U2 named 2025 Woody Guthrie Prize honorees

Congratulations to U2 on being named this year's Woody Guthrie Prize honorees. Below is the official media release...Robert Kinsler

U2 NAMED 2025 WOODY GUTHRIE PRIZE HONOREES

 

The groundbreaking Irish band, known for its passionate commitment to justice and equality, will be presented with the award October 21 at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa.

 

 

September 18, 2025—Bono and The Edge will accept the 2025 Woody Guthrie Prize on behalf of U2 on October 21 in Tulsa at Cain’s Ballroom.

This prestigious award annually recognizes a recipient who embodies the spirit of Woody Guthrie's social consciousness and musical legacy. In their art and in their actions, U2 band members Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. continue a tradition of using music as a force for social change, echoing Guthrie’s belief that songs can help make the world a fairer place.

Bono and The Edge will return to Cain’s Ballroom - for the first time since U2’s 1981 show on the U.S. leg of The Boy Tour - to accept the award and participate in an onstage conversation about the band’s music. They look forward to legally buying their own pints this time around. 

“U2 embodies the mission of the Woody Guthrie Prize, using music to confront injustice and inspire action,” states Cady Shaw, Senior Director, Woody Guthrie Center. “By presenting the 2025 Woody Guthrie Prize to U2, we honor a legacy of music that continues to challenge who we are and connect us the world over.”

Formed in Dublin in 1976, U2 has built a career rooted in songs and music that celebrate the same ideals Woody Guthrie sang for: love, hope, justice, equity and the dignity of every person; from early works like ‘War’ and ‘Pride (In the Name of Love)’ — a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — to enduring anthems such as ‘One’ and ‘Walk On.’

The recipients of Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award, which recognizes individuals and groups who have promoted and enhanced the cause of human rights, the four U2 band members have long used their platform as artists to highlight social issues and effect change. From their support of organizations such as (RED) and The ONE Campaign (both co-founded by Bono) and Music Rising (co-founded by The Edge) among many others, to the co-funding of Music Generation, Ireland’s National Music Education Programme which transforms the lives of children and young people through access to high quality subsidized performance music education.

The fundraising evening will also feature remarks from center director, Cady Shaw, and Woody Guthrie's granddaughter, Anna Canoni, who will share her family’s appreciation of U2 as the standard bearers of Woody’s legacy. U2 will join past recipients Pete Seeger (2014), Mavis Staples (2015), Kris Kristofferson (2016), Norman Lear (2017), John Mellencamp (2018), Chuck D (2019), Joan Baez (2020), Bruce Springsteen (2021), Pussy Riot (2023) and Tom Morello (2024).

A limited number of experience packages will be available for sponsors and members of the Woody Guthrie Center.

The 2025 Woody Guthrie Prize is presented by the Harper House Music Foundation.

 

About U2

Formed in Dublin in 1976, U2 have toured the globe countless times, released 15 studio albums, sold over 170 million albums and won numerous awards, including 22 Grammys and Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience award.

Acknowledged as one of the best live acts in the world, U2 have consistently pushed the boundaries of live performance, with ground-breaking stage shows that embrace the latest in technology and innovation most recently with ‘U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere’ which lit up Las Vegas for an acclaimed 40-date run to launch the world’s most state-of-the-art venue, Sphere.

 

About Woody Guthrie Center

The Woody Guthrie Center, located at 102 Reconciliation Way in Tulsa, OK, celebrates the life, music and artistry of the influential folk musician while seeking to ignite a passion for social change and foster a world in which the values of justice, equality and compassion prevail. The center honors Guthrie’s life and legacy by educating visitors, teachers, students and scholars about his relevance today and his important role in American history through on-site programming, classroom materials, youth music programs, artist-in-residence programs, school outreach, internships, fellowship opportunities and the Woody Guthrie Center Archives. Information: www.woodyguthriecenter.org.

New Music: U2, Günter Werno

Ambitious new releases from Irish legends U2 and German composer/keyboardist Günter Werno are definitely worth adding to your music library.

Artist: U2

Title: Songs Of Surrender [4 CD Super Deluxe Collector's Box Set] (Interscope)

You might like if you enjoy: U2, Simple Minds, The Alarm

Tell me more: Since its formation in the late 1970s, Irish quartet U2 has created a legacy built on an incredible body of memorable songs, enthralling concerts and an otherworldly ability to remain relevant for 45 years. The band's latest release (Songs Of Surrender [4 CD Super Deluxe Collector's Box Set]) continues to challenge and reward discerning listeners via 40 new acoustic and reimagined recordings of songs from the band's expansive catalog — all produced and compiled by guitarist/keyboardist The Edge. Fans searching for Bono's soaring vocals or The Edge's shimmering atmospheric guitar lines won't find much of that on Songs Of Surrender, nor will they hear the propulsive rhythm work of drummer Larry Mullen Jr. and bassist Adam Clayton. Rather, they will hear largely introspective acoustic readings reflecting more mature and contemporary takes on classics reflecting, as The Edge notes in the liner notes, "a 21st century reimagining." Take "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," delivered by Bono in a rootsy countrified soundscape that feels totally at home with his signature voice. Whereas there was a palpable anger when U2 recorded "Sunday Bloody Sunday" for 1983's War, there is a more painful take on the new recording with the continued tragic violence of the modern world reflected in the moving performance.  As a long-time follower of U2 — I first caught the band live at the US Festival on May 30, 1983 and have seen them dozens of times over the years in concert — I appreciate how the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers have never been satisfied to be a one-trick pony.  Among my favorite versions on the four-disc set is the sweeping "Every Breaking Wave," yearning piano-anchored "Electrical Storm," sweeping "Invisible," unsettling "Until The End of the World" and tender "Stay (Faraway, So Close)." Packaged in an eight-panel embossed digi-sleeve with 2 x 12-page booklets on stunning mat art paper, this limited and numbered boxset includes new lyrics by Bono, exclusive photos by Anton Corbijn and liner notes from The Edge. Information: U2.com.

Artist: Günter Werno

Title: Anima One (Frontiers Music Srl)

You might like if you enjoy: Vanden Plas, Hans Zimmer, Jon Lord, Danny Elfman

Tell me more: Best known as the keyboardist of German progressive rock troupe Vanden Plas, Günter Werno has fused Neo-classical and prog rock together across Anima One. The expansive symphonic masterwork was created after Vanden Plas performed composer-keyboardist Jon Lord's "Concerto for Group and Orchestra" at Fruchthalle Kaiserslautern in Germany on Jan. 11, 2019. As noted by Werno in the press notes for the new live recording released on March 10, 2023: "Christoph Dammann, the culture officer for the venue, came to me and asked if we could do something like this again, but instead of covering someone else's work, he asked if I would write an original composition. This was a challenge for me as I had written orchestrations to rock, pop, and musical songs before, but never for an orchestra in the classic form of three movements. But, before I had even left the building after our conversation, I already had the first tune in my head, which ultimately became the intro of the first movement. I freely played around with tunes and themes and finally found the suitable way forward for me from there." Fans of sophisticated rock as well as 20th century orchestral and film score music will likely be swept up in the impressive Anima One. The first movement titled "Animabilis" conjures up a range of emotions, with Werno's keyboards and the orchestra gently building artfully for more than three minutes before the piece becomes significantly more dramatic. The second movement ("Animosus") is generally more reflective, with various orchestral, choral and electric instrument voices positioned in front of the listener, only to be replaced or layered as other forces emerge leading up to the soaring finale of that section. The third movement ("Animato") is both dramatic and beautiful, showcasing the full power of keyboardist Werno, guitarist Stephen Lill, singers Andy Kuntz and Astrid Vossberg, and the Pfalzphilharmonie Kaiserslautern orchestra. Anima One is available as a CD + DVD release, with the DVD showcasing the May 13, 2022 concert performance captured for the title. Information: https://www.facebook.com/gunter.werno.

Robert Kinsler

Review: 'Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming with Dave Letterman'

Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming
 with Dave Letterman / Photo credit: Disney

You don't have to be a fan of U2 to love the new documentary "Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming with Dave Letterman," but it certainly doesn't hurt.

The new TV special (available on Disney+) is a wonderful Morgan Neville-directed film that somehow blends history, humor, love, friendship and palpable charm along with truly glorious music into a fast-moving special that obviously promotes U2's newly-released Songs of Surrender — which features 40 mostly-reworked songs from the group — while ultimately reminding the world why the Irish quartet is one of rock's great and enduring voices.

"We wanted to strip away the artifice that inevitably emerges after you’ve been around this long," Bono says early in the documentary.

Although drummer Larry Mullen Jr. and bassist Adam Clayton do not appear in the documentary — Mullen was recovering from surgery while Clayton was busy making an "art film" according to Bono — the special does provide entertaining insight into the band's singular career stretching back to their roots as students at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin where they met in the late 1970s. In addition to Letterman's colorful travels about Dublin and his insightful discussions with Bono and The Edge, there are also interviews with Irish artists including Glen Hansard, producer/U2 collaborator Jimmy Iovine and others to add additional perspective on U2.

Photo credit: Disney

Some of the highlights of the film include several performances at the Ambassador Theatre in Dublin, including kicking off with a reworked musical reading of "Vertigo." Toward the end of the special, Bono and The Edge gather with musical friends — including Imelda May, Dermot Kennedy and the aforementioned Hansard — in a pub to perform a casual singalong that will connect with anyone who has ever been to Ireland or an Irish pub on this side of the Atlantic.

The film ends with a new track, "Forty Foot Man," a wonderful song inspired by Letterman's visit to a notable south Dublin swimming location where the 75-year-old talk show host donned a wetsuit and dove into the freezing waters of the Atlantic.

"Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming with Dave Letterman" doesn't begin to tell U2's full story, but watching the documentary is certainly time well spent. 

Robert Kinsler

Phil Lynott 'Songs For While I'm Away' + Thin Lizzy's 'The Boys Are Back In Town Live at the Sydney Opera House October 1978' coming June 24

Fans of classic and Irish rock will want to read this important update on a multi-format release featuring Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy! Robert Kinsler

MERCURY STUDIOS IS PROUD TO PRESENT PHIL LYNOTT SONGS FOR WHILE I’M AWAY + THIN LIZZY THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN LIVE AT THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE OCTOBER 1978

~2xDVD+CD AND BLU-RAY+DVD+CD~ ~JUNE 24, 2022~ PRE-ORDER HERE VIEW TRAILER HERE New York, NY (May 5, 2022)–With their driving hooks, twin lead guitars, lyrics saturated in working class lore, and the charismatic presence of singer/songwriter/bassist Phil Lynott, Thin Lizzy are undeniably one of the most influential bands in Rock ‘N’ Roll. Mercury Studios salutes their legacy with the release of Phil Lynott Songs For While I’m Away + Thin Lizzy The Boys Are Back In Town Live At The Sydney Opera House October 1978 on June 24. Pairing the acclaimed Phil Lynott documentary with a renowned live concert film, the set will be available as a 2xDVD+CD and Blu-ray+DVD+CD (with the Phil Lynott documentary on the Blu-ray). Songs For While I’m Away chronicles the life and music of Phil Lynott, utilizing archival footage, interview snippets from the man himself, and music from both the Thin Lizzy and Phil Lynott solo catalog. Notable conversations with Midge Ure (Ultravox / Thin Lizzy), Darren Wharton (Thin Lizzy), Scott Gorham (Thin Lizzy), Adam Clayton (U2), Huey Lewis (Huey Lewis & The News), James Hetfield (Metallica) and others, as well as Phil’s wife Caroline Taraskevics and daughters Sarah Lynott and Cathleen Lynott reveal an all-encompassing look at Phil, from his 1950s’ upbringing as a Black boy in blue collar Dublin to his rise to fame. Fully exploring his history and rippling impact on music, the film examines Lynott as a singer, songwriter, poet, father, and cultural icon. Complementing this film is The Boys Are Back In Town Live At The Sydney Opera House October 1978. Previously released on VHS, Laserdisc, and DVD, this version presents the show in the highest quality that has been made available, with not only cleaned up video and remixed audio from multi tracks, but five additional songs from this set that have never been officially released. This performance showcases the electricity of these original Rock ‘N’ Roll masters – Lynott, Scott Gorham (guitar / background vocals), Gary Moore (guitar / background vocals), and Mark Nauseef – delivering searing versions of their celebrated anthems, such as “Jailbreak”, “The Boys Are Back In Town”, “Bad Reputation” and “Me And The Boys”. Unveiling the story of Phil Lynott, then backing up the band’s power and prowess with a dynamic performance, Phil Lynott Songs For While I’m Away + Thin Lizzy The Boys Are Back In Town Live At The Sydney Opera House October 1978 echoes the importance of Thin Lizzy in the pantheon of rock music. About Mercury Studios: Mercury Studios is a multi-faceted content studio established to develop, produce, globally distribute and invest in innovative, music-rooted storytelling across a range of media including film, television, podcasting, publishing and live-streamed performance. Taking its name from the iconic Mercury Records label, Mercury Studios is powered by Universal Music Group and creates an open space for experimentation to unleash and amplify both emerging and established artists. With offices in London and Los Angeles, Mercury Studios harnesses its established relationships with best-in-class talent from music and film, seamlessly bridging the two worlds to create a completely distinctive community of trailblazers driven by original IP, innovation and collaboration. Track Listing:

'U2: The Virtual Road' series coming to YouTube beginning St. Patrick's Day, March 17

Breaking news, and right in tune with St. Patrick's Day coming on Wednesday, March 17th...

YOUTUBE PRESENTS
U2: THE VIRTUAL ROAD
 

A SERIES OF LEGENDARY CONCERTS 
BROADCAST ON THE BAND'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL, FOR THE FIRST TIME
WITH ENHANCED VISUALS AND REMASTERED AUDIO
 

AND ALL-NEW & EXCLUSIVE OPENING ACT PERFORMANCES FROM
DERMOT KENNEDY
FONTAINES D.C.
CARLA MORRISON
FEU! CHATTERTON

WATCH HERE
www.youtube.com/U2
 

March 17  - St Patrick's Day
U2 Go Home: Live From Slane Castle - IRELAND 2001
 

March 25
U2: Live At Red Rocks, Denver, Colorado - USA 1983
 

April 1
Popmart: Live From Mexico City - MEXICO 1997
 

April 10
iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE: Live in Paris - FRANCE 2015

 

(MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2021 - 10AM PT / 1PM ET / 5PM GMT) YouTube, Island Records, Interscope, UMe, and UMC today announce U2: The Virtual Road, a series of four concerts broadcast for the first time exclusively on the band's YouTube channel, for 48 hours only.

U2: The Virtual Road also marks the first time that three of these concerts – Slane, Red Rocks, and Mexico – have been made available digitally. 

The first concert will broadcast on St. Patrick's Day, March 17,  2021. U2 Go Home: Live From Slane Castle celebrates the band's return to the legendary Irish concert site on September 1,  2001, for their first performance on the banks of the River Boyne in over twenty years. And in an exclusive YouTube performance, Dermot Kennedy will open the show with a solo performance recorded last week outside Los Angeles. 

On March 25, fans can tune in to see U2: Live At Red Rocks recorded on June 5, 1983, at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, the United States, on the band's War Tour. A career-defining show, the rain-soaked performance at the iconic venue helped establish U2's reputation as one of the greatest live acts in the world. And another Grammy-nominated Dublin band, Fontaines D.C., will open the show with a performance recorded in their hometown last year. 

The PopMart Tour stormed into Mexico City in December 1997 for a memorable show at the Foro Sol Stadium and on April 1 will see Carla Morrison open for the band, only on YouTube, for a very special one-off performance ahead of Popmart: Live From Mexico City.

In December 2015, U2 returned to Paris less than a month after the November 13  terrorist attacks on the city for two rescheduled shows. iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE: Live in Paris marked the final performance on the tour, an unforgettable evening which included an emotional performance of Patti Smith's 'People Have The Power.' On April 10, YouTube will broadcast the show for the very first time, with the French band  Feu! Chatterton on support.

"Every show is memorable for us, but these four particularly so… It's exciting to be on the road again… Embracing all the wonder of the virtual road… And especially exciting to be joined by such a brilliant line-up of fellow travelers in Dermot Kennedy, Fontaines D.C., Carla Morrison, and Feu! Chatterton." – Bono, The Edge, Adam, and Larry

Dan Chalmers, Director of YouTube Music for EMEA, said - "It's fantastic that YouTube is partnering with U2 for this exclusive broadcast. The four concerts featured in The Virtual Road are the most memorable and iconic in the band's history and indeed rock history at large. As one of the world's best-selling music artists, U2 have been at the top of the global rock scene for the past four decades. When they perform, the world takes notice - their performances are always a landmark moment for music lovers around the world. We're proud to be providing the platform for an artist that has come to embody the definitive live music experience."

Sam Lunn, Head of Campaign Strategy, Island Records, said - "One of the reasons U2 remain one of the greatest and most interesting bands in music is their desire to always break new ground. No band has managed to combine emotion, ambition, innovation, and spectacle to produce such consistently brilliant live shows.  With the announcement of The Virtual Road and this hugely exciting partnership with YouTube, U2 are once again leading the way with this incredibly exciting virtual concert series."

In September last year, YouTube, Island Records, Interscope, UMe, and UMC announced the relaunch of U2's Official YouTube Channel with weekly releases of the band's most iconic music videos and never-before-seen content on YouTube, all remastered at the highest possible standard. The coming year will see the band's music video catalog remastered in H.D. and launched exclusively on YouTube. 

Throughout their career, U2 has been known for their unparalleled creative vision and artistry when bringing their music to life on screen. As new and remastered content is added over the next year, their YouTube channel will evolve as a hub to celebrate the band's 40-year legacy and the evolution of their approach to video. Highlights will include previously unreleased live, behind the scenes, and remixed content, and some of their best-known music videos upgraded to H.D. for the first time ever, up to 4K quality whenever possible. The project will result in hundreds of new and upgraded videos being added to the channel and a curated experience for fans to be able to explore the depth of the catalog.

U2 performing at B.C. Place in Vancouver on Friday, May 12, 2017.
Photo: Danny North

About U2

From the beginning, U2 were marked out by their drive and ambition, forming as a band "… before they could play". Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen, and Adam Clayton met at Mount Temple School and formed U2 in 1978 before signing to Island Records. Acknowledged as one of the best live acts in the world, U2 have released 14 studio albums and have sales in excess of 157 million. They have won numerous awards, including 22 GRAMMYs, an Oscar nomination, and the Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience. In 2003 they won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, 'The Hands That Built America', featured in Gangs of New York. 2014 saw U2 nominated for an Oscar for 'Ordinary Love' from the feature film Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, as well as take home the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.

U2's fourteenth studio album Songs Of Experience – the companion release to 2014's Songs Of Innocence - was released in December 2017 and includes tracks 'Get Out Of Your Own Way' and 'You're The Best Thing About Me.' The new album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, setting U2 apart as the only band in history to have topped the chart in four successive decades. In 2018, the band hit the road with the eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour, an arena production which saw U2 continue to push the creative boundaries of technology and engineering. And following 2017's acclaimed stadium run with The Joshua Tree Tour - the record-breaking smash hit tour celebrating the band's seminal 1987 album The Joshua Tree – 2019 saw The Joshua Tree Tour visit New Zealand, Australia, and Japan, as well as bring "the biggest band in the world" (The Guardian) to Singapore, Seoul, Manila, and Mumbai for the very first time.

And in June 2020, SiriusXM and U2 announced the launch of U2 X-Radio, a complete immersion into the work and influences of the band from the Northside of Dublin, all curated by U2.

www.U2.com

 

Sights and Sounds: U2 Live At The Apollo For SiriusXM

Wow, wouldn't it be nice to be in New York and get an invite to attend this show!

U2 Live At The Apollo For SiriusXM

"'From Northside Dublin, U2. For one night only at The Apollo Theater, June 11th"

SiriusXM to Present U2's Most Intimate New York City Show in Nearly 20 Years

Exclusive concert to take place June 11, 2018 at Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater

Bono performing on the opening night of the eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour
Photo by Danny North

NEW YORK, May 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SiriusXM announced today that U2 will take a one night detour from the "technologically advanced… sensational" (The New York Times) production of the eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour 2018 to perform for the first time ever at Harlem's world famous Apollo Theater. This special invitation-only concert exclusively for SiriusXM subscribers will take place Monday, June 11, as announced by Howard Stern today during his live SiriusXM show The Howard Stern Show.

The SiriusXM concert is a rare theater performance for U2, whose recent outings include the #1 grossing tour of last year, The Joshua Tree Tour 2017. The band will be playing material from current release Songs of Experience (Interscope) – ranked #6 in the Global Top albums of 2017– alongside classics from the storied U2 catalogue that has seen Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen win 22 GRAMMY awards to date, more than any other rock band. The special concert will be the first time the band, who paid homage to Harlem's Billie Holiday on their 1988 song "Angel of Harlem," has played the legendary venue. It is also the first time since their acclaimed 2000 Irving Plaza show that U2 will play such an intimate New York show—harkening back to the band's roots touring the club circuit, a period revisited nightly during the first half of the eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE shows. The special concert will air following the performance via satellite on channel 30 and through the SiriusXM app on smartphones and other connected devices, as well as online at siriusxm.com.

"New York City and the U2 band have a unique history," said Bono. "From the songs of Lou Reed, Billie Holiday and the Ramones that taught us how to listen, to the New Yorkers at our earliest U.S. shows who taught us how to play, the souls of New York and U2 have always been intertwined. The Apollo Theater is the heart of New York's musical soul, and to finally be playing our songs on the same stage where James Brown begged Please Please Please is not only a bucket list moment, it's an incredible honor."

"Experiencing U2 in the intimate setting of the legendary Apollo is a rare opportunity and will make for a historic evening," said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer of SiriusXM. "It's the first time U2 has played a New York City venue of this size in almost two decades, and we couldn't be more excited to offer our subscribers the opportunity to be part of this singular musical event."

The legendary Apollo Theater is known for launching the careers of countless iconic performers, and has been a catalyst for artistic excellence and innovation since it opened its doors in 1934. The Apollo's new artistic vision builds on its legacy and the current programming epitomizes the range and vibrancy at the core of the Theater's mission, strengthening its integral role as a leading music and arts institution. For more information, visit www.apollotheater.org.

SiriusXM has presented special, private concerts at the Apollo Theater with Paul McCartney in 2010, Bruce Springsteen in 2012, Metallica in 2013, James Taylor in 2015 and Guns N' Roses in 2017. 

SiriusXM subscribers will have the opportunity to win tickets to this private performance through an invitation sent by e-mail. In addition, subscribers since April 25, 2018 will be able to enter for the chance to win a trip for two to New York, NY including airfare, hotel stay and a pair of tickets to SiriusXM Presents U2 at the World Famous Apollo Theater. See Official Rules for complete details at siriusxm.com/U2.  

For further information on U2, the eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour 2018 or Songs of Experience, visit www.U2.com.

U2 brings eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour to Las Vegas

Editor's Note: Robert Kinsler's eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour concert preview was originally published on The Orange County Register website on May 13, 2018. You can read Robert Kinsler's concert review of the May 12, 2018 concert here.

6 things to know about U2’s eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour that comes to the Forum this week

U2’s eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour comes to the Forum in Inglewood on May 15 and 16.
(Photo by Danny North)

By ROBERT KINSLER | rockwrite@yahoo.com | Orange County Register

PUBLISHED: May 13, 2018 at 10:01 am | UPDATED: May 13, 2018 at 11:24 am

For almost 40 years U2 has been thrilling audiences and connecting with new generations of listeners with compelling song craft and rousing performances while expertly capturing the pulse of current events and an ever-changing world along the way.

Both diehard and casual fans of U2 were justifiably pleased with The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 that was staged in massive stadiums throughout Europe and North and South America last year; that 51-date tour reportedly grossed $316 million and racked up 2.71 million in ticket sales. Compared to the two shows this writer caught in Vancouver and San Diego last year, the 2018 eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour is decidedly more intimate even while offering up dazzling sonic and visual thrills at every turn. Based on U2's second performance at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this writer caught on Saturday (May 12), here are five key things to understand about the eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour that includes two upcoming stops at the Forum in Inglewood on Tuesday, May 15 and Wednesday, May 16.

U2’s eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour comes to the Forum in Inglewood on May 15 and 16.
(Photo by Danny North)

The Songs Remain the Same…and Not

Music fans that only know U2's radio hits or their beloved '80s and early '90s albums will certainly be treated to some favorites this time around. But it is a good idea to be at least familiar with the band's two most recent studio albums (2014's "Songs of Innocence" and

Bono as seen on the interactive screen.
Photo credit: Robert Kinsler

2017's "Songs of Experience"); almost half of the 25 songs performed in Las Vegas came off those two LPs. There have been a few new songs added (and others removed) in the first six dates of the tour, but there is a high chance those hitting the Forum this week will hear newer tracks such as "Love Is All We Have Left," "The Blackout" and "American Soul" as well as bona fide classics "I Will Follow," "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "One." U2 has also dug a bit deeper into its classic catalogue to feature the driving "Acrobat" from "Achtung Baby," which the Irish quartet had never performed live until the start of this tour on May 2, and "Staring At The Sun" (not performed by U2 in concert since 2001). As a result of focusing on newer and rarer gems, the band's 130-minute sets have been omitting much-loved concert staples such as "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," "With or Without You," "Bullet the Blue Sky" and (most surprisingly) "Where the Streets Have No Name."

An Intimate Affair

U2 works hard to connect with every member of the audience. On the "eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour" that effort includes performing a good chunk of the second half of the concert at a second stage on the opposite end of the main stage. In addition, because many concertgoers filled the seats located behind the main stage, both Bono and The Edge would frequently turn and perform for those folks. And because of the sparse and uncluttered design of the main stage, there were clear views of the proceedings from every corner of the venue.

Bono, left, with The Edge seen performing
"Acrobat" on May 12, 2018. Photo: Robert Kinsler

Technology on Display

While there was a secondary stage at U2's stadium shows in 2017, for many concertgoers the best views were watching the gigantic screens positioned above and around the main stage. Not this time around; the arena is essentially separated into two halves with a state-of-the-art video screen running the length of the floor that allows the band to actually perform within and below throughout the immersive screen. It is impressive.

U2, seen here performing on May 2, 2018, brings their eXPERIENCE
+ iNNOCENCE Tour to the Forum on May 15 and May 16, 2018.
Photo credit: Danny North

Political Theater

Anyone who has been to a U2 concert recognizes the band's commitment to the poor, social justice and women's equality. On this tour, the band continues to make its powerful points, in part via documentary footage of hate groups in the U.S. including Nazi and KKK rallies staged in recent years. The leads up to U2's performance of "Pride (in the Name of Love)" with images of the Martin Luther King Jr. and those opposing the hate groups offering the better side of the America Dream. There are obvious jabs at Donald Trump (at one point a Refugees Welcome" sign is projected overhead) as well as supporters of the Second Amendment notably with messages projected before and during the show. 

A massive screen was utilized throughout the concert in
Las Vegas on May 12. Photo credit: Robert Kinsler

Crowd Matters

Anyone who has gone to a concert where everyone is engaged (think Bruce Springsteen or Radiohead) and then caught a favorite classic rock act at the Pacific Amphitheatre knows the difference between a discerning audience and one that is there simply to party, go on beer runs and take selfies with their phones. U2 continues to strive to provide the musical might and immersive experience that makes it worth the time and money to get to a concert. There were countless times in Las Vegas when it was clear U2 sets the bar for how great a rock concert can be; a moment that stood out for yours truly was the crowd's unprompted and enthusiastic chanting vocals on the band's 2014 track "Raised by Wolves."

U2

U2 is that super rarefied top-tier classic band with its original line-up intact. Those going to U2 at the Forum will view that magical chemistry that happens when Bono (vocals), The Edge (guitar, keyboards), Adam Clayton (bass) and Larry Mullen Jr. (drums) join forces and create something very special. 

U2’s eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour

When: 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 15; 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 16

Where: 3900 W. Manchester Blvd.,  Inglewood

Tickets: $46-$176, plus fees

Information: ticketmaster.com