I once saw an episode of Gilmore Girls where Rory and Lorelei go to Ireland and hang out in a certain Dublin bar hoping to bump into Bono. Or at the very least one of the other members of U2. Turns out, all you have to do is hang around worthy charitable events and they’ll come to you.

U2’s Bono and The Edge played a surprise gig tonight (November 23) at London’s Union Chapel.

Playing as part of Mencap’s Little Noise Sessions, the duo surprised the audience with a four song set which included rare track ‘Wave Of Sorrow’.

The identity of the ‘special guests’ was shrouded in mystery when introduced by host Jo Whiley as “a new band with a lot of potential…Dave the guitarist is very nervous…If he makes a mistake forgive him, he’s new. The singer is very shy.”

[NME]

The duo also played ‘Stay’, ‘Angel of Harlem’ and ‘Desire’.

How very cool that would be. And they did some of their best songs, not that electronic stuff of recent years. Would U2 please do an acoustic tour?

Unfortunately for Mencap, a charity that helps people with learning disabilities, it seems that Bono’s involvement in charitable causes might not be helping, according to the head of African Aid Action.

Jobs Selasie, head of charity African Aid Action, claimed that such campaigns increase corruption and dependency on the continent.

Selasie explained that he believed that the western media had an obsession with political correctness which diverted from what he believes are the real causes of poverty in Africa.

The charity says since the original Band Aid campaign, the number of Africans living on handouts has increased by 500 per cent and African governments who used to rely on only 20 per cent of their annual budget from overseas aid are now dependent on a 70 per cent contribution.

“Aid has failed because campaigners, charities and governments do not have the right plan and excluded African entrepreneurs and grassroots organisations from being part of the solution,” said Selasie.

“You can’t impose change from without,” he continued. “It has to come from within and we won’t end poverty with handouts. Africans need to fight corruption and work hard.”

[NME]

I’m not going to judge whether this is true or not. I’m not some kind of international relations economist, but I will say that these economic issues might have happened anyway, and at least celebrities like Geldof and Bono have their hearts in the right place. Don’t let it put you off supporting a worthy cause.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Bono, his wife Ali Hewson, and Alicia Keys are shown on 10/25/07 at the 4th Annual Black Ball Concert for “Keep A Child Alive.” Thanks to PRPhotos for these pictures.