A band impersonating U2 have been criticised for performing their songs outside the Bataclan in Paris as a supposed tribute to the victims who died there in 2015.
- READ MORE: U2 live in Las Vegas: a dazzling opening night at the $2 billion Sphere
That year, U2 had been rehearsing for a show at the Bercy Arena in the city just three miles away from where the terrorist attack took place.
During an Eagles Of Death Metal show, 89 people were killed by terrorists from the Islamic State, who also attacked outside the Stade de France and around cafes and restaurants. Many touring artists ended up postponing or cancelling shows in the days and weeks afterwards.
On Sunday (December 1), a group impersonating U2 attempted to enter the venue but then performed hits such as ‘One’ and ‘With Or Without You’ outside, according to Le Parisien – apparently a tribute to the tragedy, which a survivor named Arthur Dénouveaux ended up witnessing.
“They introduced themselves as U2 before admitting that it was a joke. In the meantime, they performed a song in front of the hall on the sidewalk,” the venue told the publication.
“This is a joke in very bad taste that probably went beyond them and to which we do not wish to give more attention than it deserves.”
The stunt was reportedly for a photoshoot. The man impersonating Bono, Pavel Sfera, has been working as his double for over 20 years according to his website.
Típico, andas caminando por las calles de Paris y te encuentras a U2 echando un palomazo. ¡Weeeeeeeey! ¡U2! ¡Tuve a Bono a 1 metro! 😃👏👏👏👏👏 ¡NO MAMEN! pic.twitter.com/uCAKuU6rbv
— El Guarro ™ (@El_Guarrazo) December 3, 2024
Aujourd’hui, des sosies de U2 ont pénétré au Bataclan,en se faisant passer pour le vrai groupe et sous le prétexte de rendre hommage aux victimes du 13-novembre. Tout ça pour faire un shooting pour leur promo. Toujours plus loin dans l’abjection. pic.twitter.com/eufftLLRYY
— Arthur Dénouveaux (@Arthur_Dvx) December 1, 2024
Paris. 3pm. Republic Square. U2. Live !!!! pic.twitter.com/zn0hzNhVFk
— Etienne Leenhardt (@Leenhardt) December 1, 2024
Meanwhile, the real U2 have recently gone back in the studio with drummer Larry Mullen Jr., guitarist The Edge has revealed – find out more below.
Speaking to the BBC‘s Jo Whiley to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the band’s ‘How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb’, The Edge revealed new information about new music within the camp.
Per the guitarist, longtime drummer Larry Mullen Jr. – who had to sit out of the band’s historic Las Vegas Sphere residency due to injury and recovering from surgery – is now “good” and “taking it easy but he’s back in the saddle on the drums” in the studio.
The Edge revealed that U2 are now recording new music with Mullen Jr., which he described as “crazy”. He eplained: “We’re at that great phase where we don’t have to over think it, we’re just making music and loving that process. And then we’ll figure out where things belong afterwards so there’s a couple of different projects.”
The Edge continued: “Definitely U2, with Larry which is wonderful, we’ve got him in the studio… he’s good, he’s taking it easy but he’s back in the saddle on the drums still doing some recording with us and so we’ll be doing a bit more of that before the end of the year.”
