U2 Rock The Garden With a Cameo From Jimmy Fallon

Time goes by so fast. I remember waiting agonizingly on Ticketmaster for an hour and a half getting my tickets for U2's Innocence and Experience Tour at Madison Square Garden back in December, and was lucky enough to get some pretty great seats. And now the show happened. It was all worth it, with U2 doing what they do best...knocking you off your feet in an arena.

The set list was largely a hits set of some of their biggest singles. I'm a big fan of deep cuts and rare songs being performed, but being in there and taking it all in, I didn't care what songs they played. It all worked so well - the moments of just the band on the main stage playing some of their loud rockers, and then them moments where they used the latest technology like the giant 3-Dimensional screen that the band walked inside of to put on an orgasm for the eyes. The new songs from their latest album Songs of Innocence packed a punch, especially "Iris", written by Bono for his mom who died when he was 14.

Jimmy Fallon was pulled out of the crowd, and he joined the band in a performance of "Desire". He famously dressed as Bono on the Tonight Show and performed it with The Roots, and then before the start of the tour U2 & Fallon dressed up as street performers to perform in the Subway. The Roots were then brought out to lend a hand on "Angel of Harlem". It's not often U2 have a special guest on stage at a concert, as they don't need it. However, it worked in this setting.


The show ended with a sing-along version of "One" that concluded with Bono singing a bit of The Beatles' "All You Need Is Love" since Paul McCartney was in the crowd to perfectly cap off yet another strong concert from U2.

New U2 Album "Songs of Innocence" Out NOW...for FREE

How do you combat the lack of people buying albums? Well, you just give it away for free apparently.

The Temporary Cover of the Free Version of "Songs of Innocence"

U2 (Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr, Adam Clayton) announced at the Apple iPhone 6 event that their new album, Songs of Innocence, is now out exclusively on iTunes until October 13 for Free, automatically in every users iTunes around the world, where you can listen or download the album for free. Of course that means the album will not count towards the Billboard charts, but for a band like U2 who have sold millions upon millions of albums that really isn't a big deal. You can check for the album here: http://smarturl.it/newu2album.

On October 13 the physical album will be released on CD and Vinyl, containing acoustic versions of the songs as well as four new tracks not on the free digital version, plus other goodies like a book. This may be a smart idea in this age when album sales are at record lows. More people will listen to the free album that normally wouldn't pay for it anyway. Then when the deluxe/physical version comes out the fans who would buy it anyway will get that one. Bono also stated that another album called Songs of Experience may be released in the not too distant future.

So far my favorite song would be "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)", with fuzzed out guitars that scream ROCK. Sorry Gene Simmons, but Rock is not dead, just ask U2, the Foo Fighters, and Paramore among others.

The track listing:
1. The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)
2. Every Breaking Wave
3. California (There is no End to Love)
4. Song for Someone
5. Iris (Hold Me Close)
6. Volcano
7. Raised By Wolves
8. Cedarwood Road
9. Sleep Like a Baby Tonight
10. This Is Where You Can Reach Me
11. The Troubles - Featuring Lykee Li

New U2 Album Being Revealed At Apple Event

The updated U2 iPod from 2006

It's been 5 and a half years since U2 last released an album, 2009's No Line On The Horizon. That is about to change, as rumor has it U2 will be releasing some information about the new album, with the date of release soon.

According to the New York Times, U2 (Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr, Adam Clayton) will be at the Apple event September 9th. Apple will be revealing the iPhone 6 that day, which should go on sale shortly after. Now the rumor is U2 will be streaming the entire album on the iPhone 6. One can assume the album will then be released shortly after that. They may also be performing their new single at the event. This all comes with little hype or warning, which worked for David Bowie & Beyonce among others. 

There may be more in relation to Apple, but that is being kept under wraps. The music industry has changed with album sales at an all time low, and artists are finding new ways to get music out there. We can possibly expect some unique new thing U2 and Apple will be trying to improve the listening experience in the digital age. The album will be released in an "innovative" way according to some. We'll find out soon what innovative actually means. 

This isn't the first time the two have linked up. Their hit song "Vertigo" was featured in the memorable silhouette iPod commercials in 2004 and 2005. Apple also released a Special Edition U2 iPod in 2004 and video iPod in 2006. 

U2 Releases "Invisible" For (RED)

"Invisible" Cover Art

U2 have released a new song "Invisible", for FREE on iTunes, available only today on Sunday February 2nd through Monday February 3rd. The song is off their upcoming album, but not the first single. It was released in a partnership with Bank of America, who have donated $10 Million dollars to (RED) to fight AIDS. They will donate an additional $1 for each Free download, so get downloading it on iTunes by clicking here. *Edit* The song is now available through Amazon & Google Play as well. It's no longer free, but all proceeds are still being donated to (RED). $1.29 is not steep at all, please download to support the cause!

The song is a change from anything on their two most recent albums, No Line On The Horizon (2009) and How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (2004). The intro really threw me for a loop, and the entire song sounds incredibly fresh. To compare to other artists, it sounds a bit like Kraftwerk meets The Killers, but certainly very U2 more than anything else.

They've made a career of expanding their musical palette, from starting out as a Post-Punk band and moving on to Americana and Blues, to Alternative Rock and Electronic influenced rock. They can do it all, and this song is U2 continuing to push themselves. If I had to pick two U2 songs to compare it with I'd go with "Zoo Station" from Achtung Baby & "Kite" from All That You Can't Leave Behind. Bono is in fine form vocally, and Larry Mullen Jr really stands out on drums in the commercial. Hopefully his drums are featured more in the actual song on the album version.

Part of the music video for the song will debut in a commercial during the Super Bowl, reminding people to download the song for Free to help promote & raise money for (RED). The full video will be on YouTube later. Bono describes the song of his feeling back in 1979 walking out of the London Subway and feeling uncool being from the Dublin suburbs as the original inspiration for the lyrics before moving on to what we hear now. If this is just a taste of the new album, I'm even more pumped to hear it all this Spring/Summer. You can watch a video detailing the making of the song/video below:
 

U2 Bringing New Song "Invisible" To The Super Bowl?

U2 are finally gearing up to release their first new album since 2009's No Line On The Horizon in 2014.

They gave us a tease with the Golden Globe nominated song "Ordinary Love" from the film "Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom". Their next single, called "Invisible", is possibly going to be released in a 30 or 60 second commercial during the Super Bowl on February 2nd as reported on atU2. One can assume the full song/music video will be uploaded to YouTube/U2.com and released to iTunes/Amazon MP3 shortly after. The new track will be supporting the (RED) campaign to fight AIDS, so there isn't any official word yet if this song is part of the new album. However, in an LA Times article where the track "Invisible" was played by Bono for them, it stated the song is from the new album. So its possible the track is both promoting the (RED) charity and the lead single.

I faintly heard part of the song, as someone on a beach managed to hear the song being played (loudly) and recorded a bit of it with a cell phone. You can't make out much thankfully, since I'd rather just hear it during the Super Bowl, but you can tell the song is going for the sweeping epic vibe. Think of it as in a category with "Where The Streets Have No Name" or "Beautiful Day".

The band (Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen Jr) also appeared at and performed for Sean Penn's 3rd Annual HELP HAITI HOME fundraiser, performing "Hallelujah", "I Will Follow", "Desire" & "Vertigo". It was only their second performance for a crowd since the end of the U2360 Tour in Summer 2011.

U2 Return With 'Ordinary Love'

U2 have released their first new song since 2009 with "Ordinary Love" as well as an accompanying lyric video from artist Oliver Jeffers. Bono appears briefly in the video. The song is featured in the end credits and soundtrack of the upcoming Nelson Mandela film 'Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom' starring Idris Elba & Naomie Harris. You can almost bet the song will be nominated for a Golden Globe and/or Academy Award.

A special version of the song will be released on Vinyl for Record Store Day 2013. The B-Side will be an alternate Nelson Mandela-themed version of their song "Breathe", which was released on 2009's No Line On The Horizon.

"Ordinary Love" sounds like a cross between "Beautiful Day" and "One Tree Hill". Their next studio album is due out in 2014, and this song won't be on the album (at least not in this current form) as it was made specifically for the soundtrack to 'Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom'. Watch the video below.

U2's Greatest Live Performances

U2 were in New York City last week, apparently mixing their new album at Electric Lady Studios. Rumors suggest the goal is to have their 13th studio album out sometime between October and December 2013, with a tour to follow starting in the Spring. We'll see if this holds up, but it looks like some new music is on the horizon. Throughout their long career, they've been known for creating some real chill inducing performances that could even leave non-fans speechless. Here are some of their greatest live performances, though there are plenty more to choose from.

All I Want Is You/Where The Streets Have No Name, Slane Castle (2001) - The Slane Castle concert is one of U2's most highly regarded shows. They seem to be in such a loose mood at this show, possibly because it wasn't originally going to be released as a DVD. Streets, with its slow building intro, is enough to deliver goosebumps to even the most jaded person. If you're looking for a top quality performance of the song, Slane Castle is one of the better versions you can get.  

Wake Up Dead Man/Walk On, Boston (2001) - I love the combination here, as this slow performance of "Wake Up Dead Man" leads into a passionate and rousing rendition of the live staple "Walk On". "MLK/Walk On" from the U22 Live album of the U2360 Tour has a similar effect. "Walk On", written for Aung San Suu Kyi while she was under house arrest in Burma, always has a high level of passion when performed.

Beautiful Day/MLK/Where The Streets Have No Name, Super Bowl (2002) - A few months after 9/11, U2 were tasked with putting on the first Super Bowl Halftime following the tragedy. And they delivered on a grand scale. It started with the soaring & energetic "Beautiful Day". Once the somber "MLK" kicked in, the giant screen with the victims' names rose to the roof and created the greatest moment in Super Bowl Halftime history. This eventually leads to the building "Where The Streets Have No Name" that ends the set on a high note that left everyone feeling that things were going to be alright.

Surrender, New Year's Day, & Sunday Bloody Sunday, Red Rocks (1983) - While their Live Aid performance is what launched them to mainstream status, Red Rocks (Under a Blood Red Sky) is what made U2 known amongst music fans as one of the best live bands in the world. Red Rocks is a famous outdoor amphitheater in Colorado, and on this particular night the rain was coming down, while torches lit the amphitheater. The red lighting & smoke from the fire amidst the mist and rain created quite the stunning visual and a fitting backdrop to the powerful music coming from the stage. MTV (back when they played music) put many of the song performances into rotation, and the video became a best seller. The rest is history, as the show solidified their presence. You could really pick any song, though those three are my personal stand outs from the show.

Bad, Live Aid (1985) - After the success of "Red Rocks" on MTV & video, U2 found a new venue to showcase their live performance, this time at a music festival headlined by some of the biggest acts on the planet at Live Aid 1985. The band played a 14-minute version of "Bad", which took up most of their set forcing them to cut a song. Bono jumped into the crowd and danced with a girl, who was close to being crushed by fans who were pushing towards the stage. Bono saw it and made his way to her to save the day and create a memorable moment. He just can't help himself! The performance put them on the map in a mainstream way for the first time.

SFOR Soldiers Stood Watch

Sarajevo Concert, PopMart Tour (1997) - There aren't any specific performances that stood out at this show, considering Bono was suffering from vocal issues that hurt his performances, though The Edge and the crowd helped him along. The main reason this is such a big moment is the magnitude of the show itself, where they became the first act to put on a major concert in Bosnia following the ends of the brutal Bosnian War in 1995 & Siege of Sarajevo in 1996. The band lost a lot of money on the show due to extremely low ticket prices, since unemployment in the region was so high following the war. Trains ran into Sarajevo for the first time since before the start of the war on the day on the concert. They were also the first big act to perform at Madison Square Garden just a month after 9/11 when other acts were nervous about putting on shows with large gatherings. U2 has a knack for using music and performance to help heal and boost morale.

With or Without You, Live in Paris (1987) - "With or Without You" is their signature song, and pretty much any version during the late 1980s is a gem. The live version occasionally is longer and adds the line "We'll shine like stars in the summer night/We'll shine like stars in the winter light/One hope/One love" which is simple yet adds so much to an already perfect song.

The Fly, ZooTV Live from Sydney (1993) - "The Fly" launched U2 into the 90s when it was released as a lead single from Achtung Baby, showing their versatility. The live version is a highlight from the ZooTV DVD, as the band tears through the track and Bono sings into a mic that distorts his voice. The track was thankfully resurrected on the U2360 Tour in 2011.

Vertigo, Glastonbury Festival (2011) - "Vertigo" is one of their most energetic songs, and the live version adds a nice intro that builds up to the pulsating guitar courtesy of The Edge. The crowd at Glastonbury provided some nice background vocals for Bono, as the rain fell down which was reminiscent of Red Rocks. This Glastonbury version also has a nice little snippet of The Beatles' "She Loves You", which is always great to hear.

Response to 10 Great U2 Guitar Songs

Bono & The Edge

Gibson recently posted an article that attempted to bring together the 10 greatest U2 guitar songs. Tough task because the iconic rock band has so many great songs and with that comes a variety of opinions. However, I noticed that all the songs in this list were hit singles. While there is nothing wrong with that, as all those songs are outstanding, when it comes to a band like U2 you can really dig into their catalog and find so much more. So here are more songs, in no particular order, that have some of the best guitar we've heard from The Edge. Mostly sticking to non-singles with a few exceptions.

1. New York (All That You Can't Leave Behind, 2000) - Bono provides some interesting lyrics as he describes New York City, however the real star of this song is The Edge. His guitar really comes blistering into the song around 2:10 into this underrated track. It has some of my favorite guitar work from The Edge, and considering it wasn't released as a single and hasn't been played live in a while, you should probably give it another listen. Check out this fantastic unofficial fan-made video for the song:

2. The Fly (Achtung Baby, 1991) - One of the singles I'm including, it tends to be a bit forgotten considering the popularity of the other singles from Achtung Baby ('One', 'Mysterious Ways', 'Even Better Than The Real Thing'). The distorted guitar hits you right away and carries you through one of the best songs in U2's rich history. This was the lead single from Achtung Baby, and it was the perfect choice to signal the band's new alternative rock/electronic/experimental direction of the 90s after their more serious output of the late 80s. I bet when many people first heard this song, their initial thought may have been, "this is the same band that made 'With or Without You'?!?" 'The Fly' helped signal U2 as a group with many tricks up their musical sleeves.

3. I Threw a Brick Through a Window (October, 1981) - Here's another example of the guitar taking the stage ahead of Bono's vocals/lyrics. That is no easy feat considering Bono is one of the strongest singers of all time. October is their least popular album, though still a great listen, so many of the songs remain unknown to the masses. Many of the songs on October are powered by the instruments. Bono's lyrics were stolen, so they had to be re-written quickly, which is part of the reason. That inadvertantly allows The Edge, Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton to shine and take a larger focus than on other albums.

4. Vertigo (How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, 2004) - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb contains some of U2's most powerful and heavy guitar work. However, 'Vertigo' stands out and another hit single I just can't ignore. The "iPod" song will forever be a live favorite and staple thanks to the ear blasting guitar heard throughout in addition to the catchy lyrics. It gets people on their feet.

5. Surrender (War, 1983) - The guitar provides much variety throughout the 5 1/2 minutes of 'Surrender', going along with some of the chanting as I call it heard here. The length gives Edge plenty of opportunities to stand out. War, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb and Boy are chock full of heavy, loud guitar for those who like harder rock.

6. Stay (Faraway, So Close!) (Zooropa, 1993) One of the greatest songs they've ever made. It was a single, though it should have charted much higher on the Hot 100 than its peak of 61. It makes for a great alternative ballad, and is mostly played acoustic in concert now. The guitar moves the outstanding vocals along nicely, and its the definition of what a ballad should be.

7. Breathe (No Line on the Horizon, 2009) Most people agree that this should have been a single, and probably the lead. However, it opened many shows on the U2360 tour. The song soars and lifts you up, a U2 specialty. Mainly crafted by The Edge himself, he took influence from Jack White & Jimmy Page, whom he worked with in the guitar documentary It Might Get Loud. 

8. Bullet the Blue Sky (The Joshua Tree, 1987) The guitar slides are used expertly in 'Bullet the Blue Sky', and the song carries a lot of power especially when performed live. The studio track has a great distorted solo towards the end, which was nice considering most of the album is a mellower affair.

9. The Electric Co. (Boy, 1980) From their very first album, the young Edge gets to unleash his powerful guitar throughout the album, but my favorite is on 'The Electric Co.' Electric would clearly be the best word to describe it, as his guitar travels through your speakers like lightning.

10. Until the End of the World (Achtung Baby, 1991) The song is dark and exciting, with The Edge bringing his shimmering guitar along for the ride. Another non-single that has become a live favorite of many fans. The song is perfect in every way, and The Edge delivers one of his best guitar solos. The entire song was born of a guitar riff, so its only fitting.

11. Electrical Storm (Best of 1990-2000, 2002) The "William Orbit Mix" lacks the powerful guitar intro, but you can find the guitar "Band Version" as a B-Side with the 2-disc version of the hits album, which features 'Electrical Storm' as a new song.

Guitar lovers should check out these as well: 'Elevation' (All That You Can't Leave Behind), 'Wake Up Dead Man' (Pop, 1997), 'Desire' (Rattle & Hum, 1988), 'Window in the Skies' (U218 Singles, 2006), 'A Sort of Homecoming' (The Unforgettable Fire, 1984), 'Love Comes Tumbling' (Wide Awake in America, 1985), 'Crumbs From Your Table' (How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb), 'Fez - Being Born' (No Line on the Horizon).

U2 2013 & Album Rankings

Rumor has it U2 will release a new album sometime in 2013, probably late summer or fall, with a tour following it. U2 always comes up with great ideas for a tour, so expect something unique again, much like "The Claw" from the record breaking "U2 360 Tour". Rumor has it most of the shows will be arena shows this time around. Julian Lennon (John Lennon's son) said they are interested in possibly using one of his photographs as the cover.

1. Achtung Baby (1991) - U2 didn't just "chop down the Joshua tree" (as they've said), they sent it through a wood chipper with songs like "Zoo Station," "The Fly" and "Acrobat." Achtung Baby was a much darker album than people were used to from them. They embraced alternative rock, as well as dance and electronic music. It's so hard to pick a top song, because each one can probably lay claim to it. Anyone who hasn't heard this album must do it now. The accompanying Zoo TV Tour is possibly the most original & creative concert tour of all time, so the "Zoo TV Live from Sydney" DVD is also worth picking up.
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2. The Joshua Tree (1987) - The Grammy-winning album that sent them into the stratosphere. It's their best-selling album, with classics such as "With or Without You," "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." This was a more mainstream sound than their early-80s post-punk albums, also showing their versatility in songwriting. The most underrated song on the album is "Exit" which starts with a slow build then explodes into a loud rocker. I'm a sucker for that. From top to bottom it feels like the album is full of radio friendly hits.

3. All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000) - It's not their most creative album, but the songs very simply kick ass and never seem to get old as the years go by. Another big Grammy winner, it features the amazing "Beautiful Day" as well as other hits like "Elevation" and "Walk On." One of their best tracks, "Kite", was never released as a single and shows that even the deeper tracks on this album have as much, and maybe more, strength than the singles. Often called U2's third masterpiece after Achtung Baby & The Joshua Tree. It took U2 into the 21st Century in the most perfect way, and they haven't looked back.

4. War (1983) - My favorite of their pre-Joshua Tree albums, this has a lot of energy for a politically charged album, their first album that deals with politics and war. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day" are the well-known tracks, but most of the album has songs that are equally as good. War is one of their hardest rockers taking what they did on the first two albums to the next level. "Two Hearts Beat as One" is a rocker that makes you want to get up and move, U2 is always good at that. This is the album that proved they were more than a one hit wonder.

5. No Line On The Horizon (2009) - This one isn’t very mainstream, but it all flows together nicely, definitely an underrated album. It's a bit more experimental than the other U2 albums from the 2000s. "Breathe," "Magnificent," "Unknown Caller" and "Moment of Surrender" all stand out. It's their most visual album along with The Unforgettable Fire. "Get on Your Boots" is a good song, but is much better the way they perform it live with a different intro. Bono said the album would be more experimental that the previous two, but they probably could have taken that further.

U2's Achtung Baby Re-Released

Today, U2 has released multiple versions of their perfect 1991 album Achtung Baby. Most people should probably opt for the cheaper 2-Disc edition which can also be downloaded on iTunes & Amazon. It has the original album plus B-Sides and Unreleased tracks. For the people who want everything though, there is a Super Deluxe Edition with 6 CD's including the 1993 followup album Zooropa, as well as 4 DVD's including the great From The Sky Down documentary and the Zoo TV: Live from Sydney concert as well as a bunch of other goodies. Then there's the Uber Deluxe Edition, including sunglasses styled from the Zoo TV tour that Bono wore, as well as vinyl albums.

For those that haven't heard this album, what are you waiting for? It's one of the most creative albums of all time, and every song is a must-listen. One of the new, unreleased tracks on the 2-Disc edition is "Blow Your House Down", which could easily have been a single-worthy song, yet was left off the album. Shows how many great songs came from this. All the B-sides and remixes are interesting songs, and the 2-disc version does not cost too much more than the single disc. Definitely a worthy purchase for both long time fans and new listeners. I'm pretty sure everyone has heard the classic singles "One" and "Mysterious Ways" though.

For those who want the Super Deluxe, there are four extra unreleased songs. The best of which is "Oh Berlin", a haunting track that easily could have been on the main album as well. "Heaven and Hell" & "Everybody Loves a Winner" are fine tracks as well but not as memorable as "Oh Berlin" or "Blow Your House Down". Another is "Down All The Days", an early version of the track "Numb" from Zooropa with Bono on vocals instead of Edge.

It would be difficult to even rank the songs, because they are all so good. I'd have to say "The Fly" is probably my favorite song off the album. It was the first single and at the time it was very different from what people were used to from the band. I like to say it has some nice crunching guitar throughout. Anyone have a favorite track from Achtung Baby?

Bono & The Edge Join Reeve Carney on American Idol

In case you missed it, you can watch the exciting performance by Reeve Carney with Bono and The Edge from U2 on the American Idol finale above. Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark has received notoriety for being both the most expensive Broadway production ever, and the accidents that were happening. They performed the song "Rise Above 1" in front of a glowing web on stage. 

However, the show has been changed around and the reviews of the new version have been positive. Judging by what was seen on American Idol, then it surely looks like it will live up to the original hype. They may have produced the most exciting performance in American Idol history, with the Spider-man stunt guy flying down from the rafters into the aisles on a cord, then coming down from the ceiling upside down to re-create a scene from the first movie. Jennifer Lopez didn't kiss him obviously, but it made for a fun moment. Oh, Scotty McCreery won American Idol over Lauren Alaina. I was mainly watching for this performance though. By the way, it was a nice surprise to see the two surviving members of TLC perform! And Steven Tyler can still rock out with the best of them, even without Aerosmith, giving a good rendition of Dream On.

The "Rise Above 1" track from Spider-man is now available for download on Amazon, you can click the box to the left and it will take you there.