Image: Beth Nabi
The U2 Conference is heading to Sydney, Australia, to present a one-day program on November 21, leading up to U2’s The Joshua Tree Tour 2019 concerts in Sydney.
Registration for the conference opened today and a tentative schedule of events is posted here along with more details about the conference speakers and sessions. The Australia Edition of the U2 Conference will be held at Studios 301, close to U2’s Sydney concerts venue.
The “Image + Experience” themed program focuses on U2’s connections with Australia, U2 studies and U2 fandom. Sessions during the day will showcase Australian scholars Samantha Bennett of the Australian National University and André Brett of the University of Wollongong.
Australian film writer and director Richard Lowenstein, whose credits include U2:LoveTown, U2 music videos “Angel of Harlem” and “Desire” and the new documentary feature Mystify: Michael Hutchence will appear in a special interview and Q&A format session. Screenings of U2: LoveTown and Mystify: Michael Hutchence a part of the day’s schedule.
Beth Nabi, of the U2 Tattoo Project and from the University of North Florida, will also speak on the program.
The principal organizer of the Australian U2 Conference is Naomi Dinnen, a PhD candidate writing about U2 at the Australian National University School of Music.
“By going to the U2 Conference Belfast 2018, I was really inspired to focus on studying U2 as I embarked on my own new academic career,” Dinnen said.
“After the Australian National University hosted the International Association for the Study of Popular Music international conference earlier this year, I talked with others studying popular music and fan studies in Australia, including Liz Giuffre from the University of Technology, Sydney. I realised we really could have a U2 Conference in Australia and of course when U2 announced its Australia shows on the Joshua Tree 2019 tour, the timing to get fans, academics and the music industry together to talk about U2 just seemed perfect.”
Scott Calhoun, the creator and director of the U2 Conference, is excited to take the conference to Australia.
“It will be the fourth meeting of the U2 Conference and as it happens, we’re coming up on its 10th anniversary next month. Sydney will be a great city in which to mark the occasion and Naomi’s created an amazing day of sessions I can’t wait to enjoy and learn from. I’ve connected with some Australian U2 fans and academics a while ago, but it’ll be so good to meet them in person and in their home, so to speak.”
More information about the conference and program updates are at the U2 Conference’s site.
(c) Meijer/@U2, 2019.