to write an article like this but a Fordham student cannot.
You actually timed the performance. Could you have not just enjoyed it for what it was, a free concert with U2 on your college campus?
Carolyn CBA ‘89
What makes you say I didn’t relish the event? I never say I didn’t - in fact, I’d go as far to say that it was one of biggest highlights in life thus far. I think you might want to reread your words before commenting next time.
Alex you little Twit - I guess you feel entitled to more than 25 minutes of U2 - They came to your school, FOR FREE, and in turn your School received an imeasurable amount of national attention. There were plenty of other places that this event could have been staged - the Old Yankee Stadium for one they could have sold tickets and still been secure for GMA - but then I guess you would call them money-grubbing. Yes of course U2 is in the business of promoting U2 - why shouldn’t they be. But they came to your school and there are 100’s of other schools that would have jumped at this opportunity. I can just hope that you do not speak for the majority of the Student body - after all when was the last time that a group of this magnitude appeared at Fordham— relish the event don’t dump on it–
Does this guy know how to party or what?!? Okay…okay.
You wrote:
“…marketing ploy….” and “…publicity stunt….”
Uh, no kidding. A band that signs multi-million dollar recording and sponsorship contracts is supposed to promote their product in both creative, conventional and commercially viable ways: a lot of people on the payroll, investors, as well as their own livelihood for which they are greatly responsible.
It’s not as if U2 is some indie band, or even high-profile artist who takes the money from a major corporate label (such as SONY) and then, acts as if it’s uncool and unhip to push and promote the work to the fullest: just ask Howard Stringer, Donnie Ienner, and Andy Lack how it feels when an artist can’t fulfill the promise of a 9 figure–as in, 100 million plus dollars–contract renewal, in more ways than one.
Even more so, ask the poor schmucks who studied communications and no longer work for major labels–because said-labels are downsizing, merging, losing money etc.–how it feels: because they are the one’s who pay the price for the greed of industry fat cats and stable of aged classic rockers who couldn’t sell lemonade if Lucy Van Pelt was their squeezer.
bono, edge and larry are not irish catholics. they were raised protestant. so i don’t think catholicism had any connection to a publicity stunt, though i’m sure the jesuits will want to spin it that way.
Oh yeah here’s a link to some pix from the WCBS-880 traffic chopper (thanks Tom):
http://www.wcbs880.com/pages/3973744.php?imageGalleryXRefId=966696#imgXR
Cool crowd and stage shots from 5,000 feet.
Great writeup Alex - must have been quite a morning. We watched it on the big screens here in Times Square - there were actually crowds of people rocking out even though there was no sound!
I woke up at 6 Am (such a time exists?) and walked over with a friend and was only able to get in the back and didn’t see much…but when they played, it was so worth it!
Way to downplay the whole Irish Catholic connection. Nah, that had nothing to do with why they picked Fordham.
Mar 9th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
[...] “U2 wakes up Fordham University” (written by Fordham Freshman Alex Young) [...]
Mar 9th, 2009 at 8:30 am
[...] case you couldn’t tell by now, U2 is back and officially rockin’, and will continue to do so for the better part of the next two years. In support of its recently [...]