U2 guitarist falls off the edge
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Mishap … U2 guitarist The Edge was strumming to “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” as he took a tumble that had fans concerned. Picture: Supplied
Source: Supplied
U2 guitarist The Edge says he’s fine after falling off the stage at a concert in Vancouver.
The accident happened near the end of the first show of the band’s new world tour, which kicked off Thursday night.
A fan’s video that made the rounds online shows The Edge strumming to “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” as he paces towards a stage set up in the centre of the arena in Vancouver.
Suddenly, he tumbles off the right of the illuminated walkway to gasps from the audience, as Bono’s voice can still be heard singing the song’s chorus.
The Edge can be seen springing back up immediately with the help of concert staff, and raising his arm to a cheering crowd.
The Irish rocker has since joked about his tumble on the band’s Instagram account, where he posted a photo of his scraped arm with the message: “Didn’t see the edge, I’m OK!!”
Concerned fans have posted messages of support on social media, telling the fallen guitarist: “Saw it … Glad you’re okay … Hope the Strat survived!” and “Ouch ouch ouch good man, can’t keep a good Irish man down.”
However, not everyone was sympathetic, with some accusing the Irish rocker of staging the fall for a publicity stunt.
“What are u [sic] showing there?” asked one Instagram user, commenting on the Edge’s arm.
“From that angle it looks like makeup to me. I’ve seen the video of your fall (edge off the edge) whaoooo what a great publicity stunt for that start of your tour guys. Doesn’t take an idiot to figure that out”.
But others immediately jumped to his defence: “I was there right in the front of his fall, and no way was it staged! You were not there to hear the gasps of the crew that were directly in front of me and ran to him … So if you weren’t there. Than shut zee pie hole! Thank god he was all right! And put on an epic show!”
Adoration … Bono, of the band U2, throws water at the crowd while the Edge watches as they perform in the band’s first concert of their new world tour in Vancouver. Picture: Jonathan Hayward/ The Canadian Press via AP
Source: AP
It was the latest mishap for U2, who were one of the most influential bands in the 1980s with albums such as “The Joshua Tree” and “Rattle and Hum.”
In November, Bono fell while riding his bicycle in New York’s Central Park, injuring his hand, shoulder, elbow and face.
The singer required hours of intensive surgery and months of rest and rehabilitation before launching the tour.
Vancouver opened U2’s first tour since 2009-2011, which was the highest-grossing in history with 110 concerts around the world, largely in stadiums.
The latest tour, called “Innocence and Experience,” is a notch smaller in scope, with 70 shows scheduled around North America and Europe, although the band could add more dates.
Instead of stadiums, U2 is playing arenas and emphasising effects, including a fence-like divider on the walkway that shows images of the band and other visuals.
Renewed … The members of the band U2, (L-R) The Edge, Adam Clayton, Bono and Larry Mullen junior are seen on stage during the Bambi Awards 2014 show on November 13, 2014 in Berlin, Germany. Picture: Matthias Nareyek/Getty Images
Source: Supplied
The tour is supporting “Songs of Innocence,” U2’s 13th studio album which was controversially distributed for free in October to the world’s half billion iTunes users as part of a promotion for Apple.
With no conventional metrics to test the album’s popularity, U2 nonetheless performed seven tracks off “Songs of Innocence” in Vancouver on Thursday along with many of the band’s older hits.
