Gavin Friday Live from U2:UV

Original Story by Aaron J Sams (2023-09-02)

A few hints about what is to come? Looks like we’re kicking into Sphere mode these last couple of days.

Long time U2 collaborator, Gavin Friday, hosts a monthly show titled “Gavin Friday Presents” on U2 X-Radio on SiriusXM.

Last night’s show by Gavin has hinted at a few things we may be seeing in relation to the U2 shows coming to Vegas later this month. Gavin opened by mentioning that the countdown is on to U2:UV, and “all guns are blazing” to get to Vegas and get the shows started. The band and their team are expected to start rehearsals next week at the Sphere, with just under four weeks to the first show. The show last night opened with “Zoo Station” as the first track played, something that many fans are hoping will happen when U2 take to the Sphere stage. At the end of playing that song Gavin shares, “call your mother, everything you know is wrong…everything you know is wrong…” Both are text that was seen on the video wall during the Zoo TV shows, and more recently during the Intermission at the Experience and Innocence tour shows on a backdrop that suggested the Berlin wall.

Gavin played a mix of music through the show. He stopped to remember Sinead O’Connor with beautiful tributes throughout the show. He also stopped to remember Robbie Robertson, and to wish The Edge a belated birthday. He later played the Bono and Frank Sinatra duet, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” saying it was “tipping our hat to Vegas”. A hint of things to come? Sinatra was long connected to Las Vegas, and that duet itself featured as a double A-Side to one of the Zooropa singles, “Stay (Faraway, So Close!)”. Frank Sinatra isn’t the only act long associated with Las Vegas, another of Bono’s favourites, Elvis, also had a long association with the city. During the Zoo TV shows, U2 would close the shows with his “Can’t Help Falling in Love” – might we see a cover or two make it into the set list for these upcoming shows? Or will they just make an appearance via snippets.

Returning to the topic of Vegas later in the show, Gavin spoke about U2 had only attempted to play “So Cruel” in full on one occasion in the past. He seemed quite excited about the version they have been working on for the upcoming shows, “Wait till you hear the U2:UV version, it will be a show stopper.” He then played Depeche Mode’s lovely cover of the song from the (Ǎhk-to͝ong Bāy-Bi) Covered tribute album released in 2011.

“Gavin Friday Presents” is usually a monthly show, but Gavin teased at the end of the episode we would see him sooner than that on U2 X-Radio, announcing he’ll be doing live reports from Las Vegas. No further details, but once we find out what is planned we’ll pass that information along.

Gavin’s show will air throughout the week on U2 X-Radio. The station is available if you are a SiriusXM subscriber. Gavin’s shows are typically repeated several times through the week, but typically are not available on demand. Gavin Friday has worked as creative director with U2 for a number of years. He will be involved in the upcoming shows at the Sphere, and has also worked to develop the Zoo Station exhibit at the Venetian.

Related News Stories

2023-08-25: Various Sphere Related Bits
2023-08-29: Sphere Shows Selling Well
2023-08-30: U2’s Ultra Violet Stage and Neon Logo
2023-09-01: Q&A: The Sphere and Zoo Station

Also please check out our U2:UV Show Archive.

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