How I was called onstage to play guitar with U2
Gretchen Shae (far left) on stage with U2 on July 14, 2015 at TD Garden.
Gretchen Shae had been to the last three U2 shows, but was still waiting for her chance to meet the band and pass along her music. The lead singer for Boston-based garage rock quartet The Knock Ups, Shea has been a devoted U2 fan for years.
On Tuesday night at the TD Garden, not only did she get to meet the band — she got to be in the band.
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Shae was called up on stage mid-set to play a song with U2. Here is her story:
“It’s a long story that goes back to 1997. I actually gave my band’s [Black Barbie] record at the time to Bono when we waited for him after a show during the PopMart tour. For my work at a radio station, I interviewed Shane MacGowan from the Pogues. I had asked MacGowan to hold my band’s cassette tape for a photo, and we had that when we released a record. When Bono saw that photo, he said, ‘Oh, The Pogues, we played with them!’’ And then we got into this conversation and I gave him my record.
Fast forward, I’m a huge U2 fan and I front a band called the Knock Ups now, I play the guitar and I write all the songs. I also teach writing at The Boston Conservatory and Cambridge College. I was chatting with Bono when he was coming in yesterday for a sound check. And I said, ‘Bono, this is my band’s CD, I’d really love to play with you tonight.’ Then he made a smile and he said, ‘Well, you never know how these things go.’ He said, ‘What’s your name again?’ And I said, ‘Gretchen.’
So when he got on stage later that night, he goes, ‘I heard there’s a girl who can play guitar…’ and he was saying, ‘Gretchen? Gretchen?’ My friends laughed so hard when I got up there, because, of course, I was going to say my band’s name, right? Who wouldn’t do that?
I had actually wanted to play ‘Desire,’ but I know he’s been having people play ‘Angel of Harlem,’ so I had rehearsed ‘Angel of Harlem’ and ‘Desire.’ Then of course he was like, ‘Do you know ‘All I Want Is You’?’
It was actually really funny because my friend’s daughter just got married in January, and I played ‘All I Want Is You’ at her wedding. So I do know the song, but I hadn’t played it since January, so I was like, ‘Can you tell me the chords again?’ That’s what we’re kind of conferencing about before we play. So I did the best I could do. And The Edge kept doing all of these solos.
It’s amazing how supportive other musicians have been. I’m just really thrilled. I didn’t expect everybody to give a shit. When I was leaving the Garden last night, I was waiting with my friends, and all of the sudden people were coming up to me asking to take my picture with them and at one point people were yelling, ‘Gretchen! Gretchen!’ which was really just surreal.
I want to extend my gratitude to U2 for making my dream come true.’’
Her advice for a fan who dreams of one day playing with their favorite band?
“Never give up. Never give up, because I was in Montreal and they came over and they went to pull somebody up. I didn’t get pulled up, which made me sad because I really thought it was going to happen then. But I just didn’t give up. The best advice I could give is this: instead of asking to take a selfie with the band, have something to say and have something to offer.’’
U2 plays one final show at TD Garden tonight, but the Knock Ups will be sticking around for a while, playing the Middle East on Sunday, July 26.
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