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U2 Announce Dates for 2023 ‘Achtung Baby’ Las Vegas Residency

U2  just announced five shows in Las Vegas as part of their new "U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere Las Vegas" concert residency this fall.

The Irish rock band will open the new sphere-shaped music and entertainment arena Sphere at The Venetian Resort with the program based on their classic 1991 album, Achtung Baby . The residency was already announced; the dates are newly revealed. (More dates are likely to be added, Rolling Stone  said.)

See the shows so far near the bottom of this post.

U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere is the band's latest ambitious creative project and will see them work once again with longtime U2 creative collaborator and show director Willie Williams, a press release explains.

It follows the huge success of U2's  Joshua Tree 30th anniversary stadium tour which was seen by over 3.2 million fans worldwide and their 2018 "eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE" indoor tour which played to a combined audience of 1 million across Europe and North America.

READ MORE: Metallica's Lars Ulrich Looks Up to U2

"U2 hasn't played live since December 2019 and we need to get back on stage and see the faces of our fans again," the band said on Monday (April 24). "And what a unique stage they're building for us out there in the desert. … We're the right band, Achtung Baby  the right album, and Sphere the right venue to take the live experience of music to the next level."

The U2 members added, "That's what U2's been trying to do all along with our satellite stages and video installations, most memorably on the 'ZOO TV Tour,' which ended in Tokyo 30 years ago this fall."

However, U2's  Larry Mullen Jr.  won't be a part of the dates . The band has already named his replacement . Watch a trailer below.  Get U2 tickets and more info here.

U2 Vegas Residency Trailer

Underneath the dates, see a list of rock and metal bands touring in 2023. Get  Loudwire's newsletter and  Loudwire's app  for rock and metal news.

U2 Las Vegas Residency Dates 2023

Sept. 29 – Las Vegas, Nev. @ Sphere Sept. 30 – Las Vegas, Nev. @ Sphere Oct. 5 – Las Vegas, Nev. @ Sphere Oct. 7 – Las Vegas, Nev. @ Sphere Oct. 8 – Las Vegas, Nev. @ Sphere

Bono 'Stories of Surrender' Book Tour 2023

April 26 – New York, N.Y. @ Beacon April 28 – New York, N.Y. @ Beacon April 29 – New York, N.Y. @ Beacon May 3 – New York, N.Y. @ Beacon May 4  –New York, N.Y. @ Beacon May 7 – New York, N.Y. @ Beacon May 8 – New York, N.Y. @ Beacon May 13 – Naples, Italy @ Teatro San Carlo

Your Guide to Rock + Metal Bands Touring in 2023

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U2 to play first live shows in four years at MSG Sphere, but without Larry Mullen Jr.

Call it a dual win.

U2 will return to the stage after a four-year absence and one of the most anticipated new venues in recent memory will finally open.

The superstar Irish rockers announced during a Super Bowl spot on Sunday that they will help launch the MSG Sphere at The Venetian in Las Vegas this fall with “U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at the Sphere.”

Show dates haven’t been announced as the $2.18 billion venue behind The Venetian in the northeast area of the Strip – under construction since 2019 – is still receiving its final touches. Fans can visit U2xSPHERE.com for details as they're announced and register for ticket information at verifiedfan.livenation.com/u2.

The 17,500-capacity globe will feature 4D technology, immersive sound and a 16k screen that wraps up and around the seating.

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“We’re the right band, ‘Achtung Baby’ the right album and the Sphere the right venue to take the live experience to the next level,” U2 said in a statement.

The band has long been rumored as the opening act for the Sphere, but there will be one notable absence during the shows: drummer and founding member Larry Mullen Jr.

Prior to U2’s Kennedy Center Honors induction in December, Mullen told The Washington Post  he needed surgery to continue playing and any 2023 concerts wouldn’t include him.

Bono ,  The Edge and Adam Clayton announced that journeyman drummer Bram van den Berg will sit in for the Las Vegas shows.

“It's going to take all we've got to approach the Sphere without our bandmate in the drum seat, but Larry has joined us in welcoming Bram van den Berg, who is a force in his own right,” the band said.

This is the first time a member of U2 has missed a series of concerts since the band began  nearly 50 years ago.

The decision to focus on U2’s 1991 “Achtung Baby” album for the Sphere concerts marks a sequel to the band’s Zoo TV outing, a massive run of stadiums and arenas in 1992 and 1993 to support the album.

At the time, the elaborate multimedia – couched in satirical messages about media oversaturation – included live satellite transmissions to Sarajevo, prank calls to the White House and banks of TV screens. The tour also birthed the creation of some of Bono’s most memorable onstage characters – The Fly and MacPhisto.

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U2 reportedly set for 2023 Las Vegas residency at the largest spherical structure on earth

The new $1.8 billion MSG Sphere super-arena will feature state-of-the-art spatial audio, a programmable exterior exosphere, interior immersive display – and The Edge on guitar?

U2 have reportedly been recruited to stage a Les Vegas residency next year at the all-new MSG Sphere – an upcoming state-of-the-art venue that cost $1.8 billion.

According to Billboard – which cited “multiple sources” – the Irish rock icons will serve as the newly constructed arena’s debut act when it opens its doors to the public for the first time next year.

Dubbed the “next generation of live entertainment”, the MSG Sphere is being built by Madison Square Garden Entertainment, and will supposedly offer attendees “a multi-sensory experience of sound and light inside the largest spherical structure ever created”.

U2 will reportedly take part in a non-consecutive multi-show residency at the arena, with dates spread across the course of 2023.

As for the venue itself, the MSG Sphere at The Venetian – which was originally scheduled for a 2021 opening date before a Covid delay – will supposedly have the capacity for 20,000 standing spectators or 17,500 seated spectators, and will offer 23 VIP suites.

During performances, it will make use of 160,000 square-feet of video viewing space, described by Sphere officials as “interior immersive display”, as well as state-of-the-art spatial audio. It also has an exterior exosphere that alters the sphere’s appearance with LED technology.

The prospect of seeing The Edge and his U2 bandmates christen the MSG Sphere is certainly a tantalizing one – after all, who wouldn’t want to experience The Edge’s trademark dotted eighth delay sounds in what could quite possibly be the highest-quality live set up of all time?

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Plus, it leaves the door open for some speculation as to who else could grace the MSG Sphere stage. It speaks volumes that, if reports are true, MSG Entertainment has elected one of the most popular guitar bands in modern times to lead the charge, and it shows that similar acts will most definitely follow suit in the future.

As for the upcoming U2 show, though, they will be the band’s first performances in the US in five years, after they wrapped up their Experience + Innocence tour of North America in July 2018. It will also be the first live appearance for U2 in four years, following a show in Mumbai, India, in 2019 to cap off the Joshua Tree anniversary tour.

As per Billboard , MSG Entertainment declined to comment on the story. Likewise, U2's management did not respond to its requests for comment.

To find out more about the forthcoming venue, head over to the MSG Sphere’s website .

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Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World , Guitarist and Total Guitar . He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.

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U2 will launch Las Vegas residency this fall, but without one of its founding members

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U2 is heading to Sin City for a residency inaugurating the Las Vegas skyline’s latest architectural feat: the MSG Sphere at the Venetian Resort.

The Irish band, which hasn’t played live since December 2019, announced over the weekend that the “U2: UV Achtung Baby” residency o will debut in the fall. Exact dates have not yet been announced, but fans were told to register through Ticketmaster for ticket information and forthcoming details.

What we do know is that the quartet will be down one original band member when the band returns to the stage.

Bono, the Edge and Adam Clayton will be joined by drummer Bram van den Berg, who will be sitting at the kit instead of founding member Larry Mullen Jr. as the latter takes “time out to undergo and recuperate from surgery in 2023,” the band said in a statement.

“It’s going to take all we’ve got to approach the Sphere without our bandmate in the drum seat, but Larry has joined us in welcoming Bram van den Berg who is a force in his own right,” Bono, the Edge and Clayton said.

The band didn’t provide details about Mullen’s health concerns but the Washington Post reported in November that the 61-year-old had issues with his neck and elbows that needed surgery.

“The Sphere show has been in the works for a long time. We don’t want to let people down, least of all our audience… the truth is we miss them as much as they appear to miss us… our audience was always the fifth member of the band,” the group said in a statement on its website . “Bottom line, U2 hasn’t played live since December 2019 and we need to get back on stage and see the faces of our fans again.”

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers announced the MSG Sphere series of shows during a commercial that aired Sunday during the Super Bowl. The spot featured an imposing sphere looming over fans across the globe.

The new concerts will focus on the band’s critically acclaimed 1991 LP, “Achtung Baby,” which was nominated for an album of the year Grammy Award in 1993 and won the prize for rock performance by a duo or group with vocals that same year. Oscar winner Davis Guggenheim (“An Inconvenient Truth”) also chronicled the making of the album that revived U2’s early career slump for the 2011 documentary “From the Sky Down.”

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U2 praised the Sphere’s “unique stage,” which Madison Square Garden Co. officials announced in 2018 . The 17,500-seat arena is set to open in the fall and is designed “with sound quality as a priority” and boasts the first 16K screen “that wraps up, around, and behind the audience,” according to press statement.

The Dublin-found band has reportedly performed only twice without all four of its members since getting together in 1976. Mullen missed a show after breaking his foot in a motorcycle accident in 1978 and Clayton missed a performance in Australia because of health concerns in 1993, according to Bono’s new memoir, “Surrender.”

In January, U2 announced the March 17 release of its latest album, “Songs of Surrender.” The collection includes 40 songs from the band’s decades-long catalog that have been reimagined for 2023 and that were rerecorded over the last two years.

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U2 Announce Sphere Las Vegas Dates. The Edge Calls it a ‘Quantum Leap Forward’

By Andy Greene

Andy Greene

The Edge is normally reserved and immune to hyperbole when discussing U2 ‘s latest plans. But the group’s schedule in opening up Sphere in Las Vegas this September has the U2 guitarist atypically talking in grandiose terms.

“My hope is that this will be a kind of quantum leap forward in the sense of what a concert can be,” he tells Rolling Stone.

The group will kick off its Achtung Baby Live at Sphere Las Vegas residency on Sept. 29, with additional shows taking place on Sept. 30 and Oct. 5, 7, and 8. One day after the residency was announced, seven more concerts were scheduled for Oct. 11, 13, 14, 18, 20, 21, and 25. And a few weeks later, eight more shows were added on Dec. 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 13, 15, and 16.

U2 first heard about Sphere a little over two years ago. “We’re always on the lookout for emerging technologies in the world of concerts and audio,” says the Edge. “We heard about it, and then started asking members of our team about it. We found out that approaches had already been made in a very tentative way for us to be a part of a possible launch.”

The band is a natural fit for Sphere, given its boundary-pushing live-music experience of Zoo TV and PopMart in the Nineties, and more recently with the U2 360° Tour and Songs of Innocence / Experience tours. But those shows all took place at venues designed for sports. “You’re battling far-from-optimal acoustics in these place, since they haven’t been designed for sound,” says the Edge. “It’s just a constant battle to overcome the coloration that the venue gives to the audio. The gap between what you want to put across and what you actually put across is often huge.”

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That playpen includes the highest-resolution LED screen on Earth, 10,000 vibrating “immersive seats,” environmental effects like temperature control and cool breezes, and 164,000 speakers. Members of the press, including Rolling Stone, were recently taken to a rehearsal facility in Burbank, California, to show off some of Sphere’s offerings, which makes the traditional IMAX experience seem quaint and chintzy by comparison. 

“It really gives you the opportunity to bring people back in time or to worlds that are completely computer-generated, but completely believable,” says the Edge. “It’s a new genre of immersive experience, almost like a new art form. The fun part for us is this phase we’re in now, where we’re trying to dream up what we will be doing with this technology. It’s just pure imagination.”

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All-in ticket prices start at $140, and 60 percent of the seats will be under $300. For the new shows in December, U2.com subscribers can submit a ticket request, with the onsite opening today, May 12, and ending May 15 at 7 a.m. ET. Fans can also register for a chance to obtain tickets through Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan program, with details set to go out the evening of May 17. A limited number of tickets will be available during a general onsale set to start May 19 at 12 p.m. ET. You’ll also be able to find on VividSeats.com .

“We’re trying our best to be as fair and respectful to our fans as we can be,” says the Edge. “We’re also spreading out the ticket costs so that there are some affordable ones. The most-sought-after tickets will be nontransferable. Inevitably, some will wind up on the secondary market. There’s not a huge lot we can do about that.”

Opening night comes just a few months after the 30th anniversary of Zooropa. “I think there will be some nods to Zooropa, ” says the Edge. “In our minds, the tours [for Achtung Baby and Zooropa ] blended into one. But I think Achtung Baby will be the main focus.” 

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This story was updated April 25 @ 3:25 p.m. ET with seven additional concert dates. This story was updated again May 12 @ 11:09 a.m. ET with eight more concert dates and ticket information.

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U2 (formed in 1976) is a highly-successful Irish rock band, formed of Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen, Jr. and Adam Clayton, hailing from Dublin, Ireland.

Formed in 1976 after Larry Mullen, Jr. posted an advertisement on the bulletin board at Dublin’s Mount Temple Comprehensive, the band soon began practicing regularly and exploring their musical interests. Initially performing under the moniker The Hype before switching to the name of an American spy plane, the band’s popularity grew in Ireland through a string of independent releases.

The band signed to Isalnd Records and released their debut full-length “Boy” in 1980, followed the year after with the LP “October”. Thanks to American radio play and notoriously impressive live shows, U2 soon made name for themselves a procured a swelling fan base. U2’s subsequent release “War” in 1983 highlighted and cemented the band’s political conscious approach, documenting the unrest in Northern Ireland. The album which debuted at No. 1 on the British chart, spawned the politically-apt singles “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Year’s Day”. Following another whirlwind worldwide tour in 1983 U2 released the live EP “Under a Blood Red Sky” recorded at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, U.S.

U2 went on to release “The Unforgettable Fire” in 1984, the fruit of a collaboration with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, despite Island Records’ reluctance. Again the band supported the release with historic arena performances including Live Aid and were even named Rolling Stone’s “Band of the ‘80s”.

By the mid-1980s U2 had become highly revered musicians, however did not become rock superstars until their 1987 album “The Joshua Tree”. It became the band’s first No. 1 U.S. hit and their third consecutive UK album to reach the top spot, certified platinum within 28 hours. The album’s success was due in part to the smash hits “With or Without You” and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”. Following the release the band explored their fascination with American roots music including blues, soul and folk and delivered the album “Rattle & Hum” in 1988.

The ‘90s brought a novel-sounding U2 and a collection of albums to boot including 1990’s “Achtung Baby”, the Bowie inspired dance and electronic album, “Zooropa” the 1993 techno dance influenced album, and the collaborative album “Original Soundtracks, Vol. 1” with Brian Eno in 1995. The same year U2 renewed their contract with Island Records for an estimated $170 million.

Fan disgruntlement at U2’s new self-conscious, postmodern and dance approach did little to alter the outcome of their subsequent album “Pop”, and ultimately became fan’s least favourite album. With such criticism the band teamed up again with Eno and Lanois in 2000 to record and release “All That You Can’t Leave Behind”. The album was a rock effort and considered one of their best, led by the singles “Beautiful Day” and “Walk On”.

The band followed the release up with the No. 1 album “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb” in 2004, which led to the second highest grossing tour ever with $389 million. U2’s twelfth studio album “No Line on the Horizon” arrived in 2009, followed by "Songs of Innocence" in 2014, downloaded automatically to users of apple products.

U2 have sold more than 150 million records worldwide, have been awarded 22 Grammy Awards, have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility and are ranked by Rolling Stone 22nd on their list of “100 Greatest Artists of All Time”.

Live reviews

What makes a U2 concert so special? What is it about a U2 show that compels us to travel hundreds and thousands of miles to see virtually the same concert over and over?

A U2 show is more than just the songs in the concert. It is the feeling you get when you hear those songs. Whether they lift you up or remind you of a special time in your life, either way, the feeling you get when you hear U2 songs is euphoric. But a U2 concert is more than just those euphoric songs that are played. It is 80,000 people singing those songs together. The fact that each person at that show is feeling the exact same excitement you are. It is a sense of community and belonging. More than just the U2 concert itself, it is the whole experience. The traveling and hanging out with fellow U2 fans. The day of the U2 concert is a great time for U2 fellowship since we arrive at the stadium in the early afternoon either to line up in the GA (general admission) line or to wait for Bono, Larry, Edge and Adam to arrive. With many hours to kill before the concert begins, U2 fans share their U2 experiences, such as favorite songs, albums and concerts.

My favorite U2 concert, of the 75 I have seen, was on the Elevation Tour in Providence, Rhode Island on October 31, 2001. It was my favorite U2 member's 40th birthday, drummer Larry Mullen Jr. It was the night Larry and I shared a drink. The morning of the show, I woke up outside around 8am – pretty good sleeping outside in 30 degrees for five hours. I went up to the warm hotel room until about 10am, then had some breakfast. I stayed in the GA line all day without leaving, except to take a shower around 3:30. I got everyone in the GA line to sign the big orange birthday card I made for Larry. I put my name and email address on the back just in case. The band didn’t arrive until after we were inside. Wearing our Larry Mullen Band shirts, we got our spots at the rail up front and center between Bono and Adam.

I held up my birthday card for Larry as they walked on stage, but he didn’t notice it. There were many, many signs including one saying, ‘Bono let Larry sing.’ During Elevation, Bono sang, ‘ Celebration’ then said, ‘Happy Birthday.' After "Stuck in a Moment," Larry’s 40th birthday celebration began. We sang "Happy Birthday" to Larry. A birthday cake was brought out, and Larry pretended to throw it out into the audience. Larry took the mic and came to the front to talk while Bono sat behind the drums. Larry said, "Bono can’t play drums. It took me 40 years to get up front. I’m glad I’m spending my birthday with 18,000 of my closest friends. I feel like I could borrow money from you." Then Bono asked for a bottle of champagne, which he shook up a la ZooTV and sprayed the audience. Edge took a swig, then Larry drank and continued to drink for the next few songs.

After "Kite," Larry got off the drums and made a B line for me. I got my card and shirt in hand so I could give it to him, but that’s not why he was there. He gave me the champagne bottle – with champagne still in it. I drank some and shared it with my friends. Larry wanted to share his birthday with ME! He wanted ME to have a drink on his birthday. I was SO excited I didn’t even realize they played "Wild Honey," which they rarely play. After "Pride," Larry came back over to me so I could give him the birthday card and Elvis tee shirt. I said, "Thank you. Happy Birthday." He smiled and said, "Thank You." Later on, Bono noticed our Larry Mullen Band shirts, shook his head and smiled.

I doubt there will ever be another U2 show like that night in Providence. Granted it was Larry’s 40th Birthday, and I love Larry, but also for the rarities U2 played that night. "Slow Dancing" was played for the first time on the Elevation tour, and only the 11th time ever. "Party Girl" and "Wild Honey" were played for the first time on that leg of Elevation – and I’ve only heard those songs a couple of times ever. There was just a great energy in Providence that night. I still have that champagne bottle that Larry gave me on his 40th birthday.

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Acompanho a Banda desde 1985, na época dos disco long play ou compacto e meu primeiro álbum, o primeiro disco que comprei foi "War". Sempre soube o posicionamento social e político do grupo, penso ser o que me chamou a atenção e cativou desde o princípio.Mas aqui no Brasil, vivemos tempos difíceis, de beligerância e intolerância de diversas formas, racial, social,religiosa. Uma sociedade apolítica, mas que fundamenta suas crenças no que a imprensa local determina.

Acredito que essa é a melhor Tour em que estive, visto ser minha segunda vez num show do U2. Estive em 2006, em Vertigo e mesmo passando por um momento delicado, pois estava tomando medicação para síndrome do pânico e depressão, saí do estádio 90% melhor do que quando cheguei.

A atual turnê, é de uma dos melhores, se não a melhor, assim como o álbum do grupo e se pudesse iria em todas, Setilist fantástica, iluminação e palco minimalista e remetendo a uma simplicidade do inicio dos shows da Banda. Amei!!!!Parabéns e que venham muito mais........

...............................................

Good Morning,

I accompany the band since 1985, in the days of long or compact disc and my first album, the first record I bought was "War". I have always known the social and political position of the group, I think it is what caught my attention and captivated me from the beginning. But here in Brazil, we live in difficult times, of belligerence and intolerance of diverse forms, racial, social, and religious. An apolitical society, but that bases its beliefs on what the local press determines.

I think this is the best Tour I've been on, seeing it as my second time at a U2 show. I was in Vertigo in 2006 and even going through a delicate time, since I was taking medication for panic syndrome and depression, I left the stadium 90% better than when I arrived.

The current tour is one of the best, if not the best, as well as the group's album and if it could go in all, fantastic Setilist, minimalist lighting and stage and referring to a simplicity of the beginning of the bands shows. Congratulations and many more ........

Let me begin with, "U2 is the greatest band in the universe!" I have a strong connection with the band as the Joshua Tree tour was the first concert I ever attended back in 1987. 28 years later, they are still the best live band. I have been very fortunate to have seen them for most of their tours, Elevation, Vertigo, 360 and now ie. I was a broke college student during Zoo and PopMart.

U2 has a very loyal fan base. You will meet people that have seen 50-400 of their concerts. I am fortunate to have seen them 4x already during this tour.

The live experience during the ie tour is very personal and intimate. Bono shows such strong emotion during Iris which makes you want to cry. I heard Out Of Control at the 2nd Phoenix show and I had tears of joy rolling down my cheeks as that was the one song I have been waiting to hear since Elevation. LA 4th show they played 40 which made me cry......."How Long To Sing This Song......." Such a great tribute to the late Dennis Sheehan. Bono is the perfect frontman, always introducing the band as if we are meeting them for the first time. (Brandon Flowers never introduces the other Killers) Bono always has crowd interaction from shaking hands, kissing women's hands, bringing up a lucky fan for the Meerkat live stream and singing to a lucky fan (like me during Beautiful Day in the 2nd night Phoenix show) I'm still on cloud 9!!! Larry, The Edge and Adam also interact with the crowd. I know first hand as I got an air kiss from Adam. The Edge smiled at my friend. Larry shakes hands with people at the e stage.

I can go on and on how U2 is the perfect band. No other bands compare to them. What band has loyal fans waiting all night thru rain and hail to see them? What band always mentions how they tour for the music and the fans?? I sure don't think they need the money.

I will continue to see them until they tour no more. I ❤️ U2

Great show, very basic staging, which is a nice change of pace for U2 recently. It allowed you to focus on them as a band, 4 guys playing music together.

As a tour kick off, there will be some glitches and bugs, the worst of which is when The band and Bono totally flubbed the entire song With or Without You!!! The band was out of sync right from the start and that must have rattled Bono because he false started the first verse, got the lyrics wrong, then just stood there silent while the crowd sort of tried to chime in with the vocals. It was actually pretty awkward, and Bono didn't acknowledge it except by saying "you guys can sing this one".

It was so great to see them actually play Joshua Tree straight through, track by track. I wasn't sure that's how it would really play out. As an album about the greatness, and hardships, of America, with inspiration from American music, landscapes, and especially politics, there was no way to get through the set without nods (mostly subtle - for U2) to the current leadership in America. The opening 8-9 songs before actually launching into Joshua Tree were pretty telling about the bands politics and values of freedom, truth, and fulfilling the American dream. The fact that opening night coincidentally fell on the 60th anniversary of the Martin Luther King "Give Us the Vote" speech gave more weight to lyrics referencing King's assassination in "Pride (In the Name of Love)".

Finally, totally unrelated to Songkick or U2, but I have to say how HORRIBLE Levi's Stadium is and the whole process of getting there (unmanaged traffic), getting into the venue (no purses bigger than a cell phone allowed and no mention of that fact anywhere), getting food (seemed like only 25 people trying to sell hot dogs to 50,000!). Will never see another show there again no matter who the act is.

This show needed to start and finish in darkness to concentrate the mind on the amazing imagery and truly iconic music.

The lead in through tracks from Unforgettable Fire set the pace and raised the pulse rate to a crescendo at the onset of Where The Streets Have No Name where it remained at rates which would have set off many a hospital vital signs alarm until the end of the a play through of the entire Joshua Tree album.

Had this concert finished there it would have sad to depart - and U2 knew this so included a further array of some of their finest tracks from the last 30 years.

This was the trickiest period of the gig however, as not all of the next 35 - 40 minutes could match the standard set down by some of the best music of the 20th century. Moments of oddness crept in, as is Bono's way, and momentum was lost - not gained - towards the end.

Ultimately, an incredible visionary onslaught and a truly mammoth rendition of One lifted the gig back to the heights of its earlier euphoria.

This could easily have been the best concert I have ever seen, but on balance it dropped short. I would not have missed this for the world and I am sure I will look back in years to come and feel so pleased that I was there and saw what was a true moment in musical history. As it stands right now I have a mixed emotion... but there is no denying that of the many hundreds of concerts I have been to in the last 40 years this was right up there at the very pinnacle - a top ten bucket list moment.

U2 at Arrowhead Stadium in KC was a musical memory I'll put in my Top 10...so far. We got parking lot passes from Ticketmaster beforehand to save $$ & make navigating the throngs of traffic manageble. We got to the lot about 5:30 p.m. People had been there tailgating & the lot attendants were very organized, flagging us in to our spot. We immediately headed in to the Stadium so we could check out the U2 merchandise. Entering was a breeze, even with security, because we had checked online to see what could or couldn't be taken into the Stadium. The restrictions make lines move much quicker, even with entering through metal detectors. Walking up the ramp to our seat level was easy. U2 had merchandise areas set up at more locations, so lines there were less. The concession places had very friendly attendants. The stadium seats were very comfortable. Security was there in abundance & were also helpful & friendly. Concert acoustics for an open stadium were amazing. The only downside was the placement of the

audio towers or whatever they were, but they were necessary to provide the incredible U2 audio & visual experience. After the concert, we waited for an hour on purpose before exiting to avoid sitting in traffic, idling. Again, smooth exit. So I highly recommend seeing U2 for their musical talent, their political message & celebrating the 4th anniversary of the Joshua Tree album. ENJOY!

U2 are a band who have conquered the globe and are considered iconic by fans of most genres. With such staggering reputation it is obviously quite difficult to form a live show of equal stature. Luckily, Bono and co obtain a form of bravado that is required of any iconic band.

The key component of their gigs is that they understand how important and dear the audience hold tracks such as 'With Or Without You' and the intense sincerity in which they perform could not be more appropriate. There is an ethereal state when thousands upon thousands are singing along to 'The Streets Have No Name' whilst four musicians command the entire crowd.

There is no denying Bono performs with the same level of self-assuredness that he conducts himself in daily life yet when the opening bars of 'Pride' begin, this level of bombast is required to tackle these gargantuan anthems. They have an impossible amount of hits to choose from, yet the setlist feels well calculated and not simply a 'greatest hits' compilation. The use of snippets of their own music and classics by the likes of Bowie turned their gig from a concert into a musical celebration.

The concert was awesome but the venue was absolute crap!!!!! Paid $264.00 x 2 & a tower was blocking the view depending where the band was standing on the stage. So view blocked. Support act Noel Gallagher couldn’t hear him speak, don’t know what he was saying & sound not too good at all.

U2 came on & could hardly see them. GA would have been better & cheaper & from what Ive heard, they had the best place to hear.

SCG is not a good venue for a concert & we were so totally disappointed with what we paid, seating & going to ground & trying so squeeze through the line ups for toilets & good to get to the Merchandise shop. Then trying to get back up to level 5.

Please never put a concert there again, unless you our stage in centre, so everyone can see. You shouldn’t charge extreme prices for crap seating.

U2 was awesome as always but couldn’t always see them & at times hear them, the sound got better as the night went on.

Definitely very disappointed with SCG

Amazing concert as always. Lot of security at the entrances so it was a little bit slow everything and I was afraid because maybe I couldn't watch Noel Gallagher but organization was clever and started one hour later more or less. Really it was very difficult to be there at 19 with that security level. But everything was perfect. Noel played lot of Oasis songs with classics like Wonderwall, Little by Little or Don't Look Back in Anger. Then with less than 20 minutes delay, U2 came on stage. Larry Mullen started alone in the middle of the scenario situated at the center of the stadium and it all began... Thanks for allow us to remember a great album like Joshua Tree! All the songs in order, side A and side B if you like more the vinyl. And the last part... Amazing with songs like Elevation or Vertigo. And one last surprise... We could listen a new song from the upcoming album, Songs of Experience. No more to say: GREAT AS ALWAYS U2. We love you!

Best concert I've ever seen and probably will ever see save for another U2 show. No seat was a bad seat as they had a massive 'screen' that spanned roughly half the length and a third of the height of MSG. The screen could be lowered and raised and there was a catwalk inside of it as well as under it on the floor for the band members to move around on. Animations and live videos of the band members playing were projected onto the screen and could be interacted with inside of the screen. I've never seen anything like it.

They had a great mix of classic U2 songs and new ones all while using mixed media to create much more than a music concert. This was a retrospective art show, film screening, advocacy platform, etc. A final treat was Bruce Springsteen coming on near the end of the show trading mics with Bono to sing Where the Streets Have No Name. You have got to see this band live.

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U2’s Bono drops ‘obvious’ Coldplay rock band truth bomb

U2 singer Bono endorsed Coldplay and believes they shouldn’t be judged by the standard rules of rock bands.

Appearing on the BBC’s Music Uncovered : The Genius of Coldplay ( via NME), Bono gave his opinion on the band. He recalled punching the air when hearing “Clocks” for the first time due to and having “the feeling of, ‘oh, this is just better than anyone else’s song at the moment.'”

His analysis of the band is that they aren’t just a rock band. He hopes that it’s an “obvious” observation.

“I should mention Coldplay are not a rock band. I hope that’s obvious. There is something much more interesting going on there like the Isley Brothers or something,” Bono said. “They should not be judged by rock rules… Rage is the river running under most rock formations. Coldplay’s music has a different source and I think it’s best revealed in this song ‘Clocks.’”

This summer, Coldplay will play Glastonbury for the fifth time. They are currently embarking on the “Music of the Spheres” world tour. The tour commenced on March 18, 2022. As of the time of this writing, the tour is set to conclude on November 16, 2024, after 177 shows.

As a band, Coldplay has won seven Grammys. They have been nominated for a total of 34 awards throughout their illustrious career. Their most recent nominations came in 2023 when they were nominated for three awards — Best Pop Vocal Album (Music of the Spheres), Album of the Year (Music of the Spheres), and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance (“My Universe”).

Who is U2’s Bono? 

Bono has been the lead singer of U2 since the band’s conception in 1976. As a band, U2 has been nominated for 46 Grammys and won 22 awards. Their most recent nomination came in 2015 when Songs of Innocence was up for Best Rock Album.

U2 is best known for their anthems such as “Where the Streets Have No Name” and political songs such as “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “Pride (In the Name of Love).”

In fall 2022, Bono released his memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story. To promote it, the “With or Without You” singer embarked on his first solo tour, the “ Stories of Surrender ” tour. He extended it with an 11-night residency at the Beacon Theatre in New York City in 2023. For these shows, Bono was joined by Kate Ellis, Jacknife Lee, and Gemma Doherty.

More recently, U2 embarked on a new venture. They played their first concert residency in Las Vegas, opening the new Sphere venue. The band played 40 dates from September 29, 2023, through March 2, 2024.

The shows were centered around the band’s 1991 album, Achtung Baby. This meant that U2 brushed off deep cuts such as “Tryin’ to Throw Your Arms Around the World” and “So Cruel” for the first time in decades.

Bono, The Edge, and Adam Clayton were present for the residency. However, Larry Mullen Jr. was not. He was recovering from health issues and missed the 40 shows. Bram van den Berg of the band Krezip filled in for Mullen and was present for the entire run.

The post U2’s Bono drops ‘obvious’ Coldplay rock band truth bomb appeared first on ClutchPoints .

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Check in to the (Red) Zone.

Please is the fourth release in the current series of digital Deep Dives and B-Sides.

Or your own Stratocaster, designed by Edge for Fender? Two of the special prizes in an auction to support critical health care services in LA.

From 1997's Pop album, this is the third remastered single in the series of digital Deep Dives and B-Sides.

Playing This Friday for subscribers: audio of final U2:UV show at Sphere plus extended video interview with band. (Streaming all weekend)

Beautiful Day provides the soundtrack for a new campaign by the World Wildlife Fund.

Second in the series of digital Deep Dives and B-Sides. (Plus Atomic City for Record Store Day.)

On Friday, Adam is a guest on BBC's Gardeners World.

The final show from U2:UV in Las Vegas, broadcasting in 12 countries around the world.

Kiss The Future will premiere on Paramount+ in the US and Canada on May 7th.

Twelve remastered singles for digital release.

Hear the last U2:UV show and exclusive interview on U2 X-Radio thru April 17

Hear the final U2:UV show on U2 X-Radio this Sunday.

U2:UV was like no other show - here's what it was like every night.

It was a Beautiful Day. All forty of them. Thank you Las Vegas.

'How long to sing this song?' 

A rapturous Sphere reception when Bono invited Larry to take a bow at last nights penultimate show in Vegas.

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ICYMI: Tupac's murder, John Oliver returns, Beyoncé hints of a film and all the other entertainment news from the weekend

Have sunshine and sports kept you away from your social media feeds over the weekend?

Good for you, but it's Monday now and it's time to stop pretending you're not desperate to know all the arts and entertainment news/goss from the past few days.

Don't worry, we've got you.

They're back, baby

As much as we loved seeing their creative signage and celebrity picket-line cameos, the long winter of the Writers Guild of America strike has finally passed.

As the glittery Hollywood machine starts grinding once more, we can put aside our fears that we would never get to watch new TV shows again.

Reportedly heading back to the writer's room early this week are the minds behind Grey's Anatomy, Bob's Burgers, Abbott Elementary (thank god) and NCIS.

But the more free-form late night talk shows were already raring to go this weekend!

First up was Bill Maher, slinking back onto the screens for his show Real Time on Friday night, after trying to return before the strike was over, and then reversing his decision due to backlash. He offered a meek thanks "to the union folks who expedited the paperwork", so the show could return quickly.

Tony Armstrong stan and talk show host John Oliver has brought his show Last Week Tonight back, and we're glad he's made it.

Monday US time will see the return of big hitters Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmell and Stephen Colbert, who all worked with John Oliver during the strikes on a podcast called Strike Force Five, with profits going to their unemployed staff.

We love a responsible boss.

— Katherine Smyrk

Cold case reopened

Twenty-seven years after the fatal drive-by shooting of Tupac Shakur, a murder charge has now been laid .

The rapper was just 25 when he was shot multiple times near the Las Vegas Strip on September 7, 1996. He died a week later.

A Nevada grand jury indicted 60-year-old Duane "Keffe D" Davis, who wrote in his 2019 tell-all memoir Compton Street Legend that he was in the Cadillac from which the gunfire came.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Marc DiGiacomo described Davis as the "on-ground, on-site commander" who "ordered the death" of Shakur.

  — Katherine Smyrk

We want to Rock and Roll All Nite (sic) and party every day with KISS after they smashed (a guitar and) their AFL grand final pre-game entertainment show.

The American rockers gave a MASSIVE performance at the MCG featuring pyrotechnics, young kids in mohawks and black-and-white makeup and the biggest platform knee-high silver boots you'll ever see.

And, in the beautiful mashup of sports and musical theatre that none of us knew we needed, the NRL final saw a tribute to Tina Turner, who died earlier this year aged 83.

The cast of TINA, The Tina Turner Musical took to the stage, also marking 30 years since the star's iconic performance of Simply the Best at the final. 

The NRL had earlier  adopted the song as the sport's anthem .

— Allison Jess

The spy who loved me

Have you ever wanted to see John Cena pluck a blonde Dua Lipa off the back of a speeding motorbike with one hand? Well, it's your lucky day.

The first trailer for the much-anticipated film Argylle has dropped, opening with a gold-clad Dua cosplaying as a Bond-movie femme fatale.

She is out to get Agent Argylle, played by Superman with a flat top aka Henry Cavill.

Then we find out the twist. The film was previously described as being based on a novel from first-time author Elly Conway. But this trailer has revealed that they were being cute and meta: Elly Conway is actually a character in the movie, who's spy novel plots have a nasty habit of coming true, leading to a bunch of violent people trying to track her down and figure out how she knew all about them.

People are very excited, not least because the trailer hints there may be another twist coming!

But obviously the most exciting part is that Mother is back, with Catherine O'Hara aka Moira Rose aka the negligent mum in Home Alone once again offering her questionable parenting instincts for this flick.

Oh and there's also Bryan Cranston, Ariana DeBose, Samuel L Jackson and Sam Rockwell.

U2 is hiring a graphic designer

Ireland's biggest band kicked off their residency at Las Vegas' biggest new venue: an AU$3.4 billion sphere decked out with immersive LED floor-to-ceiling visuals and state-of-the-art sound.

All the better to enjoy 'One' and 'Mysterious Ways', from U2's album Achtung Baby. Friday night's performance saw the four-piece playing the 1991 record in full, meaning deep cuts like 'So Cruel' and 'Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around the World' got their first airing since the early 90s.

There was also an acoustic portion halfway through the show, honouring U2's 1988 album Rattle And Hum — including Bono dedicating 'Desire' to Sir Paul McCartney (one of several celebs in attendance).

The band rounded out with some of their biggest songs and their recently-released new single Atomic City, which is gunning for the title of 2023's worst sleeve art.

— Al Newstead

Ice Spice too hot to handle

Closer to home, Ice Spice was almost taken out by pyrotechnics when performing at the  Listen Out festival in Sydney at Centennial Park over the weekend.

The Bronx rapper, who was winner of the 2023 MTV VMA Best New Artist award, raised a brow as she got a little too close to the fire display, making it look like she'd been engulfed in flames.

She took to social media to share her fiery experience.

— Mawunyo Gbogbo

Get your glittery cowboy hats ready

With zero confirmation of Queen Bey bringing her Renaissance world tour to Australia, what's the next best thing? Beyoncé on the silver screen!

The artist has been in discussion to distribute a Renaissance concert film directly to AMC Theatres, Variety reports.

The film is set to feature footage from the Renaissance shows, combined with a documentary-style account of making the blockbuster 2022 album of the same name and building out the world tour. (Think similarly to Homecoming – the 2019 Netflix concert film chronicling Beyoncé's historic Coachella performance).

The film is pencilled for a release on 1 December, following Taylor Swift's own AMC deal to distribute the Eras tour concert film, which hits cinemas worldwide on 13 October.

Putting Travis Kelce on the map

And finally, our gal Tay has headed back to the bleachers to support her boyf, Travis Kelce, probably inspired by our dual footy finals on the weekend.

It's really nice that Taylor Swift is helping raise the profile of under-appreciated sports like the NFL, and finally people are starting to learn who Travis is. Good for him.

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'There was a lot of opposition to it': Inside the Tina Turner gamble that created a sporting icon

ICYMI: The entertainment news you don't really need to know but want to anyway

Beyoncé announces Renaissance world tour. These charts illustrate her legacy

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Music | Review: Dead & Company opens Sphere Las…

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Music | Review: Dead & Company opens Sphere Las Vegas residency in epic fashion

Dead & company playing 24-show residency.

Yes, even the famed LSD guru — who was also the sound engineer for the Grateful Dead and the architect for the band’s fabled “Wall of Sound,” before dying in 2011 — could never have dreamed up the full-force psychedelic-rock experience that was awaiting fans on opening night of Dead & Company’s “Dead Forever” run at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Thursday.

They watched giant terrapins play instruments, rode about with a skeleton in patriotic garb on a motorcycle and matched moves with dancing bears.

Oh, yeah, and the music was pretty swell as well, as this phenomenally popular Grateful Dead offshoot — consisting of Dead alum Bob Weir on vocals and guitar, and Mickey Hart on drums, as well as vocalist-guitarist John Mayer, bassist Oteil Burbridge, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and drummer Jay Lane — rolled through 19 songs during two very generous sets.

They took the stage right at 7:35 p.m. — just five minutes after the printed start time — and were still going strong nearly four hours later.

It was a great way to mark the return to the stage for Dead & Company, the Bay Area-rooted jam band that ended its blockbuster 2023 farewell tour with three sold-out shows at Oracle Park in San Francisco in July.

It was also the first of 24 nights that the band is scheduled to perform at the Sphere, which has quickly become arguably Las Vegas’ defining landmark as the dome pulses with amazing video imagery that can be seen from miles away. Fittingly, it was showing the Dead’s signature “steal your face” skull logo, as well as other graphics, as fans walked up to the building on Thursday.

“Dead Forever” is the second residency to be held at this $2 billion venue, which opened with an epic run by U2 in September . Overall, Dead & Company is the third act to play public concerts there — with fellow jam band Phish having taken the Sphere stage for four shows back in April.

So what’s Dead & Co. doing playing shows so soon after selling hundreds of thousands of tickets on its farewell tour?

Well, technically speaking, the band was just saying farewell to touring — and the Sphere residency isn’t really a tour. So, the band is just grooving right through that loophole and straight to the bank as it performs shows, mostly on weekends, right through July 13 ( deadandcompany.com ).

The 18,000-or-so fans in attendance certainly weren’t worrying about semantics or technicalities as they enjoyed hearing such longtime favorites as “Jack Straw,” “Bird Song” and “Brown-Eyed Women” during what turned out to be a relatively mellow — musically speaking — first set.

Following a half-hour break, the group turned up the heat in the second set with a powerful jam through the longtime musical partners “Help on the Way,” “Slipknot!” and “Franklin’s Tower,” with the latter third arguably being the musical highpoint of the overall show.

The graphics were downright intoxicating and, quite often, disorienting — as the eyes tried to make sense of what was pretty much nonstop sensory overload.

There were some points where I felt a bit dizzy, and even had a touch of motion sickness, as I tried in vain to take in everything that was happening across the towering video screens as the band continued through “He’s Gone,” “Standing on the Moon” and “St. Stephen.”

The downside of being bombarded with all these special effects — and, well, just the massive amount of light — is that it’s really easy to literally lose sight of the actual musicians. They become, visually speaking, afterthoughts to everything that is going on.

Yet, there were points where everything jelled so nicely, such as when the group returned once again to outer space for a poignant version of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” and then closed the epic show with a triumphant run through Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away.”

The Sphere truly delivers a concert experience like none other. And there are very few, if any, bands that seem a better fit for what this venue can offer than Dead & Co.

Setlist: 1. “Feel Like a Stranger” 2. “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo” 3. “Jack Straw” 4. “Bird Song” 5. “Me and My Uncle” 6. “Brown-Eyed Women” 7. “Cold Rain and Snow” Set 2: 8. “Uncle John’s Band” 9. “Help on the Way” 10. “Slipknot!” 11. “Franklin’s Tower” 12. “He’s Gone” 13. “Drums” 14. “Space” 15. “Standing on the Moon” 16. “St. Stephen” 17. “Hell in a Bucket” 18. “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” 19. “Not Fade Away”

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Rumour: New Live EP in June

Original story by aaron j. sams (2024-05-13).

Please Note: This story deals with a project that has not officially been announced, and until it has, we will mark any information pertaining to this release as a rumour. However, we have heard from multiple sources that this one is happening.

We are hearing from previously reliable sources that U2 are close to announcing a new EP. The EP will be released on vinyl in mid-June, at this time it is not known if there will be a digital release. The tentative date is mid-June for this release from what we are told, and we are expecting a formal announcement of this EP soon, perhaps even mid-week.

We can tell you that the EP will be a live EP, featuring five songs recorded live from the band’s historical archive. We are told that these five tracks are from a single concert, that has not been commercially released before (i.e. the live show was not released in full as a fan club gift, nor were they part of one of the band’s live video titles.) The EP will be pressed on heavy weight vinyl, and will be a coloured pressing.

The release is being described as limited. There’s no need to panic just yet, as limited just means it will be a one-time pressing and more copies will not be made in the future. The “ Atomic City “ 7-Inch released in late 2023 was also described as limited and is still available from many online shops months after it was initially released. More information on how the item is being released will be made clear when it is announced.

U2 last released live material on a vinyl EP in the form of “ The Europa EP “ in 2019 which included “Love is All We Have Left” and “New Year’s Day” taken from the 2018 tour, mixed with a couple of remixes. Prior to that it would have been 2010’s “ Wide Awake in Europe “ which included three live songs, taken from three different concerts. Both of these EPs were released for Record Store Day events.

We hope to have more information on this release soon. (And expect an announcement as early as mid-week.)

Taylor Swift to Feature on Gracie Abrams’ New Album With Duet ‘Us’

By Chris Willman

Chris Willman

Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic

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Taylor Swift has had a number of prominent features on her recent albums, but it hasn’t often gone the other way. But she’s gracing one of her favorite tourmates with a guest appearance on an upcoming album. Gracie Abrams revealed the track list Monday morning for her “The Secret of Us” album, and in what may almost count as a title track, the fifth song on the record is “us.” (lower-case U, with a period), with Swift listed as the featured artist.

“June 21. Screaming so loud,” Abrams wrote on Instagram in announcing the track list via an image of the back cover.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gracie Abrams (@gracieabrams)

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“us.” is track 5 on Abrams’ album, which will inevitably lead to conjecture about whether Abrams places as much value on the heightened heartbreak value of a track 5 as much as Swift notoriously does.

Other titles listed for the release include “Felt Good About You,” “Blowing Smoke,” “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” “Let It Happen,” “Tough Love,” “I Knew It, I Know You,” “Normal Thing,” “Good Luck Charlie,” “Free Now” and “Close to You,” the last of which is listed as a “P.S.” track following track 12 — maybe because it’s a true postscript or maybe because Abrams doesn’t want to get unlucky by following in Swift’s footsteps with a true 13-track album.

This will mark Abrams’ second official full-length album release, following 2023’s “Good Riddance.” Although 2021’s “This Is What It Feels Like,” which was billed as an EP or “project,” ran to album length at 12 tracks, and was preceded by another EP, 2020’s “Minor,” Abrams said she considered “Good Riddance,” which was her first effort to have Dessner working with her on its entirety, to be her true album debut.

Abrams was on “The Today Show” last week to talk about the new single and spoke about her time opening on the Eras Tour in 2023. “I watched every single one of her shows that I was lucky enough to open — I think I did 31 and I watched from every place possible in every stadium, just trying to pick up on how she’s able to do what she does. And she’s such a one-of-a-kind person, friend, artist, all the things.”

At the Cincinnati stop of last year’s tour, weather prevented Abrams from being able to do her customary opening set, so Swift invited Abrams to perform “I Miss You, I’m Sorry” as a duet in the middle of her headlining set, after running through it one time in a dressing room beforehand.

Swift’s features on other artists’ recordings have been rare, but not unheard of. She showed her continuing affinity for Dessner and his team by featuring on a recent album by the National (as well as participating in their collaborative Big Red Machine project). Other features include Haim’s “Gasoline” remix, “Highway Don’t Care” by Tim McGraw and “The Joker and the Queen” by Ed Sheeran.

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