Click on the image to see the interview
Another amazing performance of "Every Breaking Wave":
Showing posts with label performance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label performance. Show all posts
Monday, October 27, 2014
Bono & Edge in “The Late Late Show” (RTE One)
'It's a strange feeling when the plane comes down and you see the lights of Dublin, a lovely feeling and this show, growing up in Ireland, it's quintessential...'
Edge and Bono were guests of Ryan Tubridy on The Late Late Show last night - performing acoustic versions of 'The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)' and 'Every Breaking Wave'.
See all the interview here.
www.u2.com//www.rte.ie/
Later with Jools Holland
In the famous BBC programme , U2 played "Volcano” and “Every Breaking Wave” with a string orchestra.
Here is the powerful performance of "Volcano", ready to be a blast on stage:
"Every breaking wave" in its version with orchestra is hair rising:
And finally they premiered "California", another bomb for live performances:
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
U2 Remind Us That They Are the Greatest
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Bono performs during the 2014 Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. (Photo by
Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Say what you will about the Mandela biopic that inspired "Ordinary Love"; the performance that the Irish quartet gave not only sold the song wonderfully, it reminded you of what an electric band they can be. Walking out like gunfighters, they eased into the song before Bono started hitting those high notes and his frontman stride; by the time the Edge went into that elegiac acoustic guitar part at the end, Bono was kneeling at the lip of the stage, keening into the tuxedoed crowd. It was no ordinary rendition, to say the least.
http://www.rollingstone.com
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Oscar Night for U2
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| At the Red Carpet |
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| Benedict Cumberbatch photobombs U2's pic at the Red Carpet |
U2 - Performs Ordinary Love - Oscars 2014 por IdolxMuzic http://www.dailymotion.com/
More pictures here.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
U2 Open Up About New Album After Historic Rooftop 'Tonight Show' Gig
By DAVID FRICKE for Rolling Stone
"I wanna be in that band!" U2's Bono shouts with delight as he stares at the screen. The singer, gripping a beer and dancing to the music, is crammed with the rest of the group – guitarist The Edge, bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. – into a tiny control room at NBC's Rockefeller Center studios in New York. U2 are reviewing the mix and footage of their performance less than an hour ago on top of the building – 71 floors up, in below-freezing cold under a gorgeous winter-sunset sky – for Jimmy Fallon's February 17th debut as host of The Tonight Show.
"Guys, this is history!" Fallon raves to the small, lucky crowd before introducing the band, referring both to his big night and U2's appearance. The electronica-driven blast of "Invisible" – from U2's forthcoming album, recorded over the past two years with producer Brian Burton a.k.a Danger Mouse – is the band's first, public performance of new material since the end of their in-the-round stadium tour in 2011.
After a first take that Bono deems not quite perfect, U2 play "Invisible" again, flanked by members of the Rutgers University marching band. This is the keeper: Bono bounds on to the sliver of a stage like an eager boxer, punching the air as he sings, and The Edge's chiming-guitar solo rings clear and hard through the frigid air.
The Story Behind "Invisible"
"It's about having no barriers," Bono says afterward of that song's chorus – "There is no them" – as he hangs out in a hallway downstairs, outside the main studio, waiting for U2 to play their second song for Fallon, the Oscar-nominated "Ordinary Love." "Invisible," Bono goes on, is "about how there is no audience. There is only you and me – us – whenever we play. And how extraordinary is it," he adds, "that I decided to do this without my father's name" – referring to a line about his own willful reinvention as a teenager, from Dublin-born Paul Hewson. "It started out as a straight-rock song," The Edge says of "Invisible" during an interview in U2's dressing room. "It was a demo I worked on in L.A., almost Ramones-like. When I brought it to the band to Dublin, we stripped it back. We tried various, different arrangements. They were all promising but not quite it. Then we hit on this arrangement with Brian, taking it toward the electronica aesthetic. From that point of view, Bono was able to own it as a singer and feel like this was fresh territory."
Making "Love" with the Roots
In that control room, the band is also watches a playback of "Ordinary Love," which starts out on the couch next to Fallon's desk – Bono with a microphone, the Edge and Clayton pickling acoustic instruments and Mullen banging a tambourine. Bono winces when he hears the first note out of his mouth again – slightly flat. "I didn't have any ear monitors," he explains later. "I couldn't hear myself." But the song sounds warm and quietly intense, until Bono calls for Fallon's house band, the Roots, to bring their funk.
"We heard all about American television from Bruce Springsteen," Bono cracks. "He said, 'Remember, they can turn you up, they can turn you down. They can hit pause. You have no control.' For years, we avoided doing TV, because we didn't feel like we could get across who we are, the way we want you to hear it.
"But when you do something like this," he goes on, beaming, "you realize you can be yourself – do something special that serves the song."
The Edge points out that U2 originally planned to play "Ordinary Love" unplugged all the way through. "But yesterday, I thought, 'Maybe for the ending, we should let the Roots in for a little bit.' And when Bono asked them to come in, I could feel this thing – 'Woah!' – and Bono started to take
"It was a nice reminder," the guitarist says, "that there is nothing quite as rewarding as playing a great, new song to U2 fans."
The New Album
"We're in the studio still," The Edge admits during that dressing-room interview when asked about U2's progress on the new album. The record was expected to be out last December; it is now tentatively set for release this summer. But the Edge will only confirm that "we really want the songs to be right. That's the only reason why we're not on tour – because we're so good at starting, not so good at finishing. That's always the way it's been."
The guitarist says the band has around 30 songs "that we're excited about, in various states of being finished." Of those, "six or seven are mixed and ready to go." There is "a common thread" too – "the period of music, in our lives and history, when we really came into being, turned on by music, the seeds that made us want to be in a band.
"The thing about U2 songs," The Edge continues, "is there is no set way they come into being. A couple of songs on the album have literally been like, 'We're all together, here's some chords, let's see what happens.' And suddenly, an hour later, there is a song, an arrangement and a recording. Other things, you know there is something great in there, how to make it really count.
"We're dogged," he says proudly. "Some people go, 'We tried it. It didn't work out. Next idea.' We don't abandon our songs if we really believe there is something there. We're going to keep pushing. We just don't give up."
The Edge gets up to leave. The band is flying back to Dublin right away – they have an album to finish. When asked, as he is about to go out the door, if the album has a title, The Edge replies, "Not yet. We have a few." He laughs "That's the problem."
http://www.rollingstone.com
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U2 perform on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'
Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
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After a first take that Bono deems not quite perfect, U2 play "Invisible" again, flanked by members of the Rutgers University marching band. This is the keeper: Bono bounds on to the sliver of a stage like an eager boxer, punching the air as he sings, and The Edge's chiming-guitar solo rings clear and hard through the frigid air.
The Story Behind "Invisible"
"It's about having no barriers," Bono says afterward of that song's chorus – "There is no them" – as he hangs out in a hallway downstairs, outside the main studio, waiting for U2 to play their second song for Fallon, the Oscar-nominated "Ordinary Love." "Invisible," Bono goes on, is "about how there is no audience. There is only you and me – us – whenever we play. And how extraordinary is it," he adds, "that I decided to do this without my father's name" – referring to a line about his own willful reinvention as a teenager, from Dublin-born Paul Hewson. "It started out as a straight-rock song," The Edge says of "Invisible" during an interview in U2's dressing room. "It was a demo I worked on in L.A., almost Ramones-like. When I brought it to the band to Dublin, we stripped it back. We tried various, different arrangements. They were all promising but not quite it. Then we hit on this arrangement with Brian, taking it toward the electronica aesthetic. From that point of view, Bono was able to own it as a singer and feel like this was fresh territory."
Making "Love" with the Roots
In that control room, the band is also watches a playback of "Ordinary Love," which starts out on the couch next to Fallon's desk – Bono with a microphone, the Edge and Clayton pickling acoustic instruments and Mullen banging a tambourine. Bono winces when he hears the first note out of his mouth again – slightly flat. "I didn't have any ear monitors," he explains later. "I couldn't hear myself." But the song sounds warm and quietly intense, until Bono calls for Fallon's house band, the Roots, to bring their funk.
"We heard all about American television from Bruce Springsteen," Bono cracks. "He said, 'Remember, they can turn you up, they can turn you down. They can hit pause. You have no control.' For years, we avoided doing TV, because we didn't feel like we could get across who we are, the way we want you to hear it.
"But when you do something like this," he goes on, beaming, "you realize you can be yourself – do something special that serves the song."
The Edge points out that U2 originally planned to play "Ordinary Love" unplugged all the way through. "But yesterday, I thought, 'Maybe for the ending, we should let the Roots in for a little bit.' And when Bono asked them to come in, I could feel this thing – 'Woah!' – and Bono started to take
"It was a nice reminder," the guitarist says, "that there is nothing quite as rewarding as playing a great, new song to U2 fans."
The New Album
"We're in the studio still," The Edge admits during that dressing-room interview when asked about U2's progress on the new album. The record was expected to be out last December; it is now tentatively set for release this summer. But the Edge will only confirm that "we really want the songs to be right. That's the only reason why we're not on tour – because we're so good at starting, not so good at finishing. That's always the way it's been."
The guitarist says the band has around 30 songs "that we're excited about, in various states of being finished." Of those, "six or seven are mixed and ready to go." There is "a common thread" too – "the period of music, in our lives and history, when we really came into being, turned on by music, the seeds that made us want to be in a band.
"The thing about U2 songs," The Edge continues, "is there is no set way they come into being. A couple of songs on the album have literally been like, 'We're all together, here's some chords, let's see what happens.' And suddenly, an hour later, there is a song, an arrangement and a recording. Other things, you know there is something great in there, how to make it really count.
"We're dogged," he says proudly. "Some people go, 'We tried it. It didn't work out. Next idea.' We don't abandon our songs if we really believe there is something there. We're going to keep pushing. We just don't give up."
The Edge gets up to leave. The band is flying back to Dublin right away – they have an album to finish. When asked, as he is about to go out the door, if the album has a title, The Edge replies, "Not yet. We have a few." He laughs "That's the problem."
http://www.rollingstone.com
U2 at the Jimmy Fallon's First 'Tonight Show
U2 appears on the roof of 30 Rock (i.e. the Top of the Rock) to sing its new single, "Invisible." Behind the band, and frenetic fans, is New York City aglow in red, oranges, blues and purples. The Empire State building beams red, white and blue lights from its upper levels.
"I wonder how any act will ever match that performance in that incredible setting." Billboard reporter asked himself.
Fallon welcomes to the couch his new regime's first musical guest ("who you saw earlier"), U2. "Have you ever performed higher?" he jokes … of the band having just played 70 stories up.
Fallon asserts that activist Bono could give a speech about anything. "Can you do a speech about … this coffee mug?" he challenges. "It's not a cup," Bono begins, easily rising to the task. "It's a container that demands to be filled … by love."
Fallon congratulates U2 on having raised more than $3 million so far for the charity (RED) from sales of "Invisible." "That's what separates you from other bands," Fallon lauds. "It's for people to buy the drugs needed to fight AIDS," Bono explains. "We're very grateful."
Fallon admits his longtime thought that if he ever had U2 on the couch, he'd ask the group to perform a song acoustic, "to see if you had the goods." The band begins playing the first music ever performed by a guest live in-studio on the "Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon": the opening notes of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven." After laughter, U2 plays its other new single, "Ordinary Love." Bono and the band obviously have the goods.
Fallon and Smith, still on the couch, watch mesmerized.
The Roots(the house orchestra) turn the acoustic song into an electrified jam. Bono stands up, Fallon and Smith clap and the crowd dances along. Bono changes "ordinary love" into "Questlove" a few times.
See the complete article:
http://www.billboard.com/
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Bono attended the 86th Academy Awards Annual Luncheon.
The nominees for the 86th Academy Awards gathered for the annual Luncheon. Bono attended the ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
Bono, who spoke to TheWrap.com at the Academy’s nominees luncheon said his group will perform their nominated song, “Ordinary Love,” featured in the film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
He said it will be the “only band performance of the song” and added, “After Mandela died, we didn’t think it would be right to release it as a single, because it would seem like we were trying to capitalize. So we’re going to do it this once — but it’s a pretty good place to do it.”
Bono also mentioned he’s proposed an idea to the Oscar telecast producers for next year’s show. He’d like the red carpet to have an imprint of the logo for his (RED) charity, which supports the fight against AIDS. He said, “We’ll have a camera looking down on the parentheses, and then the stars can all stand in the parentheses and look up.”
http://www.classichitsandoldies.com/
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