An interesting cover of Bad

Tweet Being my favorite song from U2, I tend to get picky when it comes to covers. I have to admit I enjoyed this.

Your thoughts?

U2: Landover

Tweet U2 played a shorter setlist tonight in Landover.

Here's what they played:


Breathe
Magnificent
Get On Your Boots
Mysterious Ways
I Still Haven't Found/Stand By Me (snippet)
Elevation
Your Blue Room
Beautiful Day/Blackbird (snippet)
New Year's Day
Stuck In A Moment
The Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights/Mofo (snippet)
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy Remix
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On

One/Amazing Grace (snippet)
Streets
Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender

Video setlist (in progress)

I Still Haven't Found:


The Unforgettable Fire:


Vertigo:


Sunday Bloody Sunday:



Ultraviolet:

U2 at MSU on July 8, 2010?

Tweet Click here to be redirected to the @u2 site for this very interesting article.

The Unforgettable Fire Remastered

Tweet Taken from U2.com:


As we reported a couple of weeks ago, special formats of The Unforgettable Fire will feature bonus audio material and a DVD including music videos, a documentary and unreleased live footage from the Amnesty International Conspiracy of Hope Tour in 1986. Here's the 16 track listing for :

The Unforgettable Fire Bonus Audio CD.

Disappearing Act
A Sort of Homecoming (live)
Bad (live)
Love Comes Tumbling
The Three Sunrises
Yoshino Blossom
Wire (Kervorkian Remix)
Boomerang I
Pride (In The Name of Love)
A Sort of Homecoming
11 O'Clock Tick Tock
Wire (Celtic Dub Mix)
Basa Trap
Boomerang II
4th of July
Sixty Seconds in Kingdom Come


As the comments on our earlier story have been suggesting, The Unforgettable Fire - with the arrival of Brian Eno and Danny Lanois in the studio - has a special place in the heart for many fans and a lot of the tracks on this bonus CD have been unavailable for a long time.

Two of the titles from those Slane Castle sessions have never been available: 'Yoshino Blossom', and 'Disappearing Act', which the band recently completed. A Sort of Homecoming and Bad are live versions, from The Unforgettable Fire Tour that were on the highly sought after collectors item EP Wide Awake in America.

The version of 11 O'Clock Tick Tock was the b-side to 'Pride (In The Name of Love)' while Wire (Celtic Dub Remix) was previously on 7" vinyl given away free with NME in May 1985.

And The Unforgettable Fire DVD Collection looks like this:

The Unforgettable Fire
Directed by Meiert Avis

Bad
Directed by Barry Devlin

Pride (In The Name Of Love)
Directed by Donald Cammell

A Sort Of Homecoming
Directed by Barry Devlin

The Making Of The Unforgettable Fire - documentary
Directed by Barry Devlin

Additional Material

U2 at A Conspiracy Of Hope Concert
1. MLK
2. Pride (In The Name Of Love)
3. Bad
Recorded live at Giants Stadium, New Jersey, USA, 15th June 1986

U2 at Live Aid
1. Sunday Bloody Sunday 2. Bad
Recorded live at Wembley Stadium, 13th July 1985

Pride (In The Name Of Love) - Sepia version
Directed by Donald Cammell

11 O'Clock Tick Tock - Bootleg version
Live from Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland, 29th June 1985

U2 on SNL

Tweet As expected, U2 performed four songs on SNL, three of which made it to air:

Breathe
Moment of Surrender
Ultraviolet

off-air:

With or Without You

Most videos have been pulled off by NBC, who claimed copyright violation. I found Breathe, and posted it below. Quality is shaky, but it gives you enough to see what happened.


SNL Promo:


Breathe:


Moment of Surrender:


Ultraviolet:

U2360 2010 Dates announced!!!

Tweet Here's what was just announced:

EUROPEAN TOUR SCHEDULE

10 August, 2010 - Frankfurt, DE
Onsale: TBA

12 August, 2010 - Hannover, DE
Onsale: TBA

15 August, 2010 - Horsens, DK
Presale: Tue. 29 Sept. (10am) - Thu. 1 Oct. (noon)
Onsale: 3 Oct.

20 August, 2010 - Helsinki FI
Presale: Tue. 29 Sept. (10am) - Thu. 1 Oct. (noon)
Onsale: 5 Oct.

25 August, 2010 - Moscow, RU
Onsale: TBA

30 August, 2010 - Vienna, AT
Presale: Tue. Sept. 29 (10am) - Thu. Oct. 01 (noon)
Onsale: 3 Oct.

3 September, 2010 - Athens, GR
Onsale: TBA

6 September, 2010 - Istanbul, TR
Onsale: TBA

15 September, 2010 - Munich, DE
Onsale: TBA

18 September, 2010 - Paris, FR
Onsale: TBA

29 September, 2010 - Seville, ES
Onsale: TBA

2 October, 2010 - Colmbra, PT
Onsale: TBA

Note - All times are local

U2: New York City I

Tweet

Breathe
Magnificent
Get On Your Boots
Mysterious Ways
I Still Havent Found What I'm Looking For
She's The One/Desire
Elevation
Your Blue Room
Beautiful Day/ Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enought (Snippet)
No Line On The Horizon
New Year's Day
Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
The Unforgettable Fire
City Of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy (Remix)
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On
One
Amazing Grace/Streets
...
Ultraviolet
With Or Without You
Moment of Surrender

...and God walked through the room

Tweet There has always been a place that U2 takes me when they perform live. The show is an evolving, living, breathing thing that kicks your ass and kisses it at the same time. It comforts you, challenges you, and reminds you that there is something deeper happening in the world around you. For me, there have been moments in each tour that take me to a different place. Moments that give me glimpses of soul, which bring me closer to being the man I want to be...the man I could be.

Bono has said that when they play Streets live, it's like God suddenly walked through the room. There is something happening on a deeper level that I can not explain at this late hour, but in my world, there is no greater live song on the planet than this one. How they transition into Streets is sometimes as magical as the song itself.

And they are doing it again on the North American tour. To hear the beautiful melody of Amazing Grace come out of One, and into Streets, only validates Bono's words, because for me, at that moment, God does walk through the room. Amazing Grace has special, personal significance in my life, on two levels,  having been sung at my late grandfather's funeral. A kind, gentle soul, who I was truly blessed to be related to. It was also sung by my best man at my wedding, and was one of those moments in your life you never forget.

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

Just my opinion, as I listen at 1am to the Toronto I bootleg, and find myself tired and introspective, with not much articulation to back it up. But, I hope it makes sense. I'm off to sleep, feeling filled by the beauty of this band.

Good night, U2ters.

Bono at The Appeal of Conscience Foundation Awards

Tweet These pics courtesy of ShadesofBono. Click here to see them.

<

U2: Boston II

Tweet Setlist: (and yes, you are reading this right. U2 opened with Magnificent!)

Download the bootleg of this show at U2start.com.

Magnificent
No Line on the Horizon
Get on Your Boots
Mysterious Ways
Still Haven't Found
Elevation
Your Blue Room
Beautiful Day
Unknown Caller
Until the End of The World
Stay
The Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy - Remix
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On
One
Streets

Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender



Video Setlist:

Intro/Magnificent:


Magnificent:



No Line On The Horizon:


Mysterious Ways:


I Still Haven't Found:


Your Blue Room:


Beautiful Day:


Unknown Caller:


Stay:


The Unforgettable Fire:


City of Blinding Lights:



I'll Go Crazy/Sunday Bloody Sunday:


Sunday Bloody Sunday:


Vertigo;


One:


Streets:

U2: Boston I

Tweet U2 has always had a connection with Boston. Shows in this city are more than just shows. There is always something special that accompanies it.

A mood.

An energy.

Here's what U2 played on night one of two in Boston:

Breathe
No Line on the Horizon
Get on Your Boots
Magnificent
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
Elevation
Still Haven't Found
Unknown Caller
New Year's Day
Stuck In A Moment
Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy If I don't Go Crazy Tonight Remix
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On
One
Streets

Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender


Video Setlist:


Get On Your Boots:


I Still Haven't Found...


New Year's Day:



The Unforgettable Fire:



City of Blinding Lights:



Vertigo:


MLK/Walk On:


One:


Ultraviolet:


With Or Without You:

Bono talks new album in Toronto

Tweet Taken from Jam: 



Bono reveals U2's next albums
By JANE STEVENSON - Sun Media





Before their second Toronto show in as many nights, Bono and U2 caused quite a stir yesterday on Yonge St. as they arrived for a last-minute guest spot on 102.1 The Edge. (Jack Boland, Sun Media)

Survivor credits U2 for healing



FROM THE BACKSEAT OF BONO'S SUV, DOWNTOWN TORONTO -- Most first dates involve having dinner and seeing a movie.

Yesterday afternoon in Toronto, U2 frontman Bono picked me up in a shiny black Chevy Suburban on Yonge St., and it was non-stop talking.

OK, so it wasn't a date. Bono wasn't actually driving, and I got in the car first.

But the scenario was that one of the world's biggest music stars and his equally famous bandmates -- guitarist The Edge, bassist Adam Clayton, and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. -- had just visited 102.1 The Edge radio station, drawing dozens of fans for the last-minute appearance. And I ended up talking to the singer, resplendent in a denim ensemble and tinted glasses, in the backseat of his car, en route to last night's second show by U2 at the Rogers Centre.

The only others with us were his driver and his security man, while the car was given a police escort through downtown Toronto.



Ah, the life of Bono.



We talked about the band's current 360 Degree Tour, their latest album No Line on the Horizon, the possibility of not one but two new albums by U2, David Bowie, and the significance of space travel.

Here's the best of what he had to say in a Canadian newspaper exclusive with Sun Media. The rest of my exclusive one-on-one chats with his fellow band members at the Rogers Centre before last night's second show will appear in tomorrow's editions.

How did you feel about the first Canadian show of the 360 Degree Tour on Wednesday night at Rogers Centre? (The only other Canadian date is Oct. 28 in Vancouver.)

Well, I was in really great singing form, and the band played very well. The sound was good 'cause the roof was open. I mean, if the roof were closed we have a PA that can cope with it, but it was great to have the CN Tower as part of our light show. Thank you for contributing that to our show.

Are Canadian fans different than those in Europe? (They opened the 360 Degree Tour on June 30 in Barcelona.)

We've always had a really kind of progressive audience here. They've allowed us to push and pull them in different directions, because over the years we have kind of swerved all over the road a little bit musically, and that's the fun of it for us. And some people, some fans like U2 as a straight-ahead rock and roll band, some people like us as a folk mass, some people like us as a rave, some people like it as a political rally. I think in Canada, they actually like us to be all those things.

How does it feel to walk out onto the massive "spaceship" stage every night?

The scale of it was a little nerve-wracking at first. I was drawing this on napkins in restaurants, and I was building it with forks and things like that. But when you see it in front of you, I must say I did have a little bit of a knee wobble.

Did you think you were taking a risk playing so much of the new material off No Line on the Horizon (co-produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno) off the top of the live show, given the album hasn't produced any real hits?

I love hits, I love 45s, they're a thrill but our first responsibility for this album was to make an extraordinary album. We wanted to make an album as they were a dying species, a nearly extinct species. We said, 'Let's make an album with a beginning, middle and end, and take people into a world,' and so that was our first thing ... just to be challenging both of ourselves and our audience, and we succeeded with that. And maybe in that mindset you don't write a pop song, and that's probably what happened. But they're great songs, they're just not pop songs.

What's the status on a second more ambient album, to be released from the Lanois-Eno sessions, with the working title Songs of Ascent, and then the Rick Rubin session before that?

We've got a few albums up our sleeves. We've got a whole album we started with Rick Rubin, which is a rocking club album with beats and big guitars, and I can't wait to get back to that. So we're going to see where the mood takes us. But it's not like we have to start afresh. We have five or six songs on that album. We have about 12 on the Songs of Ascent, plus The Edge and myself have written Spider Man: The Musical -- that's nearly done. It's been an incredible time as songwriters ... If you're going to go out on the road, you have to have songs that have the attitude and the ambition to play in a venue like (the Rogers Centre), because if they haven't got it, you're not going to play them because whilst we like people to look a little startled, we're not going to do a crap show just to promote our new album. So they have to be great.

LATEST TOUR TAKES YOU TO A DEEP PLACE

Houston, we've got liftoff.

Before U2 walk out on their "spaceship-like" stage on their current 360 Degree World Tour, they blast David Bowie's Space Oddity in its entirety.

So what's with all the space stuff?

"His prolific imagination had a huge impact on me, as a teenager and to this day," Bono said in a Canadian newspaper exclusive with Sun Media yesterday in Toronto. "I can't get over his body of work.

"And the spaceship (stage), to me, it looks like some sort of mad spaceship ... and I just think it stands for, 'Well, we can go anywhere.' Which has always been the throw-down at any U2 show. 'Where do you want to go?' You can stay in the stadium if you want, or we can go to this other place where the streets have no name. We can go to this other place, the place of imagination, the place of soul, the place of possibility, and we can just get lost in it. And a great show, when that happens, people don't know where they are, I don't know where I am. And that's what I think it stands for."

U2 connected with the international space station during part of their show on Wednesday night.

"It's a strange thing, because we were working on this space idea for this tour (in) an intuitive way, not knowing it was the 40th anniversary of Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon literally the month we went out. And we had begun talking with the international space station in preparation for something we're going to do with (Canadian) Guy

LaLiberte of Cirque du Soleil, which I'm really looking forward to. He's getting ready to go, at the end of the month, to the international space station and we're going to beam him into our show."

Bono, whose well-known social activism has included the ONE Campaign, said he was nine years old at the time of Armstrong's lunar walk, and "it formed in me a troublesome thought. Something has bothered me ever since, which is that it's the impossible that makes stuff fun and worthwhile, and if you can put a man on the moon, that as capable as human beings are, of self-delusion and destructive behaviour and greed and nihilism, we're also capable of harnessing the best of us to do the impossible."

Bono gives an 8-year old boy an amazing moment

Tweet


Taken from Global News:

An 8-year-old London boy had the experience of a lifetime Thursday night when U2's lead singer lifted him on stage at a sold-out concert at the Rogers Centre.
Thousands watched as Lucas Zara was hoisted into the waiting arms of Bono on a catwalk above him.

"This is like the greatest moment of my life," Lucas told Global News in an exclusive interview on Friday.

Lucas was on stage for the entirety of "City of Blinding Lights", a moment that was watched and recorded by thousands.

"We made eye contact and he gestured to put him up," said Russ Zara, Lucas' father.


"I'm just looking at the people, I'm with Bono!", Lucas said. "(It was) just cool."
For what felt like a lifetime, Lucas cheered on the crowd, got to try on Bono's glasses and ran around the stage hand-in-hand with the band's lead singer.

"It wasn't me up on stage, but a part of me was up stage," Russ said, "so i just reveled in the moment with him."

Concert-goer Martin Janssen not only witnessed Lucas' moment on Thursday night, but he can understand the feeling.

In 2005, during U2's Vertigo Tour in Boston, Bono invited Janssen and his friends to join him on stage.

"Even now, fours years after, I look at the video and the pictures and i think what a night it was," said Janssen.

Lucas' moment was caught by a number of audience members and he is quickly becoming a "youtube" sensation.

U2 Toronto Review

Tweet  Taken from The Star.

U2 blows roof off Rogers Centre

VINCE TALOTTA/TORONTO STAR


Sep 17, 2009 04:30 AM

The weather has been a sore spot for Torontonians in recent months, but last night Mother Nature gave a boost to the year's biggest concert.

A breezy, but clear evening allowed the Rogers Centre's retractable roof to be open as U2 kicked off its two-night stand – a sellout concert for only the second time in the venue's history. (The first was a Bruce Springsteen show in the SkyDome six years ago.)

With the CN Tower beckoning like a lighthouse, it was the ideal setting for the four-legged, 30-metre-high, teal-and-orange spaceship contraption hovering over the quartet's circular stage. It gave the appearance that they had really dropped in from another galaxy.

It's a generous piece of machinery that takes four days to build; as a result, the group's been hanging about, allowing lead singer Bono to pick up the TTC and Yonge St. references he dropped into songs and patter last night.

Stuck as they were in the middle of a football field, the mammoth stage, which includes an expandable cylindrical video screen, worked to bring what some call the Biggest Band in the World a little closer to the 58,000 people who shelled out from $30 to $225 for the privilege.

The otherworldly theme was enhanced by a recording of David Bowie's "Space Oddity" that welcomed the veteran Irish rockers to the stage.

Not resting on any 30-year laurels, they kicked off with four songs from their current and 12th album No Line on the Horizon – the title track, "Breathe," "Get on Your Boots" and "Magnificent." The latter hit home with the hope and realism that defines their best work – "Only love can leave such a mark/But only love can heal such a scar."

Then they delved into their bag of hits for "Beautiful Day" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" – for which the crowd sang the first two choruses as Bono mouthed words, resuming the singalong when he segued into Ben E. King's "Stand By Me."

"We got old songs, we got new songs, we got songs we can hardly play," the frontman had joked. Never saw any signs of the latter.

This was the second city in the North American edition of the 360 Degree Tour that debuted in Europe this summer. (Live Nation reps say it's on track to be the year's top-grossing tour.)

It's a satisfying spectacle, with enviable musicianship – Edge the most dominant, with his intense ringing sound on electric guitar (and a deft acoustic turn on "Stay (Faraway, So Close)" – fantastic sound and consistent energy and emotion. They made use of the stage, wandering its outer rim and running across the moving bridges. Even drummer Larry Mullen Jr. left his kit at one point to walk around playing portable congas.

Bono, as limber physically as he was vocally, was jumping, skipping, spinning with arms outstretched. And they made sure to hit the political marks – dedicating "Walk On" to Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi as fans walk the stage perimeter with paper masks, and running a video message of peace and unity from South Africa's Bishop Desmond Tutu.

Yeah, they're big, but still bold, brilliant and true to form.

Bono talks U2360 on Toronto Radio

Tweet Click Me to read the article.

U2: Toronto 2

Tweet A friend of mine ran into U2, literally, while walking the streets of Toronto moments ago:

Thanks to Kiss The Future U2 for these next 2 pics:

Setlist for night 2:

Breathe
No Line On The Horizon
Get On Your Boots
Magnificent
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
Elevation
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For/ Movin' On Up (Snippet)
Unknown Caller
New Year's Day
Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
The Unforgettable Fire
City Of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight (Remix)
Sunday Bloody Sunday/ Rock In The Casbah (Snippet)
MLK
Walk On
One/ Amazing Grace (Snippet)
Where The Streets Have No Name


Encore:


Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
With Or Without You
Moment Of Surrender

Intro/Breathe:


Beautiful Day:


Vertigo:


With or Without You:

U2: Toronto

Tweet

Breathe
No Line On The Horizon
Get On Your Boots
Magnificent
Beautiful Day
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Elevation
Your Blue Room
Unknown Caller
Until The End Of The World
Stay
The Unforgettable Fire
City Of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy (Remix)
Sunday Bloody Sunday/ Oliver's Army (Snippet)
MLK
Walk On
One/ Amazing race (Snippet)
Where The Streets Have No Name

Encore:

Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
With Or Without You
Moment Of Surrender


Video setlist:

Intro/Breathe:


Get On Your Boots:



I Still Haven't Found:


Elevation:


Your Blue Room:


Unknown Caller:


Until The End of The World:


The Unforgettable Fire:


City Of Blinding Lights:


Vertigo:


I'll Go Crazy:


Sunday Bloody Sunday:


MLK:


MLK/Walk On:


Streets:


Streets:


One:


Ultraviolet:


With Or Without You:


Moment of Surrender:

U2: Chicago 2

Tweet Chicago 2 report is coming soon. Sorry for the delay!




Breathe
No Line on the Horizon
Get on Your Boots
Magnificent
Beautiful Day
Still Haven't Found
Elevation
Your Blue Room
Unknown Caller
Until the End of the World
Stay
Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy If I don't Go Crazy Tonight Remix
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On
One
Streets

Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender


Videos:

Snippets of entire show:


Intro/Breathe:


No Line On The Horizon:


Get On Your Boots:


Magnificent:


Beautiful Day:


Until The End Of The World:


Stay:


Vertigo:


I'll Go Crazy:


Sunday Bloody Sunday:


One:


Amazing Grace/Streets:


Ultraviolet:

U2 Chicago I: The Videos

Tweet Rehearsal of "Your Blue Room"



Intro/Breathe:


Get On Your Boots:


Magnificent:


Beautiful Day:


Elevation:


I Still Haven't Found...


Stuck In A Moment:


Unknown Caller:


City of Blinding Lights:


Vertigo:


I'll Go Crazy Remix:


Pride:



MLK/Walk On:



Streets:


One:


With Or Without You:

U2: Chicago I

Tweet

These top pics from radiospike.com


Check out radiospike.com for pics and HD vids this weekend!!! 

Leaving dinner, headed to Soldier Field in a cab: 

    

 

SETLIST:

Breathe
No Line On The Horizon
Get On Your Boots
Magnificent
Beautiful Day
Elevation
I Still Haven't Found...(Stand By Me snippet)
Stuck In A Moment
Unknown Caller
The Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy (remix)
Sunday Bloody Sunday (Oliver's Army Snippet)
Pride
MLK
Walk On
Streets
One
Bad

Ultraviolet (with a new intro)
With Or Without You
Moment of Surrender


Thanks to Joselovox on twitter for these pics from Edge's tweets: Bono leaving the hotel for Soldier Field:



More from The Edge:






Credit to the photographers for these following pics can be found when you click the thumbnail to enlarge:

Behind The Scenes in Chicago

Tweet

Soundcheck in Chicago

Tweet Thanks to U2Tourfans.com for this post:

-------

Sound Check last night from Chicago -

The soundcheck was as follows:

• Bass and guitar soundchecks, including bass of Crazy Tonight and With Or Without You and guitar of Beautiful Day and Where The Streets Have No Name
• Breathe 
• No Line On The Horizon twice, only Edge on vocals
• Get On Your Boots
• Magnificent
• Until The End Of The World
• Stay
• The Unforgettable Fire
• End of Get On Your Boots into first verse of Beautiful Day

Short break

• Your Blue Room (multiple times)
• Unknown Caller
• Elevation
• Unknown Caller again
• Magnificent
• Until The End Of The World

Reporting Credit to: u2gigs, atu2, Interference

U2 in Chicago

Tweet
(Tribune photo by Abel Uribe / Sept. 11, 2009)

AllU2 has someone in Chicago for tonight's show. Spike, a good friend of mine, will have pics and HD vids this weekend. I'll post them here and he'll host them on his site at radiospike.com.


Rumors have run that U2 will show up at Wrigley today, but so far nothing has happened.

Are you ready for Chicago? We're one step closer...

From Chicago

Tweet U2360 hits North America tomorrow in Chicago, but you already know that. AllU2 will keep you updated as best as possible as the night progresses. I have a good friend, radiospike.com, who will be at the show and reporting back. He'll have pics and HD vids to share, so keep checking back during the show and over the weekend.

In one day, we'll see how much, or little, the setlist will differ from the European shows. Here's hoping the boys found a way to fit Drowning Man into the flow.

Are you ready? Very soon, the Claw will breathe to life in America as Bowie rings out and that countdown starts....3...2...1...Go!

U2 and Liam Neeson?

Tweet Taken from Daryl Lorette 4.0. (I am not sure of the blog's validity, so read this with that in mind) 

 Fellow Irishmen Liam Neeson and U2 frontman Bono are teaming up for a film about a washed-up singer who finds a new lease on life in the U.S.

Neeson, who lost his wife Natasha Richardson in a skiing accident in Quebec this year, will portray an alcoholic performer drinking his life away in The Virgin of Las Vegas, according to Variety magazine.

Bono will produce and back the film, which has a budget of $14 million US.

The script was written by another Irishman, Horslips band member Barry Devlin.

Bono's foray into the film world is not new. He produced the 1995 documentary Miss Sarajevo, as well as the Wim Wenders movie The Million Dollar Hotel, in which the singer appeared.

The Virgin of Las Vegas will focus on the world of showbands — a unique Irish pop culture phenomenon from the pre-television era in which cover bands attracted massive followings.

Neeson's character, a fading Irish showband singer, will find his life "turned on its head following the arrival of a mysterious stranger," according to the Variety report.

Neeson's upcoming screen appearances include remakes of Clash of the Titans and The A-Team, as well as Atom Egoyan's Chloe, which Neeson was filming in Toronto when his wife died.