2nd Night in Phoenix Arizona:'PUTTING THE GAY BACK IN GAELIC.'

Second show in Phoenix and a great celebration - not least because of the YES vote for marriage equality in Ireland.

Here's some headlines from the show:

Got to start with 'Pride (In The Name of Love)'. Bono introduced it with thanks and pride that Ireland had voted 'YES' to marriage equality. Here's what he said.
'This is a moment to thank the people who bring us peace. It's a moment for us to thank the people who brought peace to our country. We have peace in Ireland today! And in fact on this very day we have true equality in Ireland.
Because millions turned up to vote yesterday to say, 'love is the highest law in the land! Love!
The biggest turnout in the history of the state, to say, 'love is the highest law in the land!'
Because if God loves us, whoever we love, wherever we come from... then why can't the state?'

That trilogy of songs from Pride into Beautiful Day and into With Or Without You nearly takes the roof off the arena. Everybody singing every line of every song. Did we mention that the Irish voted for marriage equality? We did, and Bono altered the lyric of 'Pride' to sing 'Free at last, they took your life, they could not take your gay pride...' and then introduced Beautiful Day: 'We're putting the gay back in Gaelic!'

Iris, remembering Bono's mother, is already proving one of the standout live tracks from Songs of Innocence - with everyone singing the closing refrain. Here's how it arived last night.

'Lately we've been asking ourselves, 'Why are we still a band?

Why did Adam Clayton become a bass player, he's not answering that but it's something we are very very grateful for. What made Larry Mullen a drummer? When I ask him that he says I should keep philosophical questions to myself.
This man gave us our first job and we are still in it.

The Edge is a special case, he fell off himself. He's a Welsh man, comes to Ireland... what are the odds of that?

What are the odds that I would meet these three men?

I met someone the other day and they said 'You know, my mother met your mother and at the time you weren't getting on too well at your school, and it was my mother that told your mother to send you to Mount Temple.
That's where I met these three men.
What a wild ride of a coincidence
So do what your mother tells you.
For me, it was when my mother left me, age 14, that's when I became an artist, and I sing, we sing, this for her.
For Iris... beautiful Iris...'

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