Tags
Agnes Nyamayarwo, Anthony DeCurtis, Christopher Endrinal, Dan Pinkston, Danielle Rhéaume, Greg Clarke, Hey! Nietzsche! leave them kids alone, Matt McGee, Neil McCormick, U2, U2 conference, U23D
I’ve had an exhilarating 5 days, which includes a total of 10 flights, 45 hours in the air, 1 academic conference on U2, 1 U2 stadium concert, and only 13 hours sleep. The first academic conference on U2 included some really impressive papers from theologians, musicologists, anthropologists, and more – interweaved with keynote speakers Anthony DeCurtis, Neil McCormick, Matt McGee, and Agnes Nyamayarwo. It went off.
The audience was a great mix of academics and U2 fanatics – and these categories were not necessarily, or even often, exclusive. It was all U2 geeky goodness. When for instance, during one question-time, Danielle Rhéaume noted that she was the person who found and returned the long-lost original October lyrics, one could feel a palpable chill come over the entire room.
In the wee hours of Monday morning, and after a few Guinesses, I attempted some ‘Numb-style’ photographs at the Durham Irish pub with a few of the conference attendees. Here are some: my Alaskan co-presenter (Dan), the Discoverer of Bono’s October Journal (Danielle), an Aussie U2 fan who hasn’t missed a concert in quite a while (Gary), and an Aussie film-maker (hmmm… I can’t quite remember her name anymore; I must be sleep-deprived; but you watch: some avid U2 fan will tell me soon; they’re good like that Natalie):
As an indication of some of the papers on offer: Sydneysider Greg Clarke compared Bono’s and Nick Cave’s conceptions of Jesus, and he reckons that while Cave has a lot in common with nineteenth century liberal scholars such as D.F. Strauss, Bono has a lot in common with someone like C.S. Lewis. That wording is more mine than his, though. He also mentioned a new Aussie book by Craig Schuftan and Brad Cook, with an outrageously punny title: Hey! Nietzsche! leave them kids alone (2009). Christopher Endrinal very clearly explained the mechanics of vocal layering in U2 songs such as ‘The Fly.’ The layering of the fly voice and the angelic falsetto was something which I had looked at in my own paper on fallen angels, so it was good to see how we came at this from different angles (and with different conclusions, but hey!). Dan Pinkston’s comparisons between U2 and Stravinsky, in the paper which followed, issued a challenge all those musical snobs who refuse to acknowledge where classical and pop music share important techniques in common.
There were two Kiwis present; Steve Taylor was the other one. I hear there may well be a book following, containing some of the papers.
– Deane Galbraith
Here are some other conference blog reports:
@U2 – Matt McGee
Occasio
Interference
Holy Heteroclite – Dave Wainscott
Discover – Sheril Kirshenbaum
Emerging Kiwi – Steve Taylor
U2 Sermons – Beth Maynard
The Dunedin School 
I often tell my students: if there are prophets today they are rock stars. The first ever Bruce Springsteen academic conference was held last month here in New Jersey. Maybe the message is getting through after all!
It’s an idea taken up by Steven R. Harmon in “U2: Unexpected Prophets,” although after floating the idea of U2 as prophets for today, his main interest is in identifying the orthodox Christian categories of thought in which U2’s lyrics can be slotted. (He’s right that the band’s music is essentially orthodox; but something important about U2’s twist on things gets lost when they get slotted – just as it would if the old Hebrew prophets were analysed in such a systematic way.)
Hey Deane, sounds like it was an interesting and worthwhile trip, but a lot different to my Auckland visit and Bad Religion show!
See you soon.
There was a Springsteen conference a few years ago. Details are probably on-line somewhere.
Hi Dean, thanks for your synopsis of the U2 Conference. It was very good to have met you. I was quite impressed with the distance that you travelled to get there to join us!
I am the woman responsible for bringing Agnes Nyamayarwo from Uganda to speak at the conference. She was overwhelmed by the positive response that she got from the Conference participants – including her fellow presenters, most notably Neil McCormick, who was quite impressed with her.
Here is the website that I administer for Agnes & the HIV+ women that she works with in Uganda. Some of these women were those that first inspi(red) Bono in May 2002 on his visit to Africa to start his advocacy organizations for Africa (DATA, ONE, (RED), EDUN) so Agnes & the MPWN are VERY CLOSE to Bono’s Heart!
All proceeds from the sale of the women’s handmade African craft items go directly back to the women. We will ship overseas from the USA.
Take good care, Dean.
AS ONE, debbie
http://www.mpwn-uganda.org
Thank you, Debbie. It was very good to have met you, too, and to hear Agnes’s so very touching yet inspiring speech. I sincerely wish you all the best with your ongoing work.
Hey, Deane!
Just came across your blog and thought I’d drop you a note. Are you revising your presentation for the anthology? I hope so. I’m going to give it a shot myself.
Drop me a line when you get the chance.
dkline
Hi Deane,
I just came across this posting (in the midst of writing something for the U2 conference anthology) and it made me feel that much more inspired to tell the story of finding and returning Bono’s lost lyrics. That is a real gift, so I must thank you!
Also, I am intrigued by mention of the Springsteen conference. I might need to check that out! He is another one of my favorites.
All the best,
Danielle
Hi Danielle, Good to hear from you! Of course, when you do write that book about the lost October lyrics – and it’s a great story – you must let me know. I’d love to read it.