Bono: Stories Of Surrender trailer offers a glimpse of his one-man show
Bono is also known for his activism and philanthropic work and was awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom in January, which is given for 'exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavours'.
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The Independent
4 days ago
- The Independent
Immersive tech reshapes music and film landscape with Bono, Metallica and 'Matrix' taking the leap
With a mic in hand, Bono belts out 'Vertigo,' close enough to reach out and touch, as if you're sharing the stage with him at the Beacon Theatre in New York. As he performs, the front row seat experience becomes deeply personal, with the U2 frontman seemingly locking eyes with you before the camera swings to his side to reveal the crowd, pumping their fists in excitement. The song's lyrics leap from beneath Bono's feet through 3D animation, gathering around him while hovering over the crowd. This isn't your typical concert. It's an all-access pass into Bono's performance and documentary film 'Bono: Stories of Surrender," which premiered last week on Apple TV+ and gained new life through the Apple Vision Pro. The device places viewers right onstage with Bono, delivering it all in 8K with spatial audio for a fully immersive 180-degree video. 'There's a kind of intimacy afforded to us,' said Bono, who added that immersive technologies tap into viewers senses and emotions more deeply than traditional media. 'It's not just being in the room. You can be in your head.' These days, experiences like Bono's concert film have become the next frontier of music, film and live performances. Headset devices like the Vision Pro and Meta's Quest 3, alongside next-gen venues such as the Sphere and Cosm, are making these experiences borderless, turning every seat into the best one in the house. Some of music's biggest names — including U2, Metallica, Megan Thee Stallion, Alicia Keys, T-Pain, Phish and The Weeknd — have had projects featured on these platforms. Even the iconic film 'The Matrix' has been reintroduced in this immersive space. 'This is the future. These experiences enhance the connection,' said Robert Trujillo, guitarist for Metallica, whose powerhouse Mexico City performance was delivered in an immersive concert experience through the Vision Pro in March. After watching their show on the device, he was in awe. 'It almost felt like you could touch the crowd and us,' he said. 'It was really incredible. The sound is amazing. The dynamic ranges from the ambient noises and the crowd. It's a special experience.' How music greats view future of immersion tech for industry Bono has long embraced innovation and technology to forge a connection with U2's audience. The band's 2014 album 'Songs of Innocence" was added to every Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod. In 2023, the foursome became the first band to perform at the Sphere, launching a successful residency at the $2.3 billion, 366-foot-tall Las Vegas venue that illuminates the city's skyline. U2 guitarist The Edge felt the Sphere was a 'quantum leap forward' in terms of the sensory impacts of a live concert. Now, with 'Stories of Surrender,' Bono goes solo, reflecting on his life from childhood and family to his career as a rock star and activist. It's the first feature film shot in Apple Immersive Video, bringing the artwork from his book 'Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story' to life with 3D animation. Bono even used the Apple Pencil Pro to create images featured in the film. He believes the immersive technology can connect with audiences on a profound level and hopes the $3,500 Vision Pro will eventually become more affordable. 'All of this is impressive,' he said. 'I think about the film, when I'm singing about my mother, and (my mother's name) Iris start to appear. I was completely taken aback, even though I'd drawn the Iris. There are other moments when I see my father in the chair beside me as a drawing partially by me.' Bono added: 'Then I thought, 'We might be getting beyond technology here into some kind of magic. Not just a magic trick like 'Hey, presto.' But more alchemy, more of 'What did I just feel?'" Trujillo, who typically avoids watching replays of his performances, found himself drawn in by the immersive experience of their show, which included interviews and close-ups of fans. He said the technology amplifies the energy of a live performance at a time when that excitement can feel diminished. 'For a lot of bands, especially in the hard rock genre, it felt like it was disappearing,' he said. "To me, this really brings it back and relevant again. It shows you the strength in the performance and the emotional attachment to the fans.' How immersive venues are making their mark While virtual reality headsets offer a personal window into performances, venues like the Sphere and Cosm are expanding these experiences to entire crowds. In their own way, both are redefining the possibilities of live performances and shared experiences. 'It's virtual reality without the glasses,' said Baz Halpin, the CEO and founder of Silent House Group, who produced and designed the Eagles' residency at the 17,500-seat Sphere. Halpin said Silent House will also be involved in the Backstreet Boys upcoming Sphere residency, kicking off in July. 'You can create optical illusions that I didn't think were frankly possible,' Halpin said. 'It's such a big swing. It's such a bold idea. It's still that concert experience, but somehow the visuals have turned into a rollercoaster and movie, and you're apart of it." Shared reality through "The Matrix" While the Sphere looms large over Las Vegas, Cosm offers a more intimate experience, featuring a new venture into Keanu Reeves' iconic world as Neo. Cosm is stepping into 'The Matrix' with a shared reality cinematic experience, celebrating the film's 25th anniversary with screenings at their locations in Dallas and Inglewood, California, starting June 6. Inside Cosm's 87-foot LED dome, the original film plays while the environment dynamically mirrors the on-screen action, pulling audiences deeper into the world. 'We are continuing to push the immersive tech industry forward,' said Jeb Terry, the CEO and president at Cosm, which also hosts live sports, 'O' by Cirque du Soleil, 'Orbital' and 'Big Wave: No Room for Error." The company plans to open its third location in Atlanta in 2026. With 'The Matrix,' Cosm believes the shared reality experience will pave the way for showcasing more classic films, complementing the traditional movie theater experience. 'We're really commemorating some of these legendary amazing films,' said Alexis Scalice, Cosm's vice president of business development and entertainment. 'We're keeping that interactive and exciting approach to it.' What's next for Sphere? The vision for a second Sphere location will come to fruition in the United Arab Emirates. In collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, the new venue will replicate the cutting-edge technology and scale of the Las Vegas version. The Abu Dhabi Sphere is part of a broader plan to establish additional Spheres globally and domestically, alongside smaller U.S. venues with seating capacities of 3,000 to 6,000. 'We are advancing our vision of this global network,' said Jennifer Koester, the president and COO at Sphere. She said the smaller Spheres will make the concept more deployable across different markets. As construction of the Abu Dhabi location progresses, the Las Vegas Sphere is preparing to bring a timeless classic to life. In late August, the original 'The Wizard of Oz' is set to premiere at the venue. Koester said AI models were trained on original scene drawings, set designs and materials sourced from the Academy Museum to fully fill the Sphere's massive screen. She said that evolving the technology is key to staying ahead. 'In the industry, we're seeing a lot of people talk about bringing forward experiences that are more immersive,' she said. 'People are looking for it, and people are expecting it. The bar is going to continue to get higher and higher.'
Daily Mail
31-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Elon Musk savages 'idiot' Bono over 'lies' about DOGE on Joe Rogan
Elon Musk unleashed a storm of fury against U2 frontman Bono, branding the rock legend a 'liar' and an 'idiot' after the singer claimed Musk's proposed DOGE cuts to USAID have led to hundreds of thousands of deaths. Appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience on Friday, Bono, 65, whose real name is Paul David Hewson, criticized proposed funding reductions by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a federal body led by Musk that aims to streamline US agencies. The longtime humanitarian claimed the cuts to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have already resulted in more than 300,000 deaths worldwide, including over 200,000 children suffering from malnutrition, malaria and pneumonia. 'It's not proven, but there is surveillance enough to suggest that 300,000 people have already died from just this cut off, this hard cut, of USAID,' Bono said. He alleged that mass layoffs have left tons of food, water and medical aid undelivered. 'There's food rotting in boats and warehouses,' Bono continued. 'There is 50,000 tons of food that are stored in Djibouti, South Africa, Dubai... that is rotting rather than going to Gaza or Sudan. Because the people who knew the codes for the warehouses [where the food is stored] were fired ... gone. What is that? That's not America, is it?' Musk, clearly incensed, took to X, formerly Twitter, to scorch the U2 frontman. 'He's such a liar/idiot. Zero people have died!' the billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO wrote in a now-viral post. But, he didn't stop there - Musk followed up with: 'Got a big one here @lfindRetards.' Later, he posted a clip from South Park titled 'Is Bono the Biggest Piece of Crap in the World?' with the caption 'Bono.' Bono cited a study by Boston University professor Brooke Nichols to support his claims, he also acknowledged concerns about downsizing government but warned that steep cuts to the aid agency are already having dire consequences. 'To destroy, to vandalize, it felt like with glee, that these life support systems were being pulled out of the walls,' Bono said before referencing a story published in Christianity Today. '[One worker said], "We don't have the funds, we have to choose which child to pull off the IVs." It just seems to me, I don't know if "evil" is too strong a word, but what we know about pure evil is that it rejoices in the deaths, in the squandering of human life - particularly children. It actually rejoices in it. And whether it's incompetence, whether it's unintended consequences, it's not too late for people.' Bono added that he raised the issue with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who he said is 'convinced people aren't dying yet.' Rogan, 57, then challenged Bono's position, describing USAID as a 'money-laundering operation' that has lost even a 'trillion' dollars with 'no oversight, no receipts.' While the organization has faced credible accusations of waste and fraud, such cases are believed to represent only a small portion of its $40 billion budget. Still, the Trump administration placed most USAID workers on leave in February after Musk declared it a 'criminal organization' and said it was 'time to die.' That said, Rogan acknowledged the humanitarian necessity of USAID's work. 'We help the world, and when you're talking about making wells for people in the Congo to get fresh water, when you're talking about food and medicine to places that don't have access - no way that should have been cut out. And that should have been clear before they make these radical cuts. There's got to be a way to keep aid and not have fraud.' Rogan also noted, 'The ironic thing is, even though Elon Musk has proposed all these things and the DOGE committee has proposed all these things, they've made no cuts in terms of the budget. They've cut nothing.' Musk and Rubio's insistence that 'zero people have died' may refer to the fact that the 300,000 figure is a projection, not a confirmed death toll. In the Christianity Today article Bono referenced, aid workers acknowledged recent cuts and warned that child deaths could soon follow. 'I do think we can expect to see increased mortality rates, increased infection, and increased despair if things aren't corrected,' one worker reportedly said. However, Nichols, the infectious disease expert who authored the projection, told The Times UK that tens of thousands likely have already died. 'Because I've been doing HIV [research] for so long, I just assumed that would be where the biggest impact would occur,' she said. 'But I was really shocked by the child deaths from diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition. Tens of thousands of children have died because we've pulled out our funding from diarrhea, pneumonia and food programs.' While there is debate about how many have already died, experts widely agree that the proposed 80 percent reduction in USAID's budget will be catastrophic if fully implemented or left unaddressed. Previously, Bill Gates also criticized Musk for the proposed cuts, telling The Financial Times, 'The picture of the world's richest man killing the world's poorest children is not a pretty one.' The controversy comes amid Musk stepping down from his official White House role and a New York Times report alleging that he took large quantities of ketamine and other drugs while overseeing DOGE. Musk has denied the claims, calling the report 'bs' and saying his packed schedule would make such behavior impossible. Also during the Friday podcast, Bono warned against the Trump administration's broader isolationist stance. 'I just want to remind Americans of the size of their country, and I'm not talking about the geography,' he said. 'The size of the idea, it's just an extraordinary thing. It's an idea big enough to fit the whole world, and when it becomes an island rather than a continent … when it shrinks, America seems to stop being America.'
The Independent
28-05-2025
- The Independent
Bono hits back at Trump over ‘illegal campaign contribution' allegations during 2024 presidential election
U2 frontman Bono hit back at President Donald Trump 's 'illegal campaign contribution' allegations against celebrities who made appearances in support of Kamala Harris' ill-fated campaign. During an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live Tuesday night, the comedian jokingly asked the Irish rockstar, 'Whose side are you on, Trump or Bruce Springsteen?' The 65-year-old took a moment before responding: 'I think there's only one boss in America.' Trump lambasted celebrities for their support of his Democratic rival during the 2024 election during a rant on TruthSocial earlier this month. In addition to Bono, his targets included Oprah, Beyoncé and Bruce Springsteen. 'HOW MUCH DID KAMALA HARRIS PAY BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FOR HIS POOR PERFORMANCE DURING HER CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT?', Trump said. 'WHY DID HE ACCEPT THAT MONEY IF HE IS SUCH A FAN OF HERS? ISN'T THAT A MAJOR AND ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION? WHAT ABOUT BEYONCÉ? …AND HOW MUCH WENT TO OPRAH, AND BONO??? 'I am going to call for a major investigation into this matter,' he added. 'I know the president at 1 a.m. or whatever that was is usually thinking about you, but two points I'll make. One, to be in the company of Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé, and Oprah — I play tambourine in that band. 'And two, U2 and I never paid or played a show to support any candidate from any party,' he added. The With or Without You singer joked about the title of Trump's social media platform. 'And you know it's called Truth Social, it seems to be pretty antisocial and not very true a lot of the time.' Bono has been on a media blitz recently to promote the documentary about his book tour, which coincided with the release of his memoir in 2022 and 2023, titled Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story Bono later brought up the 'One Campaign' — an activist group for the fight against HIV/AIDS and extreme poverty, which he said was a bipartisan group that included evangelical conservatives 'who are very very very angry with the person that they voted into office.' He explained that this was because of Trump's cuts to USAID and the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR. 'They are not happy, and there will be trouble,' Bono warned while speaking about the meteoric damage to HIV/AIDs research that is expected in the fallout of the cuts.
