A three-song live EP featuring performances from U2 frontman Bono’s upcoming documentary Bono: Stories of Surrender will be released on May 30, coinciding with the film’s premiere on Apple TV+. Now, Bono has made available one of the three tunes, his version of the 2017 U2 song “The Showman,” via streaming services.
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The Stories of Surrender EP will be available via digital formats and as a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl disc. The EP also includes Bono’s performances of the U2 classics “Desire” and “Sunday Bloody Sunday.”
Bono’s Stories of Surrender rendition of “The Showman” is slower and features a more stripped-down arrangement than U2’s original version.
The EP can be pre-ordered now. A special bundle is available at U2’s official online store that features the vinyl EP; a copy of a new updated and abridged paperback version of Bono’s 2022 memoir Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story; and a Stories of Surrender T-shirt. The paperback is scheduled to be released on May 27 in the U.S.
More About the Bono: Stories of Surrender Film
As previously reported, Bono: Stories of Surrender was inspired by the one-man show the U2 frontman took on tour in 2022 and 2023 to promote his then-new memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story.
As reported in the original announcement about the film, Bono: Stories of Surrender offers “a vivid reimagining of Bono’s critically acclaimed one-man stage show.” During the show, dubbed “Stories of Surrender: An Evening of Words, Music and Some Mischief…,” the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer told stories and anecdotes about his life and music that appeared in the book. He also performed a variety of U2 songs.
For the musical performances, the singer was joined by Gemma Doherty on harp, keyboard, and vocals; Kate Ellis on cello, keyboard, and vocals; and Jacknife Lee on keyboards and percussion. Lee also served as the show’s musical director.
The movie also features previously unseen, exclusive footage shot during Bono’s 2023 run of “Stories of Surrender” performances at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.
The film was directed by Andrew Dominik, whose credits also include Chopper, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, and Blonde.
Prior to its May 30 premiere on Apple TV+, the film was given a special screening at the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 16.
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bono explained that in conjunction with his memoir, Stories of Surrender “is the end of a four-year process of addressing the past, lifting stones, discovering a few creepy-crawlies underneath them, [and] dealing with them.” He added, “I hope that whatever I’ve uncovered in my own little opera, if it’s of use to people, then I’m thrilled.”
An Immersive Version of the Film Also Is Premiering in May
Also on May 30, an immersive version of Bono: Stories of Surrender will premiere via the Apple Vision Pro spatial computer. The film will be the first feature-length movie made available in the Apple Immersive Video format.
The 8K media format features Spatial Audio, which offers a 180-degree video experience. Viewers will feel like they’re onstage with Bono and in the center of the performance.
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