Backstage With Edge, Bono, BB King and Mary J Blige

7 Apr 2003
Guitarist Shane Fontayne has posted a great diary, detailing rehearsals for the recent Musicares event which honoured Bono's work as an activist.

Shane was asked to join the band which performed on the night of the Musicares show, playing with B.B. King (When Love Comes To Town), Mary J. Blige (One), Norah Jones (Stuck In A Moment), Patti LaBelle (Angel Of Harlem), Sheryl Crow (All I Want Is You) and Elvis Costello (Kite). He got to play with Bono and Edge too, on Night and Day and That's Life.

'Bono was easy-going but meticulous about the dynamics of That's Life, wanting to make sure he could perform parts of it at a whisper,' writes Shane. 'Edge came up to perform on Night and Day, entering in the middle of the song to launch into the guitar solo. I have always shared a affinity with him over the use of echo with guitars and how it can create a rhythmic element that can provide the foundation for a song. After the rehearsal one of U2's crew remarked to he and I that we were 'separated at birth'....'

BB King needed a reminder of how to play When Love Comes To Town, but didn't mind a bit that they had to run over it several times : 'I've made over eighty albums and not one of them's been perfect.'

Mary J. Blige sang 'One' just once in rehearsals, but gave it everything: 'Everything' in this regard was a performance that was so emotional, I knew as soon as it was done that we wouldn't see her again until the following night. She was shaking as she left the stage. There was no point in 'rehearsing' it any more.'

More great detail from rehearsals and the big night here www.shanefontayne.com

Check our report of the show here

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