During a concert at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Sunday night, U2’s lead singer Bono shifted the evening to pay tribute to the lives lost in Israel and Gaza.
One of the many places targeted and hit in Israel was the open-air Tribe of Nova music festival. As reported by the Associated Press, around 3,500 young Israelis gathered to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. At least 260 concertgoers were killed.
As Bono reflected on the horrific events of that morning, he turned to those in the audience and said, “So sing with us…and those beautiful kids at that music festival.”
U2’s Bono Rewrites Lyrics To Pay Tribute to Lives Lost in Israel
The Irish band U2 will play a total of 25 concerts this fall. The concerts will focus on U2’s 1991 album, “Achtung Baby.”
Housed inside the new Sphere, U2’s concert went on as planned. But the lead singer’s heart was clearly heavy with hurt and anger. Regardless of individual religious or political views, the world has been rocked by the attack. The fact that Bono took the time to honor the lives lost meant a great deal to those in attendance at the U2 concert, as well as those around the world.
Bono addressed the audience, saying, “In the light of what’s happened in Israel and Gaza, a song about non-violence seems somewhat ridiculous, even laughable, but our prayers have always been for peace and for non-violence.”
“But our hearts and our anger, you know where that’s pointed,” the lead singer said. As he sang re-written lyrics leading into U2 hit “Pride (In the Name of Love),” Bono didn’t try to hide his emotions.
Early morning, October 7, as the sun is rising in the desert sky
Stars of David, they took your life, but they could not take your pride.
Could not take your pride. Could not take your pride.
The band went on to sing:
In the name of love
What more in the name of love
In the name of love
What more in the name of love
Nearly 400,000 fans around the world have liked the video of Bono’s heartfelt tribute to the lives lost in Israel and Gaza.
One commented, “Thank you Bono to mention Israele and Gaza (Palestina) as equal. The complexity of this war goes far behind the action on those 2/3 days and the only think we can wish is for a lasting peace.”
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