Bono’s coming to town, well not exactly Bono, but a guy who looks and sounds just like him will be jamming at Fort Hamilton.

One of the most well known U2 tribute bands, Elevation, will be performing on June 22 and June 23 to raise awareness about organ donation and funds for the Dialysis Unit.

The band has toured across the US, received numerous glowing write ups and even played for U2 at their tour closing party in Montreal a few years back.

“If they are good enough for U2, they are good enough for me,” organiser and dialysis patient Paul Sofianos, joked. “I’ve seen U2 perform four times and Elevation perform once and I have to say these guys really look and sound like the real thing.

“I wanted to do something big like this so that people could enjoy the show but also to raise awareness about organ donation and issues facing people on dialysis.”

Mr. Sofianos, 40, has spent hundreds of hours at the Dialysis Unit in the King Edward Memorial Hospital.

In December 2004 his kidneys failed and after spending a month in hospital he was released but told he would be required to spend several hours a week undergoing dialysis.

Dialysis treatment duplicates the functions of kidneys and removes waste products from a person’s blood and excess fluid from their urine.

Mr. Sofianos spends 15 hours a week at the unit for this process to work. He, and his fellow patients, are hooked up to a machine for approximately four hours a time.

Soon after he began dialysis, he decided he wanted to do something to make it a little more bearable — something that could make the time spent in the unit a little enjoyable.

While he has yet to decide what the money will be used for it will be spent on improving the facility, for example upgrading TVs to allow people to watch DVDs or other small improvements that could make a world of difference for those that spend a large portion of their week at the unit.

“Once we have paid for the event the rest of the proceeds will go to Kidney Patients in Action (registered charity 750) so we are really excited about it,” he said. “The event is already going to reach a number of different age groups because U2 is loved by many.

“This is actually the 20th anniversary of the release of “Joshua Tree”, so the Friday night show is a celebration of that and will concentrate on songs from that album. The Saturday night show will be a retrospective and include songs from the beginning of U2’s career until today.”

The album “Joshua Tree” was the band’s seventh LP and one of the UK’s fastest selling albums ever. It included some of the U2’s most popular songs, “Where the Streets Have no Name”, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” and “With or Without You”.

Two local acts, the Secret Po Po and A Bad Friend, will also perform.

Mr. Sofianos is organising the event with his co-workers at Gosling’s, Andrew Holmes, who runs 411 Productions, and John Burcher.

Tickets to the shows cost $50 but will not be sold at the door. They go on sale today. You can purchase tickets at at Gosling’s retail outlets, Music World, All Wrapped up and the I Store. A cash bar will be available, with drinks prices cheaper than bars and a BBQ will be on hand, with catering done by Getter Done. For more information about the event head to www.U2bermudashow.com or email U2@]bermuda.com