Damien Buys bono's guitar (and performs?)

[mandarific]

Google Alerts just dropped this into my inbox, didn't see a post for it yet so I thought I'd make one!

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/en...-16104126.html

Singer Damien Rice splurged some of his 'X Factor' earnings over the weekend by spending almost half a million dollars on a guitar owned by U2 frontman Bono.

The Kildare singer spent the money at a charity auction in Los Angeles to help raise money for earthquake-stricken Haiti.

And despite a host of A-list super-wealthy celebrities in attendance -- including Selma Hayek, Demi Moore, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Julia Roberts -- the Celbridge singer stepped up to the plate and splashed the cash on one of Bono's guitars.

A blog from 'The New York Times' last night reported the instrument was sold for nearly half a million dollars, but this could not be confirmed. Mr Rice could not be reached for comment.

The 38-year-old singer performed at the gala dinner organised by Cinema for Peace on Saturday night at the Montage Hotel which was in aid of the J/P Haitian Relief organisation.

Wearing a brown velvet blazer, a grey T-shirt and tan-coloured cords, his clothes were in stark contrast to other guests, who wore evening dress and black-tie.

[QueenOfTheSouth]

Wow it's true!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...=feeds-newsxml

Did he change shirt mid-evening or is there some photoshop magic involved...
And of course every article would be talking more about his looks than what took place.

[borneoman]

too funny!! he clearly doesn't care mucho for dressing code

[glo32]

he also performed... photos here:
http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/uyxGd...MC/Damien+Rice




and this is the guitar:

[Joyful]

Wow!

[verenita]

thanks for the info, links and pictures.

[borneoman]

wonder what he played live? probably... The Professor!!!

there's lots of papers online reporting on this now... mostly focusing on the big $$$ that he gave (500,000 dollars is a hell of a lot!!!! I was saying to Glo that this is what an average person earns in Spain in ONE LIEFTIME)

all papers also focus on Damo's looks, and they are all kinda mean... example: "It might be time for a shave now: Damien Rice looks homeless as he sports a scruffy beard and greasy hair for charity event"

Fashion Police, arrest this man,...

[daavo]

Originally Posted by QueenOfTheSouth

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...=feeds-newsxml

There's a comment at the bottom of that article which says, "Damien is growing his hair for a movie he will appear in later this year"

Interesting if true...

[mandarific]

Oh cool, you found pictures!

I did love the comment in the first article about his appearance - even if there was a doubt Damian was actually there, when they got to the part about what he wore...well, I laughed! :P

There's a comment at the bottom of that article which says, "Damien is growing his hair for a movie he will appear in later this year"

I kinda highly doubt that. But what do I know? Maybe they're making excuses for him. :P

[verenita]

^ or just being cynical...
let´s leave the man alone, shall we?

[verenita]

it´s on indepenten.ie as well (nothing new though).

after reading all the crappy titles, i´d like to highlight the one emmett´s chosen:
Damien donates $500,000 at Haiti Benefit Night
thank you, man

[mariaoran]

Originally Posted by daavo

There's a comment at the bottom of that article which says, "Damien is growing his hair for a movie he will appear in later this year" Interesting if true...

That Damien, he's so method.

I guess that X Factor money has been put to good use here...but I agree with the peanut gallery, shave please. Or at least make it look groomed.

[cille]

What those people fail to realize is that those clothes is his fanciest attire

Interesting if the movie thing is true.

[MANGO]

Wow..He spent the money valuable and meaningful.
What a repectable man!!!!!
oh it's find to difficult to change his exceptional sense of style XDDD
but I like his impervious attitude to assessment of his fashion haha

[Rose]

When i first read about how much money he would get from
the cover of "Cannonball" I had a feeling he would probably give a lot of it to charity.
He's such a beautiful person, inside and out!

He can look as scruffy as he wants, he still out classed everyone else in that room!

[Shillelagh]

Anyone know when bono used this guitar? What tour or album?

[cille]

Originally Posted by mariaoran

(...) shave please. Or at least make it look groomed.

Maybe he's going for a title in the World Beard and Moustache Championships (Although those Germans seem unbea(rd)table).

[verenita]

^oh cille...

[mariaoran]

Originally Posted by cille

Maybe he's going for a title in the World Beard and Moustache Championships (Although those Germans seem unbea(rd)table).

At least those beards have some sort of purpose of being crazy, and they are being shaped, trimed and gelled (?) into some sort of thing. Damien's is just there... I suppose that's also a look, but still.

[Canadian Island]

Maybe it's a "I don't shave until i got that damn record finished"-thing. You know, like women do stuff with their hair for symbolism and stuff...

[verenita]

exactly as my dream "revealed" now we only just need that damien prooves it, will you damien?

glad to see you´re back! nice pic, by the way. i like your smile, oli

[cille]

Personally I won't shave untill Damien's album comes either!

[Fjordline]

Originally Posted by cille

Personally I won't shave untill Damien's album comes either!

Pictures please

[cille]

Nah I'll spare everybody for the stubble-o-rama

[Shillelagh]

Originally Posted by Shillelagh

Anyone know when bono used this guitar? What tour or album?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

[ElephantMan]

so anyone know what song he sang??...less likely the professor in this setting...maybe a U2 cover....or TBD....but it wasnt disclosed?

[Canadian Island]

Thinking the sound of the Gretsch (the article says "a guitar owned by Bono", actually it's custom-made and now a Gretsch signature-series) I'd say it's from the "All That You Can't Leave Behind"-times. So I did a bit of research and found this...

"A BIT ABOUT BONO's GUITARS:

In the early days of U2 Bono could be seen having a strum on a Fender Lead II during "A Day Without Me" and that was about it. Starting with The Unforgettable Fire tour, Bono began playing a lot more guitar. Initially, toting a Washburn Festival Acoustic for a song here and there.

That said, for the majority of U2's career Bono seems to have favored Gibson and Gretsch guitars.

By The Joshua Tree tour, The Gibson J160-e and various Telecasters began making appearances.

For Zoo TV Bono began playing a black Gibson ES-175 for a lot of his guitar 'duties'.

Popmart tour saw two the retirement of the black ES-175 in favour of two custom finish sparkle ES-175's [one in blue the other in red]. Bono also brought out his Gibson Les Paul Custom for a few shows as well as a custom metallic finish Gibson Les Paul Custom for "Last Night On Earth"; althouth most nights saw him playing this song with his red sparkle ES-175. The Gibson Hummingbird with star stickers, was put to use for the acoustic/b-stage moments and his Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean was used for "Gone".

The Elevation 2001 tour saw Bono playing Gretsch electrics. Early in the tour it was his Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean was used for "Gone" and his cadillac green Gretsch Country Club. The Country Club was later replaced by custom built Gretsch "Irish Falcon". This 'custom' guitar is now available as a production model.

The Vertigo tour has seen Bono concentrating more on singing and playing less guitar. For most guitar duties, Bono still plays his Gretsch "Irish Falcon",

Another thing to keep in mind is guest appearances and promo spots. It is not always the 'given' that Bono will be using his own guitar. There have been some performances in which Bono has been seen with a guitar and not seen with it again. This does not mean 100% that it was a loaner or rented for the occasion but it does leave this as a possibility. Examples? One example would be the 1999 Net-Aid show. Bono was seen playing a black Takamine (electric acoustic). I am not 100% certain of which model. But I do know that I have not seen video or pictures of Bono using that guitar before or since the Net-Aid show. Another example would be the 2003 Pavarotti and Friends show. Bono was seen playing a Gretsch Black Falcon. While it is a similar make and model to his "Goal Is Soul" Irish Falcon, I've not seen Bono use the Black Falcon before or since the 2003 Pavarotti and Friends show."

From http://u2-stage-and-studio.com/bono/id29.html

[Shillelagh]

Helping reach that goal were Ms. Roberts's husband, Danny Moder, who bought, at auction, a trip to experience Haiti with Mr. Penn for $50,000. On the opposite side of the scale, the Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice—perhaps you remember his song "The Blower's Daughter" which featured prominently in Ms. Roberts's film "Closer"—paid $475,000 for Bono's "Irish Falcon" Gretsch guitar, personalized to the purchaser.

Who knew Mr. Rice, who worked as a farmer in Tuscany before embarking on his solo career, had so much cash?

"Good luck with your new guitar," Rainn Wilson, a star of "The Office," told Mr. Rice on the way out.

Mr. Rice said he made the purchase on impulse, in the moment. "What's money?" Mr. Rice asked. "I could be dead tomorrow. I could lose everything. Money comes and goes so easily." He added that he's friendly with Bono anyway.

"Maybe I'll get him to buy it back off of me," Mr. Rice said. "I was just doing it for a laugh."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...510356718.html

Thanks Canadian...Go Hawks

[Shillelagh]

Didn't lisa once say in an interview (maybe kcrw) that he only lived in Tuscany for less than 6 months??

[QueenOfTheSouth]

Originally Posted by Shillelagh

Didn't lisa once say in an interview (maybe kcrw) that he only lived in Tuscany for less than 6 months??

Yea, he was a "peasant" for "4,5 months"...I love that interview so much, especially the way he compared the perfect rows of the vineyards there to the functionality of the music industry