U2 dedicates song to stars who gave up on life

NEW YORK: U2 frontman Bono honoured the late Anthony Bourdain toward the end of the band’s special performance yesterday at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem.

Bono spoke of losing a “lot of inspiring, useful people” over the past few years “who gave up on their own life”, alluding to the apparent suicides of musicians Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington, and fashion designer Kate Spade.

“And now this great storyteller, who I’m sure has stories he couldn’t tell us. So for Anthony Bourdain and his friends and family this is a song inspired by a great, great, great friend of ours. His name is Michael Hutchence,” Bono said before launching into a version of Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of.

The Grammy-winning song about suicide was written by the band after INXS singer Hutchence was found dead in 1997 of an apparent suicide.

The 61-year-old Bourdain was found dead last week in France of an apparent suicide.

As for the performance, the band took a break from their Experience and Innocence arena tour to play a special one-night show at the theatre for Sirius XM subscribers.

The invitation-only show had a star-studded guest list, including tennis legend John McEnroe and rocker Jon Bon Jovi.

The band ripped through its 90-minute set, covering 18 songs, and maintaining enough energy to keep many of the nearly 1 500 guests on their feet for most of the night. – Associated Press/African News Agency (ANA)