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Filmmaker Patrick Stark to Conquer His Fear with U2 in Vancouver This Spring?

By: Jan. 17, 2017
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In May 2015, after six years of working on his documentary One Life No Regrets, Vancouver filmmaker Patrick Stark was moments away from singing one song with U2 in front of 18,000 people. The goal: to conquer his lifelong fear of singing in public.

A week before the launch of U2's much anticipated "Innocence and Experience Tour" in Vancouver, Stark had successfully pitched his impossible extreme exposure dream finale to U2 in Chambar restaurant - to which Bono replied: "Sure. What are you doing on Friday?"

But, after the unfortunate passing of blues legend B.B. King, Stark was "bumped" at the last minute from the Friday performance so U2 could pay tribute to their close friend and musical collaborator.

With the recent announcement of "The Joshua Tree Tour 2017" kicking off in Vancouver on Friday, May 12, and the third time U2 will perform in Vancouver since the start of his project, Stark - never one to give up easily - is now wondering whether THIS will be the Friday Bono was referring to that night at Chambar. If so, the STAKES will be even higher, with an audience of over 50,000.

Will Stark receive that long-awaited call from the band? "Bono has a reputation for being audacious", says Stark. Adding with a smile, "And the Irish are well-known for keeping their promises, right?"

"The Joshua Tree brings up so many special memories for me," he continues. "Back in 1987, U2 had just released The Joshua Tree, but it wasn't yet available in my hometown of Dawson Creek. When my dad and I made an 800-mile trek from there to Vancouver, I bought a copy. It was my last road trip with my father, and that album became its soundtrack."

One Life No Regrets documents Stark's personal journey to overcome a lifelong phobia of singing in front of people. Not until 16 would he begin to face this fear by singing along to his one and only cassette: U2's 1983 live album, Under a Blood Red Sky. Now 48, Stark has spent the past eight years on this journey - taking singing lessons, pushing himself to perform in front of crowds at concerts, and interviewing a number of ROCK LEGENDS and icons about the thrill and fear of performing on stage. Among those who are featured in the documentary include spiritual author Eckhart Tolle, Rolling Stones manager/producer Andrew Loog Oldham, queen of rock Wanda Jackson, Joy Division's Peter Hook, and U2 producers Steve Lillywhite and Daniel Lanois, to name a few.

Hundreds of crew members have worked on One Life No Regrets and thousands more have voiced their support for Patrick Stark and his journey. The finale for the documentary will be determined by the original catalyst to Stark's journey: the bold, risk-taking, legendary U2.

Get a peek at One Life No Regrets below!



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