U2

Musical Guest:

12/9/00
"Beautiful Day"
"Elevation"

11/20/04
"Vertigo"
"Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own"
"I Will Follow"

Bio:

During the traditional "goodnights" segment of the 11/20/04 show, U2 stunned the audience and the cast by performing an energetic version of their hit "I Will Follow." After a number of dubious musical guests, not to mention the infamous Ashlee Simpson episode, U2's spirited performance helped revitalize SNL as a premiere musical venue.

Lead singer Bono is now widely known for his humanitarian efforts, often eclipsing the band's long and influential history. In 1976, U2 was born in Dublin, Ireland when a group of teenagers got together under the name "Feedback" to jam. After practicing for 18 months and changing their name to "The Hype," they won a talent contest and began playing the local pub scene under yet another new name, "U2," supposedly after German WWII spy planes.

Their popularity started to mushroom in the UK and they finally broke the U.S. market with "Sunday Bloody Sunday," a political song about troubles in Ireland. Throughout the '80s, they gained millions of fans, but it was the 1987 release of "The Joshua Tree" that solidified their status as one of the world's most popular bands.

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