Bono’s Stories of Surrender to Be Filmed as a Feature

U2 front man Bono’s Stories of Surrender book tour event at the Beacon Theatre in New York City is set to be filmed at an upcoming afternoon performance.

Fans hoping to be included in the audience for the May 9 show–which kicked off April 16 for a run through May –may sign up at 1iota.com. The filming will take place May 9.

At a recent show, Bono, who said he was ” still pretending this is a book tour,” took fans on a journey through his life and relationship with his father, Bob, and their conversations at a local pub. He also weaved in stories about his wife, Ali, the early beginnings of U2, and the surgery that saved his life at Mt. Sinai hospital.

The performance is based on the release of Bono’s memoir titled SURRENDER: 40 Songs, One Story’, the story of the “life he’s lived, the challenges he’s faced, and the friends and family who have shaped and sustained him,” according to a release.

The show was punctuated by humor (“please, sit in those seats, you paid enough for them,” he said with a smile), musical re-interpretations of songs “Out of Control,” “Stories for Boys,” and an exhilarating re-enactment of how Bono intensely worked the band through what would become “I Will Follow” with the simplest instructions of how a song can be built with just two strings, just lie Public Image Limited. Additionally, Bono walks the audience through the band’s breakthrough performance at Live Aid, a hilarious retelling of bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. “hiding” from Luciano Pavarotti as he arrived with a film crew, and a note perfect imitation of former President Bill Clinton impressed by the Irish superstar’s “big tent” for social causes.

Bono’s love of Joey Ramone and The Ramones is addressed early on, as Bono brought the audience back into his bedroom jamming out to the band’s “Leave Home” album and the opening track, “Glad to See You Go” in front of one of his minimalist drawings of the band. Bono has often credited the New York City punk band for inspiring him to be an artist, and once again in the show he lifts the curtain on “The Miracle of Joey Ramone” and how that exactly happened.

The stage design is sparse by U2 standards, with chairs used to represent the “characters” in his almost one-man play. The singer is backed by producer Jacknife Lee on keyboards and percussion, cellist Kate Ellis and harpist/singer Gemma Doherty.  

The show continues in New York through May 8.