If you ever see Bono hitchhiking, be sure to give him a lift -- he'll almost certainly reward you with VIP tickets for a U2 show. That's exactly what happened for Edmonton Oilers hockey center Gilbert Brule and his girlfriend Kelsey Nichols, who spotted the singer and his assistant walking  in the rain in West Vancouver on Tuesday. The two had reportedly gone out for a walk just before the downpour began, and Brule and Nichols spotted them soon after.

Photos: U2 Return to the U.S. on 360 Tour

The couple, who were driving to a park to walk their dog, pulled over when Brule recognized the rock star on the side of the road. "I didn’t want to stop, but they waved and G yelled 'that’s Bono'," Nichols told the Edmonton Journal. Upon getting in the car, Bono asked them to drive him to the Horseshoe Bay neighborhood of West Vancouver, and they obliged. As a token of gratitude, the singer hooked Brule and Nichols up with tickets for the band's show in Edmonton, Alberta last night.

Choose Rolling Stone's Cover: The Sheepdogs vs. Lelia Broussard. Vote Now

Brule and Nichols sold their tickets to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup tournament and flew to Edmonton for the show with Brule's mother. At the show, Bono paid tribute to Brule during a bit of banter. "I like ice hockey because people who play ice hockey are the kind of people who pick up hitchhikers,” Bono told the audience at the Commonwealth Stadium. “I’m ever so grateful. I’ve decided that I want to be Gilbert Brule.”

• 
  MUSIC 100 Greatest Debut Albums
• 
  MOVIES 'Star Trek' Is Crazy Good
• 
  TV 10 Shows to Watch This Summer
• 
  POLITICS No Price Big Banks Can't Fix

Song Stories