History Awesome / U2

** The whole thing started during the Zoo TV tour in the early nineties, when aid worker Bill Carter asked Music/{{U2}} to use the tour's facilities to spread awareness of the Yugoslavian conflict. After setting up a transmission system in the besieged Sarajevo, [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped videos of the war victims]] were transmitted via satellite to the Zoo TV screens for twelve shows in a row. To do this, Carter and a crew of two had to sneak past an area known as the [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Sniper Alley]] to broadcast the videos for each shows. While the linkups were [[DudeNotFunny heavily criticized]] by the British press (and even the band had moments of doubt, Bono describing it as the most difficult thing they had done, and Larry worrying about the perception that they were exploiting Bosnians' suffering for entertainment), they helped spread awareness of the conflict and increase coverage of it.

* How about a plane landing right below them while their playing in the "Beautiful Day" music video? Still one of the most impressive shots in a music video, 21 years later.

* In 2017, U2 was featured on "XXX" by Music/KendrickLamar which reached #33 on the Billboard Hot 100. This made U2 one of four artists (alongside Music/MichaelJackson, {{Music/Madonna}} and Music/WeirdAlYankovic) to have a Top 40 hit in every decade since the 1980s.

* Halftime at UsefulNotes/SuperBowl XXXVI. Being the first Super Bowl to take place after 9/11, it featured a memorial to those lost on that day, with Music/{{U2}} singing "MLK" and "Where The Streets Have No Name" while the list of names scrolled upwards against a stark black background. The capper occurred right as Bono sang the final chorus of "and when I go there, I go there with you..." -- revealing a US Flag sewn into the lining of his jacket. As if to say, "It's all right, America. We got your back."

* Halftime at UsefulNotes/SuperBowl XXXVI. Being the first Super Bowl to take place after 9/11, it featured a memorial to those lost on that day, with Music/{{U2}} singing "MLK" and "Where The Streets Have No Name" while the list of names scrolled upwards against a stark black background. The capper occurred right as Bono sang the final chorus of "and when I go there, I go there with you..." -- revealing a US Flag sewn into the lining of his jacket. As if to say, "It's all right, America. We've got your back."

* Despite all the [[InternetBackdraft critiques and complaints about how it was 'invading their privacy']], it was brilliant, as well as its own SugarWiki/{{heartwarming moment|s}} of Music/{{U2}} releasing ''Songs of Innocence'' '''''for free''''' on iTunes.

* Despite all the [[InternetBackdraft critiques and complaints about how it was 'invading their privacy']], it was brilliant, as well as its own SugarWiki/{{heartwarming moment|s}} of Music/{{U2}} releasing ''Songs of Innocence'' '''''for free''''' on iTunes.

* Despite all the [[InternetBackdraft critiques and complaints about how it was 'invading their privacy']], it was brilliant, as well as its own [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming heartwarming moment]] of Music/{{U2}} releasing ''Songs of Innocence'' '''''for free''''' on iTunes.

* Halftime at SuperBowl XXXVI. Being the first Super Bowl to take place after 9/11, it featured a memorial to those lost on that day, with Music/{{U2}} singing "MLK" and "Where The Streets Have No Name" while the list of names scrolled upwards against a stark black background. The capper occurred right as Bono sang the final chorus of "and when I go there, I go there with you..." -- revealing a US Flag sewn into the lining of his jacket. As if to say, "It's all right, America. We've got your back."

** The whole thing started during the Zoo TV tour in the early nineties, when aid worker Bill Carter asked Music/{{U2}} to use the tour's facilities to spread awareness of the Yugoslavian conflict. After setting up a transmission system in the besieged Sarajevo, [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped videos of the war victims]] were transmitted via satellite to the Zoo TV screens for twelve shows in a row. To do this, Carter and a crew of two had to sneak past an area known as the [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Sniper Alley]] to broadcast the videos for each shows. While the linkups were [[DudeNotFunny heavily criticized]] by the British press (and even the band had moments of doubt, Bono describing it as the most difficult thing they had done, and Larry worrying about the perception that they were exploting Bosnians' suffering for entertainment), they helped spread awareness of the conflict and increase coverage of the conflict.

* Halftime at SuperBowl XXXVI. Being the first Super Bowl to take place after 9/11, it featured a memorial to those lost on that day, with U2 singing "MLK" and "Where The Streets Have No Name" while the list of names scrolled upwards against a stark black background. The capper occurred right as Bono sang the final chorus of "and when I go there, I go there with you..." -- revealing a US Flag sewn into the lining of his jacket. As if to say, "It's all right, America. We've got your back."

* The U2 360 tour had to be delayed due to Bono's back injury. Fortunately, he was able to recover in time for the European leg, but there was speculation among fans that he wouldn't be as athletic as he was at recent shows, and that the (''awesome'') "wheel mic" might even be cut because a large part of its appeal was that it allowed Bono to swing around. Cut to August 6th in Turin, where not only was the wheel mic back in full splendor, but Bono ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc9wlYsSC-E#t=6m32s used the thing as a swingset.]]'' Just months after ''major back surgery.'' '''Wow.'''
* ''"Dublin city, it has its good, it has its bad. This song's called Bad"''. And that was [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHnXOSxka1Q the last time]] anyone doesn't know about {{U2}}.
* While the [=PopMart=] tour might not have been {{U2}}'s finest hour, the 1997 concert in Sarajevo has quite a few:
** The whole thing started during the Zoo TV tour in the early nineties, when aid worker Bill Carter asked U2 to use the tour's facilities to spread awareness of the Yugoslavian conflict. After setting up a transmission system in the besieged Sarajevo, [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped videos of the war victims]] were transmitted via satellite to the Zoo TV screens for twelve shows in a row. To do this, Carter and a crew of two had to sneak past an area known as the [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Sniper Alley]] to broadcast the videos for each shows. While the linkups were [[DudeNotFunny heavily criticized]] by the British press (and even the band had moments of doubt, Bono describing it as the most difficult thing they had done, and Larry worrying about the perception that they were exploting Bosnians' suffering for entertainment), they helped spread awareness of the conflict and increase coverage of the conflict.
** The buildup to the concert itself. Having endured through years of civil war and ethnic cleansing, the city rejected U2's original plan to do a small benefit show and requested a full [=PopMart=] show, giant lemon and all. In spite of a $4 million offer to play in Sweden at the date of the concert as opposed to the inevitable financial loss from a performance in Sarajevo, the band went in anyway.

* The pantomimed heroin hit in U2's live version of "Running To Stand Still" in their concert film: "Zoo TV Live From Sydney" could be considered a little {{Narm}} - ish, but it's also rather chilling and sums up the whole point and awesomeness of Zoo TV in a few minutes of theatricality. Also, the entire Red Rocks show that marked their change from post-punk nobodies to world eating megastars could be considered the Crowning Moment of their career.

* Despite all the [[InternetBackdraft critiques and complaints about how it was 'invading their privacy']], it was brilliant, as well as its own [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming heartwarming moment]] of U2 releasing ''Songs of Innocence'' '''''for free''''' on iTunes.

* Recently, the U2 360 tour was delayed due to Bono's back injury. Fortunately, he was able to recover in time for the European leg, but there was speculation among fans that he wouldn't be as athletic as he was at recent shows, and that the (''awesome'') "wheel mic" might even be cut because a large part of its appeal was that it allowed Bono to swing around. Cut to August 6th in Turin, where not only was the wheel mic back in full splendor, but Bono ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc9wlYsSC-E#t=6m32s used the thing as a swingset.]]'' Just months after ''major back surgery.'' '''Wow.'''

* The pantomimed heroin hit in U2's live version of "Running To Stand Still" in their concert film: "Zoo TV Live From Sydney" could be considered a little {{Narm}} - ish, but this troper finds it rather chilling and sums up the whole point and awesomeness of Zoo TV in a few minutes of theatricality. Also, the entire Red Rocks show that marked their change from post-punk nobodies to world eating megastars could be considered the Crowning Moment of their career.

* Despite all the [[InternetBackdraft critiques and complaints about how it was 'invading their privacy']], it was brilliant, as well as it's own [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming heartwarming moment]] of U2 releasing ''Songs of Innocence'' '''''for free''''' on iTunes.

* Bono's rant during the performance of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" in the ''Music/RattleAndHum'' film in UsefulNotes/Denver condemning the Remembrance Day Bombing that had occurred earlier that day.

* Bono's rant during a performance of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" condeming the Remembrance Day Bombing that had occurred earlier that day.

-->And let me tell you somethin'. I've had enough of Irish Americans who haven't been back to their country in twenty or thirty years come up to me and talk about the resistance, the revolution back home...and the glory of the revolution...and the glory of dying for the revolution. [[PrecisionFStrike Fuck the revolution!]] They don't talk about the glory of killing for the revolution. What's the glory in taking a man from his bed and gunning him down in front of his wife and his children? Where's the glory in that? Where's the glory in bombing a Remembrance Day parade of old age pensioners, their medals taken out and polished up for the day. Where's the glory in that? To leave them dying or crippled for life or dead under the rubble of the revolution, that the majority of the people in my country don't want. No more!

* The performance of "Bad" [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zIW8qDPhos at Live Aid]], where Bono pulled a woman out of the audience and danced with her.

* The performance of "Bad" [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zIW8qDPhos at Live Aid]], where Bono pulled a woman out of the audience and danced with her.

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQVZAh8WCw8 Pride and City of Blinding Lights]], played at the inauguration concert of BarackObama. Just, ''yes''.

** The song itself, especially the more rock-oriented "Tomb Raider Mix" (which is how it is played live.)

-->And let me tell you somethin'. I've had enough of Irish Americans who haven't been back to their country in twenty or thirty years come up to me and talk about the resistance, the revolution back home...and the glory of the revolution...and the glory of dying for the revolution. Fuck the revolution! They don't talk about the glory of killing for the revolution. What's the glory in taking a man from his bed and gunning him down in front of his wife and his children? Where's the glory in that? Where's the glory in bombing a Remembrance Day parade of old age pensioners, their medals taken out and polished up for the day. Where's the glory in that? To leave them dying or crippled for life or dead under the rubble of the revolution, that the majority of the people in my country don't want. No more!

* The [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19KstSgU-c0&ob=av2e Elevation]] music video. Most expensive music video ever made featuring each memeber of the band doing remarkably bad-ass things.

* Halftime at SuperBowl XXXVI.

** The whole thing started during the Zoo TV tour in the early nineties, when aid worker Bill Carter asked U2 to use the tour's facilities to spread awareness of the Yugoslavian conflict. After setting up a transmission system in the besieged Sarajevo, [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped videos of the war victims]] were transmitted via satellite to the Zoo TV screens for twelve shows in a row. To do this, Carter and a crew of two had to sneak past an area known as the [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Sniper Alley]] to broadcast the videos for each shows. While the linkups were [[DudeNotFunny heavily criticized]] by the British press (and even The Edge and Larry had moments of doubt), they helped spread awareness of the conflict and increase coverage of the conflict.

** The whole thing started during the Zoo TV tour in the early nineties, when aid worker Bill Carter asked U2 to use the tour's facilities to spread awareness of the Yugoslavian conflict. After setting up a transmission system in the besieged Sarajevo, [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped videos of the war victims]] were transmitted via satellite to the Zoo TV screens for twelve shows in a row. To do this, Carter and a crew of two had to sneak past an area known as the [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Sniper Alley]] to broadcast the videos for each shows. While the linkups were [[DudeNotFunny heavily criticized]] by the British press, they helped spread awareness of the conflict and increase coverage of the conflict.

--> "Ladies and gentlemen, I bow to the superior man!"