U2 is getting ready to launch their U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere residency at The Venetian in Las Vegas on September 29, but it seems they’re already making their presence known in Sin City.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Irish rockers debuted a brand new song, “Atomic City,” on Fremont Street, shooting a video for the tune on a flatbed trailer that traveled along the famous downtown Las Vegas street.
“I’ve got the key to the cages, waiting for my dice,” Bono sang in the Vegas-themed tune. “I came here for the fight. I’m front row in Las Vegas. And there’s a big one on tonight.” He described the song as a “a rock ‘n’ roll 45 in the tradition of ’70s post-punk, Blondie, the Clash, some ’70s punk … We’ll take it from everywhere.”
The lineup for the video included drummer Larry Mullen Jr., who’ll be sitting out of the residency to recover from surgery; drummer Bram van den Berg will fill in his place.
“The four of us recorded the song. Sadly, Larry Mullen Jr. won’t be with us at The Sphere,” Bono shared. “He doesn’t listen to doctor’s orders. Neither do many of us. But he is here tonight … Give it up for Larry Mullen Jr.!”
About 250 paid extras witnessed the video shoot and even got a bonus, with the band performing a stripped-down version of “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” the video for which was shot on Fremont Street back in 1987.
“Let’s just try it as a country song,” Bono told the crowd. “It’s sort of a Saturday night-Sunday morning kind of a deal anyway. It’s a confession.”
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