U2 Welcomes Sun Ra Arkestra & Dedicates Song To Anthony Bourdain At The Apollo

U2 performed an intimate concert at the historic Apollo Theater in New York City on Monday night. The special eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour stop for SiriusXM subscribers featured rarities, guest accompaniment from members of the legendary Sun Ra Arkestra and a tribute to renowned chef, author and television host Anthony Bourdain.

The Irish rockers’ intimate performance was without the large-scale production typically presented this tour. The show included several choice rarities and tour debuts such as “Out of Control” from U2’s 1980 debut album Boy.

According to Rolling Stone, frontman Bono addressed the audience at the start of the encore, stating, “We couldn’t have come all the way to the Apollo without bending one knee to the place. Let’s try the song we first played here when we came here in 1980-whatever it was.”

U2 then launched into the tour’s first “Angel of Harlem” as the stage current raised behind them to reveal the Sun Ra Arkestra. The surviving band members of late jazz icon Sun Ra stuck around for “Desire” as well as the tour debut of “When Love Comes to Town.” Bono addressed the crowd prior to the start of tour’s only “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of,” dedicating the piano version of the song written for INXS frontman Michael Hutchence to Bourdain who took his own life last week at the age of 61.

The Apollo audience was treated to a second encore that began with Bono and guitarist The Edge dueting on the tour’s first “Every Breaking Wave.” The night drew to an end with the Achtung Baby cut “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” and the Songs Of Experience track “Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way.”

SiriusXM will air a recording of the concert at 5 pm ET and PT on Wednesday, June 13 on The U2 Experience SiriusXM channel (Ch. 30). Here’s official audio of “Vertigo” provided by SiriusXM:

Here’s audience-shot video from last night:

[Bourdain Dedication | Captured by TMZ fan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJjZlXg3tro

[Angel of Harlem | Captured by brittanyelle2]

[Every Breaking Wave | Captured by johnulcer]

[Get Out of Your Own Way | Captured by johnulcer]

[Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses | Captured by emw212]