Before U2 kicks off a four-month residency at the newly designed MSG Sphere at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, the band will deliver their homage to the city with the new single “Atomic City” on Friday (September 29).
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Come all you stars, falling out of the sky / Come all you angels, forgetting to fly / Come all who feel we’re not on our own / All U.F.Os, come on your way home sings Bono, opening the more punk-inspired track, which Bono described as a “rock and roll 45 [rpm single] in the tradition of late-’70s post-punk, Blondie, the Clash, and some ’70s punk.”
Produced by Jacknife Lee and Steve Lillywhite and recorded at Sound City in Los Angeles, “Atomic City” covers some of the legends and the lore of a city. Inspired by the nuclear bomb testing on the outskirts of Vegas and the tourism spike in the city during the 1950s, “Atomic City” also calls out a Vegas stalwart Frank Sinatra, and the pervasive spirit of the city—Love is God and God is Love / And if your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough.
“It’s a love song to our audience—where you are is where I’ll be,” said Bono in a statement.
The band recently filmed a video during a surprise, pop-up concert in Vegas on Saturday (September 16). The video was shot on Freemont Street, the same location where U2 filmed the video for “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking” in April 1987 during their The Joshua Tree Tour.
Directed by Ben Kutchins, with creative direction by Tarik Mikou, the video for “Atomic City” features U2’s late-night surprise performance in Downtown Las Vegas. The video also features drummer Larry Mullen Jr., who has been recovering from back surgery and will not join the band during their Sphere shows. Dutch drummer Bram van den Berg will fill in for Mullen Jr. during the residency.
“The four of us recorded the song,” said Bono to the crowd during the surprise show. “Sadly, Larry Mullen Jr. won’t be with us at the Sphere. He doesn’t listen to doctor’s orders. Neither do many of us. But he is here tonight. Give it up for Larry Mullen Jr.”
U2 will kick off their four-month UV: Achtung Baby residency at the MSG Sphere on September 29. The residency will run throughout the end of September and continue on with a series of dates over the next three months before wrapping up on Saturday (December 16).
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In October, U2 will also release a 30th anniversary limited edition pressing of the band’s 1993 album Zooropa. The anniversary will also be marked by a special live stream and a limited merchandise capsule collection.
Reserve your spot for the grand finale! Grab tickets early for U2’s Final Sphere Residency and witness their iconic performances.
Photo: Kurt Iswarienko / Courtesy of Full Coverage
