U2 Carnaval de Luz and 50 Years Together, Digi Mart USA News: U2 are still one of the biggest bands in the world, four decades after they could first reasonably call themselves that. The band met for lunch at a restaurant in Nice, France, ahead of a secret gig at London’s Tate Modern, where they performed songs recorded with Brian Eno.
The Edge described the show as a tribute to “the great man and our collaborative history.”
The performance was part of a busy year for the band. It included two EPs, Days of Ash and Easter Lily, and a performance at Dublin’s Mount Temple Comprehensive school to mark the 50th anniversary of Larry Mullen posting a notice seeking musicians to form a band.
Their first album of new material in nearly nine years, Carnaval de Luz, is set for release on November 13, with a world tour to follow.
Adam Clayton said the band set out with a goal of longevity, which he described as the opposite of the punk approach of the era. The Edge recalled that the group was impatient to secure a record deal as teenagers, and said the title of their first album, Boy, reflected a sense of innocence that made global success seem possible.
The band has stayed together with the same four members for five decades. Bono described their decision-making as “the soviet,” a democratic system in which songwriting credits are shared equally and decisions are made by committee.
Springsteen once joked about the arrangement when inducting the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.
Mullen said the approach has grown harder over time. Bono cited the observation of Marianne Faithfull about the male ego, adding that men tend to compensate for losing power by asserting themselves more forcefully.
The band has faced a difficult stretch in recent years. Bono and the Edge’s Broadway musical about Spider-Man flopped in 2011, and the release of Songs of Innocence in 2014 was poorly received.
Bono also suffered a bicycle crash in 2014 and open heart surgery two years later. Mullen recovered from neck surgery before the band’s 2023-24 residency at the Las Vegas Sphere.
Carnaval de Luz includes a duet with Dolly Parton, which the band described as her last recorded song. It also features The Mirror Maker, a tribute to Spanish singer Rosalía.
Bono said the band texted Rosalía to tell her about the track.
Bono said the current period is exceptional. He noted that he has been invited to the White House during the second Trump administration but does not feel able to negotiate with it.
He described the current political climate as “a little fascistic” and said it “needs a different response.” He also cited a conversation with AI researcher Demis Hassabis, who said humanity would need an exponential change in how it cooperates to address challenges such as the climate crisis.
Bono said he still believes rock music can help bring people together. The band’s world tour begins February 23 at Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City and includes three dates at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, June 18 to 22.
