Bits & Bytes

A collection of the latest U2 news and announcements posted by our staff.

LISTEN: @U2 Podcast #82 - Woo or Whatever ... U2 Plays in Chicago & We Kinda Open For Them

In the latest podcast, recorded right before U2 took the stage in Chicago, we talk about the #U2eiTour, Bono and Edge on Ellen, and your questions about set lists, Joshua Tree 2017 tour video, Pop remasters, and where to go for drinks in Nashville. The "we" this week is Sherry Lawrence, Mason Merritt, Chris Enns and myself.

If you've subscribed to the podcast via iTunes or your favorite RSS reader, you'll get the download automatically. You can also listen on Goodstuff.fm:

@U2 Podcast #82 – Woo or Whatever ... U2 Plays in Chicago & We Kinda Open For Them

We have a couple hashtags you can use to contribute to the podcast going forward:

• #askatu2 — if you have a response to something you hear on the podcast, or just want to ask a question or suggest future topics
• #atu2podcast — send a photo of yourself listening to the podcast!

Thanks for listening! You can listen or watch this episode below.

U2 Set List: Chicago, May 23, 2018

U2 brought the Experience + Innocence tour to Chicago on Wednesday night for the second of two shows at the United Center. Tonight, thankfully, there were no technical difficulties or lead singers falling from the stage.

The crowd was thrilled to hear "Red Flag Day" tonight, but it came at the expense of "Gloria" being omitted. Also absent (again) was "Raised By Wolves."

During "Beautiful Day" and again before "One", Bono shouted out to Ashley Judd, who was in the audience.

Here's the full Chicago set list. If you were at the show, use that link to share your photos and/or review with other @U2 readers.

Next up? Nashville on Saturday, May 26.

U2 Set List: Chicago, May 22, 2018

U2 brought the Experience + Innocence tour to Chicago on Tuesday night for the first of two shows at the United Center. The evening got a rough start, as an announcement was made around 8:45 that the band's team was having "technical difficulties" that were causing the delay.

Once underway, the show was full of energy, but "Raised By Wolves" was noticeably absent from the set list. Famed director George Lucas was in the audience and got a shoutout during "Beautiful Day."

Before the final song, Bono took a moment to thank the team at the United Center—they had independently raised money for his cause, RED.

Here's the full Chicago setlist. If you were at the show, use that link to share your photos and/or review with other @U2 readers.

Next up? Chicago again tomorrow night, Wednesday, May 23.

SiriusXM Adds U2 Experience Channel Starting June 1

SiriusXM announced today it is launching a limited-run The U2 Experience Channel on channel 30 beginning June 1. This channel will air for 30 days, showcasing the band's music spanning four decades. The announcement also included more information on the broadcast schedule for the band's exclusive concert at the Apollo Theater on June 11 for SiriusXM:

This exclusive SiriusXM concert, and U2’s most intimate New York City show in nearly 20 years, will air on SiriusXM’s The U2 Experience, channel 30, on Wednesday, June 13 at 5 pm ET.

The concert will also air simultaneously on Howard Stern’s Howard 101 channel. Subscribers will be able to listen to SiriusXM hosts Bill Flanagan and Jenny Eliscu host the pre-show concert coverage from the historic Harlem landmark.

16th Annual Build A Well For Bono's Birthday

Wondering what to get Bono for his birthday? The African Well Fund has you covered for the 16th year with its Build A Well For Bono’s Birthday fundraiser. Bono's even said it's one of his favorite gifts.

This year's Build A Well For Bono's Birthday fundraiser launches today and will go through May 31.

The African Well Fund's Bono Birthday Well campaign will be partnering with The Humanity Project, an organization that has built a maternity clinic in Mloka, Tanzania. Only 44 percent of healthcare facilities that deliver babies have access to water, decent toilets and handwashing with soap. Of these, only 24 percent have a delivery room. The Humanity Project is looking to change that. According to the African Well Fund’s Diane Yoder, “The Humanity Project has made great strides in the development of a health center in this village, which will serve not just the village of Mloka but also the surrounding five villages who currently lack access to medical care. We are incredibly grateful to the AWF leadership team and donors for their support!”

Over $260,000 has been raised by U2 fans since 2003 in Bono’s honor to provide clean water and sanitation to over 80,000 people in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

After making a gift, don't forget to sign the birthday card. Members of the African Well Fund will handcraft a birthday card with everyone's well wishes (pun intended) to present to Bono later this year.

Free: #U2eiTour wallpapers for your smartphone

The Experience + Innocence tour is just a week away, and we have a special gift to help you keep track: free wallpapers for your smartphone!

Below you'll find links to five images with all of the dates and cities that U2 is scheduled to visit on the E+I tour this year. There are two wallpapers for leg one, and three for the second leg. You're welcome to save any/all to your phone and use them as your home/lock screen as the tour progresses.

Links to see/save the wallpaper images are below -- enjoy!

Leg 1: May 2018

Click to view

Leg 1: June/July 2018

Click to view

Leg 2: August/September 2018

Click to view

Leg 2: October 2018

Click to view

Leg 2: November 2018

Click to view

(Note: We've tested the images on a number of different Apple and Android-based smartphones and are happy with the appearance, but the size of your phone's screen might mean that the fit isn't quite perfect.)