U2 and Brian Eno Reunite for Intimate ‘Carnaval De Luz’ Launch at Tate Modern for BBC

U2 delivered an unforgettable performance, showcasing tracks from their highly anticipated new album ‘Carnaval De Luz’ alongside a selection of their most beloved classics at an exclusive, surprise concert in London, presented in collaboration with the BBC. Explore the stunning photography, the full setlist, and a recap of the magical evening below.

The exclusive, one-night-only performance was recorded live in the subterranean depths of the Tate Modern Museum’s South Tank on Tuesday, November 3. The intimate setting hosted a distinguished audience comprising music fans, high-profile celebrities such as Noel Gallagher, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, and acclaimed director Richard Curtis, alongside emerging talent from prestigious art institutions including the Royal College of Art, Central Saint Martins, Chelsea College of Arts, Slade School of Fine Art, and Norwich University of the Arts. The crowd also featured young creatives from the Tate Collective and BBC Music Introducing, as well as winners of Jo Whiley’s Radio 2 audience ballot.

The stage was set against a stunning 360-degree backdrop of ’77 Million Paintings’ by legendary producer and musician Brian Eno, who was present in the audience. This unique concert followed the band’s celebratory 50th-anniversary shows in Dublin the previous September.

Hosted by BBC’s Jo Whiley, the evening opened with a pre-recorded segment of ‘Zooropa’. Bono warmly greeted a group of fans seated on beanbags at the front of the venue before leading the band into a powerful rendition of ‘The Unforgettable Fire’, marking the song’s first live performance since 2018. The set continued with the classic ‘Bad’ from their 1984 album, and in a nod to their iconic 1985 Live Aid performance, Bono spontaneously integrated lyrics from The Rolling Stones’ ‘Ruby Tuesday’.

Bono expressed to the audience how deeply honored they were to perform at such a venue, highlighting that the late French-American artist Louise Bourgeois was the first to inaugurate the space in 2000 with her monumental spider sculpture.

The band then treated the audience to the live debut of ‘Can’t Stop Us Now’ from their upcoming album ‘Carnaval De Luz’, set for release on November 13. The energetic track features a vibrant chorus where Bono and guitarist The Edge share vocal duties.

Before performing a gentle, heartfelt version of ‘MLK’ from ‘The Unforgettable Fire’, Bono shared a personal anecdote about visiting Louise Bourgeois’ home in Chelsea with a bottle of Irish whiskey. He explained that the encounter inspired him to sing songs whose lyrics he didn’t fully know, such as the hymn ‘Amazing Grace’, which he sang for her.

The band followed with their timeless anthem ‘Pride (In The Name Of Love)’, which prompted Mayor Sadiq Khan to nod along enthusiastically. They then premiered their emotionally charged new single, ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’, live for the first time.

Later in the set, U2 performed ‘COEXIST (I Will Bless The Lord At All Times?)’, another track produced by Brian Eno, taken from their recent ‘Easter Lily’ EP.

Closing the main portion of the concert with the euphoric ‘Beautiful Day’, Bono encouraged the entire audience to stand up. In a climactic moment, Bono brought Brian Eno onto the stage for the final song, ‘With Or Without You’, leading the crowd in a passionate football-style chant of Eno’s name to honor his immense artistic and musical legacy.

U2 played:

‘The Unforgettable Fire’
‘Bad’
‘Can’t Stop Us Now’
‘MLK’
‘Pride (In The Name Of Love)’
‘The Greatest Show On Earth’
‘In A Little While’
‘One’
‘COEXIST (I Will Bless The Lord At All Times?)’
‘Beautiful Day’
‘With Or Without You’

The historic concert will be broadcast on BBC Two in late November as part of a dedicated night of U2 programming. Additionally, the show will air on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds on Monday, November 30, from 7pm to 9pm, featuring exclusive, new interviews with the band members.

Following the initial broadcasts, the programs will be available for on-demand viewing on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds. The band will also sit down with Vernon Kay on his Radio 2 show for ‘Tracks of My Years’, where they will select 10 songs that have defined their lives and legendary career.

Their highly anticipated new album, ‘Carnaval De Luz’, will be released on Friday, November 13. This marks the band’s first full-length collection of new material since 2017’s ‘Songs of Experience’.

U2 will embark on ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’ world stadium tour in 2027, with plans to perform a series of dates at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London next summer. For ticket information, fans can find remaining tickets through the official channels.

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