Bono hails London as ‘capital of the world’ as U2 triumph at Twickenham
Bono also paid tribute to murdered Labour MP Jo Cox.
Bono has thanked Britain for “looking after the Irish” as U2 played to a packed Twickenham Stadium.
The rock star hailed London “capital of the world” as the band played the latest gig in The Joshua Tree tour, celebrating the album of the same name released 30 years ago.
He said the band were “boys” when they first came to the city and went on to reflect on Irish immigrants coming to Britain.
As green, white and orange Iights illuminated the stage, Bono described the scene as a “subliminal message from the motherland”.
He said: “We came to this great Great Britain and we thank you for looking after the Irish.”
Bono expressed thanks for the “safety” and “sanctuary” given, adding: “We hope that won’t stop.”
The band played for more than two hours and performed all the songs from The Joshua Tree album including With Or Without You and Where The Streets Have No Name, before belting out more recent hits such as Vertigo and Beautiful Day.
Released in March 1987, The Joshua Tree was drawn from U2’s relationship with the United States and beat Prince’s Sign O’ The Times to the best album prize at the 1988 Grammy Awards.
The band dedicated one of the last songs of their set – Ultraviolet – to murdered MP Jo Cox who was shot and stabbed on June 16 last year as she arrived for a constituency surgery in Birstall.
The mother-of-two had been elected as Labour MP for the Batley and Spen constituency just 13 months earlier.
Before the song, Bono said she lived her life “championing the lives of others”, adding: “Jo Cox, you light the way.”
For the last song, the band were joined on stage by Noel Gallagher for a rendition of Don’t Look Back In Anger.
Press Association
