The Miracle (Of A Surprise Release)
As most U2 fans are already aware, U2 dropped a brand new album called Songs of Innocence and it is available exclusively via iTunes. It was not enough for U2 to perform at Apple's official launch of the iPhone 6 and iWatch; they followed their appearance with a new album. If you haven't got it yet, you can acquire it for the princely sum of absolutely nothing as long as you get in before 13 October. (Ax's tip: check out how awesome "Cedarwood Road" is, with a passionate, urgent vocal performance by Bono at the end.)
Of course, we are a concert and setlist website, so we're particularly interested in any live news we can get. There have been rumours recently that U2 would like to return to the more intimate surrounds of arenas. Paul McGuinness has dropped a hint of a tour beginning next year in the Northern Hemisphere's summer. He describes this as a "major tour". Does he mean major in its itinerary and geographic scope, major in its venues being stadiums rather than the rumoured arenas, or both? We don't know yet.
However, there has been one live performance recently. At the Apple launch, U2 performed the lead single and first track from Songs of Innocence, entitled "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)". Some videos of the performance have been taken down from YouTube already, including proshot footage, but here's one that's currently still up:
Our database listing for this concert is here.
This represents a break with the past, of sorts. The first performances of songs from the last three albums have been for television shows rather than a live event such as the Apple launch. "Beautiful Day" was the first song to be performed from All That You Can't Leave Behind, debuting at a taping for Top of the Pops on 27 September 2000. The first performances from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb were also for Top of the Pops, occurring on 15 October 2004. Three songs from No Line on the Horizon debuted for a different programme, The Culture Show, on 3 February 2009 (though were not broadcast until after a few other performances). Samples from these performances are below.
"Beautiful Day", back in 2000 on Top of the Pops:
"City of Blinding Lights" in 2004:
The full episode of The Culture Show, with "No Line on the Horizon" starting at 12:15 and "Get on Your Boots" at 25:25:
Of course, we are a concert and setlist website, so we're particularly interested in any live news we can get. There have been rumours recently that U2 would like to return to the more intimate surrounds of arenas. Paul McGuinness has dropped a hint of a tour beginning next year in the Northern Hemisphere's summer. He describes this as a "major tour". Does he mean major in its itinerary and geographic scope, major in its venues being stadiums rather than the rumoured arenas, or both? We don't know yet.
However, there has been one live performance recently. At the Apple launch, U2 performed the lead single and first track from Songs of Innocence, entitled "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)". Some videos of the performance have been taken down from YouTube already, including proshot footage, but here's one that's currently still up:
Our database listing for this concert is here.
This represents a break with the past, of sorts. The first performances of songs from the last three albums have been for television shows rather than a live event such as the Apple launch. "Beautiful Day" was the first song to be performed from All That You Can't Leave Behind, debuting at a taping for Top of the Pops on 27 September 2000. The first performances from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb were also for Top of the Pops, occurring on 15 October 2004. Three songs from No Line on the Horizon debuted for a different programme, The Culture Show, on 3 February 2009 (though were not broadcast until after a few other performances). Samples from these performances are below.
"Beautiful Day", back in 2000 on Top of the Pops:
"City of Blinding Lights" in 2004:
The full episode of The Culture Show, with "No Line on the Horizon" starting at 12:15 and "Get on Your Boots" at 25:25:
Posted on by Axver