U2 Reschedule Postponed Paris Shows, Praise City’s Resiliency
In a heartfelt statement on their website, U2 have promised to “put on [their] best” during two rescheduled Paris shows: Sunday, December 6th and Monday, December 7th at Bercy’s Accorhotels Arena. The concerts, previously planned for November 14th and 15th, were postponed following the tragic terror attacks perpetrated by ISIS that killed over 120 people.
“So much that was taken from Paris on the tragic night of November 13th is irreplaceable,” Bono said. “For one night, the killers took lives, took music, took peace of mind – but they couldn’t steal the spirit of that city. It’s a spirit our band knows well and will try to serve when we return for the postponed shows.”
Tickets purchased for the November 14th show will be valid for the December 6th gig, with November 15th tickets valid for the December 7th show. Fans unable to attend the rescheduled dates can refund their tickets through November 30th. The December 7th performance will be filmed live for the Hamish Hamilton-directed concert special Innocence + Experience Live in Paris, which airs on HBO at 9 p.m. EST.
U2’s Innocence + Experience world tour, which kicked off with a May show in Vancouver, has featured multi-date residencies in Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and New York City before expanding into Europe. The epic jaunt – named after their most recent LP, 2014’s Songs of Innocence, and a planned follow-up, Songs of Experience – has featured a mix of hits and classic deep cuts, with the quartet performing on a multi-stage set-up backed by LED screens.
Many artists have issued tributes to Paris – both written and musical – following the devastating attacks. On Sunday, French-Canadian singer Celine Dion delivered a delivered a poignant version of Edith Piaf’s “Hymne A L’amour” during the 2015 American Music Awards.