Disney+ has announced a feature-length music docu-special, in which Dave Letterman makes his first visit to Dublin to hang out with Bono and The Edge from U2, will be released on St Patrick’s Day 2023.
“Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, with Dave Letterman,” sees the American experience Dublin, and join the two U2 musicians for a concert performance unlike any they’ve done before.
As we previously revealed here, Letterman accepted an invitation from the two U2 bandmates to join them in Dublin in December for his first-ever visit to Ireland. He has a 25-year relationship with U2 but had previously only spent time with the Bono and The Edge in the U.S.
As well as being their honoured guest at an intimate concert performance at the former Ambassador Cinema building at the top of O’Connell Street on Dublin’s Northside, Dave embarks on his own exploration of the city.
He visits the legendary Forty Foot swimming spot on a freezing cold morning and rides the DART commuter train north from Co. Wicklow. Letterman also inspires a brand new U2 song written by The Edge and Bono and narrowly escapes having to perform at a sing-song at the legendary McDaid’s pub off Grafton Street with an equally legendary bunch of artists and musicians, including Bono, The Edge, Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová, Imelda May, Loah, Saint Sister, Grian Chatten of Fontaines DC, and Dermot Kennedy, whose voice Bono describes as a “sonic boom.”
Disney Branded Television President Ayo Davis made the announcement about the show on Friday, unveiling a first-look teaser of the docu-special which is set to premiere globally on Disney+ on March 17.
“Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, with Dave Letterman” is described as part concert movie, part travel adventure plus a whole lot of Bono and The Edge, with Dave’s humour throughout.
As well as the concert performance itself, the docu-special will focus on the relationship between Bono and The Edge and how it has developed across 45-plus years of close friendship and one of the most remarkable songwriting partnerships in the history of rock ‘n’ roll, plus document Dublin through Dave’s eyes as he experiences Bono and The Edge’s home city for the first time.
“Bono and The Edge are the force behind one of the most prolific and influential acts in the history of rock and roll, and we are honored to bring this truly intimate look at their beginnings, friendship, and creative process to a global audience on Disney+,” said Davis.
“Recently, I won a radio contest,” said Letterman. “Winner gets to visit Dublin with Bono and The Edge (radio contest part not true, but I feel like a winner). They showed me around, introduced me to their musician friends, and performed some of their greatest songs in a small theater. It’s a great tour. Get in touch with them ― I’m told there are still availabilities. I’m the luckiest man on the planet. (There are no availabilities).”
The docu-special is the latest in Disney+ music specials, including last year’s highly successful “Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium”.
The Disney+ release coincides with U2’s highly anticipated album “Songs Of Surrender” ― a collection of 40 seminal U2 songs from across the band’s catalogue, re-recorded and reimagined for 2023 in sessions spanning the last two years, to be released in full on Friday, March 17.
The first track to be made available from this brand new set of recording is “Pride (In The Name Of Love),” listen here.
“Songs Of Surrender” is curated and produced by The Edge and sees the band revisit some of the most celebrated songs of their 40-plus year career, including “With Or Without You,” “One,” “Beautiful Day,” “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “Invisible,” for a musical reimagining resulting in a completely new recording of each track, to include the arrangements and, in some cases, new lyrics.
